Sophal Ear: Escaping the Khmer Rouge

[chhuncam]

You are star.

[HipHopGamerEntertain]

this guy is my co worker uncle and im not lying

[adrock212]

Having traveled through Cambodia earlier this year I was very impressed by the warmness I received everywhere I went and was more often than not greeted with a smile. Being aware of the very dark recent history of the nation I was truly inspired by this great example of the ability of the human spirit to triumph through great adversity.

Your mothers determination to save her family is a truly great story and you must be very proud. So sorry to read of her passing.

[sophalear]

It is with great sadness that I write to inform you that on 5 October 2009, my 73 year-old mother, Mrs. Cam Youk Lim, passed away two days after what appeared to have been successful quadruple heart bypass surgery. My mother was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 1936 and lived to save six lives during the Killing Fields, with 14 grand children since then, the count is now up to 20 lives. Mother, I miss you so much and I love you. May you rest in peace.

[FlipDiggers]

Very sorry to read this after watching your video and hearing her story. Six children and 14 grand children.  Her legacy lives on.

[drwaynewright]

Thanks Sophal for sharing your family's story. What an awesome way to honor your wonderful mother. So touching to see her get a standing ovation.

[bajorjor1]

wow talking bout owing your life to your mom 2x

[duba3988]

That woman is a hero.

[gulfalco]

This story should be made into a film for sure.

[nirvgorilla]

Cambodians are so corrupt. I'm surrounded by them because my girlfriend is Cambodian.

[DonSatinoCorleone]

niggorilla shut the fuck up if Cambodians were corrupt then y the hell u hangin wit them man i can't believe this man ain't no khmer girl gonna go wit u cambodian girls are hot like hell there to hot to be goin wit u

[nirvgorilla]

You're really terrible at English. My girlfriend IS Cambodian and you can tell just by looking at my favorite videos on Youtube - she uses my account to watch RHM, Sesh Tep, Bopha, Chlangden, Chlangden, M Production, Sunday, Hang meas and other Cambodian labeled music.

[DonSatinoCorleone]

Come On Lil Nigga U Got The Guts To Say Something To Me Then Come On Lets Hear It No Disrespect To Ya Girl Cusz She Khmer and all I Don't Cus Out Other Khmers

[nirvgorilla]

"No Disrespect To Ya Girl Cusz She Khmer and all I Don't Cus Out Other Khmers"

You just proved my point about being corrupt. Hahahah I told you dude. If my best friend does something stupid, I'm going to call him on it or in your language, I'm going to "dis" him. I'm not biased, and I'm not corrupt.

[DonSatinoCorleone]

Shut Up Whitey Go Fuck Your Best Friend Maybe You'll Teach Him Some Sex Education

[nirvgorilla]

And it's true. Many of them ARE extremely corrupt. 6 Cambodians are employed where I am as well. I told you, I'm surrounded by them but they seem to lack the ability to admit their mistakes and be self-deprecating or self-critical. Just watch the youtube videos alone of the Cambodian government today in 2009. It's terrible and you know it so that's what they're used to. Don't insult me again.

[DonSatinoCorleone]

your terrible at english blah blah nigga shut the fuck up every cambodian music is better then that rap and american music don't insult me again wat are u a baby pssh ta hell u probly r 1 ah k'doi ma viear huh cambodian wanna be wat does that mean since u say u have a khmer girlfriend

[nirvgorilla]

Sweet zombie Jesus you're uneducated. Do you think you're some gangster thug saying nigga? Do you think you actually matter in this universe? Give me your phone number and I'll let you know exactly how much you matter after you say hello to my Cambodian girlfriend.

[DonSatinoCorleone]

Oh Im Uneducated pssshh u don't eve kno wat that mean

Im Not The 1 Goin Around Talking About Other Peoples Race If U Want To Talk About Other Race Y? Dont U Go Talk About North Korea Vietnam Thailand or Laos Some Of Them Most Of Them Came Here Illegally Pssshhh If U Kno Wat Uneducated Means Then Drop Out Of School And Go Work In A Factory So U Can Raise Your Family Then U Kno Wat It Means To Be Unecucated Wat Are U A Girl Asking Me For My Phone I Might Talk Trash But I'm Smart

[nirvgorilla]

You block private messages in Youtube which says that you can't even handle yourself when it comes to people insulting you. Do I have to be a girl to ask for your phone number? You say all of this on the other side of the computer feeling pretty strong.... let me tell you something, mister. You insult me, and you'd better make sure you have water on the sponge.

[DonSatinoCorleone]

wat da hell are u talking about u can always comment me dumbass man u are dumb like hell my nephews 10 and he even knos that

Shut tha hell up like your gonna do anything anyways ya lil wimp and i better make sure i wat watch sponge bob wit u psssh i don't watch sponge bob ya lil baby

[DonSatinoCorleone]

oh and fuck u mister blah blah acting like u all innocent and shit psssh mr fuck qward i bet your making those dog faces while reading this pssh if i can handle insults then u can't your stupid man your calling other people uneducated u probly didn't even finish skool think about yourself b4 telling other people ok mister(waving my finger) i haven't seen u made 1 insults to me yet stop trying to change the subject ya lil bitch ok mister ROFL LMFAO LOL

[lishun]

it doesn't seem real to have such a horrible genocide happen in such recent times. when i went to cambodia, i realised that if my family had been cambodian, i wouldn't have been born because my parents and sister would have died. every adult in the country is a survivor of the khmer rouge regime.

[bobojr456]

man people in the West have it so good.

[duba3988]

wasn't always so good, but we have it better than most.

[kissmybuttdimple]

the lesson here is clear... IMMIGRANTS ARE LIARS.. WHO WILL ( IF GIVEN THE CHANCE ) SUE THE COUNTRY OF THEIR BIRTH. lawyers everywhere must be jumping with joy.

[dominice112]

Nope, your remark is just not funny.

[kissmybuttdimple]

you must be a lawyer.

[dominice112]

ah, stupid me.. I thought you were sarcastic, I'm really sorry that I didn't notice your inability to communicate or show respect to anybody.

Sorry kiddo', you nickname it self should have been an hint... ignore the comment I made earlier.

moron..

[kissmybuttdimple]

oh... DOMINICE112....i bet you think you invented clever. rest assured nit-wit .... it's just the likes of YOU that i am unable to communicate or show respect to. BESIDES...morons seem to push your buttons good and proper. now get on back to your dreary little life.

[VivekRajcoomar]

obvioustroll.jpg

[kissmybuttdimple]

hey.... i'm just thumping BACK ... thank you TO MUCH.

[iveco555]

this is rubbish...

[mcdavis55]

Spent a few weeks in Cambodia last summer. Imagine the most wonderful, friendly and happy people in an amazingly beautiful country with an epic ancient past but always the presence of horrific tragedy and loss. Highly recommend it to anyone. Cambodia rules billiards is the best.

[apocaRUFF]

An Amazing and inspiring story.

[MDSguy]

powerful story, really touching story about determination for the survival of her family

[javierenchina]

why do 90% of all cambodian people have name that starts with SOPH-

[kght222]

i've not read much or even watched this video much, but i can say, that wasnt clever

[natewheatshelf]

That was an awesome TED!

[Mrmoc7]

Thanks Mom, for passing that exam!

**standing ovation**

[igorkrupitsky]

Didnt the Vietnam War enable Khmer Rouges rise to power? I am not saying that American government (Nixon) is directly responsible for the killings of 2M but still its like giving a gun to a maniac.

[Anab10sis]

His mother looks like she's freezing. I just got home from Cambodia and I'm getting a cold in the summer.

[aarondkeogh]

His momma must have felt proud at the end and she should do too!

[XxmattitudexX]

story had no point

let me save you 5 mins .

during khmer rouge my mother lied about being vietnamese so we could escape to viet nam

she pulled it off here she is in audience

hope i did not spoil it for you :)

[SLYGARR]

`The point was he was honoring his mother for her courage and love.Cynicism from the west, how boring.The whole family could have been killed like the million that did not make it.Just to prove what a great story it is I am going to listen again.

[jeteryankees02]

lol

[apocaRUFF]

I think he was talking about how they banned money and said money was evil.

[nachoboy4]

if he thinks money is the root of all evil, that means hes broke!

[afthefragile]

And now our governments are pushing us back towards the socialist-communist system we fought against to achieve what we call as freedom. Something that now seems to be just an illusion.

In the words of George Carlin,

"the only choice you have is paper or plastic".

[dionysus91]

Trust me, communism is not what you should be afraid of.

[rata0071]

Communism failed not because it's imposible but because of the authoritarian regimes that leaded it and because of the capitalist countries constant attacks.

[afthefragile]

Communism will ultimately lead to authoritarian regimes.

Perfect communist utopia where everyone is equal and lives happily is just a fantasy.

There will always be people above you, some animals will always be more equal than others and atleast in the capitalist society you can raise above by working hard and being successful.

In the commie society you're trapped in your proletariat life and have little prospects of ever raising above to the levels of the bureaucrats.

[ionz75]

A good economic model must have a reliable drive, capitalism's is greed, which is present in practically every human, and is very dependable. Communism's is supposed to be cooperation, but because most people do not posses the altruistic qualities necessary to cooperate voluntarily for a non-immediate reward, communist governments end up having to resort to fear as the driving force of their economy.

[scoot87]

interesting analysis on how economies operate

[Mrmoc7]

What? lol... I think you commented on the wrong video.

[Mrmoc7]

Oops, didn't know it was a reply; my apologies.

[coo1breeze]

well put.

[rata0071]

I agree in much of what you say, i'd like though we could some day overcome this shortsightedness...

[ionz75]

If there's one thing I've learned from history, it's that old habits die hard. Science has given many of us standards of living that not long ago a king couldn't even dream of, yet we cling tenaciously to the chains of superstition like a battered wife to her abusive husband.

[kubiczech25]

That is bullshit and you know it.

[dmix09]

FUCK TYRANNY

[midare]

It was a moving story. These, too, have a place at TED... the acronym doesn't encompass ALL that TED stands for. This was motivational, in that it is important to see how one person can do something so monumental in her own way. His mother's drive most certainly saved the lives of her children.

[cat00012000]

Fighting communism was such a stupid idea. It fell on its own. All we did was give it credibility. "If the rich are against it can it be all bad?"

[OniXV250]

the best way to kill communism is to do nothing...the black market will spring up...then after that a free market will emerge...china right now is on the verge of collapsing on itself

[MiranUT]

OniXV250...

"china [sic] right now is on the verge of collapsing on itself"? What? Where did you get this info?

[dionysus91]

Thank you!

[semigotbanned]

they have fled to Vietnam, you fucking dumb scum!!

[smkymcnugget420]

why is this on TED. this has absolutly NOTHING to do with Technology, Entertainment or Design...

[xr0]

And you couldn't figure this out from the title? Then this video is actually made sort of for you I guess.

[georgemargaris]

well, you have to actually listen to what he says. He has an idea to bring "justice for history" and "accountability for the future" when officially filing the civil complaint about the death of his father.

[yared94]

hahahaha someone hasnt been watching the latest vids

[smkymcnugget420]

I most certianly have, sorry i just don't really see how this fits, even a little, with the theme of TED. people complain about the musicians performing at TED, that at least fits with the "E". where does this one fit? some1 please clue me in, cuz i must be missing something. lol

[yared94]

I guess it's fine. I personally think this was entertaining to watch. He talked about how his family escaped the Khmer Rouge through the "eyes" of a refugee.

It's entertaining in the same way a documentary is and not like a comedy :D.

Should I rephrase my answer or did it satisfy you?

[smkymcnugget420]

No i get it. I supposed it is eyeopening to see something like that from his perspective.

[Izwat]

and?

[DrewsAnimation]

wow his mother really was a true hero.

[Shigren]

Thats a lot of weight for one test! She truly was/is a courageous person.

[VivekRajcoomar]

most mothers r.

[Spitfireseven]

Amen to that!

[semigotbanned]

your freedom to carpet bomb other people, dumb shit?! FUCK YOU!

[Atoyota]

1st? gee....