Carthy Sok is a Cambodian American hip-hop artist. He came to America with his mother and six siblings and resided in California. They had come to America to escape the Khmer Rouge genocide of the 1970s as refugees. However, their life did not stabilize in the US as well. They were bullied in school. Carthy Sok could not bear the bullying and he joined one of the gangs and was arrested. He became interested in music when he was in Jail and music became part of his life even after leaving the prison. He wants to make music his life and blend the Cambodian traditional music with the hip-hop. As Carthy Sok is out of jail and no more inclined to crimes, there is no need for sending him back to Cambodia for his convictions. Moreover, Cambodia still suffers from poverty and social unrest that affects people negatively. Also, Sok is changing his life through music and trying to bring a cultural change. Therefore sending him back will not help.
The convicts usually face discrimination in the society even if they are no more involved in crimes, which is wrong. The criminal has already got the punishment for their crimes and they must not be discriminated against in the society if they are trying to live peacefully. Carthy Sok is also one of those artists who has faced discriminations, bullies in his childhood and has joined gangs due to the discrimination. And when he is in the path of changing his life positively, he must not be ostracized and sent back to the poverty.
Cambodia is still suffering from poverty and the effects of the war and civil unrest. Although it is somewhat stabilized politically, it cannot help the people living there properly nourish. Moreover, Sok is focusing on changing his life, sending him back to Cambodia will affect him negatively.
As he is using music as a tool to change his life and the bitterness in his life, he must be supported. Music has the therapeutic effects as it helps in healing the pain and trauma, it can be useful for Sok to change his life using music. Music is a medium to release the pain and pent-up anger and Sok is using the medium to lead a normal life. It is considered to have a healing effect and currently used a therapy to heal the pain. As Sok has suffered from various kind of discrimination, the attachment to music can change the direction of his anger.
addition, he is trying to bring social change using music blending Cambodian music with the hip-hop, which is a positive change for the Cambodian culture and Sok. He has goals that he wants to achieve through his music and sending him back to poverty and hatred would negatively affect Sok. He is healing and trying to comfort the fellow Cambodians through music. He is hopeful that he can blend the hip-hop with the Cambodian culture, which is not supportive of such stunts. It will enrich the Cambodian culture and help people engage in life positively. Also, the music has given a positive goal to the life of Sok that might be fulfilling for himself as well.
Hence, he must not be sent back as he is working to change his life and his people’s life through music, he must be given the change to change and live a fulfilling life like other people. He must be appreciated for his struggles and the path he is following instead of sending him back to Cambodia where life is still gloomy and the effects of war are still fresh.
