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xat552000
Joined: 02 Oct 2003 Location: seoul
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 9:44 am Post subject: should I be offended by this? |
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I am a kyopo who speaks very little korean. I recently met two middle-aged white american english teachers. The wife asked me if I could speak korean and then interrogated me as to why I couldn't since she had already deduced that I was a korean-american (from my appearance). When I told her that my parents had encouraged me to embrace american culture even if that meant that I would forget my "native" tongue, she reacted "that was STUPID!!." For anyone curious, I was born in Korea but came to the states when I was 2.
Was this whitey offensive or not? I'd love some feedback. |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 10:03 am Post subject: |
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It is nobody's business how your parents chose to raise you or what languages they taught you. While I as a unilingual slob admire people(like my mother) who are fluent in more than one language, if your parents thought it best not to have two languages spoken at home then that is their perogative. You can always pick up another language on your own, if you are so inclined.
That woman sounds like she has a serious case of "liberal guilt", fashionably lamenting the tragic fate of immigrants in the American melting pot. If she thinks raising bilingual kids in a unilingual country is such an effortless task, then let her do it. Her opinions should be of no concern to you whatsoever. |
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SuperFly
Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 11:24 am Post subject: |
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I vote for stoop I mean that was stoop of her... Of course I've seen taxi drivers harrass my bro who is also kyopo for not speaking any tounge. |
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Coffeecup
Joined: 30 Jun 2003
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 11:46 am Post subject: |
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don't really care much for anyone using the word "whitey" but yah that woman sounds like a dumbass if she spoke in the way you stated it and so bluntly.
I personally think well of immigrant parents that force their children to make the American language their first if not only language. |
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William Beckerson Guest
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 12:10 pm Post subject: |
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Mr. Cantgetnone wrote: |
force their children to make the American language their first if not only language. |
Pssssst!
The American language is also known as "English" the rest of the world. |
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little mixed girl
Joined: 11 Jun 2003 Location: shin hyesung's bed~
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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.....
Last edited by little mixed girl on Sat May 10, 2008 3:59 am; edited 1 time in total |
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maxxx_power
Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Location: BWAHAHAHAHA! I'M FREE!!!!!!!
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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I think you should be offended by that. That problably comes from all the PC garbage that is so fashionable in the US.
The country is no longer a "melting pot" but a "tossed salad" (not that one you pervs!). Some people feel that minorities (because it is not expected of the white devils) should embrace their heritage and so on.
I would have turned the tables and asked them if they spoke German or Swahili or whatever it was their ancestors spoke.
As an American, I think I can comment without being accused of armchairing. |
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Vince
Joined: 05 May 2003
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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That was incredibly stupid of her. But it would be a mistake to identify her classless comment with her skin tone. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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I'm a white person and I have white people say stupid things to me all the time as well..
I'd say just forget about it and don't be so skin color sensitive. It sounds like a stupid comment that anyone regardless of their skin color might be capable of saying. |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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maxxx_power said
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I think you should be offended by that. That problably comes from all the PC garbage that is so fashionable in the US. |
I know it is popular to jump on the anti-P.C. bandwagon, but what was said was not P.C. It was just plain rude, and sometimes people from the U.S. can be rude, thinking that they are being straight-forward and honest. I think the liberal, P.C. response, dripping with white guilt, might have been something like "oh, you poor child, deprived of your native language, I am sure your parents meant well."
Political correctness comes from an effort to deal with the blatant racism and sexism in the United States, which is a laudable goal. Unfortunately it has gotten bureaucratized and codified out of recognition at times. That does not mean that we should return to the good old days of the good ol boys. I think this is where the anti-P.C. movement wants to go- back to the time, as Ronald Reagan once said, 'when there was'nt racism in the U.S.', the great 1950's when racism was ignored and polite society chose not to speak of it.
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The country is no longer a "melting pot" but a "tossed salad" (not that one you pervs!). Some people feel that minorities (because it is not expected of the white devils) should embrace their heritage and so on. |
And what exactly is the problem with not "melting"? It seems to me that we often criticize Koreans for being too conformist. While people should be free to do what they want, culturally, the real pressure in the U.S. has been on immigrants to conform to the dominant culture and to eschew their own culture. The best thing about the United States, in my humble opinion, is the cultural diversity that manages to survive all of the attempts to homogenize, or "melt" it. The great cities in the U.S. are the tossed salads, and they are great because of it.
Many of us come here and expect Korean culture to accomodate us, but don't want to see that happen at home.
Last edited by desultude on Sat Oct 11, 2003 5:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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matko
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: in a world of hurt!
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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Your use of the word 'whitey' shows me that you probably deserved a dressing down.
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toomuchtime
Joined: 11 May 2003 Location: the only country with four distinct seasons
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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Jaysus! Some of you 'whities' sure have thin skin. What, did you grow up suffering oppression and discrimination due to your skin color? Did you have that 'epithet' hurled at you unrelentingly throughout your childhood?
I'm sure that the OP was using that word in the lightest (sorry) sense possible. I've had non-white friends use that word on me and we've all laughed- as it was meant in a humorous manner.
Heck, if anyone called me 'honky' in anger, I'd be hard pressed not to burst out laughing.
Chill, folks. |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...
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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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Stupidty is blind to skin color.
CLG |
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HardyandTiny
Joined: 03 Jun 2003
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Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2003 12:23 am Post subject: Re: should I be offended by this? |
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xat552000 wrote: |
When I told her that my parents had encouraged me to embrace american culture even if that meant that I would forget my "native" tongue, she reacted "that was STUPID!!." For anyone curious, I was born in Korea but came to the states when I was 2. |
It's not STUPID to imagine your child growing up in an American classroom without the ability to speak English fluently.
Your parents did the right thing.
I remember a Greek kid who couldn't speak English coming into my class when I was about 11 years old. We taunted that boy to no end - little bastards we were.
Don't be offended. That woman is an idiot. Be happy. Your parents were wise. |
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Tancred
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Upon a mountain in unknown Kadath
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Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2003 1:34 am Post subject: |
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personally i would've punched the woman in the face for calling something my mom did "stupid". |
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