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toomuchtime
Joined: 11 May 2003
Location: the only country with four distinct seasons
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 Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:16 pm Post subject: Protesting at the Wrong People |
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From the Chosun Ilbo- English edition:Sept. 9, 2003
Protesting at the Wrong People http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200309/200309080004.html
To those who yell "Yankee go home" and "Out of Korea" at U.S. servicemembers and burn American flags, here is another perspective.
I have been in the U.S. Army for over 19 years and had every intention of retiring at 20 years of service at my current location in the United States. But less then a month from getting my retirement approved, I was told that I was on assignment for Korea. Because my retirement orders had not been approved, I have no choice but to go.
Do I have any desire to go to Korea? Do I want to leave my wife, my newborn son, my home? Do I want to put up with the long hours and heavy workload that is normal for Korea? Do I want to have to retire out of Korea and try to find a job in the United States from 7,000 miles away? These questions answer themselves. I have absolutely no desire to go to Korea.
I am no newcomer to the ways of Korea, as I have already been stationed there once. So I know about the demonstrations, the unfair treatment of U.S. personnel, the foul looks and snide remarks that we are forced to endure or ignore. I know about the gouging of prices for products and services we need, such as unfair housing costs.
So to those who sit in front of our bases and yell, throw firebombs, burn flags, spit on U.S. soldiers and try to get your 15 minutes of fame in the Korean news, let me say this: Your thought process is misdirected, and should be redirected toward the Korean government.
The United States has already said that it would reduce, relocate or remove U.S. forces in Korea at the request of Korea. I would ask that the demonstrations be redirected toward those officials that the Korean people elected into office. They are the ones that must be convinced that the USFK should leave Korea.
After reading numerous news stories, I've come to understand that the Korean government does not want the United States to remove its forces from Korea, nor does the Korean government want U.S. forces to be reduced or redeployed.
So protesters, understand this: It is the Korean government that must be convinced, not the U.S. servicemembers who are forced to go to Korea.
Name withheld
Washington, D.C.
Amen. A thousand times, amen.
Easier to point the finger at someone else though, eh?
Wish these letters got translated into Korean and made the regular edition. |
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Hotel Cheonan
Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Location: Gwangju
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Very good point. Thanks for posting this. |
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ulsanchris
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
Location: take a wild guess
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 2:10 am Post subject: hmm |
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| oh but you see behind the scenes the US government is forcing korea to keep the US army here. |
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BTM
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Back in the saddle.
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 2:12 am Post subject: |
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| oh but you see behind the scenes the US government is forcing korea to keep the US army here. |
And charging them large for the privilege. Wily yanks!  |
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Ryst Helmut
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Location: In search of the elusive signature...
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 2:30 am Post subject: actually |
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Yeah, read the article on Chosonilbo.co.kr today, while trying to find the article about emigration/immigration - hakwon industry.
For all else, there are several 'Letters to the Editor' from non-Koreans who have given a different perspective. Imagine that.
You lots oughtta check the site out and read 'em.
However, I did not spend loads of time perusing the articles, nor do I think they've translated all the comments, but I still doubt anyone (Korean) has retorted to the comments...
Lemme know..
Shoosh,
R yst |
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FierceInvalid
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 2:34 am Post subject: |
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So protesters, understand this: It is the Korean government that must be convinced, not the U.S. servicemembers who are forced to go to Korea.
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This crap about US servicepeople being "forced" to come to Korea is priceless. Did the Americans institute mandatory military service while I wasn't looking? People know they can get stationed anywhere when they sign up. If you can't deal with that, don't take the completely voluntary action of joining up in the first place.
While I don't really sympathize with this guy much, I think he is right in the main. The main point of the article, about protesting to the Korean government instead of the military itself because the Korean gov'mt really doesn't want the Americans to leave, is surely wise. However, many protests have a motivation either in addition to or other than a simple desire for the American troops to leave, often inspired by a specific act by the US military (2 girls and Iraq war demonstrations spring immediately to mind). In these cases, I can see the point of demonstrating to the Americans specifically. |
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Korea Newfie
Joined: 27 Mar 2003
Location: Newfoundland and Labrador
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 2:43 am Post subject: |
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| FierceInvalid wrote: |
| Quote: |
So protesters, understand this: It is the Korean government that must be convinced, not the U.S. servicemembers who are forced to go to Korea.
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This crap about US servicepeople being "forced" to come to Korea is priceless. Did the Americans institute mandatory military service while I wasn't looking? |
He clearly meant postings once they were in the army, he said nothing of being forced to join. He's saying Korean's shouldn't throw malatov cocktails at some kid from Arkansas just because they're pissed, but rather should demand that their own government expel the American army. Your criticism is as misguided as the Korean "demos." |
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FierceInvalid
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 8:32 am Post subject: |
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| He clearly meant postings once they were in the army, he said nothing of being forced to join. |
Let me try to clarify what I said. There is not a single person, not even one, in the US military who was forced to come to Korea. When you sign up for the armed forces, part of the deal is that you can be stationed anywhere that the US keeps forces. This is not a secret. If you were hoping for a domestic post and didn't get it, tough. You rolled the dice.
Does this automatically mean that stuff should be thrown at you? No, and I didn't say that either. I did say that protests that don't have their focus solely on the "US Go Home" message can be better served if they are directed at the US and not at the Korean government. This doesn't mean I condone violence and I don't see how you could have possibly read that into my post. |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 8:37 am Post subject: |
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I have absolutely no desire to go to Korea.
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You should go to Iraq! They love American soldiers there!! |
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scarneck
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 8:52 am Post subject: |
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Strange, I too have 21 years in the Army. I would love, and want to return to the ROK...some people get all the luck. Been there once and know the ways...I've been there six ****ing times, all in the 2ID...every time is a new experience...by the way, for those that haven't served a few years with the Army, hold your tongues unless you understand the whole assignment process. See, he could choose not to go, but most likely would lose his retirement...Sure, it's all volunteer, we got a lousy assignment process, but that's another topic....
Just send me back....  |
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Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 11:28 am Post subject: |
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Scarnek,
Let me ask you something. This board is usually the domain of disgruntled English "teachers" from Canada who incessantly complain and gripe about life here. Yet they had more of a choice than some US soldier who is stationed here. I used to hang around Haebangchon and Itaewon and talk to the GIs, and most of them either tried or did enjoy their stay here, even if Korea wasn't there first choice.
So my question is, what is your take on the postings on this board as a soldier and not an English "teacher" trying to pay back student loans back home or having little or no job experience in life? |
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Coffeecup
Joined: 30 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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| There is not a single person, not even one, in the US military who was forced to come to Korea. |
Might have to disagree with that. Usually the junior guys get whatever is handed to them in their first 4 years so you can't say "none". As servicemen go up in time and rank they are naturally allowed some hope in filling out a wishlist (top 5) but as scarneck said there is still some giving and taking that is necessary. |
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William Beckerson
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Yaya wrote: |
So my question is, what is your take on the postings on this board as a soldier and not an English "teacher" trying to pay back student loans back home or having little or no job experience in life? |
Actually, my question would be:
"Why is someone who claims the be in America keep bothering to read and post on a board about a job that they're not doing in a country they're not living in?"
Strikes me that you're not in a position to be calling anyone around here names.
As for the protests, people are always making more of it than it is. MBC always shows crowd closeups to hide the fact that there just isnt that many of them... AND most of these protesters are bored university students longing for the anti-dictator protests of their parents. Once they go home for the day, they'll forget about the whole thing.
Now, when a GI gets into a fight somewhere, OBVIOUSLY its because they're American. It's absouutely impossible that they, and the Koreans involved could be drunk. Or angry at getting rear ended / accidentally elbowed, and start hurling racial insults at each other.
Impossible, right? |
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Derrek
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 7:26 pm Post subject: And I laugh |
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| William Beckerson wrote: |
| Yaya wrote: |
So my question is, what is your take on the postings on this board as a soldier and not an English "teacher" trying to pay back student loans back home or having little or no job experience in life? |
Actually, my question would be:
"Why is someone who claims the be in America keep bothering to read and post on a board about a job that they're not doing in a country they're not living in?"
Strikes me that you're not in a position to be calling anyone around here names.
As for the protests, people are always making more of it than it is. MBC always shows crowd closeups to hide the fact that there just isnt that many of them... AND most of these protesters are bored university students longing for the anti-dictator protests of their parents. Once they go home for the day, they'll forget about the whole thing.
Now, when a GI gets into a fight somewhere, OBVIOUSLY its because they're American. It's absouutely impossible that they, and the Koreans involved could be drunk. Or angry at getting rear ended / accidentally elbowed, and start hurling racial insults at each other.
Impossible, right? |
It always strikes me as interesting that there are so many more Canadian teachers here than American ones. And whenever a Western-looking person get into fight, makes a stupid ass of him/herself, or basically does anything the local populous considers "bad", it is assumed they are "American". |
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Korea Newfie
Joined: 27 Mar 2003
Location: Newfoundland and Labrador
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| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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| FierceInvalid wrote: |
| Quote: |
| He clearly meant postings once they were in the army, he said nothing of being forced to join. |
Let me try to clarify what I said. There is not a single person, not even one, in the US military who was forced to come to Korea. |
Then allow me, also, to clarify what I said. American soldiers join the army to serve their country, not one occupying half of a peninsula in the middle of nowhere. The people here claim to want them gone, so they should tell their government to get rid of them, not attack them directly. The soldiers I've met would be all too happy to oblige.
Your statement that they don't have to come here is only true if they don't join the army in the first place, thereby not allowing them to serve their country. |
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