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eman
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
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 Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:18 pm Post subject: about accusations of racism... |
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Hey, I am an original Korean born in Korea who came to America as a youth and was thinking of going back to visit as an English teacher!
I was talking to an elder Korean friend the other day about this and he discouraged me from doing that because he said I was Asian and they were looking for "foreign looking" teachers! Btw, I've lived here for decades and have had plenty of practice speaking English.
So what does that mean? Does that make Koreans prejudiced against "Koreans" when in comes to teaching English in Korea?
Ridiculous!
(You MAY expect me to defend my homeland since i am originally from there) but please consider my argument.
To me, people from America calling Koreans racist is like a Catholic priest judging its parishners because they are not religious enough. Or like Jesus not wanting to eat with the sinners... Not that I am equating Koreans with sinners, now  !
Please consider you've had it good here in America, the birthplace of civil rights movement, where people can get fired for even "thinking" a racist thought, and millionaires like Kramer has to apologize for some "heat of the moment" off-the-wall racist remarks. And you get these types of messages hammered into your brains every day- in the media, school, church, etc.
And you have the African American Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish, and even one for the terrorists!
I grew up here in America, and I am "NOT" racist. And most
if not "ALL" Asians i see in America (for sure, the second generations) are anything but racist, becaue they too had the benefit of this type of cultural education. So it's not a racial thing or particular to any nation! And to think that racism is itself racial seems a bit racial to me!
So it seems a bit hypocritical of you all to me, and kind of prideful even, of you guys to be comming down hard on Asians in general or Koreans, who btw just got out of an internal civil war only some 30-40 years ago and been basically busy trying to make a living and make it as a society. And more power to them!
I think America and Americans "should" perhaps be held to a higher standard where it comes to things like this. And I mean Americans, not Whites or Blacks, but Americans with all the colors in between!
(Of course, i don't excusing racism of any sort anywhere, but do cut them a break.)
Moreover, most of these accusations are definitely one-sided, and you are getting only one side of the story. You are not getting the story from the Koreans' side. Perhaps these so called teachers, whoever are complaining so vehemently were and are jerks and have racist eyes, seeing all Asians as racist to begin with.
Can I remind you it was Americans and Europeans who started the cultural stereotype of slanted eyed Asians as being evil? This is not true, it is mere stereotype deliberately started for personal and historical reasons.
So give them a few more years... Perhaps in a few years they will be teaching you a thing or more regarding racism and justice and fair play... |
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eman
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:21 pm Post subject: addendum |
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| Also, I am not all that certain that people are any more racist in Korea or anywhere else for that matter... We are not getting the whole picture from these postings- they represent only a small sampling of most vocal people, and also, it is definitely one sided... At any rate, "if" it were so, again it is definitely a cultural and educational thing, not racial! |
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endo
Joined: 14 Mar 2004
Location: Seoul...my home
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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| huh? |
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stumptown
Joined: 11 Apr 2005
Location: Paju: Wife beating capital of Korea
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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ditto |
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billybrobby
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:27 pm Post subject: |
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| pretty weird and confused post... |
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Scotticus
Joined: 18 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:30 pm Post subject: Re: about accusations of racism... |
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| eman wrote: |
So it seems a bit hypocritical of you all to me, and kind of prideful even, of you guys to be comming down hard on Asians in general or Koreans, who btw just got out of an internal civil war only some 30-40 years ago and been basically busy trying to make a living and make it as a society. And more power to them!
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Are you referring to the Korean War? If so, that was more than 30-40 years ago. 1955 = 62 years I respect them for recovering after the war, but it's not like it happened a week or so ago.
| eman wrote: |
Can I remind you it was Americans and Europeans who started the cultural stereotype of slanted eyed Asians as being evil? This is not true, it is mere stereotype deliberately started for personal and historical reasons.
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Do people think Asians are evil? The only stereotypes I ever get about Asians (in America, I mean), are that all Asians are good students and awesome at math and science. I'm from NY, though. Maybe other parts of the country think Asians are evil. *shrug* |
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billybrobby
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:06 pm Post subject: Re: about accusations of racism... |
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| Scotticus wrote: |
Are you referring to the Korean War? If so, that was more than 30-40 years ago. 1955 = 62 years I respect them for recovering after the war, but it's not like it happened a week or so ago.
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1955=62 years? |
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kimchi story
Joined: 23 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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2007-1955 = 62. I ain't no mathacologist...
Who exactly is the op hating on?
I wanna join in. Today I hate everybody... |
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laogaiguk
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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| kimchi story wrote: |
2007-1955 = 62. I ain't no mathacologist...
Who exactly is the op hating on?
I wanna join in. Today I hate everybody... |
Even the two in my avatar??? And what about Steven Hawking? |
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leebumlik69
Joined: 05 Jan 2006
Location: DiRectly above you. Pissing Down
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:18 pm Post subject: Re: about accusations of racism... |
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| eman wrote: |
Hey, I am an original Korean born in Korea who came to America as a youth and was thinking of going back to visit as an English teacher!
I was talking to an elder Korean friend the other day about this and he discouraged me from doing that because he said I was Asian and they were looking for "foreign looking" teachers! Btw, I've lived here for decades and have had plenty of practice speaking English.
So what does that mean? Does that make Koreans prejudiced against "Koreans" when in comes to teaching English in Korea?
Ridiculous!
(You MAY expect me to defend my homeland since i am originally from there) but please consider my argument.
To me, people from America calling Koreans racist is like a Catholic priest judging its parishners because they are not religious enough. Or like Jesus not wanting to eat with the sinners... Not that I am equating Koreans with sinners, now !
Please consider you've had it good here in America, the birthplace of civil rights movement, where people can get fired for even "thinking" a racist thought, and millionaires like Kramer has to apologize for some "heat of the moment" off-the-wall racist remarks. And you get these types of messages hammered into your brains every day- in the media, school, church, etc.
And you have the African American Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish, and even one for the terrorists!
I grew up here in America, and I am "NOT" racist. And most
if not "ALL" Asians i see in America (for sure, the second generations) are anything but racist, becaue they too had the benefit of this type of cultural education. So it's not a racial thing or particular to any nation! And to think that racism is itself racial seems a bit racial to me!
So it seems a bit hypocritical of you all to me, and kind of prideful even, of you guys to be comming down hard on Asians in general or Koreans, who btw just got out of an internal civil war only some 30-40 years ago and been basically busy trying to make a living and make it as a society. And more power to them!
I think America and Americans "should" perhaps be held to a higher standard where it comes to things like this. And I mean Americans, not Whites or Blacks, but Americans with all the colors in between!
(Of course, i don't excusing racism of any sort anywhere, but do cut them a break.)
Moreover, most of these accusations are definitely one-sided, and you are getting only one side of the story. You are not getting the story from the Koreans' side. Perhaps these so called teachers, whoever are complaining so vehemently were and are jerks and have racist eyes, seeing all Asians as racist to begin with.
Can I remind you it was Americans and Europeans who started the cultural stereotype of slanted eyed Asians as being evil? This is not true, it is mere stereotype deliberately started for personal and historical reasons.
So give them a few more years... Perhaps in a few years they will be teaching you a thing or more regarding racism and justice and fair play... |
Hi Alyssa. Hehehehe hehehehe |
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kimchi story
Joined: 23 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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| laogaiguk wrote: |
| kimchi story wrote: |
2007-1955 = 62. I ain't no mathacologist...
Who exactly is the op hating on?
I wanna join in. Today I hate everybody... |
Even the two in my avatar??? And what about Steven Hawking? |
ohhh don't even get me started - hrmph
especially those two, and Steven Hawking TOO.
yer pratchett quote is wicked good. i don't hate that.... |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:33 pm Post subject: |
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So far two people have attested that 2007-1955 = 62. 
It's funny how, as soon as I read in the OP that he was originally Korean I knew his post would be full of weird syntax. Boy was I right. My favorite line was this one:
(You MAY expect me to defend my homeland since i am originally from there) but please consider my argument.
I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Kinda fun, I guess.
Mr. Eman, what's your point? Do you want to come teach in Korea or not? You can go to places like CDI or Pagoda which often prefer a Korean American and not worry about discrimination. |
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seattlespew
Joined: 01 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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edit
Last edited by seattlespew on Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:21 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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laogaiguk
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:48 pm Post subject: |
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| seattlespew wrote: |
That has got to be the most incomprehensible rant I have read in quite some time. I think it made me stupider just trying to figure it out.
Did anyone get the Jesus analogy?
And BTW, many Koreans ARE racist. Just get in a taxi in Seoul and ask the driver what he thinks about black people. That is not to say ALL Koreans are racist; that is not to say no one else is racist; that is a merely a statement of fact per se. |
No, a statement of fact would require a bit more proof than random taxi drivers, or even every Korean you have actively asked  I think quite a few Koreans are somewhat racist, but that's just my opinion. And I would say that that level of racism isn't really that high or dangerous on the most part. |
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kimchi story
Joined: 23 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Qinella wrote: |
So far two people have attested that 2007-1955 = 62.
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omg I really AIN'T no mathacologist....
(putting socks back on after counting with fingers and toes this time)
waddyaknow - 52. I hate math all the time, but 'specially today.
Sorry eman - you can get back to your rant now, I'm done foolin' around here. |
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