Korean Job Discussion Forums

[buddy bradley]

Anti-Americanism is annoying. I can relate. I had the misfortune of being in the company of some Brits and Kiwis last night who felt it necessary to take cheap shots at S. Africa in my presence. Strength in numbers!

I actually like nationalities by the way they are towards me. Right now I'm pro-America, Canada and Australia, and anti-England, New Zealand and The "Democratic" Republic of Congo.

[royjones]

[ryleeys]

I don't think that correcting a child for hating a country due to irrrationality is wrong. I don't tell them to love America. The one statement I say over and over so many times that even my kindergardeners know it is, "Every country is good and bad, America, Korea, and all the rest."

I admit that some Americans shove America down people's throats. And so do Koreans. I may have moved to a somewhat more defensive stance of my country (although I will always point out that I am perfectly happy trashing Bush and want a new president...). Mostly, I try to focus on America as a nation and Americans as people, not as a political entity purely. However, my defensiveness has mostly come from the fact that so many non-Americans can only feel good about themselves by trashing anything and everything dealing with the States. For god sakes, focus on what's good in your country (scenery and good people in Canada, culture and history in Korea, etc) rather than spending so much time on hate.

[royjones]

[ryleeys]

Hey, it hasn't happened yet. With any luck, it won't. And if it does, I'd like to speak to the parents. I know I come off more blunt in this forum than I do in person. Maybe I'm just not that good at getting the thoughts from my brain to my fingers. I've always been a better speaker than writer. My director has told me she never liked Americans until she met me... but that's a different story, cause I always liked Koreans until I met her! Hahaha

[sublimeshawn]

Its no use to argue with kids for one, and anyone who you cant speak a language with fluently, because this subject is too complex for low fluentcy. That being said I too am tired of arguing and this is someone who enjoys it, I am torn on how to deal with terrorism and Americas policy on it. Most people Ive argued with of course want to accuse america of being the ignorant bully of the world and not using patience and blah blah, thats obvious to me as well. I think bush is an anemic politician at best, but I know that we got hit in the mouth 3 years ago and we hit back pretty hard and havent seen terrosim in America since. Which is what most Americans selfishly want, and Bush is delivering! of course that means that we have to fight somewhere else, and I think the bush people thought well Iraq theres a chance to try and stabilize the region, put in a free Iraq and maybe the rest will follow, Umm well arabs see that as glorified occupation and theyre treating it like afganistan with russia 20 years ago, Jijad against the infidels, well Im sick of arguing already! too many layers and bulshit to wade through and when people are dying I lose my gumption to argue either way for too long, Id rather talk about baseball or football or something else, man Im so sick and proud to be American.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

[kelly]

[quote="ryleeys"](I'm the only American in Icheon) has pushed me towards having strong feelings of love towards my country again.

Which Icheon are you in?

[rapier]

Unfortunately the last emotional speech of Kim Sun Il before his beheading, has stirred up the whole bees nest of irrationality again...

A student translated it for me today..along the lines of: "I want to live...I love life, I love korea. Iraqi people good, not bad. America bad".

Oh dear....

[Demophobe]

[ryleeys]

I'm in ��õ not ����... it's about 60 minutes south of Seoul.

[sublimeshawn]

why we got hit in the mouth! hmm umm why does anyone hit anyone? could be a number of complex issues or a simple one, but if you have the answer feel free to articulate it, its a complex thing and id love to read an essay about it and no not "farenheit 911" from an impartial source

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

I guess the US support of Israel, plain and simple ...

[sublimeshawn]

thats probably a valid point, as america is mostly christian and at least the christians I know feel an obligation to protect jews, becasue judaism is the foundation of christianity. of course its also the foundation of islam but most muslims will deny this, Abraham being one of the common threads in all three religions, cant we all just get along!

[The Bobster]