Ripped off from the Korea Times.
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Your daily Hines Ward moment
This entry was written by Robert Koehler, posted on April 10, 2006 at 9:02 am, filed under Korean Diaspora, South Korea, Stupid Foreigner Tricks. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.
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25 Comments
I watched a bit of Ward’s meeting with the so-called “mixed-race” kids yesterday, and not surprisingly they all looked “normal,” i.e. like any other kids anywhere else…the issue has been commented on here plenty, I just want to say this visit could be a great segue into some concrete measures to break down the prejudice. Oh yeah, and the USA has the same problems only worse blah blah blah
michael-
‘break down the prejudice’ where? In Korea? I’m afraid that isn’t going to happen any time soon. Sadly, I think Koreans cling on to the racially homogenous myth too much for this to happen any time soon. While more progessive sorts will decry racism and embrace Hines Ward and other ‘mixed-race’ kids, I tend to suspect lip service here.
I was speaking to a Korean-Korean friend of mine who was amazed that Diana Kim experienced racism and prejudice in this, the 21st century. In the same same breath, she said she probably wouldn’t date a black guy but would love to date a white one.
Back to my original point, (if I had one) what kind of ‘concrete measures’ do you propose?? -> Laws making prejudice illegal?
Random, this might open a big old can o’ worms, but Korea could do worse than follow the U.S. with affirmative action programs and yeah, laws against prejudice, particularly in the military and workplace. Also, teach those idiot teachers in Korean schools not to discriminate and not to allow the kids to be bullied–you know they allow the abuse to go on in the first place.
I’ve noticed that with Caucasian-Korean children, they actually enjoy a kind of envy on the part of others because they are perceived as being better looking and sometimes smarter, since they speak English and Korean (assuming that dad or mom has done their work!). They do not seem to suffer discrimination in Korea but are envied.
I suspect the only real problem those kids might ever face would be sexual molestation but all parents worry about that sort of thing — especially if their kids are cute.
michael- As far as I can tell, affirmative action in the US has caused more problems and racial division than it actually helped. Laws against discrimination are a separate matter… wishful thinking says that in a perfect or even a moderately decent society laws like that wouldn’t be necessary, but you’re right, Korea could deal with a set of anti-discrimination laws. Passing the laws are one thing, enforcing them is a different issue.
As far as idiot teachers in Korea… I don’t see them as the root cause of discrimination in school. This is a problem set that arises from the culture in general and leaving the enforcement of bully prevention to teachers is sort of ass backwards, it needs to be dealt with at home. If kids were taught to not be bullies to begin with, it wouldn’t be a problem at the schoolhouse. By the time the teacher has to step in, it’s already too late… those thought processes of isolating and picking on those that are different is already been established. Focusing on teachers for this brand of activity is treating the symptoms, not fixing the root cause.
True, affirmative action has been a mixed bag, but Korea has no action at all, it allows discrimination to fester. I didn’t mean to imply that teachers cause discrimination, only that they allow it to happen and could help to end it–obviously parents need some education as well.
Lost Nomad had this story from KT:
http://times.hankooki.com/lpag.....511990.htm
Again, it’s maybe not much, but at least the gov’t is addressing the issue.
“They do not seem to suffer discrimination in Korea but are envied.”
R.Elgin, to some degree you may be right as my mixed children do get alot of attention here, and most of it seems positive. But I wonder about what might occur when children are out of view of adults. My wife is especially worried about problems of bullying, if they ever do go to a Korean school.
For example, I’ve heard kids insult my boys (they are too young to understand the insults) and saw a boy ‘put up his dukes’ to my smaller son, even with me nearby. It looked to me like he wanted to take a shot at him, though my son is too small and couldn’t understand what was going on. I gave the kid a dirty look and he walked away, but if he would do that with me right there, what might happen if they were alone?
I know a few Caucasian-Korean people here and their lives have been far from easy. It will take a lot more to change Koreans minds about the so called “mixed blood” people than passing legislation. After teaching adults here for the past few years, I’ve heard many declarations in regards to Koreans being “pure blooded.” I’ve heard students of all ages say that they want to “kill” the Japanese and even Americans for what has been done to Korea. Does anyone remember the drawings some school children did last year? These were the ones hung up at a subway stop for all to see. Some of the pictures showed Korea blowing up Japan, even defecating on it. I’d like to know why the teacher and school system allowed them to draw such things. These problems and the whole “mixed blood” thing must be addressed through education. As far as similiar problems these people face in the US or Canada, Korea is much worse. This is not to say these places don’t have their own problems. I am half Maliseet (aka Indian) and half Caucasain, but I have never been denied the things people of “mixed blood” in Korea have been denied. This includes serving in the military and getting jobs.
Well, the Korean gov’t told everyone to be nicer to foreigners and stay to the right on escalators during the World Cup, and everyone did it. If it affects thier national image abroad then people will change accordingly. The gov’t, if they really care, will make an international issue of discrimination. Afterall, Hines is getting the Grand Tour simply because Koreans want him to go home and talk to the media there about how great Korea is. Nothing appeals to Koreans like the avoidance of shame.
Random: here’s another concrete action Koreans can take–they can look at the history of how their racial identity was constructed, objectively and with a mind toward seeing the odious, mythical aspects of it. I was reminded of this from a post at Scribblings of the Metropolitician:
http://metropolitician.blogs.c.....he_metrop/
Getting rid of biased textbooks and biased teachers would do a great deal to open people’s minds in Korea.
I once owned a pure-blood German Shorthair Pointer. That was one sweet dog and no doubt smarter than a lot of other dogs, too.
michael- and wreak havoc on the Korean psyche? hell, we might as well try and convince Koreans that you can’t die from leaving fans on while you’re sleeping.
You can’t?
Korea is off course not a pure race. This was why China wanted to submit the kingdom of Kogoryo as UnESCO heritage site thinking that they own it but surprisingly the Koreans objected. China backed off not wanting to offend them.
There is actually no concept of the “Korean” race during Kogoryo period. At the end of the dynasty, many of the tribes spread out, many went to China for example, and of course many stayed on in Korea.
Eventually, we are all united. For example, a long time ago, Han Chinese referred to only what are Northern Chinese. After they invaded the South, today, all Southern Chinese consider themselves Han chinese as well. When the Manchurians invaded China, for many years they refused to have their blood mixed with regular Hans. But after a century or so, they mixed and today, there are hardly anyone who still calls himself Manchurian. All have been assimilated as Chinese.
Of course, when the Soutern Chinese, in this case the Taiwanese wanted to declare independence, they produce DNA proofs that showed that they are not Han Chinese. Well, we all knew that but it was sadly given a political spin to justify separatists movements.
It is hope that a hundred years from now, Tibetans too would call themselves Han Chinese. But the autonomous Communist government in Tibet as well as the Central government wouldn’t allow this by erecting strict laws to protect Tibetan culture. For example, Tibetans are allowed to preserve their language and use their language in the court of law. And any Han Chinese wanting to emigrate to Tibet must apply for special permission, like domestic visas. This clearly slows down the process of assimilation . Oh well, at least they can call themselves Chinese as a citizen.
Tibetans are allowed to preserve their language and use their language in the court of law.
Oh, that’s very sweet of the occupiers.
Oh well, at least they can call themselves Chinese as a citizen.
Oh, and they’re generous, too.
“China backed off not wanting to offend them.”
Somehow I doubt that the Chinese did any such thing. They probably just let the matter drop for the time being, setting it on a back burner for future use, if and when the opportunity arises to bring it back up again, when it’s most useful to the communist government.
“by erecting strict laws to protect Tibetan culture.”
The Tibetans wouldn’t need this if their country were not occupied.
“It is hope that a hundred years from now, Tibetans too would call themselves Han Chinese.”
Who hopes for this? Your supposedly ‘freely-elected’ communists do, but I doubt the Tibetans do.
Actually, they didn’t back off: China registered its Koguryo relics with UNESCO.
Snow, teach your boys about the brick-in-the-paperbag trick. That will get any losers off of them quickly, especially when it becomes known that picking on them will get retaliation plus.
I would also send any children I had to elementary school here, but take them out when they reach middle school and put them in a private school.
Thanks for the advice R.Elgin. I will definitely teach them how to defend themselves against bullies, whether here or back home.
“I am half Maliseet (aka Indian) and half Caucasain, but I have never been denied the things people of “mixed blood” in Korea have been denied. This includes serving in the military and getting jobs.”
If you’re 50% Maliseet and 50% Caucasian, why did you have to serve in the military, presumably in Korea as a Korean?
I think whole English education scene and foreign English teachers are great resources to open Korea up to the modern world. And, I wish more black English teachers will come to teach Korean students. Like the movie, “To Sir with Love”, these teachers will change Korean perception on Black mixed race children.
And, I encourage and challenge English teachers to do some brainwashing on Korean kids as well. Not just teach English as language, teach American way of Justice/Equality/Racial Harmony. Reform the next generation of Koreans!
‘how can korea solve it’s ‘racial problems’?
there’s no problem since korea is almost enitrely korean. here we have the expat once again using a proxy to further his own selfish agenda. and if foreighners are being lynched, burned at the stake, or forced to endure substandard conditions based on skin color, maybe they should do what blacks did here and form a civil rights movement.
‘korea needs affirmative action…’
special rights for expats, i suppose?
‘the kid put up his dukes to my kid!’
and you know for sure the kid did it because your kid is amerasian? or perhaps you’re using your own preconcieved notions to interpret the event.
PS
‘what country celebrates a fourth place win?’ whiney expat
korea the first asian nation to place in the final four of the world cup. why not celebrate? you mean koreans gotta think about how you might react? bullshit!
pawikirogi’s question for korea:
why is it important for you to have a westerner approve of you?
“why is it important for you to have a westerner approve of you?”
Because if you want what the westerner has, i.e. the riches of capitalism, then you have to listen to him, at least to some degree. If you don’t give a crap about what a westerner thinks, go ahead, join you’re juche brothers in the North, who claim they don’t need anyone besides themselves.
‘the kid put up his dukes to my kid!’
Yes, Nulji, it’s pretty easy to tell why. Before this, the kid kept asking me if my son was a Miguk-in and my boy was just minding his own business playing with his little brother when this kid then walked up to my boy with his dukes up. My son didn’t understand what was going on and just stood there. I gave the kid a dirty look and he put down his dukes and walked away.
Korea’s question to nulji:
“Why did you leave us? Did you really need to prove yourself in the Westerner’s far-off land?”