Recently, this newspaper ran an article about an East Indian man who took action against a Korean cab driver for his alleged racism. Soon after, the paper published another article asking the question “Is Racism Serious Here?” which has kept westerners busy on their forums and blogs “discussing” this issue. Most responses were too one-sided, painting the Korean people as racists in a very broad stroke, while making it clear that the foreigners were innocent of any wrong doing.
These contributors to those Web sites were about as racist (secular definition) as they claimed the Koreans were, and they did not care if they condemned innocent people, just as long as they looked good and the Korean nation didn’t. Whenever someone is treated in a manner they disprove of, we always hear the complaints of discrimination, bias, prejudice and so on.
Read the rest on your own.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Archie Bunker: “Aww, Edith [Korea Times]. Didja hafta give this guy column space?”
Where is the utopia (in Asia)? Nowhere. Not even across the Sea of Japan:
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=12696
Doesn’t this one sound familiar?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxGstxTjz6A&feature=player_embedded
Dude oughta stick to teaching ESL in Icheon and not be allowed to
make any comments about Korea or any person therein until he has been here for a set number of years.
Racist is a term that generally implies some sort of prejudice against all people of a certain race. Nearly every story I read on the subject was not directed at all Koreans but spoke to the overwhelming number of personal experiences that were anti-foreigner or xenophobic.
My experiences, in general, have been good, with almost all of my anti-foreigner experiences coming from self-important ajeoshis.
But I think that the Koreatimes is paying foreigners to write pro-Korea crap these days. Ergo, junk like this David clown
I wonder if they paid Jon Huer…
I submit to the jury SeoulPodcast #31, where two full-blooded Korean panelists themselves, and not the non-Koreans, made the proclamations that Koreans are racist.
in the spirit of @wedge….
“David… You’re a meathead!”
Wow, I can’t remember the last time I did such a 180 reading an essay:
“Good . . . yeah, I agree . . . great, I’m glad somebody is saying this . . .alright, I suppose . . . well, not exactly, but close enough . . .um, not sure about that one . . . where’re you going with this? . . . what? that doesn’t even make sense! . . . the Bible? . . . oh geez, where did they find this clown?”
In all seriousness, why is it that English teachers start off with such great premises, then wind up claiming only the top 50 American universities should be recognized, or all Koreans should learn English by studying Aristotle, or asking us to measure their tears. Is there some kind of editorial policy in Korea that they only publish pieces that veer off into Crazyville halfway through?
I guess it’s not enough that Archie runs his mouth and piles on the delusional bullshit in the KT comments section. It was inevitable they would give the kookie monster a column and pulpit.
I can just see the meathead who gave David Thiessen the column space nodding his head saying, “그럼 그럼” as other co-workers nod in unison, chanting “미쓥니다!”
David Thiessen, if you’re reading this, for the sake of proving Darwin’s theory, just go stick a fork in an outlet while you chant “미쓥니다!” Actually make that two wet forks, just to be on the safe side.
hmm… this is hilarious.
just go to http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/09/123_52718.html and look at the bottom of the page. I’ll save you the time… There is a commenter by the name of ‘ProudKorean2′ that says
“It’s always so sweet to beat the Jap monkeys.”
Keep in mind this a comment on the same site that ran the “Racism does not exist here” article.
One Michael Stevens has an opinion piece in the Times today on the subject of racism in Korea. He is refreshing lucid. He’s not saying anything we haven’t heard before, but at least he comes off as thoughtful, rather than nonsensical. For the record, he does not identify himself as a teacher.
Is there racism in Korea? Ask multiracial Koreans.
Anyone know what school that loser teaches at? I want to do a piece on Korean/Canadian zeroes. http://www.youseok.wordpress.com
You must log in to post a comment.