I just read this article about John Edwards. Now, there are actually about a hundred different reasons why I wouldn't vote for him, but this article gives me several more to add to the list. It is exactly this type of two-faced politician that makes the average American totally disgusted by politics in general. On Edwards' campaign website, it lists "Eliminating Poverty" as the number three item under the "Issues" link. Now, I am no economist so maybe I don't have a right to speak about this issue, but I am pretty sure that getting $400 haircuts is something the average American has never experienced. In fact, I pay about $5 per haircut and with my Blue Club Membership Card every tenth haircut is free. I admit, getting a $5 dollar haircut is kind of like a box of chocolates, but I will spend less in one year on haircuts than Edwards does on just one! Can you imagine if you were a poor American citizen who has bought into this poli-speak of Edwards' and had contributed some of your hard earned cash to his (and presumably your) cause? Does he really think that his supporters want to donate their money in order to support his extravagant habits, things they will never afford themselves? I am sure that he will probably come back and "reimburse" the campaign for the haircuts, but wasted money is wasted money. A person is known by his habits.
So my political advice for Mr. Edwards: Remember, your actions speak louder than your words. No matter how many you use.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
A Different Kind of Grief Observed
As I read the news this morning regarding the VA Tech tragedy, I came across the fact that the shooter had been identified as a 23 year old man originally from South Korea. I didn't know exactly how this might affect the comments I was sure to hear from my South Korean co-workers, but I knew that it would have some impact. I was, however, surprised at the result.
At first, I assumed that knowing the attacker was South Korean born, it would somehow temper the comments I so often hear about the violence of U.S. society and the almost barbaric persona most Americans seem to portray to the rest of the civilized world (ironic that we, the world's foremost demcratic institution, should have such a stigma). I have heard these comments many times before and have rarely had adequate answers to excuse this perception. Really, you try to explain to a group of people that while fireworks, something you can readily and legally buy in almost any store in Korea, are ILLEGAL in most U.S. states because of their perceived "danger", it is nonetheless LEGAL to own, and in many states carry and conceal, a whole aresenal of weapons. I know that the first response of many Americans to yesterday's tragedy was to run out and apply for their own gun permits, but isn't this just a micro-cosmic rehashing of the same ideals that started the cold war? If you build nukes, then we will build more nukes. As a child of the 80's, I watched the movie War Games and I know about "mutally assured destruction". As George Santanyana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemened to repeat it." But I digress...
The first word uttered by anyone in my English class this morning was "shocking". Defintely le mots juste. But I did not correctly perceive the reason for the shock. It was not shocking that someone else had killed a large number of people in the U.S. Sadly, the international community is becoming far to accostumed to such stories. What was shocking was the fact that a South Korean had commited yesterday's crimes! Surely, such things would bring little shock north of the DMZ, but for South Koreans to learn that one of their own was capable of such a blood-letting, it is really quite shocking. But as we discussed it further (it was the only subject of our English class - except for my ill-conceived history lesson trying to explain in 100 words or less the ideas of the "Bill of Rights" and the "Right to Bear Arms"), I discovered what they really meant by shocking. Yesterday, the Korean news sources were stating that the gunman was Asian, probably Chinese, a fact that caused many Koreans to exhale (this was actually acted out by one of my students). When they discovered this morning it was a South Korean, they were "shocked". Embarassed. Ashamed. In fact, they told me that the shooters father had committed suicide yesterday, and his mother had tried but failed. I have not yet been able to confirm the truth of this fact, but I was shocked at this story. I was shocked because my students said they understood why his parents would do this and that they would probably do the same thing in their position. There is no glorification of the criminal life in Korea, which is probably why hip-hop culture has not ever fully caught on here.
But the fact remains, regardless of which side of the world you are living in, yesterday's tragedy is shocking. Let's hope that it always will be.
At first, I assumed that knowing the attacker was South Korean born, it would somehow temper the comments I so often hear about the violence of U.S. society and the almost barbaric persona most Americans seem to portray to the rest of the civilized world (ironic that we, the world's foremost demcratic institution, should have such a stigma). I have heard these comments many times before and have rarely had adequate answers to excuse this perception. Really, you try to explain to a group of people that while fireworks, something you can readily and legally buy in almost any store in Korea, are ILLEGAL in most U.S. states because of their perceived "danger", it is nonetheless LEGAL to own, and in many states carry and conceal, a whole aresenal of weapons. I know that the first response of many Americans to yesterday's tragedy was to run out and apply for their own gun permits, but isn't this just a micro-cosmic rehashing of the same ideals that started the cold war? If you build nukes, then we will build more nukes. As a child of the 80's, I watched the movie War Games and I know about "mutally assured destruction". As George Santanyana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemened to repeat it." But I digress...
The first word uttered by anyone in my English class this morning was "shocking". Defintely le mots juste. But I did not correctly perceive the reason for the shock. It was not shocking that someone else had killed a large number of people in the U.S. Sadly, the international community is becoming far to accostumed to such stories. What was shocking was the fact that a South Korean had commited yesterday's crimes! Surely, such things would bring little shock north of the DMZ, but for South Koreans to learn that one of their own was capable of such a blood-letting, it is really quite shocking. But as we discussed it further (it was the only subject of our English class - except for my ill-conceived history lesson trying to explain in 100 words or less the ideas of the "Bill of Rights" and the "Right to Bear Arms"), I discovered what they really meant by shocking. Yesterday, the Korean news sources were stating that the gunman was Asian, probably Chinese, a fact that caused many Koreans to exhale (this was actually acted out by one of my students). When they discovered this morning it was a South Korean, they were "shocked". Embarassed. Ashamed. In fact, they told me that the shooters father had committed suicide yesterday, and his mother had tried but failed. I have not yet been able to confirm the truth of this fact, but I was shocked at this story. I was shocked because my students said they understood why his parents would do this and that they would probably do the same thing in their position. There is no glorification of the criminal life in Korea, which is probably why hip-hop culture has not ever fully caught on here.
But the fact remains, regardless of which side of the world you are living in, yesterday's tragedy is shocking. Let's hope that it always will be.
Monday, April 16, 2007
A Green Revolution?
On Friday morning as I was walking to work, I happened upon an ajuma (Korean woman older than 40). This woman was probably in her mid to late 70s, although it is difficult to tell as the VAST majority of Korean men and women dye their hair black as soon as the gray begins to creep in. It was just before 9 AM and it was obvious she had already been out and about doing what many senior citizens do in Korea: collect recyclable garbage. I watched with marvel and curiosity as this squatting little dynamo methodically dismantled a cardboard box in order to strap it to her pile of other treasures she had accumulated and placed on her cart. As I watched, I was struck by the fact that this senior citizen plays such an integral part in the defense of the environment in Korea. I smiled to myself at this thought, pleased with the direction humanity seems to be flowing. When I bowed, smiled warmly, and greeted her, I noticed her toss to the curb the many large pieces of tape she had previously ripped from the box. As I watched the tape, propelled by the wind, skid across the ground and off into the city, I realized, this woman is not an environmentalist, she is a capitalist.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Driver's Ed: Korean Style
Having lived in a city of 10,000,000 people for the last year, I have learned all kinds of new things about driving that I never knew nor would have ever become acquainted with in the comfortable confines of Midwestern towns. I was thinking about a few of these rules tonight as I was weaving among the pedestrians, cars, scooters, and other obstacles as I was driving home. So, for your education, I thought I would string together a few of these pearls for you. They are not necessarily in order of importance nor in which they were learned.
1. Side mirrors can do more than just show you how close the cars behind you are. They are an EXCELLENT measuring stick for helping to determine how close the car, building, bicycle, or school girl is to the side of your car. When you make contact, you're too close. Quite simple really.
2. You can actually stop much more quickly than you realize, if the need should arise. Consequently, you can drive much more quickly in congested areas than you realize.
3. Checking your blind spot is for sissies.
4. 30 - 45 minutes is actually a short drive.
5. 30 - 45 minutes is an even shorter distance.
6. Always use the shortest imaginable car when trying to stay two car lengths back from the car your are following.
7. If you do stay two car lengths back from the car you are following, it will soon become 4, then 6, then 8...you get the point.
8. 3 flashes of your hazard lights="Thank you." 4 flashes of your hazard lights="I'm sorry." You have much more opportunity to use the latter of these two.
9. There is nothing wrong with double parking, especially in a parking garage. Just leave your car in neutral and make sure you are on flat ground.
10. You never know if the other car will stop until you try, so always try.
Because posting 11 things is an uncomfortable number for me, here is the last one by itself. It is, however, probably the most important of them all.
Who says that pedestrians have the right of way?
Hopefully this has all been excellent training for moving to New York this fall. I'm sure New Yorkers are not nearly as forgiving as Koreans.
Seoul is ranked number 5 in the world for "Most Congested City". You can access the article here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)