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Exclusive: Racial Discrimination Against Koreans Actually Occurring
Family Security Matters ^ | June 12, 2007 | Jiwon Juliana Yhee

Posted on 06/12/2007 10:14:52 AM PDT by Ptarmigan

In the aftermath of the bloodbath that 23-year-old Seung-Hui Cho unleashed on a peaceful Virginia Tech campus only a few months before, American citizens were left to endure an unendurable tragedy and to deal with an ineffable grief that had enveloped all of America. But, mostly, they were left with a multitude of questions that needed answering: Did Virginia Tech do enough to protect its students after its authorities grew aware that a gunman was wreaking havoc on its campus? What was it, really, that finally drove a student to coldly and methodically extinguish 32 promising lives in what the New York Times called the "deadliest school rampage in the nation's history?"(1) How does any professor distinguish between a creative student who merely writes about violent acts and a student who uses his writing to communicate the presence of a psychologically unsound psyche? And, most importantly, how are we to prevent another Virginia Tech from occurring? All of these questions and more, I think, have been adequately discussed by the numerous news articles that have been published in the wake of what occurred at Virginia Tech.

There several questions, however, that have not yet been answered by the U.S. media; and these are questions that manifested themselves in the huddled forms of around 500 Korean Virginia Tech students who gathered in groups directly after the VA Tech shooting for fear that all of the anger, the sorrow, and the grief caused by Seung-Hui Cho would be directed at them in acts of violent retaliation. For many Koreans (and, often times, other Asians) currently living in the United States of America, some important questions that have not been addressed in the news are ones that they should not have to ask or think about, especially as citizens or residents of a nation that prides itself on its tolerance and freedom: How are Koreans to cope with the racial discrimination that might be directed at them after the Virginia Tech shootings? That is, how are they to brace themselves for the anger of some few Americans who might think of them as being equivalent to Seung-Hui Cho just because they, too, happen to be Korean? And, finally, why aren't there more non-Korean U.S. citizens speaking out against the injustices that are occurring?

The answer to the last question is exactly why this article is being written, so I will start with that first: Not many U.S. citizens are aware of what is going on.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: korean; seunghuicho; vatech; virginiatech
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To: Ptarmigan
Most people are too busy with their lives to really be concerned about who did what at Virgina Tech, never mind the nationality of the shooter. Someone would have to really be dense to associate all Koreans with the killer. In today's soundbyte news reporting world, it’s mostly forgotten because it isn’t a defining moment in American history.

Miss Yhee is looking for something where there is nothing.


21 posted on 06/12/2007 10:34:35 AM PDT by darkwing104 (Let's get dangerous)
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To: Ptarmigan

It sounds like the person who wrote this WANTS to be discriminated against so as to be able to join the vast hordes of victims.


22 posted on 06/12/2007 10:35:28 AM PDT by 3AngelaD (They screwed up their own countries so bad they had to leave, and now they're here screwing up ours)
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To: Ptarmigan

A vast difference the author seems to miss is that to American’s like me, Korean’s are perceived as family-oriented hard-working people, devoted to making better lives for their children. This guy was an aberration.


23 posted on 06/12/2007 10:35:49 AM PDT by NoBullZone
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To: Ptarmigan
from the article:

the fact that the Virginia Tech gunman happened to be Korean does not necessarily mean that all Koreans are on the verge of carrying out similar shooting rampages, just as Ted Bundy having been Caucasian does not indicate the fact that all who are of his race have a habit of murdering young women

This is an excellent point the author makes. I have advanced this argument with friends of color who see racism in everything instead of holding themselves as separate individuals from the criminal element who happen to share their race.

Her article does point out a few instances of what can fairly and legitimately be seen as racist or anti-Korean acts: rock-throwing aimed at Koreans in the wake of the killings, etc. When one is a minority it is hard to give the benefit of the doubt to stupid people who use any justification for evil acts.

In the same vein, however, how are we supposed to judge white serial killers who only go after blonde, blue-eyed skinny white girls who look just like the girlfriend who dumped them? Sometimes people are just crazy and criminal, and go after others because they are similar to a threatening person. Is this the same as racism, per se, such as requiring persons of a give race to pay higher taxes, deny them jobs, make them ride in the back of the bus as a matter of public policy? This is why I am very leery of hate crime laws involving thought or intention. I think there should be a very high standard of proof.

24 posted on 06/12/2007 10:36:38 AM PDT by Albion Wilde ( “A nation without borders is not a nation.” —Ronald Reagan)
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To: Ptarmigan

Simple minded liberals resort to “race baiting” of some form.

The REAL ISSUE is a society of liberals that have NO BOUNDARIES on EXPRESSION. Someone should have stopped this guy BEFORE he lashed out. He was a time bomb waiting to happen and LIBERALS LET IT HAPPEN!


25 posted on 06/12/2007 10:36:38 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: Al Gator
No, you can’t gloss it over. It wasn’t “patriotism” It was flat out, unadulterated, plain old down on the ranch RACISIM.

So what.

Throughout the world you WILL find racism.

Korea is no exception.

SO WHAT!

26 posted on 06/12/2007 10:37:14 AM PDT by Jakarta ex-pat
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To: Al Gator

You can’t erase racism overnight. It happens over time. I know Hines Ward meant well. There are lot of half Koreans who are famous, like Hines Ward, Liz Cho, Kimora Lee Simmons, Moon Bloodgood, and Mark Polansky


27 posted on 06/12/2007 10:37:40 AM PDT by Ptarmigan (Bunnies=Sodomites)
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To: darkwing104

I am more worried about this hurricane season. I fear another Hurricane Katrina this year, even worse. I picture this hurricane as large as Gilbert and intense as Wilma. I am scared for Texas this year also. We are due for a major hurricane.


28 posted on 06/12/2007 10:39:39 AM PDT by Ptarmigan (Bunnies=Sodomites)
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To: 3AngelaD

That person sounds like a drama queen to me. I hate drama queens.


29 posted on 06/12/2007 10:40:54 AM PDT by Ptarmigan (Bunnies=Sodomites)
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To: 3AngelaD

That person sounds like a drama queen to me. I hate drama queens.


30 posted on 06/12/2007 10:41:00 AM PDT by Ptarmigan (Bunnies=Sodomites)
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To: Ptarmigan

My nephew is half white and half Chinese. Guess which side views him as an outsider?


31 posted on 06/12/2007 10:41:22 AM PDT by trimom
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To: jazusamo
She doesn't seem to point out any injustices that are occurring but seems to imply there might be some.

Exactly. She comes off like Chicken Little screaming "The sky is falling!"

32 posted on 06/12/2007 10:42:09 AM PDT by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.)
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To: Ptarmigan
What liberals will “discriminate” against is the accomplishments of he Asian community. By not being helpless and dumbed down ruins their appeal and gives the wrong message. Being motivated and seeking excellence is contrary to the LIBERAL WAY!
This shooting had nothing to do with race. It was ALL about NO BOUNDARIES that LIBERALS insist on.
33 posted on 06/12/2007 10:42:18 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: Ptarmigan
I am more worried about this hurricane season.

Me too. I live in Florida.


34 posted on 06/12/2007 10:43:34 AM PDT by darkwing104 (Let's get dangerous)
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To: Jakarta ex-pat

Why are you blasting me? Feeling guilty?

I wrote a rebuttal to Ms. Yhee. NOT YOU.

You took it on yourself to try and refute what I said.

You got your a$$ kicked and you don’t like it.

So what?

Live with it.


35 posted on 06/12/2007 10:44:31 AM PDT by Al Gator (Refusing to "stoop to your enemy's level", gets you cut off at the knees.)
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To: Ptarmigan

Wow, I didn’t know until I read this article that there were Asian airheads. Somebody please tell Jiwon that I definitely won’t hold it against all Asians.


36 posted on 06/12/2007 10:47:39 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: Ptarmigan
“You can’t erase racism overnight.”

Personally, I don’t think it can be “eliminated” at all.

God gave us many vices to overcome. Like jealousy, gluttony, etc., racism is a built in human trait. Some folks are prone to exhibit it more than others, just as some folks tend to be super jealous and others not.

It just so happens to be one of those human traits that we can find comfort in with others. That’s what makes it tough to discourage.

Like drunks in a bar who encourage each other to drink more.

It will never go away. If we know this about it, its a whole lot easier to deal with, IMHO.

37 posted on 06/12/2007 10:49:45 AM PDT by Al Gator (Refusing to "stoop to your enemy's level", gets you cut off at the knees.)
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To: Al Gator
I'm white. I lived in Asia (including Korea) for 15 years.

Wanna compare notes on racism?

You infer Koreans are racist.

Yes I rebutted you.

If you didn't infer Koreans were generally racist, I was wrong to do so.

And apologize.

38 posted on 06/12/2007 10:52:38 AM PDT by Jakarta ex-pat
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Comment #39 Removed by Moderator

To: Jakarta ex-pat

I didn’t infer anything. I made it clear.

On the whole, Asians, including Koreans, tend toward racism.

There are different levels, of course.

To deny that racism isn’t rampant in Asia, makes me wonder how much you know of the place.

Or perhaps you are an apologist who can put blinders on and not see what’s there.

Or maybe you just believe that only the White man is racist.


40 posted on 06/12/2007 11:05:01 AM PDT by Al Gator (Refusing to "stoop to your enemy's level", gets you cut off at the knees.)
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