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June 29, 2007

New blog posted.

ANNOUNCEMENT! 5/3

I just got back from a four-day trip to Seoul.  And just like every other time I've gone there, I'm returning to Daegu kicking and screaming.  Seoul is amazing.  The highlight of the trip, though was definitely all the food in Itaewon (the foreign neighborhood).  I spent the weekend eating top-notch American food, Korean food, Egyptian, Moroccan, Turkish and Mexican food.  I even ate American breakfast (at a small cafe called "America") for the first time in over eleven months.  The best word to describe my feelings this weekend: "elation." 

On another note, the website will be on Radio Silence for a couple of months.  This month is already getting more and more hectic with everything I have to do before I move back to the United States.  Then the next month and a half, I'll be traveling around the United States (eating a lot of good food).  So, expect another MASSIVE blog post in a couple of months.  Otherwise, hang in there, I'll be back soon and we'll have coffee and laugh about all the silly stories I'm going to tell you.

The Way I See It: Number 437

On the Problems in this World

And again this week, the world was witness to another heinous crime in the United States.  Although the Virginia Tech Massacre was not nearly as large as, say, The Beslan Massacre or Genocide in Darfur, it is extremely noteworthy as the United States is neither poor nor located in a war-torn region.  The United States is one of the wealthiest, smartest and most powerful nations on earth (okay, okay, okay.  It's the wealthiest, smartest and most powerful).  How can something so tragic occur on our soil and how is it that this tragedy keeps happening over and over and over again?

The shooter at Virginia Tech was a South Korean National.  That has South Koreans running scared.  Not from other South Koreans and not from the military might of the United States, but out of the fear of a social backlash against Koreans around the globe.  First, I want to comfort my Korean compatriots by saying that Americans most likely care less that the shooter was Korean than that the act itself was committed. 

When I was comforting my boss with this fact, however, I found a very vicious stereotype that should be explained.  She explained that the gunman was a national of the Republic of Korea, but that he had been living in the United States since 1992.  He's more American than Korean at that point!  Her comments finally led to the fact that although he was Korean, Koreans are not capable of committing such an act and therefore, he only did it because he was exposed to all the violence in the United States.  I did nothing but agree that there is too much violence in the United States.  I wish I could have argued the following at that time as well.

According to recent news articles, the shooter's professor had been so appalled by the material in his student's plays that he brought the work to college deans and even the police for examination.  CNN explained that these plays involved killing students, killing professors and other macabre acts.  Of course, it sounds really disgusting to hear that someone is drawing these things and, of course, if an American were drawing these things we would be shocked an appalled. 

I, however, have lived in Korea for quite some time and shed some light on this subject.  My students (who often bring toy guns to school without discipline) often times show me their comic books that they buy with their allowance money.  On such comic is called "Happy Tree Friends."  This comic, a couple of weeks ago, showed a person being nailed down and cut open.  Pretty grotesque, huh?  How about this...A couple of weeks ago, one of my students brought in a comic book that their friend had written.  It was so gory, I could hardly look at it.  Yet all my students huddled around to see all the blood in the book (that included both a teacher and a waiter with multiple wounds bleeding profusely).  Sounds pretty violent, doesn't it?  It is a lot more violence than I saw when I was growing up.

Another very violent thing here in Korea is all the video games.  I definitely agree that violent fighting games are inappropriate for children.  In the United States, video games are a highly regulated industry due to the violence. 

So, then, is America a more violent place to grow up than Korea?  I don't really think so.  Why, then are there so many violent crimes and school shootings in the United States than in Korea?

Because we have guns. 

Get guns out of the United States.

Get them out now.

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The Way They See It.

Responses to the Gun Control Argument

1. Response from Olga Valieva, April 19, 2007

So reading your blog I was glad that you took time to discuss nationalities and what the kids are exposed to, but I really have to say that I’ve always considered you to be a very patriotic person. Owning guns is a right of all citizens, and is protected by our constitution. The fact that a psychopath chose to use guns to do evil rather than protection or sport was a personal choice, not something the gun companies forced onto him. Saying that guns are to blame is equal to saying that McDonald’s is responsible for increased obesity. People need to take responsibility for their actions, and in this case, that person is dead so he cannot, and we cannot force him to. Apparently people feel the need to point fingers at someone/something. I would not have thought you to be the type of person who would need to do the same thing. He was a product of his environment. Whether kids in US or kids in Korea are exposed to violence has little bearing on their actions. It is how they are taught to react to it whether it is by parents, peers, teachers, etc. I was brought up in the war, and saw very grotesque things – not in pictures or comics, but in person. I enjoy watching creepy thrillers and violent actions movies. I was brought up around guns, I know how to use a gun, and if I wanted to I can go buy a gun. Access to guns doesn’t mean I’m going to go and massacre people. It was his choice. He’s clearly demented, and he’s the only one to blame (and maybe his parents, but sometimes one can’t help it if one’s offspring is crazy).

Sorry if this is bitchy, but to be honest it’s really frustrating when things like this are said. I’m really saddened by all this, especially since we had a fatal shooting on our campus two weeks ago, but I don’t feel the need to blame anyone for it. It sucks, but shit happens. The fact that shit happens in poorer countries doesn’t make it more ok than it happening here. It’s rare, and it’s tragic and sitting there and finding reason for something so completely irrational is… irrational. Take time to grieve, not to blame.

Anyways, that’s my rant. I still love you, don’t worry.

Rebuttle from Owen Wagenhals, April 19, 2007

You are extremely right in everything you said.  Lets start with me being a patriotic person.  I know I am very patriotic.  But being patriotic to me includes standing up for what I believe in and disagreeing with the government when I see fit.  The second amendment is an extremely antiquated law that dates back to a time when it was imperative to own guns.  Not only was it imperative to own guns to protect your house and home, but the early Americans had to protect this country using militias.  The constant fear of attack from France and the United Kingdom worried the early Americans.  Nobody would have joined this For a More Perfect Union if they thought they'd be caught with their pants down without guns when a French battalion wandered through town.

You also say that blaming violence on the gun companies is just like blaming obesity on McDonalds.  You're totally right and it is wrong to blame violence and obesity on these companies.  In order to explain this, let me back up.  I support the Second Amendment.  Or at least, I want to support it.  Everyone should be able to own a gun.  Except for one thing, people can't control themselves.  It's like when you give a dog too much food, it will eat until it dies.  That's like Americans and guns: if its there, they have to use it.  And why do we all have guns?  To protect ourselves from everyone else that owns guns.  So, therefore, I guess I don't support the Second Amendment.

There is also a severe positive correlation between violent crime and developed countries with lax gun control laws.  The two prime examples are Russia and the United States.  Why is it that Northern European countries have such low violent crime?  They have no guns, so their children grow up in a gun-free world.  So they have a very anti-crime mentality.  People say that the best thing in the US would be for gun education.  They think that education against guns is the best thing for children to bring them up away from violence.  But, isn't that then like teaching children about eating healthy while at a party in the McDonald's Playplace?

Response to Rebuttal by Olga Valieva, April 19, 2007.

This is one of those topics that will never see an end…

Well you do make really good points, though:

As antiquated as the law is, it still has uses in this day. Even if we don’t have wars on our soils, (I was gonna go with the whole terrorist attack, but that’s so cheesy), it is still important to protect yourself – and it doesn’t necessarily have to be against those people with guns as well. Hell someone can break into your house and gut you with a knife or whatever else that can be used as a weapon. I do believe that there need to be certain restrictions when it comes to owning a gun, such as criminal background check, gun safety and use classes, etc., but I still think that a person should have a right to own a gun.  Disarming the people will cause a huge civil problem where they would feel powerless against an armed government, and in the past, this has led to revolutions. In European countries, and even in Canada, people are still allowed to own guns – they don’t ban them. And it, I think, is a purely societal reason why their crime rates are so much lower.

As far as people controlling themselves – that’s the main problem. But we’re not animals (well, aside from being apes and all), and yeah – if its there, it will be used, so that goes back to the whole society problem. Along the same lines, you would have to take away food from people and restrict caloric intake because of all the health problems. You’d have to restrict the sale of bleach or other household chemicals because you can make a bomb with them. There are just so many things that people can use as weapons if they need a weapon, and abolishing these dangers is impossible. A democracy is difficult to maintain – give people freedom, and in some sense you lose control. And I think education is important – it won’t stop idiots thought. Its like sex education – should we stop that too because it’s not 100% effective in preventing STI’s and AIDS? So should we outlaw sex too? Procreation only – come to the clinic for your sperm and egg (well that’s a little ridiculous, but you see my point). Its not that educating children will prevent them from becoming violent; that’s the parents’ or communities’ jobs. It’s more of an awareness issue. And yes, you can eat healthy at McDonalds – they have salads now! Besides I was referring to compulsive fast food peoples with poor eating habits, not the occasional consumer.

Anyways I guess my point originally was that it’s a societal issue rather than the manufacturer’s issue. And I’m not THAT pro-second amendment –I just think its an important right and should be support, and you should be able to protest it as well if it no longer seems necessary. But at this day and age, it still, unfortunately necessary. Besides, what about hunting? (I guess we can always revert to the ol’ bow and arrow).

2.  Response from Jerome Dumortier, April 19, 2007.

"Because we have guns. Get guns out of the United States. Get them out now." was an end of the blog I didn't expect. Well done. You are probably aware of the discussion in the US that some people (too many) argue that it would be better to allow packing heat on campus. One armed student could have saved these lives. Unfortunately, my office mate agrees with this argumentation.

3.  Response from Stan Wagenhals, April 19, 2007.

Gun control:  I disagree.  When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns - my favorite bumper sticker on the subject.  Outlaws will always have guns.  All people with guns are not outlaws.  The right to keep and bear arms was well written by the framers.  To me its about the penalty for unlawful use of weapons of all kinds.  An armed robber should get a minimum sentence of 30 years hard labor (to the betterment of society) without parole.  A murderer or armed rapist should have his gene pool terminated, without delay! 

The other part of this equation, for me, is that the crazies will find a way to be crazy, even if you take away their guns, or the right to purchase them.  Thank God these fools haven't discovered the power of propane (that anybody can buy) or the killing capacity of Chlorine gas like the idiots in Iraq have.  The more people on the planet, the more crazies are among us - not in shear number but in numbers per capita. 

Yes, I'm outraged and saddened, sickened even.  Those kids could have been my sons and daughter.  What really is our defense against these cretons?  Gun control?  Or each of us trying to be the best person we can be, helping those who exhibit signs of being disturbed or taking an active role in intervention. 

More on the subject... but alas... out of time.

Rebuttal from Owen Wagenhals, April 19, 2007.

You're right that then only outlaws will have guns.  But if guns are not even allowed in the United States, it will become extremely difficult to obtain guns and then only the really bad outlaws will have guns.  Little Charlie down at the Elementary School won’t go shoot up his class room.  Nor will Mrs. Smith Kill her husband after he had an affair.  I know stuff like that will still happen, but when guns are so easily available, it is easier for people to justify doing this kind of stuff.  I don't think the same people would knife someone or create some sort of bomb.  And think about all of the people that get killed on accident!  Its disgusting, people are protecting themselves from the outlaws and keep on shooting their own children or the milkman or the mailman or the poolboy.  And what about all of the kids and even adults that get killed just playing with guns!  No, I am against guns.  The second amendment was made when the citizens of the United States NEEDED guns.  We needed guns because we didn't have a military and we needed a militia.  We also needed to protect ourselves.  It wasn't a nice area back then.  We had to protect ourselves from vagabonds, the British, the French, Native Americans, bears, etc.  Everything is totally different now.  My other argument still is look at other countries that have outlawed guns.  They are some of the safest countries in the world.  Eg. Germany, South Korea, Scandinavia, Japan.

Response to Rebuttal by Stan Wagenhals, April 19, 2007.

Response to Response from Owen Wagenhals, April 19, 2007.

According to Wikipedia, Capital Punishment is abolished in the European Union and most other European states.  It is also abolished in most of Latin America (with the exception of Honduras and many Caribbean States.  Canada has also abolished the Death Penalty.  Japan retains its capital punishment laws.

Beslan Massacre

Plea for Darfur

US Gun Politics

Gun Violence in the USA

Announcements

April 17, 2007

Its been a while since my last post (sorry!).  So, just like last time, I've posted another HUGE blog.  There are plenty of pictures and stories to keep you entertained.  Enjoy!  PS.  I'll be leaving Korea in roughly forty days.  Can you believe it!?

March 12, 2007

There are a few new things that you should check out.  First off, I created a new tab on my upper horizontal navigation bar.  It is called the "Campaigns" tab.  Inside there, you will find all of the information on issues that I am supporting such as the Plea for Darfur and the Viaduct Vote.  Also, I have a massive blog posted because I haven't posted in a really long time.  Check it out!

January 23, 2007

Do you live within the boundaries of the city of Seattle?  If so, vote "Yes for the Tunnel" on March 13.  Voting will be imperative in getting our voice heard in Olympia.  It is the only way to receive state and federal funding for this Seattle city-based regional project.

January 21, 2007

I reformatted the Korea Portal.  It's a bit easier to navigate.

November 1, 2006

I would like to do my part to combat the evils of Genocide.  Therefore, this link to my plea for Darfur will be posted indefinitely.

October 23, 2006

All of the links are now functioning, except for in the Korea Diary section of the Blog.  Those are antiquated blogs and I did not want to take time to edit the contents and hyperlinks of those pages.

September 15, 2006

I would prefer that this website have the capability for bilateral communication between me and you, but I guess I'm just not that technologically savvy.  For the time being, I would love to get as much feedback from you as possible.  If you would like to comment on any blog posts or on any content of the website, please email me.  I love hearing from everyone, even if you're just calling to tell me I missed the last period here in this sentence