So perhaps I (excuse the pun) jumped the gun on talking about the issues of the day. As I read Adrian's article and other posts from xanga friends I think I came off calloused talking about gun rights when others were concerned about more social matters. Shows you where my priorities are. *sigh* Or rather, because I never once thought this Cho incident as an ethnic anything or that there would be backlash in the US, the whole idea really didn't run through my head. But either way, I'm glad I had the extra insight and time to think over what I'm going to say now.

"Korea, the 33rd victim."

Korean flight landing in US - "I don't wanna get off!"

Among the other political cartoons I picked out from 4.19.2007 (above) were those from the more conservative Korean papers like Chosun and Donga that focused on Korea's shame as a country, about Cho. But as time goes on Koreans and the media here are realizing that America finds Korean apologies or calls for repentance a bit over the top if not ridiculous. And this has quieted, humbled, and shocked Koreans here in Korea.

Some are saying that the apologies were from shame and fear of hatred toward Koreans, and have been relieved by the reaction of America to the VT shooting. Others were just concerned that Korea's opportunity to go No-Visa with the US, which has finally gotten close enough to working out, will fall through because of last week's event. This has also been reassured by the State Dept. and no visa or immigration policy will change, and that has also relieved Koreans. But then I heard another comment from my boss at IFANS: that the overly apologetic attitude and tone of Korea's reaction was because Koreans know there would be anger and rioting over the situation if an American had gone beserk and murdered innocent Koreans in cold blood. For example, the Korean reaction to the death of two junior high school students by American soldiers (on accident) in 2002 and the national riot and ensuing cultural anti-American solidification it caused. Koreans intrinsically recognize how this would play out on this Peninsula had the tables been turned, and considering THAT, could have been so "repent"ive with their apologies and fears. I think all these options are viable reasons, not to say that the fear of LA 1992 part deux in America isn't also a concern, but it's just the fact that, in Korea, a repeat of LA Riots 1992 is not only possible but guaranteed. Anyhoo, Koreans here are humbled, shocked, and quieted... so far as for some Koreans to realize, "And this is why the US is the superpower." (Their words, not mine. A handful of people have gone out of their way to tell me this.)

One last thing, about the Korean Ambassador to the USA, His Excellency Lee Tae Shik. After he spoke at the convocation calling for the Korean community to "repent" and have a 32-day fast for each of the victims and the whole proving that Koreans are a "worthwhile" minority in the US... so then, he goes on a radio show with host Prof. Sohn Seok Hi (the Katie Couric or Larry King of South Korea who some here would like to see as the next president) and DENIES THE WHOLE THING. hahaha. First he said he only voiced the opinion of ??, which means apology, but when confronted with quotes by Prof. Sohn he then changes his story to "it was a private setting and church atmosphere so even if I did say something more it wasn't taken that way" and then when asked whether he actually did saying something more he dodged it (albeit very poorly) and, refusing to repeat his actual words in English to stop the "confusion" with translation, continues to make excuses why the people wouldn't understand why he did what he did. I'm summarizing, but it's still a riot. I don't know how this clown got the Ambassadorship to Korea's most important ally. Although, I admit, I'm going off of one statement and one interview here. But man. What a disappointment.

For any of you crazy enough to read (in Korean) the interview with H.E. Lee Tae Shik: 2007.04.20
Or listen: radio interview 4.20.2007 go to 2007-04-20 and 3,4?

Tomorrow, Prof. Sohn is speaking at Korea University for the Flagship students and some others from KLCC. Kinda the nice perk of being US visiting fellows has been the selection of top tier special lecturers we get. But yeah. I though of asking him about this interview he had on the 20th but can't think of any positive light or a way not to come off as evil, so I'll leave that be and ask him about his career or something.

Some Korean political cartoons that got me thinking...

Hangyeorae Newspaper, 4/19/2007
[The specifics of the VT shooting]
Criminal: Korean
Problem: Freedom to bear arms
[NRA guy types]
Isn't the citizenship more of the problem?

GyeongHyang Newspaper 4/19/2007
"There mustn't be this kind of tragedy ever again..."
[bullet shells:] the cruel murders at Virginia Tech
[loading bullets:] constitutional [amendment] to bear arms

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There have been plenty of blame-game accusations made regarding the Seung-hui Cho Virginia Tech massacre, and each time I hear someone blaming America's gun culture or weak gun laws, I cringe. Not because I don't understand it, I do, but because this type of thinking is so wrong, devoid of any logic or rationale. But that's exactly the point. People who say this are reacting emotionally and have no significant thought on this matter... no ability to separate the emotions that cloud their judgement in order to discern the reality of the situation.

And those who so quickly brandish the "we must have the right to bear arms" motto don't always reach out to those who have been emotionally scarred by the event to help them understand what is meant by this phrase. But the key words that unlock this tangle is what NBC accurately used to describe the students and faculty of VT, "defenseless people". Exactly so. The point of the 2nd Amendment is for the people of the USA to be able to defend themselves. Against what? Perhaps against lunatics or seriously-deranged-spiritual-problem-ridden-murderers-on-the-loose? maaaybe. But of course, because media and idealistic romanticists have so effectively demonized guns and vilified those who fight for the right to have them, no one bothers to think any deeper about this issue than to cry and scream "WHY??" and proceed to blaming everything else but the actual problem. Personally, the real problem here is Cho and that he never really came to know Christ or have the true peace that comes from knowing you are God's child. But that isn't our problem, it was his and it never got resolved. For the rest of us, that means we have to protect ourselves and face the reality of the situation head-on. OR, we can just talk about the evils of guns and killing and cross our fingers just hoping that no one will go crazy. But banning guns altogether by LAW will only affect the people who actually follow the LAW, and empower those who obtain them to do evil to have all the more defenselessly sitting ducks to tally up on death counts.

I seriously wonder if people who want to ban guns actually think. I mean, ignorance is one thing, but the ability to think is a completely different story. Perhaps it's the desire to NOT think. Okay, so it's laziness, then. But the technology is out there, there's no stopping it. What would happen if the whole world got rid of guns? North Korea would take its million-man army and the 2,000 guns they have that actually work and, SHARING if need be, hold us all up and have the entire world at its knees. My point? Not gonna happen. Now, the ideal would be to have every law-abiding citizen trained and ready at all times to nip these crazy people with death wishes in the bud, but this isn't an ideal world and not everyone will want to have a gun. As for me, I'd rather pack mace or other non-life-threatening force (b/c in general I would rather not end someone else's life, unless of course it's a crazy gunman or rapist. Plus, I consider myself prepared to die and meet my savior, each day is just a blessing and gift) but I would definitely want a gun for the safety of others. We must understand the general principle of the 2nd Amendment, and people who call themselves Americans have an obligation to know the Constitution before opening their mouth on guns.

And this is why I don't expect Koreans to understand Americans emphasizing the right to bear arms. Firearms are illegal in Korea, not that it has done anything to prevent death or crime (but whatever). But April 19th, 1960 the day of these cartoons, may help people understand. It was a demonstration begun by college students (from Korea University, of course) on April 18th, resulting in the deaths of these students when police opened fire to quell the "disturbance" and the 4.19 Revolution was born. Great stride for democracy, as it's known in Korea. And I acknowledge it. But I throw out this question to Koreans - do you think this government would be less corrupt and more accountable to its people if it knew that the people had a right to defend themselves and bear arms to keep the government in check?

Our founding fathers were freakin' geniuses.

Be with the people of Virginia Tech,
the souls who have departed,
the wounded,
the students and staff,
the families and friends...

Bring healing to us all.

[edit]:
*sigh* A South Korean. AGAIN?.
And guns are outlawed in South Korea.
Make whatever link you want.
Guns don't kill. people do.

Spiritual Problems. People need CHRIST.

That said, the Korean blogs are either...
1) ashamed that Cho was a S.Korean national
2) already making theories, starting with doubts that he could have murdered so many
...especially without having done his obligatory military training (I don't get this one at ALL)
3) points this on the guns, not the person. (sigh.)

I can think of more than a few people I'd like to sit down and show this to.
As always, I keep the option for comments open. Heads up, it's quite long.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/

Friends are those who believe you are what you wish you were.

And having even one makes me feel like I don't deserve the air I breathe.

If that was abstract, just blame it on the lack of sleep and this pensive yet doting mood I'm in. 
I'm learning a lot about myself these days.  For instance, I am realizing that I am a workaholic.  I enjoy applying myself.  I identify more with the work I do than the things I like, the friends I have, or what I look like.  Not to say that I don't enjoy the things everyone else does, I do.  And definitely not to say that I don't love my family and friends and think about them often and enjoy the time I get with them, I do.  And I analyze myself in the mirror and feel extra perky on good hair days just like the next girl.  But it's just not as satisfying as delving into the act of being productive in fulfilling a calling.  But those other aspects of life are a very close second. 

I guess I'm writing this as an apology to defend the dissonance I feel whenever I really miss my friends and loved ones but don't or can't make the effort to express it, keep in touch, hang out, or come visit.  And this deep seated love tends to erupt with the once-in-a-blue-moon contact or a totally random outburst of affection, admiration, hope, or concern.  It's always there, just not always shown... not because it's not my nature (oh trust me, it is) but because I fear that if I showed the true extent of my mushy gushy madness many would run for the hills... or maybe just feel suffocated. But really though, I see it as a great privilege and honor, to have people in my life that I respect, love, and care for, even as most of them are not what would be conventionally considered, "in" my life.  And I suppose that's why I like prayer... I get it.  Because whether it be in my love, strength, knowledge, or time, in every aspect of my life I feel my limitation that separates my will from my reality.  And prayer acts as a hub: it takes all of my will, thoughts, and emotions and disperses them more appropriately, more visibly, and more beautifully, like white light revealed by bending through a prism.  So though I wish I could do more, I have faith that God already does far more.  Or so I like to think. 

Well, vision is only proven in hindsight.  And in these moods, I tend to look at things in their best light.  A girl I grew up with wrote this down as her senior quote in our high school yearbook, "Treat your friends as you do your pictures, and place them in their best light."  And because I thought of that on the subway today, I felt like blogging.  These are the types of things that come rushing back from memory when I'm coming home from work on auto-pilot, that I wish I could have mentioned to her in Hawaii when we met by fate's gift, six years later.  I remember so many random things about my life, and like to ponder them heavily with the hope to share it, but why don't I just say something?  Because it's weird, or unusual, or awkward to hear that I was touched by something you said or did that you've long forgotten but still makes my heart smile?

Is it?  Or rather... why should it be?

...

But I will say, it makes for great tension, and every writer needs her muse.
g'day y'all.

I have a lot of friends that really despise Ann Coulter and think she's crazy, along with looking at me like a quantum formula and asking if I have a poster of Rush Limbaugh up on my bedroom wall [chuckle goes here]. I say, no, but thanks for the compliment.

There's a lotta hoopla about her comment made at CPAC, though, and for my less than savvy friends who take one comment out of context as yet more grounds to propagate hate, I've seen the entire speech (not just max blumenthal's splices) and thought I should mention it here. But on the whole "the other f-word" issue, doesn't anyone get it that she's just making reference to Isaiah Washington's ordeal after the Grey's Anatomy bruhaha and how free speech is now lost to de facto censorship? And no, the response she received was not the said "collective groan". No one really seemed all that butt-hurt at the jab, but then again, what else do you expect from an exchange between a very intelligent/witty speaker and a highly savvy audience, as conservatives tend to be.

But come to think of it, without all the publicity of Ann's comment, I probably wouldn't have heard about what she actually said in her speech. (Or maybe democrats would have found something/anything else to make a fuss over) In fact, I was a bit confused as to why Michelle Malkin made such a big deal about it because she tends to be more contextual when dealing with incendiary comments, but it does show that when something reflects poorly onto the party, conservatives/republicans are more prepared to condemn/reprimand it than democrats/liberals who immediately justify it or rationalize/excuse it away.

Coulter @ CPAC - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 for the entire speech

but here are some splices I found interesting:

But my bigger point in all of this is: in America, Bill Maher can desire the assassination of the Vice President, Keith Olbermann gets his own show and acting bits in movies because he calls the President an idiot, and Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert can use the REAL f-word in characterizing everything and all are commended as "great satirist comedians", and yet Ann is criticized more harshly because she's saying it of her own right instead of getting paid by HBO/MSNBC/Comedy Central to be incendiary? W-H-A-T-E-V-E-R. Can you spell double standard, kids?

And yes, College Republicans are brave warriors, "right-wingers in the middle of North Korea". Well, I actually AM. (Yes, I know I'm in South Korea but I'm pretty close, and North Korean spies have been so successful over the years that pro-North is more welcome than pro-US in this country) But South Korea has really dropped the ball on "their brothers to the North" and all but put Kim Jong Il's name into the constitution.  Is it any wonder that LiNK isn't well received and gaining the popularity it should, or that when I interviewed the ROK Human Rights Commission, they kept telling me my questions were "wrong" (How can a question be "wrong"? Simple, silly.  You don't ask questions. You just pay your taxes and we give it to North Korea in the name of "humanitarian aid" so they can turn around and sell it for money to continue making nukes. duh.) What, did you think that poverty and famine were natural disorders? This is why Kim Jong Il needs to die, after which I will make celebratory cupcakes for all of you.

Anyway, I  could care less about all of these people.  But I could also care more.  Listening to anyone too much is annoying, but I still enjoy biting commentary from Ann Coulter or Stephen Colbert's jokes and Jon Stewart's self-deprecating humor, and I recognize that there are bigger things to life than talking heads going at it.  But kudos to all you pundits and bloggers and activists who've made a career of this, to those fighting a cause bigger than themselves. Well, have a great day, y'all~!

So much has changed in just the months I've been here.  It's really amazing and somewhat shocking, the rate of change and speed with which Korean society evolves/revolves.  I went to a supermarket by my house this afternoon, which recently underwent renovations at the end of last year, and not only did they revamp the store but they also revamped the inventory.  There are still places in Korea where it's difficult to find western ingredients at the supermarket, but today I spent an extra hour at the store just floored by every aisle.  These stores had the basics before, but now you can get everything your little American heart desired but thought it had to forego: sausages, quality breads, imported wine and snacks--these were here when I got here--but now, it goes to the extent of organic food, spices, even Marscarpone, Guyere, and SKIM milk?  I must have looked so disoriented, walking around the store crinkling my brow at every turn.  It's just... *sigh* I remember just 8 years ago when I first started coming to Korea I would stock up on coffee, beef jerky, and honey as gifts for friends and relatives because it was so rare for them to see foreign/western goods, and even then it would be much too expensive.  But all that really is a thing of the past.  The lover of cooking that I am, I know more about food and ingredients than I care to admit; but this store carried everything... And not all of it's imported.  Korean companies produce these food items that were, before, considered available only through imports. 

I like the supermarket.  Wherever I am, whichever city or country, I try to do two things 1) take a jog and check out the neighborhood and living style of the residents and 2) take a trip to the market, whether local small-scale or mega superstore.  I like how it gives me a cross-section of the local society, culture, economic status, identity, etc.  It's fun, but it's also why I end up "shopping" for hours on end because I'm thinking about all these different things along with which shampoo is less likely to give me split ends.  Yes, I'm one of those people who actually look to see whether they used sodium lauryl sulfate rather than sodium laureth sulfate.  No particular reason, and I'm not exactly sure why I'm looking for it, but I do sometimes.  *shrug* what? oh, leave me alone.

But that's how I come to see how much globalism has changed Korea and how
enthusiastically it is received on the southern half of this
peninsula.  No wonder things are moving so quickly toward the FTA and visa waivers.  Pretty soon there won't be much of a difference living here or in the States, which is great news for the hundreds of thousands of ex-pats living here and loads of business people coming to and fro.  But of course, I can't leave out that these rapid changes make me concerned about the rest of the country.  Seoul is a completely different universe compared to every other province, prefect, municipal, city, village, town, and district in Korea.  The disparity is unbelievably vast and I'm sure it'll be no easy task to get the entire country moving together for a common future.  The fact that Korea's a small country with a collectivist mentality and only 50 million people give me hope that it is more than possible and will happen soon... but the fact that Korea's entire society, industry, property, you-name-it is dictated by 3% of the population makes me worried that clans will make their own caste and do everything they can to ensure their reign.  Nothing is without a price.  I may be enjoying some Australian Pinot Noir and cubed Guyere tonight, but there was plenty of sacrifice in it, too.  *sigh*

I'm reminded of the Korean saying my dad used to say, "The dogs may bark, but the train keeps on going."

It's interesting looking at Korea from an outsider-inside perspective.  Maybe it's because I've never been able to do this before, since I've never learned a language to this level of fluency and moved in and about the culture with such ease.  I'm (finally) starting the habit of picking up a Seoul city-gazette/publication-thingy each morning on my way to work because I have an hour commute with tons of people all around me whom I'd like to ignore.  Hey, man, it's the truth.  No offense, I just don't want the hidden claustrophobia to surface. It can get ugly.

But some things to note:
1) The McDonald's breakfast menu is just now coming into Seoul and taking Korea by storm. Full-page ad with coupons on Page 2
2) South-North relations and updates on Six-Party Talks were on the bottom left corner of Page 8 (of 12) next to the ad for a plastic surgery "clinic"
3) The front page article is on "Ladies, be ye warned, wearing tummy baring mid-riffs in cold weather may make you thicker~!" It goes on to explain one grad student's thesis on the effects of cold weather on the body, tested through 4 females who wore revealing clothing for a month, their overall weight having little change but the skin around their torsos having thickened, threatening their "S" line.) (of course, there is absolutely no question as to why these women would want to wear crop tops and miniskirts in 20 degree weather...*cough*... and this is why guys love Korea.)
4) A nice big picture at the top of Page 4 with ROK Marines lined up shirtless, bowing with faces in the snow, to commemorate the lunar new year by sending bows and respect to their parents whom they won't be visiting while in training.

You get the idea. *sigh* Anyone surprised as to why I wanna come home? Perhaps I'm being obtuse. But really, if it weren't for friends, Remnant, or that darn contract I signed back in May of '05, I'd be outta here.  Countdown begins now.

and unfortunately all too rare.
I've updated with the MEMRI site, y'all should check it out:

blog props
Middle East Media Research Institute
hotair.com

Some Tony Snow quotes from the Feb. 12, 2007 White House Press Briefing:

On answering a White House Correspondent’s (WHC) question regarding war-related intelligence:
TS: The DOD is doing this one and I’m telling you… You wanna get those questions answered, you gotta go to the Pentagon. They’re the ones who’ve done the work on this.
WHC: But you’ve been reviewed, and you should be able to answer this…
TS: Well, I say no. I didn’t get briefed on it.
WHC: Well, then there should be some kind of coordination, don’t you think?
TS: Well, actually, when you’ve got combatant commanders out doing their work, you can pick up the phone and call up the Pentagon! We’ll be happy to supply numbers for you.  

Tony frustrated:
WHC: Do we know where the Iranians are getting their weapons and bringing them into…
TS: Why do you guys ask me intel questions that, even if I knew them, it would utterly inappropriate for me to answer?
WHC: But as a warning to Iran, as a…
TS: No, no, no… [sigh] it’s… [groan]… you know, I’m almost ready to hit my head on the microphone again…

LOL~ What a character.  He takes a montage of loaded questions every day but makes it look like he’s out chillin’ on a lawn chair batting away annoying flies in the summer. They’re driven to ask questions they know he can’t answer, like personal Q’s to the president/non-affiliated parties, and he comments flatly, but then there are days when, like they say, “It’s just Tony being Tony”:

WHC #1: As a former leader of baseball, what was the president’s reaction to the death, on Feb. 9 of the greatest pitcher who ever lived? [awkward hush over the room]
TS: [pause]… And that would be…?
WHC #1: Eddie Feigner
TS: Ah~
WHC #1: The king and his court!
TS: He actually may have been, Eddie Feigner, having thrown, what, 280 perfect games?
WHC #1: Yup
TS: Having struck out more than 12,000 people… having had a fast ball in excess of 104 mph…
WHCs: woo~ [chatter]
TS:, …threw behind his back and through his legs from time to time… Did you ever watch the king and his court?
WHC #2(laughing): No…
TS: I don’t know, but I think he’s underrated. I will speak completely independently on this!
WHCs: [inaudible chatter and laughing]
TS: No, I’ll just… I’m a sports nut… Feigner… is…
WHC #3: Is this softball we’re talking about?
TS: Yeah, we’re talking about softball. Eddie Feigner. Softball pitcher.
WHC #1: He struck out 5 in a row… of the top baseball players…
TS: Yeah, out of 6… yeah, he faced 6…
WHCs[more laughing]: This is something like for the Jon Stewart Show…
WHC #1: And I know it was for an All-Star exhibition… and there was some report that it was 113 mph.
TS: I think it’s time for World Net Daily to do one of its famous investigations.