A Can of Man
Je suis aware
It's pretty big...
I can't go out to see myself because I'm in a neighborhood close to the President's place so I can't get in and out very easily, at least not without the police getting suspicious. I did have some photos from before. I'll try to upload it some other time. At first the protests weren't violent but things have been getting pretty ugly. Now the crowds are so big that not even the police buses will be adequate in blocking key roads so they're using containers. There are so many people that if they really were determined, they could walk right into the presidential palace unless the government opened up with machine guns (which won't happen).
The protests come as a response to the South Korean president's decision to buy beef from the US that is over 30 months old. Apparently in such beef (cows for that matter) there is a high risk for mad cow disease. The reasoning is that bits of ground up cow are being fed to chickens and these chickens are in turn being ground up and fed to cows so that the cows are essentially still eating ground up cows.
Also there's a lot of suspicion that the US companies will be looking to sell beef that is otherwise unmarketable or unsellable in the US so that they will have less beef going to waste.
http://news.msn.co.kr/face/v2/photo/thema2/photo_list.html?thema_id=1308
Check out that link for photos.
The brightly lit stuff on the streets are people carrying candles.
But this is the view I agree with:
Most Korean cab drivers like to chat with their passengers. And sometimes, we learn from them. While driving, cabbies tend to air their complaints and frustrations against the government, the president and cabinet ministers. By listening to them, politicians can grasp the essence of the social, political and economic problems ordinary people struggle with.
A few days ago, I met a taxi driver who edified me with his profound insight and powerful criticism of contemporary Korean society. That night, the sky was turning dark and rainy, and raindrops were incessantly pounding against the pavement. "I hope it pours," muttered the taxi driver, driving through the labyrinthine alleys to avoid rush hour traffic congestions. "Why is that?" I asked, out of curiosity. "If it pours, there will be no demonstrations tonight. That's why," answered the driver. "Night after night, the demonstrators block the streets, become violent and even beat up police officers. Something's seriously wrong."
Intrigued by the remarks of the taxi driver, I asked, "But isn't it something we should do? Shouldn't we protest against American beef imports?" "No, I don't think we should," he said stoutly. "We have the National Assembly to deal with those issues. That's what we elect the National Assemblymen for, isn't it?"
Impressed by this extraordinary taxi driver, I continued to ask, "Do you think American beef is safe?" "Yes, I do," he answered promptly. "I used to be a stock farmer, so I know a thing about cows. It takes three years for a cow to be fully grown and give birth to a calf. That means you don't slaughter young cattle less than three years old. So even in Korea, beef in the supermarket is usually from cattle more than 30 months old. People just don't know this. Besides, beef from 2- year-old cattle is too tender to relish. Trust me. You wouldn't like the taste." Now that was news to me. As a city dweller, I did not know anything about cattle.
Nevertheless, I doggedly pressed on, "But still, isn't it true that Korean beef is much safer than U. S. import beef?" "No, sir," the driver answered. "We no longer graze cattle in Korea these days. We just feed them from the beginning to fatten them up. I hear that in the States they pasture cattle for 27 months and then use feed for three months, or graze for 17 months and use feed for three months. So you can't say that Korean beef is safer than American beef."
I was amused by this erudite man with professional knowledge and intellectual capacity. So I decided to ask a few more questions. "Why then do these huge crowds demonstrate day after day?" He replied, "It's complicated, you know. For some people it's like a festival, a playground to gather and do something together, just like the public merriment during the World Cup. For others, it's a protest against the clumsy educational reform policy, the increasing unemployment rate, or the economic recession that results in skyrocketing prices. Also, there are those who firmly believe that American beef will seriously plague their health. People are expressing frustration with the incompetent Lee administration that seems unable to cope with the economic, social, and political crises. Of course, there are political groups that manipulate the crowd for political gain. But believe me. Most of them wouldn't know anything about beef."
Normally I do not like taxi drivers who interrupt my pleasant ride by incessant chatter. But listening to this one's logical explanations and witnessing his keen perceptions, I came to enjoy his company. "They say that compared to Japan, our treaty with the United States is far more disadvantageous." I said. "What do you make of it?" "Well, I'm not an expert, but you make different treaties with different countries, I guess," he answered. "To the eyes of Americans, Korea may be different from Japan. Or perhaps our delegates didn't do a good job of negotiation." "Do you think that there will be renegotiation?" I asked. "I don't think so," the driver replied without delay. "When two countries sign a treaty, it's irrevocable, isn't it? That's why they say 'A deal is a deal.' If you revoke the deal, you will end up losing your credibility and your business partners. That's my understanding."
"Do you know what the scariest thing is?" continued the taxi driver. "What is it?" I asked, puzzled. "Our society does not tolerate other voices. Once again, it's just like the frenzy during the World Cup. Other voices are silenced and suppressed. Alas! That is why we are always behind advanced countries and have yet to become one." He looked genuinely worried.
Getting off the taxi, I thought about the courageous college student standing alone in front of Seoul Finance Center, holding a picket against numerous candlelight demonstrators. Initially, I entered the taxi, fighting off a wave of despair at the state of our country. Stepping out of the taxi, however, I came to have hope for the future of Korea. Unfortunately, the rain stopped.
I can't go out to see myself because I'm in a neighborhood close to the President's place so I can't get in and out very easily, at least not without the police getting suspicious. I did have some photos from before. I'll try to upload it some other time. At first the protests weren't violent but things have been getting pretty ugly. Now the crowds are so big that not even the police buses will be adequate in blocking key roads so they're using containers. There are so many people that if they really were determined, they could walk right into the presidential palace unless the government opened up with machine guns (which won't happen).
The protests come as a response to the South Korean president's decision to buy beef from the US that is over 30 months old. Apparently in such beef (cows for that matter) there is a high risk for mad cow disease. The reasoning is that bits of ground up cow are being fed to chickens and these chickens are in turn being ground up and fed to cows so that the cows are essentially still eating ground up cows.
Also there's a lot of suspicion that the US companies will be looking to sell beef that is otherwise unmarketable or unsellable in the US so that they will have less beef going to waste.
http://news.msn.co.kr/face/v2/photo/thema2/photo_list.html?thema_id=1308
Check out that link for photos.
The brightly lit stuff on the streets are people carrying candles.
But this is the view I agree with:
Most Korean cab drivers like to chat with their passengers. And sometimes, we learn from them. While driving, cabbies tend to air their complaints and frustrations against the government, the president and cabinet ministers. By listening to them, politicians can grasp the essence of the social, political and economic problems ordinary people struggle with.
A few days ago, I met a taxi driver who edified me with his profound insight and powerful criticism of contemporary Korean society. That night, the sky was turning dark and rainy, and raindrops were incessantly pounding against the pavement. "I hope it pours," muttered the taxi driver, driving through the labyrinthine alleys to avoid rush hour traffic congestions. "Why is that?" I asked, out of curiosity. "If it pours, there will be no demonstrations tonight. That's why," answered the driver. "Night after night, the demonstrators block the streets, become violent and even beat up police officers. Something's seriously wrong."
Intrigued by the remarks of the taxi driver, I asked, "But isn't it something we should do? Shouldn't we protest against American beef imports?" "No, I don't think we should," he said stoutly. "We have the National Assembly to deal with those issues. That's what we elect the National Assemblymen for, isn't it?"
Impressed by this extraordinary taxi driver, I continued to ask, "Do you think American beef is safe?" "Yes, I do," he answered promptly. "I used to be a stock farmer, so I know a thing about cows. It takes three years for a cow to be fully grown and give birth to a calf. That means you don't slaughter young cattle less than three years old. So even in Korea, beef in the supermarket is usually from cattle more than 30 months old. People just don't know this. Besides, beef from 2- year-old cattle is too tender to relish. Trust me. You wouldn't like the taste." Now that was news to me. As a city dweller, I did not know anything about cattle.
Nevertheless, I doggedly pressed on, "But still, isn't it true that Korean beef is much safer than U. S. import beef?" "No, sir," the driver answered. "We no longer graze cattle in Korea these days. We just feed them from the beginning to fatten them up. I hear that in the States they pasture cattle for 27 months and then use feed for three months, or graze for 17 months and use feed for three months. So you can't say that Korean beef is safer than American beef."
I was amused by this erudite man with professional knowledge and intellectual capacity. So I decided to ask a few more questions. "Why then do these huge crowds demonstrate day after day?" He replied, "It's complicated, you know. For some people it's like a festival, a playground to gather and do something together, just like the public merriment during the World Cup. For others, it's a protest against the clumsy educational reform policy, the increasing unemployment rate, or the economic recession that results in skyrocketing prices. Also, there are those who firmly believe that American beef will seriously plague their health. People are expressing frustration with the incompetent Lee administration that seems unable to cope with the economic, social, and political crises. Of course, there are political groups that manipulate the crowd for political gain. But believe me. Most of them wouldn't know anything about beef."
Normally I do not like taxi drivers who interrupt my pleasant ride by incessant chatter. But listening to this one's logical explanations and witnessing his keen perceptions, I came to enjoy his company. "They say that compared to Japan, our treaty with the United States is far more disadvantageous." I said. "What do you make of it?" "Well, I'm not an expert, but you make different treaties with different countries, I guess," he answered. "To the eyes of Americans, Korea may be different from Japan. Or perhaps our delegates didn't do a good job of negotiation." "Do you think that there will be renegotiation?" I asked. "I don't think so," the driver replied without delay. "When two countries sign a treaty, it's irrevocable, isn't it? That's why they say 'A deal is a deal.' If you revoke the deal, you will end up losing your credibility and your business partners. That's my understanding."
"Do you know what the scariest thing is?" continued the taxi driver. "What is it?" I asked, puzzled. "Our society does not tolerate other voices. Once again, it's just like the frenzy during the World Cup. Other voices are silenced and suppressed. Alas! That is why we are always behind advanced countries and have yet to become one." He looked genuinely worried.
Getting off the taxi, I thought about the courageous college student standing alone in front of Seoul Finance Center, holding a picket against numerous candlelight demonstrators. Initially, I entered the taxi, fighting off a wave of despair at the state of our country. Stepping out of the taxi, however, I came to have hope for the future of Korea. Unfortunately, the rain stopped.
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