akzoe's response to a reporter's questions
Recent top headlines printed stirring tributes and memorials to the late Coretta Scott King. In stark contrast, other headlines alongside reported mass violence and death tolls related to the outraged Muslim protestors over the publication of caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad in European newspapers.
Mrs. King and her husband were revered all over the world as apostles of peace, freedom, justice, and human dignity. They are celebrated all over the world because they stood for these values that are universal to practically every nation in the world: America, Korea, Muslim nations all included. With these two different headlines side by side, Mrs. King seems to speak to the violence around the world.
Indeed, freedom of speech is an essential part of democracy. In a democratic country, the press can print whatever they want. However, they are an enterprise dictated by public responses and consumers. I did not see the cartoons in the center of the controversy but if they offend any group of people, perhaps it isn't wise to print them. The Muslim community has a right to respond to whatever offended their values.
Nevertheless, there is no excuse for violence. The Kings were testament to that. They sent out the most effective and the clearest message of protest by their exercise of peace and non-violence against the harshest infliction of brutality. Violent protests have counterproductive results. Violent protests do not educate people about their issues. Instead they draw more negative attention to the protestors and the cause they stand for.
In our time of accelerating globalization, it's not only products and capital that circulate the world. There are mass migrations and diasporas of people, each with different values, cultures, and religion. How do we brace for this imminent ebb and flow of immigration and emigration? Best response is to be more flexible, sensitive, open, and respectful. Most living things are not meant to be static. As studied throughout history, people, nation, country, values, culture, tradition,and religion all change over time. They evolve. America will never be the same and Korea will never be the same because people that make up these great countries evolve. Perhaps the sooner we all realize this and accept change, the sooner we can all just get along.
Read the article in which she is quoted:
Korean Americans Eye Cartoon Dispute Warily
-L2T
Mrs. King and her husband were revered all over the world as apostles of peace, freedom, justice, and human dignity. They are celebrated all over the world because they stood for these values that are universal to practically every nation in the world: America, Korea, Muslim nations all included. With these two different headlines side by side, Mrs. King seems to speak to the violence around the world.
Indeed, freedom of speech is an essential part of democracy. In a democratic country, the press can print whatever they want. However, they are an enterprise dictated by public responses and consumers. I did not see the cartoons in the center of the controversy but if they offend any group of people, perhaps it isn't wise to print them. The Muslim community has a right to respond to whatever offended their values.
Nevertheless, there is no excuse for violence. The Kings were testament to that. They sent out the most effective and the clearest message of protest by their exercise of peace and non-violence against the harshest infliction of brutality. Violent protests have counterproductive results. Violent protests do not educate people about their issues. Instead they draw more negative attention to the protestors and the cause they stand for.
In our time of accelerating globalization, it's not only products and capital that circulate the world. There are mass migrations and diasporas of people, each with different values, cultures, and religion. How do we brace for this imminent ebb and flow of immigration and emigration? Best response is to be more flexible, sensitive, open, and respectful. Most living things are not meant to be static. As studied throughout history, people, nation, country, values, culture, tradition,and religion all change over time. They evolve. America will never be the same and Korea will never be the same because people that make up these great countries evolve. Perhaps the sooner we all realize this and accept change, the sooner we can all just get along.
Read the article in which she is quoted:
Korean Americans Eye Cartoon Dispute Warily
-L2T
posted by Simone @ 8:36 PM
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