Ah, prudence does have its payoffs.
I had prepared a post on the "Canadian discrimination" story about the ad that had been floating around the Korean Internet, but held off because it just didn't seem to feel quite right.
For those of you not in the loop and who are hearing about this for the first time, here's the post that never saw the light of day, but which led to the coining of a cool new turn of phrase, which goes a lot towards the reason I like to blog in the first place – keeping my high-level English in kind some semblance of decent shape. Read about the "incident" in the next section.
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PRUDENTLY UNPUBLISHED POST
I'm a little slow on the draw, since this was posted on Kwangdongbrian's site several days ago. Still, I thought it funny enough to post again. It didn't appear to be posted on April Fool's Day (but on March 29th on his site), so I am assuming it's real. If it ain't, I guess it's no fun.
I would check the original article itself, but it's archived and I'd have to pay to see it at the Korea Herald. And we all knows that I ain't gonna pay no cold, hard cash to read anything there. Have they not figured out that people aren't paying for archived news access? With the exception of veritable historical institutions such as The New York Times, which has archives going back to the mothafrickin' 19th century, I might. But I still haven't anted up for access to the venerableTimes, so I probably won't for the – ahem – slightly lower quality of journalism practiced at the Herald. Anyway, they do the job adequately. Just stop charging for stuff more than a week old, please!
Canadians banned from group for cultural understanding
An organization that promotes cultural understanding and brings together people from different nations is open for anyone in Seoul to join. Anyone that is, except Canadians.
In a classified ad in KScene, a free biweekly magazine, World Class describes itself as a group that "brings together all nationalities to discuss world issues and break down cultural barriers and prejudices."
Breaking down the prejudices, however, doesn't extend to all countries. "No Canadians please," the ad continues. When contacted by a Korea Herald reporter by e-mail, the organizer of the group, Bernard Carleton, elaborated further, "The thing is, CANADIANS ARE SCUM! They are self-loving, welfare supporting, over taxing, work ethic hating scum!!! They are not welcome in our group."
Anyone who would like to join the meetings with Carleton in order to break down prejudices, dissolve stereotypes and have an enhanced understanding of people from other countries can contact him at [email protected].
World Class is an organization in Seoul that brings together all nationalities to discuss world issues and break down cultural barriers and prejudices. We meet once a week. No Canadians please. Contact [email protected].
I love it! They're not just being exclusive – they're a group promoting cultural understanding, but excluding an entire national group! Don't you just love that logic? I think I'll start a group myself: "We want to promote understanding amongst the races in America, except for any kikes or niggers. Thank you for your understanding." The founder didn't just exclude Canadians, but rather rattled off a list of the stereotypes that undergird the very "cultural barriers and prejudices" that the group is trying to eradicate.
Ain't the Internet just chock full o' nuts? I still have trouble believing this is real. Are there really people this stupid out there? Wow – it makes me think. Hannah Arendt once talked of the "banality of evil" to describe how evil isn't necessarily a raging, horrifying terror perpetrated by freakish Faustian figures wearing black cloaks and wielding fiery swords, but is, in the modern world, so everyday, so disturbingly normal, that it is perpetrated by you, me, and the official who just has to sign on the dotted line and look the other way. OK, I am waxing a bit serious here, but I think you'll see my point.
Seeing displays of such embarrassing idiocy as displayed by this Bernard Carleton – and yes, I am using his name, because he has chosen to be a public figure and conduct affairs in the public eye – is a testament to the fact that anything is truly possible. That's why we have tabloids – truth is indeed stranger than fiction – people just can't make this shit up. Perhaps we now are able to talk about the "vapidity of stupidity." Maybe that's what makes reading the daily papers so 한심해. You just wanna sigh, roll your eyes, and tune out, because really – people such as this are simply pathetic.
And if "Bernard Carleton" is just a joke, which I tend to think he is, at least I had the chance to exercise the old neurons and make a cool new catchphrase. Hey – I like it. And it's a good way to spend 15 minutes of down time in the office.
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BACKSTORY
But not the story's backstory has become a lot more clear. Carthartidae did the research and sent up the post that answered a lot of questions. Apparently, the story made it all the way to the Jay Leno Show, which I didn't watch, but was intrigued to hear about.
Funny stuff, all around.
And a good lesson in the important of journalists learning to check their sources and/or doubting the validity of a single source as found in an anonymous email address.
