Here I am, eating a late-night bowl of oatmeal for dinner, checking out the blogs that I've missed out on reading for the last couple weeks. So, no matter what you think, remember who started this shit -- and it ain't ME.
Sooooo -- over at The Marmot, it's now not just belligerent commenters, but the founder himself, who suggests that I must be crazy (hence, the pill-taking, I assume) because 1) I report that I am regularly harrassed in places such as the subway in Korea, along with dozens of other instances I can cite, as well as countless other people whom I know and 2) he implies that I either bring it upon myself or, alternatively, must be crazy to report it back to others as a pattern.
This is the same ribbing (and source of doubtful stares) that I get from most of my white male friends who constantly counter with, "Well, nothing ever happens to ME" but then go on to either doubt or discount my experience with harrassment as somehow not being reflective of reality. Because the white man's experience is obviously the valid one, or those of the majority. Same with Koreans who counter with, "Well, no one ever harrasses ME." Uh, duh?
Well, Robert, I'm not a white man who walks around the city wearing a white hanbok. That might make our experiences a tad different.
And as for the report, I don't see why it's assumed that its mere existence would send me into some kind of rage, or a bout of apopleptic writing rage. I don't doubt at all that a good number or Koreans welcome multiculturalism and are open to new ways of doing things in society, as reflected in that survey. It still doesn't change the fact that a good number of angry, drunk men constantly single me (and certain kinds of other people whom they seem to be bothered by) on the subway and other places for harrassment.
It doesn't change the fact that, if you're black in Korea, you either need major personal connections or a golden resume just to get the same shitty hagwon jobs they hand out to any white folks with a pulse here.
Or, regarding how the report talks about there being few reports on attacks against foreigners here, it might be because a police officer actually TOLD me that a foreigner's testimony has no meaning against a Korean's, when I was arrested for calling the police on the drunk man who was harassing ME. They just don't keep those statistics, Bob.
What's most annoying is the fact that people who read about my irritation with these things assume it's because I "hate Korea" -- rather than look at all the things I like to do here, from photography to podcasts to all kinds of personal reasons I like living here, and see that it really, really, really irritates me that a few assholes can ruin the entire party.
I like living in Korea, and it's BECAUSE of that fact that little things like being called a nigger on the train, being verbally attacked in Seoul Station in front of a cop who does nothing, or having a good friend have to go back to the States last month because her recruiter straight up TOLD her that it was too hard to get her another job because she was black -- shit like that can ruin your day.
It's BECAUSE I like Korea, because I've worked hard to learn the culture and language and society, that stuff like this bothers me, Bob.
You want to bring up my blog out-of-the-blue, based on a random news peg? What about the many reports that now reflect the fact that yes, random violence against women is on a major rise, another thing I've been anectdotally arguing is the case, for about 4 years now, and which cell phone cameras and YouTube videos are also starting to bear witness to. It's funny how, from when the police started keeping those kinds of stats, this violence has been on the rise. So, it's crazy to say that this might also be the case with foriegners? Does this make me a person in need of taking "his pills?"
You don't seem to consider any of the OTHER shit I say, which ain't too crazy -- I guess now you just like to pick and choose fights with the personality, much like your commenters.
Remember, Robert, YOU brought this shit up, brought my name into this, and implied in front of thousands of readers that I would have an extremely violent reaction and a specific opinion to this topic (which I don't) -- all completely UNSOLICITED by me, out-of-the-blue. Just like your commenters, I'm not only not even talking about any of this within earshot of you people, I'm not even THERE for the conversation -- YET YA'LL KEEP BRINGING ME UP.
My reaction to something like that isn't unreasonable, nor unexpected. I'm not in your grill, nor on your blog, talking about race, violence, or anything else -- I've been wise enough not to even broach any serious topic on your blog, what with the puerile nature of your commenters. Even with that, I've always either linked to or written on your blog respectfully, and spoken of you in the same way. We don't see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, but I thought there was at least respect as colleagues.
So I don't see the need, or how it's at all appropriate to be talking about me going into histrionics, needing to "take my pills," or some such shit, basically making me the unsolicited whipping boy for all that is liberal, related to race, or blackness in your part of the blogosphere. Like the post about the black dude who filmed himself fucking some Korean chick on secret camera, where some commenter started talking about my MOTHER and something to do with the slime or other bodily fluids that your commenters guffawed about me being the result of. And I know you DO sometimes intervene and police your commenters -- just not for unsolicited, disgustingly racist comments. You tacitly approve them, and probably find them as funny as your peanuts gallery apparently does.
Because now, you're apparently participating in the baiting. Because that's what it is when I'm sitting over here eating my fucking oatmeal only to read about how you apparently think, like your readers, that I'm some fucking comic book character who's lost his marbles, is going to go vitriolic batshit over anything touching the subject of race, or is constantly engaging in self-serving name-dropping when YOU people are the only ones bringing either me, or that shit, UP.
I expect as much from your commenters, but not from you. I was pretty goddamn surprised, actually.
So, a very hearty "fuck you" to you, Bob.
Now, of course, I expect criticism that I'm overreacting, or that I'm being sensitive, or some such. But the bottom line is that your little post steps over the line of reasonableness and just plain level of professional regard that I'VE always kept up, no matter what bilious bilge your comments section brought up, no matter how much we disagreed occasionally on political shit or issues. Now you're engaging in the same immature baiting that I made the conscious decision in my head to just blame your COMMENTERS for. Now, after not having had anywhere near a serious discussion within miles of you or your peeps, you wanna just start randomly calling me out, implying I'm the same Loony Tune I thought just your commenters like to think of me as? That shit was uncalled for, Robert.
As they say on the playgrounds where black folks go, "Don't start no shit, won't be none."
