Standing Up To Authority - US Cowards vs. Determined Koreans

[ThomWV]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/06/29/skorea.beef/index.html

We wimper as Congress gives away our Constitutional rights. Even our anti-war protests only draw a handful of concerned citizens.

How do the people of other countries react when their Government establishes policies that are contrary to their interest?

"Thousands of protesters battled riot police in downtown Seoul early Sunday morning after a rally opposing South Korea's decision to import U.S. beef turned violent. More than 100 were wounded, the state news agency reported.

Police use a water cannon to disperse protesters during a rally against U.S. beef imports in Seoul on Sunday. Clashes broke out after more than 15,000 protesters headed toward the presidential office, news agency Yonhap said.

The demonstrators used ropes to pull down police buses that had been parked around the presidential office to block the marchers from entering."

[fasttense]

1. We count on Obama to save us.

While we sit quietly on our sofas and wonder why he feels no compunction about voting in favor of a bill that gives away our 4th amendment rights.

[hobbit709]

2. Or this one from China

Rioters protesting death in police custody and rape and murder coverup.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080629/wl_afp/chinarightsunrest_080629091017

[ThomWV]

3. Isn't it odd how people seem to stand up for their rights?

We are told that these countries are ruled by repressive regimes while we are free, but they speak up and we are silent.

Know why? Because Americans of today are cowards.

[hobbit709]

4. They've also been brainwashed with the BS.

My mother, who was raised in Austria, says the crap that happened with the stolen election in 2000 would have caused riots in the streets anywhere in Europe.

[KharmaTrain]

5. Korean Society Has Always Been Very Activist

If there's been any catalyst to political change in that country it's been from the streets...and many times it gets very bloody. It's an interesting irony as Korea is known to be a culture that honors conformity and authoritarian (not necessarily paternal) structure, however when there is dissent...that dispute is always very loud.

IMHO, our country has become so corporatized that it has numbed people from taking action or those actions from getting any real traction. Boycotts don't work since you can go after one arm of the octapus and seven others continue to pick your pocket and you don't know it. Protests have fallen flat as we've become a society that likes to deal with others at a distance...behind a keyboard, a teevee screen or on a phone. Getting "upclose and personal" gets too complicated and now muddied with so many things to protest out there...the lack of focus has hurt the anti-war movement as much as the apathy of millions.