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Should US pull its troops out?
YES 6 (46.2%)
NO 7 (53.8%)
Total Votes: 13
South Korea; Anti-U.S. protest
Topic Started: May 30 2005, 12:40 PM (870 Views)
who
Have light saber. Will travel.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/n...t_students_dc_3


"S. Koreans clash with police in anti-U.S. protest


SEOUL (Reuters) - Some 1,000 South Korean students marching toward a U.S. military base to protest against America's North Korea policy clashed with riot police on Sunday."
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doctortobe
Speak softly, and carry a 57 megaton stick!
Key word there STUDENTS.
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psyfi
psyfi
I don't think that the students are representative of how most South Koreans feel. BUT, if they are, we should immediately leave the country.
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Fesarius
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Admiral
At least the news there is not being repressed as it was in China in the Square years ago....
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gvok
Unregistered

doctortobe
May 30 2005, 12:44 PM
Key word there STUDENTS.

Agreed, the opinions of the educated are unimportant.
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doctortobe
Speak softly, and carry a 57 megaton stick!
No, they can be easily influenced by those teaching them. If you have a mentor teaching you that also includes a great deal of radical teaching, you are going to absorb them along with the knowledge.

That is why the Chinese Red Guard that went out and attacked teachers, party leaders, and other threats to Mao's absolute power were primarily students.

Or do you deny history?
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Dwayne
Profanity deleted by Hoss
gvok
May 30 2005, 03:59 PM
doctortobe
May 30 2005, 12:44 PM
Key word there STUDENTS.

Agreed, the opinions of the educated are unimportant.

By definition, students still require or are in the process of acquiring education, therefore their knowledge is not complete and subject to corrupting infuences.

Knowledge is a wonderful thing, but not enough is dangerous.
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Fesarius
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Admiral
Quote:
 
Knowledge is a wonderful thing, but not enough is dangerous.

Amen to that. BTW, even though I am done with my formal education, I continue to learn each and every day. I guess one could say I am a lifelong student. ;)
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Dwayne
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^^^

I totally agree with you about continuing education.
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Franko
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Shower Moderator


Nothing wrong with peaceful protest. The "clashing" with riot police part always makes me laugh. Nothing like the protection of the mob to dissolute personal responsibility. After throwing bricks and rocks at police and being arrested, now they can claim fascist police brutality as well.


Enjoy.


And this protest isn't fuelled by mainly anti-american rhetoric. No, of course not.

They should be protesting in front of the N. Korean embassy if their so concerned.


But there wouldn't be any fun in that.


Yawn.

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Fesarius
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Admiral
Quote:
 
Nothing wrong with peaceful protest.

Agreed. Would that both sides (in any protest) would recognize this.
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24thcenstfan
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Something Wicked This Fae Comes
I think we should leave when the South Korean government asks us to leave. As far as I know, they haven't done so. Therefore, I don't think we should pull our troops out (yet).

I also think it is important to recognize that there is a growing discontent among younger people (students) about US presence in their country. I happen to think this protest is symptomatic of a larger growing (not necessarily wide spread) societal discontent. This isn't the first report out of S. Korea of people voicing their desire for the US to be out of S. Korea.

In addition, I am not going to dismiss their opinions/protests just because they are students. Students may be in the process of obtaining their formal education, but the fact that they are a part of the higher educational system tells me they have a decent head on their shoulders. The fact that they are participating in protest tells me they know the value of democratic action. That again denotes intelligence.

One only need to look at protests like the one that took place in Tiananmen Square (Beijing, China) in 1989 to know that students can play a vital role in society. There was a major crackdown following the protests, but the pro-democracy movement made the Chinese gov't and the world temporarily sit up and take notice.

Since the article doesn't expound on what led to the clash with the police, I really can't speak about that.
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Wichita
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The Adminstrator wRench
24thcenstfan
May 31 2005, 03:00 AM
I think we should leave when the South Korean government asks us to leave. As far as I know, they haven't done so. Therefore, I don't think we should pull our troops out (yet).


Agreed

It would be interesting to know if the discontent with the US presence comes from those old enough to remember the war and/or its aftermath or from those who think it could never happen to them again. Given the utter brutality of the North Korean regime, it is difficult to believe that anyone would prefer it.

I agree that the energy of students is a wonderful thing. I would also disagree with anyone who assumes that all who are not students are uneducated.

This article didn't say if these students were 15 or 30 (or a combination thereof). I would not discount the life experience (probably held in combination with education) of others to favor someone's opinion just because they were currently involved in a course of study.

Korea is a country that places a great deal of emphasis on it's own culture - I'd be interested in knowing more about what student groups are participating before giving them a great deal of credence.

A couple of points don't speak in favor of them being serious. If they truly care about what North Korea does, why aren't they protesting against the North Koreans? The US wants the same thing they (the students) claim to want - it is the North Koreans who are refusing.

Which leads to the possible conclusion that the students are more concerned about something else. A protest against North Korea wouldn't make the news - a protest against the US does.
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Darthsith
Ensign
One screaming man is louder then a hundred silent men, we should always remember that when looking at protests of this kind.
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gvok
Unregistered

doctortobe
May 30 2005, 04:04 PM
No, they can be easily influenced by those teaching them. If you have a mentor teaching you that also includes a great deal of radical teaching, you are going to absorb them along with the knowledge.

So all of the protestors have been brainwashed by their teachers?
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