Situation in Ferguson

This year is the 50th anniversary of enactment of 1964 USA Civil Rights Act which prohibits segregation of African-Americans in public places and in the field of finding employment and legislation, and ensures legal equality.

According to a variety of polls, legal equality for African-Americans has been achieved considerably. However, there were many surveys which represent that economical inequality still exists.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, African human rights activist, said that “We became more free compared to the past, but not equal.” in the speech for 50th anniversary of the enactment of Civil Rights Act.

Like this atmosphere, the Situation in Ferguson showed us clearly that there still remained the racial problems in the U.S society. It shows how severe the racism is even in the 6 year-ruling of African-American president.

 

Here, what is the Situation in Ferguson? It broke out from the death of 18 year-black youth, Michael Brown, who was living in Ferguson from a police’s shot. Because of the continued disturbance, the U.S government put the state guard to settle the dispute, but the situation is getting even worse.

The African-Americans are not just pouring out their feeling of discontent against police’s excessive responses, but against the usual racism and insulter.





This situation doesn’t seem to be just limited to the U.S.A. There exists the racism in Korea, too. It is prevalent among Korean to treat European or American whites with respect, or blacks with fear, or Southeast Asian people with ignorance.

It is, therefore, needed to reflect on ourselves about whether we sincerely treat and understand people without discrimination or not. I’m afraid if we unconsciously treat them inequally according to their skin color or nationality.

If anyone in the world puts him/herself in other’s shoes first, before mine with broad understanding and tolerance, there will come the loving and peaceful world without discrimination and borders.
I hope for immediate and amicable resolution to this situation, and for peaceful days to Ferguson city.

Suncheonman Bay World Animal Festival

A few days ago, I have been to Suncheon Bay and Suncheon Lake Garden with my acquaintance for a short time. It takes about an hour by train from the place where I live. It was unexpectedly close as well as good for healing. I thought it could be a place to take a trip alone when I want to organize my thoughts leisurely. I want to come again several times more and I also heard that an exotic event will take place here soon.

A year ago, the international garden exhibition was held in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do so that you could see the various gardens from 23 countries at a glance. And World Animal Film Festival that people and animal companions can communicate better with each other was taken place at the same time. International Garden Expo was over, but World Animal Festival is going to be held for the second time this year.



It is a chance for the companion animals as well as lions, tigers, salmon and even large insects to watch the over 60 animal films made in 20 countries in the world. Also, this event is more meaningful because it was planned to heal the wounds of modern people through communication with animals. Even though they can’t talk to me, sometimes I depend much on companion animals which give me their endless love.
If you’re raising companion animals, you can enjoy Suncheon Bay Garden and movies with your pet. The 1st World Animal Festival ran ‘the healing bus with companion animals’. This time, in the 2nd festival, it will run ‘the healing train’ too. Furthermore, they will prepare the buffet for companion animals. So, as the one who raises a dog, I also want to participate in it. (If my dog, ‘Bongsuk’, goes there, I expect she will become unruly because she loves people and likes to eat very much.) So I’m sorry I can’t take you to the festival, Bongsuk . Instead, I’ll give you some snacks today~! )

In addition, this festival consists of various movies and camping programs with companion animals, for example, cine and the tent, exhibition companion animals, animal-related lectures and forums. All people who love animals can participate in the Animal Film Festival which is held in Suncheon Bay. If you are tired of this summer heat, why don’t you visit Suncheon Bay from August 21, 2009 (Thursday) to the 26th (Tuesday)?
Lastly, a picture for people who don’t go yet to Suncheon Bay~

Will Peace Come to Israel?

The new president was the dawn of a new age of Israel. The former Israeli President Peres led the Oslo peace agreement by establishing the Palestinian Authority and withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied territories. So the following year he received the Nobel Peace Prize.

But Israel’s hard-right opposed to the Israel and Palestine’s peaceful coexistence agreement that is the basic premise of the Oslo Accords. And they exhibited extremely violent way when their government represented some conciliatory gesture. Even, the late Prime Minister Rabin who was the protagonist of the Oslo Accords was assassinated by a hard-right organization.

A hard- right president was elected in the last Israeli presidential election while America represented a strong stance for Palestine.

Israel’s Knesset Parliament elects the President. It is different to Korea’s direct election. Israeli President elected by the Israeli Knesset is mainly practicing the authority of the Protocol, and the prime powers such as military command are concentrated to the Minister. But any political party did not prevail, so the president also exercised a decisive influence.

Reuven Rivlin was elected as the 10th president in June through the second round of vote. And Rivlim belonged to the right-wing ruling party Likud and has an opposite opinion to establish an independent state of Palestine. But people from the other side say, though he is the member of right-wing, he is respected because of his politically neutral tendency.


This article is not about who is right or wrong. Although this nation is far from our country, we are living the same age and we are all members of global society. So, Israel and Palestine’s situation is not just other nation’s conflict. Without any clear criteria, people can easily think just like ‘where I belong or live now is just right.’ But we will never make peace with those thoughts.

“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” said Einstein.

Like Einstein’s saying, the mind seems necessary to understand each other. We should not be opposed to each other simply because our opinion is different. 

What is the real peace? Let's all practice little by little through starting understanding one another.

“Uber”- Convenient Service for Travelling Seoul, Korea

Have you ever got lost in Seoul?
Or have you ever been late, not being able to take a taxi or get on a bus?
There is a service for those people.

That is Uber. .
It is well-known for advanced IT technology which combines the latest IT tech with transportation.

Then, what is Uber?
To explain it easily, it is application for call-taxi. People had to call the taxi company for a cab. Now that people can just download Uber application and call the nearest cars. 

It is easy and simple to use.
Users need to put their name, email and credit card information, and then there will be available limousines on the map.

 

If you click it, you will be able to see the driver, kind of vehicle and review from Uber users.
Based on information, user can call it and the car will be ready to your location.
When the user is not at the destination, they will send you a message to let you find the car easily.
Uber is different from other limousine companies.
The driver will take you to the destination. It is the same as the call-taxi service.
Payment for Uber is also different. When you arrive to the destination, people normally pay with cash or card to drivers. Registered card on Uber application is paid through IAP (In-App-Payment).
So, users don’t have to pay in cash or credit card to the driver.


There are many more convenient advantages.
Uber user can check the location all the time and share it with families or friends.
All limousines which provide Uber service has own registered number, so anyone can locate the Limousine with this number.
It will be reassuring when you put your friends or coworkers at night. Also, the person who pays for it doesn’t have to be in the limousine since it is paid automatically through the application.
It is useful when someone has to pay by corporate credit card. 

Besides, people can use it even when users are nearly impossible to get a taxi because of bad weather, the end-of the year and so on.
The reason is simple. They use peak-time price that the cost will depend on distance with high demand and the cost will go down with high supply.
The driver will get incentives when they are on service with high demand. It enables the company to have enough limousines.

The price is higher than normal taxies. It is 1.5 times more expensive. If you can use a cab in 20,000 won, you will have to pay 30,000 by using Uber.
Though, it is not that expensive considering that you can take a sedan and it will come to you wherever you are.
It will be just like taking deluxe taxi.

Now you know the way of using Uber, you don’t have to worry about transportation and enjoy your time in Seoul. :)

The Wingbeat for Peace

The book “Butterfly Effect” was popular once. A wingbeat of a small butterfly may create a typhoon on the opposite side of the earth.
  
Among the 7 billion population of the world, I am just a small human being. But I think sharing my idea on peace through my blog where I communicate with other people can be kind of like a butterfly's wingbeat.

Although there are many precious things in this world, but I think nothing is more worthwhile as peace. It is never too late to start doing something worthwhile. I believe that realizing peace on earth has effects on not only an individual, but also all the people around the world, and moreover, our descendants.

Wars gave us a great deal of damage for both physically and mentally for a long time. My grandparents experienced a war first hand. I haven't experienced any direct damage from war, but I can't say it has no influence on me. When I get married and have a son, he will be obligated to go to military. There is no 100% guarantee that my son will return safely home after his fulfilling duty of national defense. My imagination may be excessive but everyone is under the influence of the war unless we put an end to all wars for good. 

I know realizing world peace by bringing in an end to all wars won't become true in a glimpse of an eye. But maybe if we gather our hopes for peace we could accomplish our goal in our generation.




"The future depends on what we do in the present." It is the words of Mahatma Gandhi.




Gandhi said that the future depends on what we do in the present. If we make efforts to achieve peace now, then we will live happily with our descendants in a peaceful and wonderful world in the future. I hope my wingbeat for peace will start a butterfly effect to make world peace into reality that everyone longs for.

Give a big hand to all those people who work for peace on this planet!

Words Kill Wars

ADOT.COM believe focusing on differences in each other sits at the root of discrimination and conflict, and that a shift in perspectives to acknowledging the similarities we all share is necessary in order for us to connect and for peace to prevail. ADOT.COM want to promote words over wars, urging people to choose dialogue over death as a means to connect and coexist as one, disregarding any differences between one another and choosing to focus on similarities we all share.

Attitude that every press in the world needs to have - Mr. and Mrs. Taylor’s ‘Dilkusha'

2-17, Sajikro, Jongrogu, Seoul, South Korea
This house was obviously built in American style.
The name of the two-story house is ‘Dilkusha' which was built with red bricks in 1923.
The word is originally in Sanskrit and read as ‘Dilkusha' in English.
This word means palace of hope, happy mind and utopia.
Who built a house with this name?

This house is Mr. and Mrs. Taylor’s house.
Albert W. Taylor who is an American came to Joseon with his father, George Taylor, in 1896.
After that, he had worked as a UPA correspondent in Seoul and helped Joseon for its independence by letting the whole world know Japan’s atrocities.
He found the Korean Declaration of Independence which was hidden by a nurse who helped a birth of his son, and sent it to Tokyo by hiding under the heel of his brother’s shoe.
This was the chance to let the world know about it through an article.

 

Also, he was the one who discovered the Jeamri incident while he was on the move with missionaries on April 17th, 1919.
The Jeamri incident which happened in April 15th, 1919 is that Japan killed civilians after nationwide 3.1 movement.
Because of these activities, he was on the blacklist of Japan and was sentenced 6 months in prison in 1941. His wife, Mary who helped Joseon people along with his husband was sentenced under house arrest.
After getting out of prison, they were deported to the USA.


“If I die somewhere not in Korea, bring my ash to Korea and bury there.”
According to his will, he who died in 1948 was buried in Korea with his father. 

Even though Korea wasn’t their country, they fought with their lives.
With their sacrifice, we could broadcast the damage of war in the third person’s point of view.

The efforts the Taylor’s had made for peace showed us how the press should be.
‘Dilkusha' which is the palace of hope and where the Taylor used to live
What would the appearance of Korea that they hoped for? 
Does Korea.., does the world live in utopia?
What is true peace and what the press should do? That’s what we need to think about once more.