Boy meets Boy

Re Williams: As a South Korean national since 1985 and a U.S. permanent resident for the past eight years, I believe I have somewhat more accurate perspective on the overall progressiveness of South Korean society.

I’d like to point out first that a cultural and political property needs not be spreaded homogenously across all the sectors of a social spectrum to quality that society as a whole as possessing that property. You have classified USA as a progressive country, and I do agree with you, despite the fact that it has its share (rather large share) of right-wings and religious fundamentalists whose influence often manifests, for instance, in the recent passage of the prop 8 in California. American society is a progressive society not because the so-called ‘progressive’ ideas are prevalent, but because its government and the overarching social norms provides the environment in which such progressive ideas can be freely discussed and exercised upon.

In this respect I believe South Korean society qualifies as a progressive society. In regard to homosexuality, the society’s collection of ovearching norms are flexible enough to engender morality-neutral attitude of the general public toward airing of films and sitcoms with overt homosexual themes. True, it’s a deeply confucian nation, so people’s perception of homosexuality may be not as value-neutral as that of the most progressive Americans, but this I believe is not very relevant to the present contention. It is the society’s capacity to foster candidate ideas-among which a few will bring out its progress- that counts. For a nation who just celebrated 50-year anniversary a few years ago, I believe South Korean citizenry is doing remarkably well in expanding that capacity. I do not believe your depiction of South Korea as being a European nation 200 years ago is entirely accurate. Child labor, among other things, does not occur in South Korea, as it did in England 200 years ago.

As to the hammer-wielding, tae-kwon-do performing politicians, I find it deplorable – but again, this does not appear relevant to our present contention. As for the bird-killing protesters, what can I say? A goery scene certainly, but constitutionally guaranteed right to free expression of idea!