Passort to the World: Korea

Passort to the World: Korea

Last Thursday evening, our organization started Passort to the World: Korea. (Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) This event was help to advertise Korean culture; folk music, dance, Taekwondo (the Korean martial arts), food and so on to American people and Korean 2nd gens. There were performances of folksongs, a sword dance in an old dynasty, an hourglass-shaped drums, Koean fan dance and Korean food experience. This is the 10th event and the last time because of stopping of budget assitance from Chicago city. For the first time after I came to America, I also experienced Korean culture. It was very good!

Long way to go but should go forward.

Gun Controls in America

Do you know the fact that all American citizens are armed with guns to fight against their unknown, invisible enemies? The estimated number of guns owned by Americans is 270 to 300 million. That’s about one for every American citizen. Series of terrible accidents and tragedies by guns around us happened. What should we do in this situation? I think stricter gun controls are needed even though there could be counterviews.

Some people say that gun controls are against the basic right clearly stated in the second amendment (Right to bear arms) in the American constitution. “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” They may say that they need to own guns to protect their lives. It was reasonable to bear guns privately to protect their lives in times of the pioneering west. There were Indians who tried keep their boundaries and attacked the invaders. There were so many people from everywhere who didn’t know each other. There were not strong systems guaranteeing their safety. We cannot draw back quickly all the guns and arms already scattered over the whole of America. We cannot deny the importance and influence of the firearms industry.

But we cannot ignore today’s serious situations. According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report, between 2006 and 2010 47,856 people were murdered in the U.S. by firearms, more than twice as many as were killed by all other means combined. The lax regulations of private firearms play major roles in this high number of deaths. Prevention is the best policy. We should do something. We should find every way to prevent these tragedies.

These days, our life styles are changed. Our lives become more and more complicated every day. Society became sharply competitive. So there is a lot of stress, mental sickness and addiction to drugs or alcohol is increasing by geometrical progression. People, sometimes, cannot control their emotion. Owning guns gives people opportunities to commit crimes leading to death. Moreover, there are many official organizations to guarantee our safety. We need proper gun-control plans.

Unfortunately, against our hope, it is very difficult to control guns, but we should try to find the way to reduce the tragedies by guns. We need better gun-control laws. Permission to bear arm should be limited to the people who are working in defense, for example, police, guards, escort etc. And criminal checks should be strengthened before bearing guns. Carrying firearms should be forbidden in sensitive places, i.e., schools, theaters, downtowns, government buildings, stadiums, and public places for performance. We should make movements to reduce guns, i.e., returning private guns to the government voluntarily. We should evoke sympathy about gun-control nationally in the long-term basis. As a whole, we need better regulation laws for firearms.  

In conclusion, even though there are counterviews and it is very hard to control guns, we should find the way to reduce the tragedies by guns. Different from that time when the second amendment was made, the world has changed. Present situations should not be left as they are. We have a long way to go but we should go forward to let this nation guarantee people the right to live in a land of freedom with peace and harmony.

Last night after meeting, I went to a Korean market. It is interesting that my wife want to find materials for main dish, and I, for snacks. I tried to buy Korean sweet bread and cookies. I am thinking a proverb, "different dreams at the same bed." People living in the same world, but their purposes are so different, like people in one market.

How happy would it be to live in that world!

Causes, Effects and Solutions of Domestic Terrorism by Young People

Why are young people ruined for life through committing terrors or gunshots? Why were they on the way to collapse together? Can’t we live in a peaceful and harmonious world together? Is it just a dream to seek a peaceful coexistence? But dreams come true to the dreamers. Even though it could be subjective, I want to think of the causes, effects and solutions of young people’s acts of terror.

First, what are the causes of young people’s terrors or gunshots? It is said, that the causes of terrorism seem almost impossible for anyone to identify definitively. There would be something in common in their mind. One pastor said that the common consciousness of patients is loneliness. And I want to add hatred and frustration to the loneliness. Where do these come from? I think these are related to social phenomena. There are so many broken families in this land. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the divorce rate of first marriage is around 50 percent; second marriages are at 67 percent and third marriages are at 73 percent (by Mark Banschick, Feb 6, 2012). In those families, children cannot be cared for properly. There may be many other reasons, i.e., bullying in school, rejection from others, poverty, frustrations by hardships of the immigrants and so on. Anyhow, they would feel lack of love, full of complaints, dissatisfactions, despairs and fears. In their heart, hatred and loneliness would grow. They are vulnerable to sexual indulgence, drugs or all kinds of evils. Some of them are suffering from mental sickness. Some of them would be at the critical point which they cannot endure any more. One or a series of events could trigger their hatred or revengeful thoughts. Anyhow two causes are always present: a sense of perceived injustice and the belief that violence will effectively redress it.

And what are the effects of these events? Think of the Boston explosions! Through these events, there could be so many sorrowful things happened: Death, wounds and others. There can arouse the sense of awakening for the indifference of safety, juvenile or school education or gun control. Because of the events, the Congress, the Administration body, or parents meetings, colleges or schools could be moved and think of short or long term plans. Or maybe some organizations can be established newly. And, not positively, these events could instigate imitative crimes or copycats with the sense of heroism or an apostle of justice.

Then, what are the solutions to these events? Unfortunately, these events would be repeated over and over again. The problem is that people forget these things so easily. “Remember” is one solution. We should remember these events seriously and for a long time. Teach young people a sound and clear value system. Encourage and guide them in the right direction of their lives from their childhood systemat-ically. And help them to practice these things through compliments and rewards with much patience and as a long-term plan. The Bible says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Likewise we should love them and teach them love with endless hope.

In conclusion, here, we thought of causes, effects and solutions of domestic terrorism by young people. What we want is a change in present situations. We should repent our selfishness, our ruthlessness. We are so busy and want to go forward only for our urgent goals ahead. But we should look around, think of our neighbors. We should think of young people, candidates for our future leaders. Adults should live exemplary lives spiritually, mentally and physically. Love each other and seek for peace and harmony. Where light comes, darkness cannot stand and is driven away. Darkness cannot stand before light. Light has absolute power over darkness. Darkness can never overcome light. Likewise injustice can never overpower justice, evil, good. Some day there will come an idealistic society with no harm, no hatred, no sorrow, no evil and no hurt. If only we don’t give up endeavoring to make the world better, and to realize our dream of a society with peace, love and harmony. How happy would it be to live in that world!

A vacation unlike a vacation

How was your last week, Moses?

Last week my boss visited Korea, so it should be a kind of vacation. But I thought that it was not. Not as usual, he called me three times and asked several things. And it was a period of document distribution for the next president election of our organization and related persons came to my office. There, my boss was interviewed with the newspaper “Korea Herald,” related with the movement of the “Dokdo/Eastsea” World Organization. And he was proud of it. And because of the flood, I was busy to cleaning. It was a vacation not like a vacation. But isn’t it good to be busy with new things around us during our life? ^^

The Most Important Person in History (Moses Kim's homework)

The Most Important Person in History

Who is the most important to you and to all mankind throughout history? My partner told the person was Abraham Lincoln, and I, Jesus. Someone may say that Lincoln’s virtues are like Jesus. Actually they cannot be the objects of comparison, but because I should write a comparing essay, I want to write about this topic and have to. There could be many ways to estimate a great man but I want to think of it in four points:  teaching and example, humility, ability and influence.

Firstly, about their teaching and examples. Lincoln tried to live honestly and practiced his beliefs and lived an exemplary life. But he was a sinner in that he could not control his temper perfectly and kneel down before Jesus. Jesus is the greatest teacher in history. Throughout his lifetime, Jesus not only taught but also practiced his teaching without compromise, even to his death. He said, “The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” And he died for them on the cross. He even realized his resurrection three days after his death. So many people all over the world wanted and want to follow his good examples as the best and greatest Teacher ever known. Lincoln tried to learn the truth of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus’ teaching is truth itself. So the apostle Paul said, “In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Secondly, about their humility. The greatness of one man can be estimated by the number of people who the person served. How many people did they serve? Someone said, “Abraham Lincoln died for his country.” But Jesus died for the world and for all mankind. The population of the US is about 300 million. He died for his generation and generations to come in the USA. The population of the world is 7 billion. Jesus died for the generations in the past, for his generation and for the generations to come. Many people loved and admired Abraham Lincoln’s political leadership, moral courage and humbleness. Lincoln played the key role in deciding the fate of 303 Dakota Sioux Indians, who were condemned by a military court to be hanged in the aftermath of the Great Sioux Uprising of 1862, and the lives of most of the accused Indians were spared. Jesus served all kinds of people, i.e., lepers, prostitutes, robbers, cruel soldiers, vicious and proud religious leaders, kings and so on. Jesus voluntarily confronted his death. He courageously answered to the Roman governor Pilate who asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” On Abraham Lincoln’s tombstone, it is written, “God used this man.” But Jesus was the Son of God. Abraham Lincoln was one of the presidents of the USA. Jesus is the King of Kings of the world and the Lord of Lords. But he was born in a manger, humbly washed the feet of his disciples and died like a criminal on the cross.

Thirdly, about their ability. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. He raised the dead Lazarus again. He gave life to the dead. He healed so many chronic invalids. Lincoln only had the authority and power of the US president in controling her army and changing the environments and people's minds in this land . But actually there is no comparison between them in the point of their power and authority. Lincoln honored and respected Jesus and asked Jesus to grant his power.

Fourthly, about their influence. I saw the data in Google that there were 16,000 books about Lincoln. He set free more than 3 million black people from slavery. He influenced so much in history. But he tried to imitate Jesus’ life of love. Through the emancipation of slaves, America was changed and so many people were touched. But he lived and died in his generation. What about Jesus? He forgave and loved even the soldiers who nailed him on the cross, all religious leaders who falsely accused as an insurgent against the Roman Emperor. And he loved all mankind around the world in all generations suffering under the power of sin and death. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” Through his love, he cut the vicious cycle of vengeance flowing throughout all history. He reversed the repeated circulation of revenge into that of the embracement of love. Through his love, so many people’s lives were changed revolutionarily and fundamentally. Even a crucial slave trader, John Newton, who wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace,” was altered into a pastor. Who had done all these? Who could have a greater influence throughout history?

In conclusion, Jesus is the most important and the greatest person in history: in his teaching and example, in his humility, in his ability and in his influence. He was not only the Son of God but also a perfect man, who felt every feeling and suffering, influenced  most in the lives of all men and in the world. Lincoln’s achievements, virtues, and even his name will fade away and be forgotten from the memory of people, but more and more people will memorize Jesus and believe in him even 2,000 years after his death. Who can dare to say, “I am more important than Jesus, I am more powerful than he or I am a greater teacher than he is?”

Moses' Week

This week I tried to find a college with social work major. I wanted to know about subjects, tuition fees as an international student, distance from home, required documents. And I also know whether I am qualified to enter the college or not. I majored the social welfare policy at graduate school in Korea. And I worked at Korean Labor Welfare Corporation related with the welfare of small and medium companies, the disabled, and industrial compensation. Here I want to study more specific social work related with the disabled or the seniors. I asked some materials to Northeastern University and Concordia Univ.