Posted on 10/16/2015 4:19:09 PM PDT by Starman417
This showed up in my FB newsfeed today, regarding something that occurred earlier this week while I was in Colorado:
Things got awkward on Monday when Donald Trump asked an Asian-American college student if he was from South Korea.A 20-year-old Harvard economics major identified by NPR as Joseph Choe had launched into a query about South Korea during a question-and-answer session at the No Labels-hosted Problem Solver Convention in New Hampshire.
"I just had a really quick question about something you said earlier this summer," Choe said in video captured by C-SPAN. "Basically, you said that South Korea takes advantage of the United States in terms of the defense spending on the Korean peninsula. You said that they don't have to pay anything. However, I just want to get the facts straight and say that --"
Trump interrupted to ask, "Are you from South Korea?"
"I'm not. I was born in Texas, raised in Colorado," Choe responded.
The GOP presidential candidate shrugged as awkward laughter from the audience escalated into full-blown cheering for Choe.
"No matter where I'm from, I like to get my facts straight, and I wanted to tell you that that's not true. South Korea paid $861 million," Choe said before Trump cut him off again.
I don't believe Trump's question was totally unreasonable. Watch the video. In context, the student is defending/standing up for an Asian country. Choe looks rather Asiatic. Is it completely unwarranted to question motive and bias through possible ethnic ties? After all, people all the time do show loyalty, favoritism, connection, etc. to their ancestral country/ethnic origins.
Incidentally, this isn't the first time Joseph Choe has spoken out on behalf of Korean interests. He seems to be involved in Korean politics and interests. Back in April, he confronted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe regarding Korean comfort women:
A Korean-American Harvard University student is gaining attention in South Korea for a question he asked Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe regarding comfort women.Harvard student Joseph Choe put the Prime Minister on the spot during his April 27 visit to Harvard Universitys Kennedy School when he asked him to clarify his position on the Japanese governments involvement in coercing Korean women and girls into sexual slavery during World War II.
Yes. Joseph Choe is an American, born in Texas and raised in Colorado. But he is ethnically tied by ancestry to Korea; and seems to have an interest in Korea. Whether it is relevant to the larger point or not on American military expenditure and bases in Korea, it at least provides Trump with a contextualization for where the source of Choe's interest in the topic may be coming from.
So basically, Trump's instincts were correct and he had Choe's number correct.
(Excerpt) Read more at floppingaces.net...
I agree. This criticism of Trump is nonsense.
The problem for Trump’s & Ben Carson’s enemies is that voters don’t seem to be buying into the race card these days. Especially not over picayune questions like “Are you from South Korea?” nonsense.
The imbalance of trade between US and Korea is one thing but its defence is another. EXIM bank advances the major loans to Boeing or GE to allow those countries make those major defence purchases from Boeing or GE often posted here by Soukoi. Korea does pays them back on scheduled payments.
The imbalance of trade between US and Korea is one thing but its defence is another. EXIM bank advances the major loans to Boeing or GE to allow those countries make those major defence purchases from Boeing or GE often posted here by Soukoi. Korea does pays them back on scheduled payments.
Are you seriously unaware that some people hold to their ethnicity more than citizenship? That the guy was ethnically Korean was more important to him than being a U.S. citizen born in Texas - the latter being nothing more to him than a tool he used to disorient his rhetorical adversaries.
“what on earth did where he was from.. have to do with his question??”
It shows the bias and agenda of the questioner.
He probably identifies as a Korean-American so Trump’s question was spot on.
“and our next Presidet had BETTER be an Authentic Statesman”
Like Yeb or Rubnesty?
They country would be overrun with 3rd world mobs bankrupting us and you are whining about how a question is asked?
Go join the PC police on the left.
I’ll bet they don’t actually send us $860 million in a check. It’s some accounting gimmick to make them look good and save face. It’s more than likely some kind of “charge” we add to the invoices we pay for.
oh no another TRUE BELIEVER...a Don Devotee
Like Yeb or Rubnesty?
no one is discussing Romeny here....nor does it matter what anyone thinks of BUSH....
TRUMP acted like a CHILD ..... a nasty... arrogant spoiled little PUKE.
A Wounded ARROGANT lil, MOMMAS BOY still SCREAMING for attention
shame on him!
Unlike NYC ......AMERICA isnt The DONALD’s... PLAYGORUND
strawmen
All your yelling and name-calling is nit statesmanlike.
It’s not even intelligentlike.
Yes, that was my immediate reaction. Did the $861 million pay for the fully-loaded costs of the U.S. presence there? I would bet that it did not.
Im not in Government???
Im not running with the intent of communicating with World Leaders
THIS IS AN INTERNET FORUM.....in case you hadnt noticed
DONALD TRUMP IS AN ARROGANT SCHMUCK
now get off my phone!!!
Thanks, but...which comment?
What is the price tag of having American soldiers there as basically sitting ducks in case of an all out invasion which would bring the US wrath on NK? a trillion? 4 trillion?
What is the worth of the lives of most SKs.
That ORIENTAL kid is a spoiled little born in America but crying for SK punk.
And YES, I still use the word ORIENTAL.
I like it.
I do believe you nailed it. Mikey’s arguments are always self-fulfilling and are result oriented, not logic or fact based.
The kid lied to trump. He has Korean DNA, and sympathies; he is American by birth. He did not truthfully answer.
you’ve lost it
he should be TARRED AND FEATHERED LILKorean Puke
I suspect if Trump had made a remark about Israel getting $3b a year, and a Jewish kid had said something about how Israel is the US's closest ally, having fought shoulder-to-shoulder with GI's in multiple wars, and Trump had asked whether the kid was Jewish, we'd be hearing about how Trump was anti-semitic.
If he said anything, it would be more like “Are you Israeli?” I don’t understand how in this mad, bad world it is suddenly (oh, that hated word!) “racist” to ask where someone is from!
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