Koreans Offer Their Apologies For Shootings

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 4-23-3007 | Toby Harnden

[blam]

"I do know that in many Asian cultures there is a very high value placed on personal honor. Anyone who dishonors himself dishonors his family and dishonors their community. "

Well put, you are correct.

[Bobibutu]

RGR - this kid was off the charts from the git go - our laws enabled this to happen - if anyone should aplogize it should be our congress.

[pandoraou812]

I think you are correct. Any parent whose child committed an act such as this would be devastated. Prayers for them. ~P~

[xc1427]

Demon-possessed jerk. A salient observation, if I may say so myself.

[ozzymandus]

Why should they apologize? Now the Mooselimbs, they should apologize.

[ccmay]

Some of my partners are Korean and they seem extraordinarily ashamed of this incident. I even saw where some Korean students are deciding to go home and not finish out their semester at VTech.

In a limited sense, this is an admirable expression of outrage and disgust and shame that one would never expect to see from, for example, members of the Religion of Peace.

However, in general, I see it as a rather sad and puzzling over-reaction. I don't blame Koreans for this any more than I blame the Irish for the Oklahoma City bombing, or the Italians for the actions of Sacco and Vanzetti.

-ccm

[FunkyZero]

It really is too bad they feel this way. I think eventually, someone will speak out on this subject to try and help ease their feelings about this. Maybe in some way it could help out. I do understand very clearly how they view things, I work for a Japanese company, we see this “shame” factor a lot. I don’t know if the Koreans are similar in this way, but I assume it may be quite similar.
and to gogeo:
With all due respect,
Even though this is not directly about me, it is indirectly a LOT about me and my family. I’m not going to go into details, but I am originally from the area being dicussed, so I do have close and personal ties to this whole mess. It’ been very difficult to say the least. And just in case someone is wondering, no, none of my direct family members were killed.

[maro]

It’s because Koreans, like much of the world, think at least part of the time in tribal terms. When the tribe does well, all members of the tribe feel good; when the tribe does something bad, all members of the tribe feel responsible. Americans represent a radical change in this point of view—we think that the individual is responsible for both good and bad, and so tribal thinking just puzzles us.