From: fester@island.COM (Mike Fester)
Subject: Re: Korean Views on Race (Re: LA Times. 7-13-92 [long])
Organization: /usr/local/rn/organization
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 14:49:03 GMT

In article <1992Jul28.023440.1118@leland.Stanford.EDU> underdog@leland.Stanford.EDU (Dwight Joe) writes:

>Also, this Korean preference thing has been done else--in Japan.
>The Korean gov't and the Korean people don't give a hoot about
>other foreigners in Japan.  Further, the Koreans in Japan don't want to
>give up their Korean citizenship but want the benefits of Japanese

This is gibberish. The Korean government is insisting that the Japanese grant
citizenship to those who do not wish to change their names. Has nothing to
do with giving up Korean citizenship, which is extended as a courtesy, to keep
the people from being officially stateless. Blame Japan's rather antiquated
method of registration of its own citizenry.

>citizenship.   Japan almost won't do it.  Even the USA wouldn't concede to such
>outrageous demands.  But the Korean gov't is insisting that the Japanese

The US DOES in fact recognize dual citizenship, if the other nation recognizes
it as well. 

>gov't give the Koreans in Japan special privileges not afforded to
>other foreigners.

Actually, the sticking point is that they don't want to give up their Korean
NAMES. The Japanese government won't let them gain citizenship unless they 
renounce the names they were born with, something they are rather loathe to do.

>Note that the Japanese gov't, prejudiced as it is toward foreigners
>in general, has in no way treated the Koreans any differently from
>other foreigners.  If anything, the Japanese gov't has been helping

You mean other than invading their country, trying to eliminate the culture 
and language, kidnapping its citizens to works the mines, serve the comfort
stations, etc?

>the Koreans out--ahead of other foreigners--because of the bogus
>and racist attitudes and claims of the Korean gov't, which DOES favor some
>foreigners over others.  Specifically, the Korean gov't DOES favor
>foreigners who are ethnically Koreans over other foreigners.

As does Japan.

>The immigration laws are an example.

Right, they are however, a BAD example.

>If that isn't bigotted and racist, what is?

Japanese immigration laws are exactly the same; people of Japanese descent
from Brazil especially are given preferential treatment in applying for
work visas in Japan. There was rather a great deal of excitement in Japan when
Fujimori was elected president of Peru, and Japan upped its foreign aid to that
country.

Similary, Israel automatically extends citizenship to all Jews of any origin.
Germany grants automatic citizenship to anyone who can prove they are of at
least partial German descent. 

Really, if that's the best Stanford can do in educating one of its finest
in matters Japanese, you may be entitiled to a refund, DJ. (You might also
choose to read an occasional newspaper on your own time, but that seems 
rather extreme).

Mike 
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