Face it. We don't really have as many rights off-post as Koreans. So let's downplay rights issues, and concentrate on being well behaved guests in a foreign country.
A guest will do well to follow the golden rule. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Whether you are a school teacher from Canada, an American from any source, or a Nigerian, doesn't matter. Give respect and you will generally get respect.
Now, we come to exceptions. And they exist. Bars and businesses near the Military Bases that depend on GI money are different. They bend toward pleasing the Military so that they will not be placed OFF LIMITS. They put up with drunks, sexual harassment, impolite comments, racial slurs, and more to get the dollars. Bars and businesses in areas where the Military is NOT dominant do not bend over as far. And they do not have to. As I said before, Korean bar and business owners still have the freedom to choose who they wish to serve. They may choose to not serve anyone at any time, for any reason. It may seem unfair to you, or "Racial", or undeserved. It may be. So what? There is no anti-discrimination law here to help you. We can usually thank some of our fellow GI's, Americans, Canadians, Nigerians or others who preceded us for offending the business owners previously in some way. But now it is time to pay up and leave. Delta is ready when you are! It is no longer a problem if you distance yourself from where you are not wanted. There are other places to gather.
Some of us think we are special, and laws will protect us and our "Rights" just like in America. Forget it. The Status of Forces Agreement, IF it applies in your particular circumstance, MAY get you a lawyer, or an interpreter, or more. Don't depend on it. If you don't know Korean laws and you break one, it is you baby. If being nice and behaving properly doesn't work, go across the street and try again. Unless it is YOU, you will find a friendly place. The idea of traveling with a buddy is always a good thing to do. If you go with someone more experienced in the area you choose to travel, it will be better. Making friends with a Korean college student is the best! They want to practice their English, and you both want to have a good time. Take time to learn a few proper phrases in Korean, and your experiences will be improved even more!

"We don't really have as many rights off-post as Koreans."

That's exactly the attitude why discriminations in Korea are rampant. If you don't fight for your rights, nobody will care.

We have rights, just not the same rights as a Korean citizen. If you ask most Koreans, we have more rights under the SOFA agreement than most Koreans.

Honestly, if a Korean doesn't want me in his bar, I won't go in there. It is his loss. It is also the loss of the Korean society. Could you have a sign in America outside your business that states, "No Koreans" or "No Arabs"? I don't think so.

Mike

Here is a posting below from my site back in September 2005 that explains what happened at the Hollywood Bar that night:

http://jetiranger.tripod.com/BLOG/in...try_id=1235355

I really see no fault by the bar owner in the incident.

Thanks for the reply GI! It's good to see both sides of the story.

Mike

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This is exactly the type of shite that slaps me back into place when I think that Korean society is better than American. Sure there is discrimination and racisim in America but it is ILLEGAL! Not this bullsh*t of serve one but not the other. Why don't the Koreans just invite the Japanese back to conqure them again since they want to be such bigots and ignorant to everyone. It really is no suprise. I was discriminated against at a bar in Suwon, first it started off as "no tables" looking around I noticed there were PLENTY of tables after pushing a little more I received what she really meant, "no tables for American."

If I was discriminated against in a business place I'm sure I would feel really upset, too!
Especially If I did nothing personally to offend the place.
I also could understand that if someone else who perhaps looked like me had caused a problem there before, the owners could have decided that they could do without folks who looked like me. I certainly would be hurt if I saw tables that were empty, but I figure I would rather spend my money somewhere else and hope their darned tables stayed empty! There are no laws requiring them to serve me, and no laws saying I need to give them my business either!
Having read the full story on GI's website of the old incident in Itaewon, however,I see the bar owner (an American) was in the right, and more than generous in returning the offensive customers their money.

Yes, it turns out this bar owner was in the right and racism was used improperly. Korea still needs to look at itself. Ghostface is correct that Americans are discriminated against due to the acts of others. Here are some examples I just uploaded into the gallery.

http://forums.usfkclassifieds.com/ga...hp?i=1663&c=63

http://forums.usfkclassifieds.com/ga...hp?i=1662&c=63

This should never be accepted anywhere in the world. I thought we got past this behavior when South Africa removed the "whites only" signs. The truth is the South Korean government and the U.S. State Department allows it to happen in the name of goodwill.

Now, I also wish GIs would act better in Korea. Two days ago, I visited the Stars and Stripes online and noticed two articles of GIs in Korean courts. One was about six GIs beating up a taxi driver and the other was about another attack on a Korean. These are a small minority of Americans in Korea, but are the majority of the stories aired on TV (about Americans in their country).

Finally, ghost if you could keep the swearing down a bit! I want young dependants to visit this site. Also, I don’t want the Air Force network guys to find swears and ban this site from the network thinking it is an adult site. Just use the smiles! I replaced for you.

Mike

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I agree with most of Mike's post! But the U.S. State Dept. is in no position to "Allow or disallow" anything the Korean citizens do. The U.S. is a guest of the Korean Government, and a willing partner in warfighting, as long as it is in the best interest of the United States. We can protest, however, if an injustice is perceived.
Any foreigner here-U.S.,Canadian,Thai or whatever should tell their respective Government's Embassy if they feel they have been discriminated against undeservedly.
That way a trend may be prevented, and signs like you see on the Gallery will not become commonplace. I think this thread should end soon, as the original Iteawon incident has been explained sufficiently.

Are those "No Americans" signs still there? Those links to the same pictures, I first saw them over 3 years ago, have been going around the internet for quite a while now.