Published: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 19:14:20 +0900

If you need a t-shirt to display your anti-Americanism, than a Canadian in Itaewon has one for you:

 Alleyway T-shirt vendors in the Itaewon district have a new competitor. The new must-have shirts read “I’m not migook” on the front, and on the back in Korean, “I am not an American.” Since the shirts first turned up at a shop in front of the neighborhood Starbucks in the middle of last month, more than 100 of the shirts have been sold every five days. The man who brought the thoughtful product into the world is a 31-year-old named Michael Kenny who would like to make it clear that he is Canadian.

 However, Mr. Kenny claims this is all in good fun and he is not anti-American:

 Worry no. 2 is that people tend to associate the shirts with anti-Americanism. He says quite a few people have challenged him about the message. But his response is: “Oh, there’s nothing to it. It’s all just good fun. American whites are Caucasians, but that doesn’t mean all Caucasians are Americans. Now, wouldn’t it be nice if Koreans knew that too?”

Now would he sell t-shirts to people of black skin color saying that they are not Nigerians?  Or better yet maybe he should start selling t-shirts that say "I'm not a Low Quality English Teacher".  What's the difference between this hate speech and bashing Americans?  

View & Leave Comments | Trackbacks
Read More...

This guy is pathetic.

Last I remember is was hundreds of Canadians that were being expelled from Korea for coming to Korea with false documents. If I were Canadian, I am not sure I would be slamming other countries in Korea.

__________________
Visit USFK Classifieds, the FREE classifieds in Korea!

If a Canadian started it, he probably meant it as a matter of pride in his country. A better choice of words may be to proclaim, " I am an Australian" or whatever.
Unfortunately, others can easily interpret words to mean different things.
I can see Americans saying, "Wait a minute -What's wrong with America"?

Well, like a Canadian border guard said to a friend of mine crossing the
border -'Canadians and Mexicans are Americans ,too"! (North Americans).

Koreans and Americans may misinterpret the saying, and that is indeed unfortunate.
Calling Hagwon teachers "Low Quality" is not very nice either. Only some of them are. Just like some of our soldiers are also low quality.

Calling each other names should bring our personal "Quality" under suspicion.

That might have been a better way of saying it if he were making a T-shirt only to make a statement. But including the British, Australians and New Zealanders into the mix will help the profit margin. And that is what's important.

I'm amazed at the shrill cries of "anti-Americanism" on this board. It doesn't have anything to do with you. The T-shirt isn't about America. It's about Koreans assuming people are American because their white.

As long as he is making money it is alright?

How about a T-Shirt stating, "I'm American and my papers are good."

This way the American ESL teachers don't get confused with Canadian ESL teachers. It will probably sell well with American ESL teachers. I am sure I can accommodate the other white non-Canadian ESL teachers as well.

__________________
Visit USFK Classifieds, the FREE classifieds in Korea!

Wow! I think this is only the second time Doutdes and I have ever on the same page!
I don't see anti-Americanism here at all either. I see entrepreneurship! Koreans may easily misunderstand.
Now for the ESL teachers. I used to teach English as a second language (ESL)
part time when I was on active duty. It can be an honorable profession.
All ESL teachers are not equal. I really do wonder about anyone purporting to be a teacher and yet not being able to capitalize properly or spell. Even if, as they have told me, they are only "required" to teach conversation, and don't have "time" to do more. Nuts! There are a lot of pretenders out there with purely selfish motives. Even some foreign predators who managed to get a legitimate degree.
I think the comment earlier about a shirt saying, "I am not a Low Quality ESL Teacher" was a great idea, from the standpoint of selling shirts!

Let's do a test and replace migook with Muslim or Jew. I wonder if we would be hearing calls on insensitivity.

The guy can sell as many T-shirts as he want, it is his right. I think it is generally safe to bash an American or a Christian. I know Americans bash the French all the time. In the end it is a T-Shirt and hopefully people can let it go. People that make this a big topic simply help his sales.

This still gives me an idea for a ESL T-Shirt.

__________________
Visit USFK Classifieds, the FREE classifieds in Korea!

If a Sikh was wearing a shirt saying, "I'm not a Muslim." No it wouldn't be offensive. Why? Because they are often confused for Muslims. The T-shirt isn't a statement about the US, it's a statement about Koreans perceiving white people as Americans.

If an American wore the T-shirt, then it would be offensive.

Offensive to who?

__________________
Visit USFK Classifieds, the FREE classifieds in Korea!

Going back and looking at the shirt picture, I see the guy holding it is wearing a black shirt that says, in English, "I am not a Migook". Still it is of no consequence.

I wonder, like Mike, if it said, "I am not a Muslim,and won't convert", should you hire a bodyguard?