Resistance is futile...

Edited from a piece originally written in response to the article "Killer Reflection," on Salon.com.

While we continue to search for explanations for the inexplicable acts of Seung-Hui Cho, one thing should be kept in mind. This was the work of an individual who felt obviously felt no connection to any sort of community. From the evidence we have been presented with it seems clear that Cho was completely alienated from his classmates, friends, and family -- Asian, American, or whatever other imaginary construct we would like to assign to him. This being the case, I do not think it is particularly relevant that the accused is of Asian extraction.

I too felt fear that this incident would fuel the flames of the latent hatred and discrimination against Asians in America, however so far I believe the mainstream media has been relatively restrained in this case. Of course the right-wing blogosphere has given us its usual dose of venom, but this is no different than what you would usually find on such sites. What I do find equally abhorrent is the reaction amongst many in the Asian media (especially the Korean Language based media), which I think has been too quick to react to a backlash that has yet to manifest itself. I am not even sure that I know what the Asian community is, and it sure is news to me that we have ever been members of a united community of common values and ideas.

Many news outlets have reported that the Korean-American community feels partly responsible for the actions of Mr. Cho. Well my wife and I also members of the Korean community in New York and while we are certainly loathe to acknowledge that a fellow “Korean,” might be capable of such unspeakable violence, we certainly don’t feel any more responsible than any other member of American society. Even if the peculiarities of the “Korean-American” experience might have contributed to Mr. Cho’s psychosis, many other people including those who fit in the vanilla mold of “Typical Suburban White American Male” certainly have their own issues, and the vast majority has not committed acts of mass murder.

In other words, I feel as though we (whatever that means), in the Asian-American community are simply using Mr. Cho’s acts as an opportunity to air whatever misgivings about we might have about American society, and the minority experience. This has happened to such an extent that many have lost sight of the immediate tragedy.

This is not say that there are not valid issues that need to be addressed; but, perhaps what is most disturbing to so many of us, is that despite all of the indignities that we may have faced as the result of discrimination, we too are just like everyone else, we too are just regular Americans. Seung-hui Cho has done what so many of us have asked for so long. He has shattered the mythology of the model minority. We have been assimilated.

Spring Finally Comes to New York

After enduring an April that has been largely wet and unseasonably cold, it seemed as though spring would never come. Interestingly enough on 4/20, the weather finally began to turn around and by today (Earth Day) it seems as though the planet has finally awoke. It was almost as if the all inhabitants of the city, floral and faunal had suddenly burst forth from their dormancy. Crowds of people filled the streets, parks, bars, restaurants, and whatever other public place would accommodate them. Daffodils,plum, and cherry trees have begun to bless us with their blossoms. Such a time truly enlivens the spirit, and inspires us to live.

Slide Show Experiment

Korean New Years (Happy 4340!!!)

February 18th, 2007, marks the arrival of the Year of the Golden Pig: 4340 in Korea. This year my wife HyeRyung took on the challenge of making dinner for the family, just a couple of weeks after we committed to giving up meat for good. Since we are quite new to eliminating all meat products from our diet, our daily menu has been undergoing something of a revolution (read The China Study, to find out what inspired us to give up meat). So we haven't had enough time to completely reinvent our daily meals, let alone one that was exclusively Korean and yet we still wanted to host the family for this most special holiday.

Nowadays the dishes most commonly associated with Korea probably include an assortment of BBQ meat dishes (Bulgogi, Kalbi, etc), BiBimBap (with Beef), and more recently Korean Fried Chicken. The most common main courses in a contemporary Korean New Year's dinner is also usually heavily meat orientated, from beef broths, stews, dumplings, etc, etc, etc...

However, prior to much more recent times, the vast majority of our diet consisted of rice (brown to boot) and veggies. In addition Korea's long Buddhist tradition also preached a vegan lifestyle. In homage to our roots, we decided it was time to test out if we could still do it old school. To quote our friends from a previous meal, "HyeRyung, put her foot in it!"

(see a fully labeled version of the above photo at at my flickr site)

In the end the final menu turned out to be:

• Duk Mandoo Gook. Soup (from dashima, daikon, shiitake mushrooms, carrots and onions) with Homemade Dumplings (stuffed with tofu, shiitake mushrooms, potato noodles, carrots, onion, green onions and kimchee) and Duk (Thinly sliced Rice Cake).
  
• Moo Cho Chol Kwa-il. Finely sliced fruit and vegetables (pear, apple, red/green pepper, and cucumber) wrapped in thin Daikon Slices marinated in vinegar, sugar and salt.
• Tobu Chun: Tofu Patties (Tofu mixed with chopped carrots, green pepper, green onions, onions, bound with egg and coated in flour).
  
• Busut Chap Chae: Sweet Potato Noodles with veggies, shiitake, oyster, and enoki mushrooms.
• Dotori Mook Moo Chim: Acorn Jelly with Chrysanthemum, Sesame leaves, Nori, and soy sauce dressing.
• Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Korean red pepper paste, rice syrup, and a touch of diluted soy sauce.
• Steamed Acorn Squash with Cashew Nut Sauce.

There were a few items left out on this post, but these were the main stars of the feast, and what a feast it was.

An afternoon snack

An afternoon snack, originally uploaded by Pabo76.

Sushi, including raw squid, served with ssam (lettuce), and seasame leaves which are used to wrap the sushi. Other essentials include the Kochujang (Hot Red Bean Paste) and some soju to wash it all down. Occasionally the squid's tentacles, or what remained of them would still move.