Teach Your Children Well

I was teaching one of my literature classes the other day and Japan came up in the conversation. One of the girls raised her hand. I called on her.

"Teacher, I don't like Japan." she stated.

I looked at her, not in disbelief because this is Korea and that is prevelant, but rather I just wasn't sure why she volunteered that information.

The other kids started joining the girl with similar hateful slogans and attitudes. I do not like it when people are xenophopic, racist, prejudice or anything else that is based on ignorance. Again, this is Korea and their wounds still seem to be very fresh and I did not want to step on any toes. So, I approached the topic a bit more objectively than I normally would have.

"Why? Why do you not like Japan?" I asked them knowing what automatic response I would get.

Her response is the same that her parents would give and that's the same response that her parents' parents would give.

"The Japanese are bad because they invaded Korea." one of the boys said.

His response was met with nods from the entire class. It was hard for me to not lecture them on how dangerous misdirected hate can be. I didn't lecture them because I know they are too young to truly understand the full implications of what they are saying, believing and propagating. I had to say something though. I did not want them to think that I agree or even condone that attitude in my class or in my life.

"You mean you hate the Japanese governments and militaries that invaded Korea, don't you?" I asked them slowly to ensure they could take it all in.

I paused for a moment.

"You don't hate Japanese people though. They did not have a choice then (the invasion) and those alive now certainly don't want to hurt Korea."

They sat there and I could see their bright minds trying to comprehend what I said. They are familiar with the notion that a government can be evil and the people can still be good. That is their take on North Korea and if they refuse to swallow that bitter pill and admit that it is the same thing, then I fear for the hate these people and their children will be exposed to.

The kids knew what I was saying, but they also knew that this way of thinking was probably in direct contrast to their parents' views. As we all know, when children are still young, their parents are always right. After all (Is that a compound word?), it is the parent's responsibility to instill strong morals in their children. It is the parent's job to make sure that their child is accepting, or at least tolerant, of people of all walks of life. It is the parents' job to teach their children well...

Teach Your Children by CNSY

You who are on the road
Must have a code that you can live by
And so become yourself
Because the past is just a good-bye

Teach your children well
Their father's hell did slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picks the one you'll know by

Don't you ever ask them why
If they told you, you would cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you

And you of tender years
Can't know the fears that your elders grew by
And so please help them with your youth
They seek the truth before they can die

Teach your parents well
Their children's hell will slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick's the one you'll know by

Don't you ever ask them why
If they told you, you would cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you

So, in closing, we as people need to remember the past and its grandeur, but we also need to recognize that it does include war, hate, death and so much more. This world has seen so much human suffering and it will continue to see the same. Still, we can't let it guide our futures. We don't have to participate. There will never be the war that ends all war because war is not the way to settle differences. Simply put, war kills people who have very little to do with the actual conflict. It was true in the Crusades, the Inquisition, all revolutionary wars, all civil wars, all world wars, all religious wars, all resource wars and every other war that will sadly, but surely arise in the years to come. The boomers have seen war their whole life and I'm sure my generation will see the same.

Memory will always be used as a political tool to accomplish someone's agenda. They will pander on the emotions and the fears and the scars from a dark past, but we can navigate through this sometimes overly complicated world using the past, the present and the future. It's called wisdom my friends and it has always been there...