Historian speaks on politics, religion

By Kim Ji-soo

It’s not often that Professor Richard Bushman, a noted historian of 19th century America and a scholar of the Latter-Day Saints, would stand to talk earnestly about his faith in front of Korean students. Bushman, 84, is a professor emeritus at Columbia University and author of such books as “Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling,” a biography of the founder of Mormonism. He was in Korea for the first time to attend the 2016 Religion Conference held in Seoul May 27-28.

After giving a presentation and fielding questions from Sogang University students, Bushman sat down for an interview, during which he offered some insights into the divide between the North and the South in the United States, and about businessman and U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump.

“I think very few university faculty members would back Trump. Many would think he is a disaster ... I don’t think his word can be trusted. I think he is a survivor and deal-maker, and he will say anything to keep the deal going,” he said.

Bushman added that it will be hard to predict what Trump will do because he will say one thing one day and repudiate it the next. “I don’t think he represents serious policy.”

“My real concern about Trump is .... He is the strongman who promises he will make everything right, like a hero in our movies,” Bushman expanded. “(He is) the man with many guns, with a lot of muscle, with a knockout punch. Whoever is in trouble, he will straighten them out, probably using force,” he said.

Bushman is also concerned about how far Trump can go with such a stance, or how effectively the system of American checks and balances can contain him.

“What I don’t like is when I see him cozying up to the military. That scares me,” he said. For the moment, the professor said he is disgusted, but he would be really scared if Trump follows with strongman tactics, such as Putin’s.

Having studied the North and South divide in 19th century America, he said countries are generally divided into two. For the United States, the division was based on the deep moral issues of race and slavery, but for the two Koreas, the division may well be about political issues first, then economic issues second.

He admitted that he is not sure how deeply the Communist ideology has penetrated North Korea. However, when told about North Korea’s tendency for punishment through guilt-by-association, he said the tendency for people to identify with power even if such power can hurt, may hinder the establishment of a stable democratic society.

He stressed the value of coexistence among religions, which he believes can promote peace by recognizing others’ respective religions. “When we are able to open up to each other about our points of differences, … when we are able to talk in-depth about our differences, we can become friends.”

How do we do that?

“That is scary, and it will be a long process,” he said.