By Alden C. Mayfield
The following article is a rebuttal of Rick Ruffin's op-ed article, ``Thought Development More Important Than Learning English," published by The Korea Times on Nov. 24.
The stubborn plague of racism refuses to die. First, biological racism argued that the ``white" race was inherently superior to all other races.
This concept of European racism justified its many years of slavery; the backbone of modern day capitalism. Without slavery there would have been no such thing as Western capitalism.
Not only did this racist ideology buttress slavery, but also justify European colonialism. It was self-evident that Europeans were more rational and superior to `savage' Indians in the Americas.
Thus, it was only natural to dispossess and murder millions of indigenous peoples in order to illegally control them and their lands.
This is the ``white" racist's rationale: `White' Europeans are (will always be) more rational than the irrational Indian ``savages," Asians and Africans.
In fact, most indigenous and African populations were considered subhuman animals unable to reason or ask questions. Therefore, Europeans have inherent rights to control and profit from these lazy people's lands.
With the turn of the 20th century, this racist ideology was clearly refuted as simply racism in the guise of scientific knowledge in order to control and profit from others.
Since Westerners could no longer use this inherited racist ideology, many in the West continued to promote racism, but in the disguise of cultural racism.
Cultural racism contra biological racism argues that the West is best because its economies, technologies, cultures and educational system are superior to other nations.
As such individuals educated in such Western educational institutions are taught, indirectly, that Western culture is superior to other cultures.
Not surprisingly, Ruffin's reasoning follows this dubious notion of cultural racism. His basic argument is that the West is best in terms of critical knowledge and thus more able to question authority, but Koreans (Asians) are inherently ignorant when it comes to developing their critical acumen, as they never question authority.
``This belief,'' insists J.M Blaut, ``is the notion that European civilization ― ``The West'' ― has had some unique historical advantage, some special quality of race or culture or environment or mind or spirit, which gives this human community a permanent superiority over all other races, at all times in history and down to the preset day'' (``The Colonizer's Model of the World'').
It is quite obvious that Ruffin, in promoting cultural racism, has produced a fallacy: While it is possible for some to lack something, it is impossible for all to lack that same thing.
This is a gross oversimplification. That same thing could be said about Americans, Canadians and so forth, but it wouldn't be true.
It would still be false reasoning based more on racial prejudice than real empirical proof. At the very least, Ruffin's bias is, in particular, a real insult to the intelligence of Koreans and, in general, to Asians.
It shouldn't be forgotten that Westerners have been using this same argument of intellectual superiority with regard to indigenous and African populations for the past few hundred years. It is a well-worn argument, but the argument is the same: the West is better than the rest.
In other words, cultural racists like Ruffin arrogantly think that they not only know all things (including Korean things), but they also control all knowledge and how that same knowledge is learnt.
Ruffin claims that Koreans never question authority. Really? For someone who claims to know all things, Ruffin doesn't know Korean history. Didn't many Koreans question the brutal authority of Japanese colonialism?
I think there were many Koreans who questioned and challenged the very notion of Japanese rule. And in the face of death, didn't Korean Christians refuse to worship at Japanese Shinto shrines?
Also, during the days of Korea's dictatorial regimes, didn't Korean students and others protest on the streets despite the peril of death? Didn't Koreans question the authority of former dictators, leading to the Gwangju massacre? Isn't true that Kim Dae-jung risked his life for the ideas of democracy?
These questions cost them their lives! Wasn't it the Korean media that exposed the bogus stem cell research of Dr. Hwang Woo-suk, bribery corruption and other things? The list could go on and on.
Finally, Ruffin is right that the Korean government should vet alcoholics, womanizers, slackers and the like, but isn't it equally true for the Korean government to prevent cultural racists from entering their borders and teaching their children?
Racism is just as bad as alcoholism. It is clear that Ruffin is employing an age-old colonial argument that posits the fallacious and debunked idea that ``white'' Europeans are more rational and thus superior than other irrational and inferior peoples.
That is why he is so confident that Koreans won't question his erroneous ideas, as they are slow-minded and too afraid to question his authority.
An old proverb says ``What comes out of a man's mouth is a mirror of his heart.''
``The West won the world not by the superiority of its ideas or values or religion but rather by its superiority in applying organized violence. Westerners often forget this fact, non-Westerners never do.'' ― Samuel P. Huntington
Alden C. Mayfield is a resident of Seoul. He can be reached at yayaya@gmail.com