By Kim Hyung-jin
Which runner is concerned over the color of his shoes on the day of racing competition? Those anxious about the race aren’t worried about little concerns like the color of his clothes, the style of his hair, and the news of the day. On July 19, I became one of these runners. Everything except one thing was unimportant when I was appointed to meet U.S. Congressman Michael Honda in his office in Washington, D.C., along with my classmates.
To tell the truth, that day was not full of chores. I arrived in Baltimore to attend the admission session of John’s Hopkins University, my notebook was full of questions about the university because it has been one of my dream schools.
The more calls from journalists, however, the faster concerns for the school faded away. My eyes were wide open but I was blind. I have keen ears but I was deaf. The jar-dropping view of the campus and voice of the admission officer wandered through my mind.
The only thing I was preoccupied with was a myriad of questions and worries: What if I make a mistake? Does this question sound impolite? What if he refuses to answer the question? What should I do then? I was full of questions and confusion.
Even on the bus heading for Washington, D.C, chaos before the ``big bang’’ still remained. Through the window, I saw the White House and Capitol for the first time, but at that time, they were just buildings for me.
Swarms of people wandering around the White House and the stairs to the entrance of Capitol, which I have longed to climb, could not ease my tensions. After getting off the bus, I walked for 15 minutes without an umbrella, the patter of raindrops could not distract me.
When I stepped up the stairs of Longworth building where Rep. Honda’s office is located, and when I passed the checkpoint, I thought only of being prudish and behaving nicely. After taking a deep breath, I open Rep. Honda’s office door.
One chubby old man with a smile stood there. He friendly held out his hand and shook hands with every one in my group. Holding my hand for a while after I introduced myself, he asked me what the meaning of my name is. I was surprised to see him. To me, a politician had been stereotyped as someone who is bigoted, arrogant, and callous. But he was gentle, kind, and humorous.
The interview was also an informal talk rather than a serious discussion. What he said also did not live up to the stereotype of the democratic congressman.
The media have often portrayed him as either a ``hero’’ of Koreans or a ``traitor’’ of Japanese. But I got the impression that he was an impartial man who emphasizes the importance of objective history.
He thinks spreading the facts themselves is his responsibility. He has worked for all people, not just for Koreans. He said that ``power’’ is given not to someone in a high place but to someone who keeps a firm faith and ``practice’’ what he or she thinks right.
What a fool I was! I felt that not only tensions and worries but also the stereotype that had dominated my mind just melt away.
I think many Koreans have an unconscious hatred toward Japanese. Even young people who have not experienced Japanese brutalities do not hesitate to throw dirt at Japanese.
I think the hatred stems from the unsolved problems between Korea and Japan, and knowing the ``facts’’ is the key to fostering a friendly relationship between the two countries. When people know the facts, the stereotype will disappear as my stereotype to politicians did when I met Rep. Honda.
yester_day@naver.com
Kim Hyung-jin is a senior in Seoul Foreign Language High School in Chang-dong, northern Seoul. He is a member of HOPE (History Organization for Peace and Equality), a young Koreans coalition aimed at correcting distortion of history. He also created a video game design club called MOSAIC.