What made Korean act like this!

[Outofin]

Did you see the picture that a Korean burns himself? You'd better not to see it. I understand their motives. But... the funny thing is... why do you burn yourself or cut your finger to threat your enemies? You should burn them and cut their fingers! Torturing youself makes your enemies happy.

I seriously clarify that I'm NOT suggesting any voilence. I'm just stating my confusion in the logics behind their actions. And I hope they stop hurting themselves!

[39degN]

I found that funny too. It proved the cultural similarity btw politicians and gangs.

[Jack MacKelly]

Saw a bit of info that they were doing a repeat of what some Korean guy did about 95 years ago, when the Japanese invaded Korea. Some Korean called Choong-Kun cut off the ring fingers to write

'Freedom and Indepdence from Japan for Koreans'

with his own bloody finger on a flag -which was banned by Japan at that time, the Korean belonged to the resistance group against Japanese occupation and killed the Japanese residential general who was in Harubin, after the Korean was arrested and murdered but has been considered a hero in South Korea since.

state-run Chinese Xinhua News Agency came out in support of Korean sovereignty over the Dokdo Islets against Japan's territorial claim

[bhchao]

You should burn them and cut their fingers! Torturing youself makes your enemies happy.

I agree 100%. Inflicting injury on yourself will only make your enemies laugh with glee. The strongest form of protest would be to kick your enemies' arses.

This reminds me of Madame Nhu's response during the 1963 Buddhist self-immolations in South Vietnam. Her response was "Let them burn, and we will clap our hands."

[wushijiao]

why do you burn yourself or cut your finger to threat your enemies? You should burn them and cut their fingers!

I disagre. If an injustice is done to you or your group, and if your oppressors believe in universal liberal values but are in the dark due to whatever reasons (media/cultural suppresion), then non-violent protest can be effective. I forgot to add that there must be a free press in the country where the oppresion is taking place. Sure, burning yourself is perhaps an extreme form of protest, and in my opinion, stupid. But there have been examples of these extreme actions working, including hunger strikes and various people who flamed themselves during the Vietnam War, which helped shift world opinion against the war.

[bhchao]

I respect your non-violent approach Wushijiao, but there are times where protesting at all (as demonstrated recently) don't strike a chord with your oppressors. You're right that it depends on who your oppressor is and whether they believe in universal liberal values, but that is not the case for most situations. My philosophy is to keep quiet, speak softly, and carry a big stick.

Of course I don't advocate the method Outofin recommended, the "burning/cutting" part.

[Quest]

but not everyone has a big stick to carry....

[woodcutter]

Due to the recent "hate Japan" kerfuffle, both China and Japan will lose trade and revenue. The Japanese are losing markets, and the Chinese are painting a "scary" picture of their country due to their aggression, warning off investors. Korea, on the other hand, where the violence has been only self-directed, will probably benefit - picking up business that might otherwise go to Japan.

[shibo77]

I think it is a desperate form of protest. When a person sets oneself on fire, they are making a voice that they are being tortured to death, or that they would rather sacrifice their lives and set themselves on fire than live under such oppression. When the leader of the opposition sees such things, it becomes not a matter of political ideology but basic humanistic morals. Though it may be stupid and foolish as it has little consequence. But to anyone who will quote this: "Let them burn, and we will clap our hands.", then they have lost their morals as basic human beings to mere political ideologies. I don't think laughing at anyone dying of fire, no matter how stupid the motives are is morally correct.

-Shibo