I think the reading assignments for this DB were spread out. I feel like I could have written a full-length DB on each one of them, and by combining all of them into one, I cannot discuss everything in full detail. I wish we had more time to spend on these topics.
Multihued
I would be lying if I said I could personally relate to Anthony Luckett or that I know what it must feel like for him. However, as a Korean, I know and hear about kids in similar situations. I must say that he is one of the luckier ones. Although these incidents have been diminished--or I think it has--many Korean girls were impregnated by American soldiers stationed in Korea. More often than not, these soldiers abandoned the child and the mother and return home after his service was over (one of the reasons why some Koreans resent Americans). Sadly, these "bastard children" (especially the half black ones) were abandoned in the streets to die. I haven't heard of such things happening in modern days, so I assume that this practice stopped. In this sense, Anthony is lucky to be alive.
There used to be many half black babies abandoned like this
I can also understand why his mother left him with foster parents. In fact, what she did is not abnormal to Koreans. While living in Plano and attending Korean churches, I encountered many students in similar situations. These students live with a "foster family" because their parents wanted what is best for them but could not afford to immigrate to America. Foster children getting abused by the foster "parents" are not uncommon either. My friend (let's just say her name is Lisa) confessed how tough it is to live with foster parents. According to Lisa, there are four other students who live with her (they are more like tenants than foster children). The students' parents pay monthly fees to have their child live at the house and attend school in America. Living condition is horrid and foster parents are apparently scary. They constantly abuse her and often starve her even though her parents are paying them to take good care of her. She can seldom make phone calls to her parents, and to monitor the call, the foster parents stand next to her as she makes the call. As I read Anthony's essay, I couldn't help but relate his experience to Lisa's.
Anthony's case is a bit different in the sense that he didn't know what his mother was doing to pay for his care. I can understand why he "resented both [his] foster families and [his] mother" (863). While living with different foster families that do not really care for him he has "never really felt at home" (864) anywhere. Thus, he must have felt abandoned and alone. However, I can't really blame his mother either because she did what she could to her best ability to help her son. Once he finds out how much she tried, even he cannot blame her: "I thought about her meager living conditions and how blessed I was to have a mother who cared about me so much" (866).
As I read this essay about an "abandoned" black Korean, I remembered Insooni, a black Korean singer. She parallels Anthony in the sense her dad also abandoned her since birth. Below are videos of Insooni singing "Goose's Dream," a song about the ugly duckling who wants to be a swan. I have the second video because it shows her features better.
Music Video of "Goose's Dream," a song about the ugly duckling
Live Performance by Insooni (shows her afro)
No Such Thing/Farewell My Tung-Tew
Wow, I cannot believe how accurately Johnny captured the image of Korean parents. It was almost as if I were reading about MY parents. If I were gay--thank god, I'm not--this is the sort of drama I would encounter with my parents. In fact, it's exactly what would happen to me play by play. Because I know how Korean parents are, I can vividly imagine everything Johnny wrote. My mother too are very biased towards gay people. My mother believes that something is wrong with their head and that they are CRAZY. Sometimes, she says it is a phase, and only after knowing God, they will be cured. She cannot understand how anyone, especially Christians, can tolerate homosexuality since it is sin against God. I can understand why Johnny's mother's response to Johnny's homosexuality was so extreme. Especially her claim that Johnny "had the devil in [him]" (878) is EXACTLY what my mother says to every problem in our lives.
"God did not create Adam and Steve!"
Regardless of religion, Koreans are generally very conservative, meaning intolerable towards the gay community. I have never had any exposure to gays until I moved to the United States. I believe most gay Koreans are closet gays just like Johnny's dad. Gay Koreans are afraid of being isolated and refuse to openly admit they are gay. Recently, the popular media are featuring more homosexuals and turning more gay friendly. Perhaps in a couple of years, Koreans will be more accepting of gays.
Display of homosexuality on a national TV
The fear of intolerance is universal. Vincent Ng expresses his fear of rejection and abandonment if he were to come out of the closet. Parents have certain expectations for their children, and for the children, these expectations become burdens. One of these expectations is for the son to marry a girl and carry on the lineage. Vincent is afraid to admit his sexuality and his ambition because he is "scared of [his father's] disowning [him], [Father's] utter disappointment shadowing [his] glorious day to be proud of" (887). Every child wants his father's approval, and this want causes silence.
However, problem with homosexuality is not much better in America. As Johnny says, "No one should fool themselves into thinking that the United States is a great deal more sympathetic to the GLBT" (879). My high school for one was not very gay friendly. As it was an all-male private school, students were a bit homophobic and often made fun of gay guys. One student who was very involved in musical was forced by his parents to quit musical and theater after coming out of the closet. His parents thought these programs were turning him gay. He was assigned psychologists and psychiatrists to "fix" him.
Artistic performances turn guys gay?
