It's all part of the smaller U.S. military presence in South Korea that will see its troop strength reduced from its current 37,000 to 25,000 by 2008.
According to Medea Benjamin (a personal hero of mine) who traveled to South Korea in support of the dispossessed villagers, expansion of Camp Humphreys is part of the changing "role of U.S. forces in Korea from a defensive posture against North Korea towards a more flexible, rapidly deployable force for the wider Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. military refers to this as 'strategic flexibility'." And while there will be fewer U.S. troops, their capabilities will be enhanced technologically, as well as their golfing skills. That's because a lot of the land seized from the farmers will be used for a golf course.
But this isn't a story about a bunch of "inconvenienced" citizens. If governments determine a better use for your property than what you're using it for, be it to provide you and your family a living or a living space, governments will prevail, either by use of eminent domain or some other force. It's just the traditional "have-lesses" yielding to the "haves" and "have-mores" who are building a better world for us all.
No, instead, I only mention this for the delightful phrase Koreans often employ on occasions such as these. It's brought to us as a result of Medea Benjamin's visit to this South Korean village about to be erased from the earth for a par-72 past time. In English it sounds like this:
“Georgie Bushie Chigura Donada”
which translated means,
“George Bush, leave this planet!”
That gave me my first smile of the pre-dawn day. It's kinda catchy.
“Georgie Bushie Chigura Donada!”
3 comments:
hey - that is a catchy phrase..and it kind-of rings (at least the way i pronounce it - grin)
love the golf pic..so true
(hah! az, we must be saying it the same way -- CHINGADA seems very appropriate, assuming donada means earth, which works since so many don, dan, dana, danae words mean "mother" as in "mother earth")
So, does our military think this is a good way to win local hearts & minds?
It's one thing to take land for railroads or other public works. At least then the farmer feels his land went for a worthwhile project, even it it no longer serves the noble purpose of feeding a family (yes, I saw Cindy was there with Medea).
But to take it so some assholes can spend an afternoon whacking a little white ball around overly fertilized & manicured greens?
Arghhh, of course you know this means war! ~~ D.K.
Ooooh, seizing one's living and land for a golf course means war? You mean like a "turf war"? (g)
But it is a rather catchy phrase, isn't it? I must practice it for my former friends of conservative persuasion when, upon chance, we meet publicly, awkwardly.
“Georgie Bushie Chigura Donada!”
“Georgie Bushie Chigura Donada!”
I will say expletively.
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