(Photo Credits: TenAsia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
KPop stars Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, collectively known as the South Korean boy band BTS—which stands for Bangtan Boys—visited the White House in May 31, 2022.
BTS joined Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at the daily press briefing for the last day of the AANHPI Heritage Month. Their group was invited to speak about Asian diversity, representation, and inclusion as well as discrimination, violence, and hate crimes against Asians.
Their group leader RM (full name Kim Nam-joon), spoke first. He said, “It is a great honor to be invited to the White House today to discuss the important issues of anti-Asian hate crimes, Asian inclusion, and diversity.”
“We join the White House to stand with the AANHPI community and to celebrate,” said Jin (Kim Seok-jin).
Further, Jimin (Park Ji-min) said, “We were devastated by the recent surge of hate crimes, including Asian American hate crimes. To put a stop to this and support the cause, we’d like to take this opportunity to voice ourselves once again.”
J-Hope, on the other hand, said, “We are here today thanks to our army, our fans worldwide who have different nationalities and cultures and use different languages, we are truly and always grateful.”
Meanwhile, Jungkook (Jeon Jung-kook) said during the event, “We still feel surprised that music created by South Korean artists reaches so many people around the world, transcending languages and cultural barriers.” He added, “We believe music is always an amazing and wonderful unifier of all things.”
For Suga’s part, he said, “It’s not wrong to be different. I think equality begins when we open up and embrace all of our differences.”
Lastly, V said, “Everyone has their own history. We hope today one is one step forward to respecting and understanding each and everyone as a valuable person.”
Watch the entire proceedings below:
According to a report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, anti-Asian hate crimes increased 339 percent nationwide in 2021. Even the BTS members themselves—a group that’s currently a global sensation with over 90 million fans worldwide—had been on the receiving end of racism in the past and they even released a statement last year about it. It reads:
“We recall moments when we faced discrimination as Asians. We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we look. We were even asked why Asians speak English.”
BTS reportedly joined President Joe Biden himself for a meeting in the Oval Office afterward.
You can “legislate” Tolerance…
but,
You can’t “Legislate” Acceptance.
Why is the distinction never made?
Humans are who they are and not everyone agrees. Ultimately, does it ever matter why?
What matters is “Is.” “Is” is reality and reality doesn’t always lend itself to logicalness.
It is the “Nature” of the Beast.
huh??
Meet Kasper, the friendly lobotomized ghost of the Adam4Adam blog post comments section. Sometimes he tries to scare people, but mostly just ends up tripping over his own shadow, saying illiterate nonsense while simultaneously convinced of his own profundity. Just ignore him.
Yet, it got you to comment!
Just another “Splinter” from the surrounding woodwork. Be careful when you chide someone; you wind up chiding yourself, too!
Or one can prosecute and jail thugs for appropriate sentences. Or is that Rayciss?
Jorge:
Tolerance is “Forced.”
Acceptance is “Voluntary.”
Breaking a law is punishable but Racial or Ethnic disavowment cannot be logically enforced.
You can make life “Hell” for those who are intolerable but you can’t forced a society that will not accept those whom they find “Unacceptable.
What kind of Kumbaya world do you inhabit? Can’t say ‘live in’, as plankton lack sentient thought
I inhabit the same world as you.
And, whatever world that is, it got you to comment.
Thus, we share the same habit, don’t we?
spit or swallow, bottom boi?
It is good for people to realize the importance of tolerating each other’s diversity, but it would be a true gift to the advancement of humanity if people could accept each other’s diversity. One step at a time is the process towards the advancement of any kind.
Kill “white nationalism” itself, by way of law/s (carrying them out) the rest will fall into place or a least improve. Seems like mostly, humanity has only largely advanced in terms of technology; becoming even more efficient to carry out the darkest of inclinations.
Honestly, once people of color, period, along with white people who are not “white nationalist’s” get our shit together . . . we won’t be talking about this, but until then . . .
So, why not invite the actual victims to speak?