Friday, July 13, 2007

Weapons of Class Destruction

One of the best parts of Korea is that it (amazingly!) has virtually no crime, at least compared to the U.S. Since possessing a gun is illegal, theft is rare, and muggings are as unreal as my friend's boobs, I can strut home at night through dark alleys in a short skirt and heels without looking over my shoulder. Even at Purdue, one of the safest universities in America, I would only walk on well-lit streets for fear the ATM Killer from two years ago would beat me from behind with a baseball bat.

However, despite their lack of actual crime, my elementary school students are obsessed with guns, murder, bombings, death, blood, and gore. They draw images of killing their teachers, blowing up the school, and shooting other classmates on their papers.

I spoke to another teacher about this horrifying phenomenon but he reminded me that shooting up a school is not even a reality in Korea and that's why the administration doesn't ban such talk and drawings at school.

Why is it that a country where boys (all of whom are forced to join the military and learn how to fire guns) are enthralled by violence is completely safe, whereas America, where even mentioning "gun" in school can get you suspended, has turned into a place where I fear walking home alone at night?

The title of this post comes from Veronica Mars Season 1, Episode 18.