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Why do people disrespect Dosan?

"Disrespect is the weapon of the weak!" Alice Miller

Revision of history and facts are becoming more serious problems everyday. Even Dosan's record of significant events has been altered by disingenuous people posing as educators. Changing the actual occurrences and outcomes of peoples' lives damages the historical record of the Independence Movement and the Pioneer Generation of Koreans in America, Hawaii and Mexico. Recently the detrimental impact of revisionism has increased as the deterioration of peoples' character has increased. The instantaneous electronic distribution of misinformation spreads false facts at an uncontrollable rate. Educational Institutions, scholars, media and journalists cannot be trusted sources of facts because they are more egotistical and more unethical than ever before.

South Korean Americans are Too Corrupt

The South Korean American community does not follow Dosan's principles. These people don't know Korean history, Independence Movement history or Dosan's history. But, they use his name to do illegal activities. This is an ongoing serious problem. Politicians, community leaders, religious leaders, universities, musical groups and many non-Korean people use Dosan for personal gain with no regard for his legacy, the truth or civic responsibility.

The South Korean Government and the South Korean American Press and Media turn a blind eye to support the corruption and abuse of Dosan. There are too many Chinilpa hiding behind Dosan's image and name. The Korea Daily is the worst offender.

Selling Dosan

5-6. 도산을 파는 사람들 [동전생; 오기영]

(『단보』 1949. 4)

도산을 파는 사람들

 

 우리는 지금 마음대로 펼쳐놓고 도산선생을 추

앙 할 수 있는 자유를 얻은 것만으로도 해방을 감

격하게 된다.  저 일제하의 지독한 감시 속에서 선

생의 유영 한 장이나마 가슴을 조이며 조심스럽게

감추지 않으면 안되고생기조차 사람의 눈을 끄

려야 하던지나간 일을 회상할수록 더욱 그러하다.

   이제야 우리는 마음대로 선생을 추앙할 수 있다

그 위대한 모습을 동포에게 널리 알리며 그 고

매한 정신을 받드러 구국의 정로임을 거리낌없

이 강조할 수 있는 것이다. 따라서 선생은 어느 멫

멫 사람에게만 추앙된 선생이 아니라 이 민족전체

의 대대손손이 누구나 선생을 추앙 할 수 있어야

할 것이다. 그런지라 선생을 추앙하는 것은 어디

까지나 마땅한 일이기는 하다.

   그러나 이 추앙은 또한 어디까지나 양심적이

어야한다. 그리고 선생의 정신을 실천에 옮기는

무실역행 위에서만 진실된 추앙일 것이다.

 그런데 「나는 도산선생을 잘 아노라」고 이것을

자랑으로 삼는 사람들이 있다. 무엇을 알며 그 아는

것을 어떻게 실천하는가 무르면 당장에 말이

막히고 얼굴이 붉어질 사람들이 얼마던지 있음을 본다.

   하물며 과거에는 안 아무개를 아노라는 눈치만

보혀도 큰일이라고 생각하던 사람들이 이제 와서

는 제가 그 중 도산선생을 존경하였고 그를 수호

하였노라고 뽐내며 심지어 그 자신 민족 앞에 저

지른 죄과를 덮어버리려는 수단으로까지 이런 위

선을 들고나오는 사람이 있는듯하니 한심타 하지 않을 수 없다.

   물론 도산선생은 누구에게나 존경 받을 수 있는 위인이었다.

그러나 오늘날 자기 일신의 행세 꺼 리로혹은 자기죄과를

숨키는 수단으로 도산을 파는 사람은 선생의 일귀한

신조이었던 「거즛을 없이 하라」는 그것을 꺽구로 거즛을

지니고 그 거 즛에 의하여 이익을 얻으려는 것이기 때문에 우

리는 도산선생이 거즛을 가차없이 미워하셨듯이

그런 사람을 미워하지 아니치 못한다.

   기도의 70년이 실행의 한 시간만 못하듯이 천

언만어로 도산선생을 존경하는 것보다도 그 정신의

일단이라도 무실역행하는 그것이 진실된 추앙이

요 값있는 존경일 것이다. (동전생)

UC Riverside, The City of Riverside and Mike Myung Ki Hong sold Dosan out the day Riveriside and the City of Gangnam, South Korea became Sister Cities. Pachappa Camp First Koreatown is a hoax.


Core values of Dosan’s philosophy:

Mu (Pursue), Shil (the Truth), Yeok (and Vigorously), Hang (Act on it).

Selling Dosan’s Name by Oh Ki-young (Penname - Tong Jeon)

This article was written by Oh Ki-young in the April 1949 issue of “Danbo,” Hungsadahn magazine.

                                                            Translated by John Cha, December, 2011 

 

 Thanks to our liberation from Japanese rule, we can now freely show our respect for Dosan without being fearful of reprisals from the Japanese police. I am particularly thankful because I recall how all of us had to be very careful not to be caught with even one piece of memorabilia of Dosan. We were under constant surveillance by the Japanese police.


   Now we can revere him as we wish. We can tell the people about his greatness and spread his spirit as a true way to save our nation from turmoil. Dosan’s teaching was not meant to be for a chosen few, but for all the people for generations to come. He is there for everyone to revere.


   But praise for Dosan must be done with good conscience. In other words, genuine reverence must be rooted in embracing his principles and putting them into practice. That would be the true way of paying respect to Dosan.


   However, there are some people who revel in saying, “I knew Dosan very well.” When I ask them what they know about Dosan and how they are putting his

principles into action, they immediately run out of words to say.   

 

    Furthermore, there are those who used to avoid Dosan at all cost, but they now clamor about how they respected and helped him. Sadly, there are even deceivers who use Dosan’s name to mask their past sins.


   Of course, Dosan’s greatness is to be admired by all. But when I encounter those who sell Dosan’s name for their own gain—to raise their own stature or hide their past sins—I see that Dosan’s champion cause, “Never tell lies,” is being distorted by these people. They seek to profit by practicing deception, the opposite of Dosan’s teaching. I must say I hate them just as much as Dosan hated lies.


   Saying prayers for seventy years is not as meaningful as one hour of action and likewise, practicing just a fragment of Mu Shil Yeok Hang  is a more genuine way to show respect and revere Dosan than expending ten thousand words of praise for him.