"No War, No Bushy!"

I wasn't joking last week when I wrote about the distaste many South Koreans have for the hardline US policy against the North in South Korea's Engagment Dilemma . 

 I went to Seoul on Thursday for the inevitable demonstrations against Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice's visit, and I literally walked right into the melee, if it can truly be called that.   The protestors -- demonstrating against hardline US policy toward the North and adoption of the Proliferation Security Initiative -- were highly organized and nothing like the mob you would expect in western countries.  Speeches were interspersed between songs as the protestors sat on the mats that had been prepared for them -- shoes removed -- and listened.  About 50 people of all ages had turned out for the event, which drew almost as many reporters and photographers as protestors.  When the appointed time came, they all stood up, put their shoes back on, and moved toward the riot police who had been brought in for security.  But they didn't actually riot; they just stood there kind of pushed up against the police chanting "No war, No Bushy!"  (The Korean pronunciation of President Bush's name.)  As the last song was finishing, they started wrapping things up by taking down signs and and picking up mats.  Then the people all calmly walked away. 

It was surreal, but still intimidating enough that when one of the older protestors approached me and asked me where I was from I stalled.  "What? What?"  I kept asking, trying to muster my best British or Aussie accent.  My eyes darted back and forth between the guy's collapsible walking stick and the shouting protestors pumping their fists in the air.  I couldn't believe what I was about to do -- a thing I'd never stooped to before and never will again:  I claimed Canada.