As we all departed towards the “Wednesday Demonstration” that occurs every week in front of the Japanese Embassy, I was not expecting such strong, loud voices to speak out. In my mind, it was going to be a silent protest. I could not comprehend how united and resilient these protesters would be. In California, it is very rare to see protests lasting for more than a year, let alone several years. Considering this, I was incredibly empowered while observing the Wednesday demonstration. However, listening to the speeches of different generations of Korean individuals made me empowered and heartbroken at the same time. I couldn't visualize how these people come out every Wednesday in the cold and sit for hours in order to garner support for these women. I had so much respect for the younger generations that were there protesting. Although they were not alive at the time of the war, their presence shows how deeply embedded this issue is in South Korea.
In addition, our class incidentally met with a friend of the professor’s. He previously worked at the House of Sharing, where many living comfort women reside. He played a large part in uncovering the corruption that happened in the house, where the donations made for the comfort women were distributed to other parties other than the comfort women themselves. By using the donations for wrongful means, the comfort women once again are being forgotten. Evidence shows how their individuality is systemically swept under the rug as they continue to be exploited for selfish reasons. Taking this into account, I was ultimately glad that we all were able to visit sites that are meant to recognize the struggle of the comfort women.
Comentários