Crazy American Beef

So I've been contemplating the beef issue again, something I haven't done in a while.  Being in Korea, however, I find it hard to escape.  President Lee Myung Bak's decision to re-open American beef imports -- hasn't been done since 2003 -- has caused an uproar among Koreans and they've been taking to the streets of Seoul by the thousands.  Everyday I have students who make comments about the "crazy American cows" and the "crazy beef" from America.  Usually I agree with them (I try VERY hard not to eat American beef unless it finds its way into my mom's AMAZING spaghetti), but today I found myself getting defensive. Really?

I only bring this up because I'm usually the first to preach to anyone who will listen that there's sh*t in their beef.  Add to that the insane amounts of antibiotics, hormones and the occasional bone fragment and you've got yerself a bona fide reason to go meat free!  I know, this makes for appetizing BBQ conversation, but it's something I've been passionate about for awhile.  So why the defensive attitude with my student today??

I don't know, but I think it has something to do with the fact that I find myself in a country where public trash cans are practically nonexistent, the uses of toilet paper and soap in public restrooms are luxuries and the street food vendors regularly take my money THEN prepare my food all while wearing their "sanitary" gloves.  And they want to complain about "unsafe"beef?  I know, as an American I'm used to things being super clean and sanitary, but I do find it a weird paradox that the Korean people can be so concerned about the sanitation of their beef when that concern is rarely extended to anything else.  

And I can't help but think there's more than a little propaganda involved here.

And now I can't think of a proper way to wrap up all my thoughts, so I'll go with the old "5 paragraph format conclusion," so:

In conclusion, I have conflicted feelings concerning American beef imports.  I'm annoyed with the Korean propaganda and their apparent aversion to sanitation, excluding beef.  However, I can't be bothered to put that sh*t in MY mouth, so a part of me understands their point of view.  Ta Da!!