Newsday.com: Golf rides on Tiger's tail
posted by Don Sheu @ 9:41 PM
0 comments
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Sunday, April 17, 2005
My Correspondence Re: Kevin Na
Mr. Piras is a reporter in Florida, I wrote him concerning his description of Kevin Na as the "South Korean Sensation." I pointed out that Kevin is listed for the American team standing for the Presidents Cup, and that it would be more accurate to describe Kevin as an American of Korean descent. Read below his response and his logic on determining citizenship, nationality, and belonging in this great multi-cultural US of A.
April 16 Article -- Wind Dries Out Course Inbox
Don Sheu to mpiras
More options 9:01 am (13 hours ago)
Dear Mr. Piras:
Enjoyed your article on the MCI Heritage, just had a brief comment.
You described Kevin Na as the "South Korean Sensation," when in fact
he is American of Korean descent. The Presidents Cup currently lists
him at 24th for the American team
(http://www.pgatour.com/stats/leaders/r/2005/140). And if Kevin's
career continues on his current trajectory, I imagine he'll be
representing the US in a future Ryder Cup as well.
I notice this is a common mistake, I've even read a reporter's article
complimenting Kevin on his English
(http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=golf&story_id=022605c1_corky&page_number=1).
This of course is one of the most dreaded backhanded compliments for
any Asian American, particularly for those who have been educated
solely in the US.
Best regards,
Don Sheu
ulysseas.blogspot.com
ReplyForward
Mark Piras - BG to me
More options 12:47 pm (9 hours ago)
Don,
I sincerely apologize for the mistake. The information I got was from the
PGA Tour, which lists his birthplace as Seoul, South Korea, and, if correct,
would make him a South Korean. According to his bio, he moved to America at
the age of 8, meaning that he was indeed educated in America but he still
technically is a South Korean.
Mark Piras
Don Sheu to Mark
More options 10:00 pm (3 minutes ago)
Mark,
Thank you for your kind reply. I enclose a link describing his
naturalization as a US citizen,
http://news.hawaii.com/article/2004/Jan/18/sp/sp02a.html.
I would disagree with you in regards to regarding birthplace as the
ultimate determination of citizenship and nationality. According to
dictionary.com, nationality is defined as follows:
na·tion·al·i·ty ( P ) Pronunciation Key (nsh-nl-t, nsh-nl-)
n. pl. na·tion·al·i·ties
The status of belonging to a particular nation by origin, birth, or
naturalization.
A people having common origins or traditions and often constituting a nation.
Existence as a politically autonomous entity; national independence.
National character.
Nationalism.
Kevin's naturalization as a US citizen makes it appropriate to call
him an American since he has renounced any former citizenship and is
entitled to the full rights and participation as a US citizen.
I was born in Seoul, Korea, but wouldn't ever consider myself a South
Korean. I was born with citizenship in Republic of China, an exile
of the communist takeover of China. I naturalized as a US citizen,
and consider myself American before any other identity.
Perhaps it would be a good question to Kevin what he considers
himself. I speak Korean fluently, and I know that linguistically in
Korean, Kevin would not be described as a "South Korean."
Best regards,
Don Sheu
April 16 Article -- Wind Dries Out Course Inbox
Don Sheu to mpiras
More options 9:01 am (13 hours ago)
Dear Mr. Piras:
Enjoyed your article on the MCI Heritage, just had a brief comment.
You described Kevin Na as the "South Korean Sensation," when in fact
he is American of Korean descent. The Presidents Cup currently lists
him at 24th for the American team
(http://www.pgatour.com/stats/leaders/r/2005/140). And if Kevin's
career continues on his current trajectory, I imagine he'll be
representing the US in a future Ryder Cup as well.
I notice this is a common mistake, I've even read a reporter's article
complimenting Kevin on his English
(http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=golf&story_id=022605c1_corky&page_number=1).
This of course is one of the most dreaded backhanded compliments for
any Asian American, particularly for those who have been educated
solely in the US.
Best regards,
Don Sheu
ulysseas.blogspot.com
ReplyForward
Mark Piras - BG to me
More options 12:47 pm (9 hours ago)
Don,
I sincerely apologize for the mistake. The information I got was from the
PGA Tour, which lists his birthplace as Seoul, South Korea, and, if correct,
would make him a South Korean. According to his bio, he moved to America at
the age of 8, meaning that he was indeed educated in America but he still
technically is a South Korean.
Mark Piras
Don Sheu to Mark
More options 10:00 pm (3 minutes ago)
Mark,
Thank you for your kind reply. I enclose a link describing his
naturalization as a US citizen,
http://news.hawaii.com/article/2004/Jan/18/sp/sp02a.html.
I would disagree with you in regards to regarding birthplace as the
ultimate determination of citizenship and nationality. According to
dictionary.com, nationality is defined as follows:
na·tion·al·i·ty ( P ) Pronunciation Key (nsh-nl-t, nsh-nl-)
n. pl. na·tion·al·i·ties
The status of belonging to a particular nation by origin, birth, or
naturalization.
A people having common origins or traditions and often constituting a nation.
Existence as a politically autonomous entity; national independence.
National character.
Nationalism.
Kevin's naturalization as a US citizen makes it appropriate to call
him an American since he has renounced any former citizenship and is
entitled to the full rights and participation as a US citizen.
I was born in Seoul, Korea, but wouldn't ever consider myself a South
Korean. I was born with citizenship in Republic of China, an exile
of the communist takeover of China. I naturalized as a US citizen,
and consider myself American before any other identity.
Perhaps it would be a good question to Kevin what he considers
himself. I speak Korean fluently, and I know that linguistically in
Korean, Kevin would not be described as a "South Korean."
Best regards,
Don Sheu
posted by Don Sheu @ 10:04 PM
1 comments
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
The New York Times
Deep in Suburbia - The New York Times Abstract
Deep in Suburbia
February 29, 2004
By CHARLES McGRATH
I once saw Chang-rae Lee being hugged in the grill room of
an exclusive country club by someone he barely knew. Lee,
who was a guest at the club, froze for a moment and then
tentatively but politely hugged back. The embrace was not
an expression of literary adulation. The hugger had no idea
that Lee's first novel, ''Native Speaker,'' won the
Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award in 1996, that his second
novel, ''A Gesture Life,'' was named one of the best books
of 1999 by several newspapers and magazines or that The New
Yorker had named him one of the 20 best American writers
under 40. The man, who played golf with Lee a week or so
before, was simply thanking him, as Lee's golf partners
often do, for helping him win a couple of nice side bets.
Lee now lives, with his wife and two young daughters, in
Princeton, N.J. -- just a stone's throw, not accidentally,
from a golf course. I got to know him in the late 90's,
when he was living in Bergen County, just a couple of towns
away from me, and our friendship has survived an
unfortunate Fourth of July incident when, in an excess of
fireworks enthusiasm, I nearly blew up his house. We play
golf together (he wins), share the occasional meal and
speak once in a while on the phone. We almost never talk
about books or writing (possibly because, full disclosure,
I am the editor of The Times Book Review), but I doubt that
he has many literary conversations with anybody else.
Lee is probably the most unwriterly writer I know. He's
cheerful and well adjusted, a homebody, a 10-handicap
golfer and a serious foodie. He seldom goes to book
parties, and he doesn't follow the literary gossip. In the
darker, more invidious corners of literary New York, it is
sometimes said of him, as it is of a few others thought to
be unnaturally nice, that his apparent happiness and lack
of problems must be a coverup for something really messed
up.
... rest can be found on the link above
Deep in Suburbia
February 29, 2004
By CHARLES McGRATH
I once saw Chang-rae Lee being hugged in the grill room of
an exclusive country club by someone he barely knew. Lee,
who was a guest at the club, froze for a moment and then
tentatively but politely hugged back. The embrace was not
an expression of literary adulation. The hugger had no idea
that Lee's first novel, ''Native Speaker,'' won the
Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award in 1996, that his second
novel, ''A Gesture Life,'' was named one of the best books
of 1999 by several newspapers and magazines or that The New
Yorker had named him one of the 20 best American writers
under 40. The man, who played golf with Lee a week or so
before, was simply thanking him, as Lee's golf partners
often do, for helping him win a couple of nice side bets.
Lee now lives, with his wife and two young daughters, in
Princeton, N.J. -- just a stone's throw, not accidentally,
from a golf course. I got to know him in the late 90's,
when he was living in Bergen County, just a couple of towns
away from me, and our friendship has survived an
unfortunate Fourth of July incident when, in an excess of
fireworks enthusiasm, I nearly blew up his house. We play
golf together (he wins), share the occasional meal and
speak once in a while on the phone. We almost never talk
about books or writing (possibly because, full disclosure,
I am the editor of The Times Book Review), but I doubt that
he has many literary conversations with anybody else.
Lee is probably the most unwriterly writer I know. He's
cheerful and well adjusted, a homebody, a 10-handicap
golfer and a serious foodie. He seldom goes to book
parties, and he doesn't follow the literary gossip. In the
darker, more invidious corners of literary New York, it is
sometimes said of him, as it is of a few others thought to
be unnaturally nice, that his apparent happiness and lack
of problems must be a coverup for something really messed
up.
... rest can be found on the link above
posted by Don Sheu @ 9:17 AM
0 comments
Monday, April 11, 2005
Golf business at The Masters: Healthy growth at year's first major - CBS SportsLine.com
Golf business at The Masters: Healthy growth at year's first major - CBS SportsLine.com
As I've been following, Tiger's relevance to a golf tournament's outcome really brings in bucks for the PGA Tour.
As I've been following, Tiger's relevance to a golf tournament's outcome really brings in bucks for the PGA Tour.
posted by Don Sheu @ 9:07 PM
0 comments
Woods' Masters Win Brings CBS High Ratings
Woods' Masters Win Brings CBS High Ratings
PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem should mail Tiger half of his paycheck.
PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem should mail Tiger half of his paycheck.
posted by Don Sheu @ 9:05 PM
0 comments
Black Enterprise: Where we once roamed: black caddies are all but extinct at major tournaments - Challenge
posted by Don Sheu @ 9:25 AM
0 comments
Bloomberg.com: Top Sports News
Bloomberg.com: Top Sports News
So the drought is over. Ho-hum, 29 years old and 9 major wins, sports press needs to eat some crow.
So the drought is over. Ho-hum, 29 years old and 9 major wins, sports press needs to eat some crow.
posted by Don Sheu @ 8:21 AM
0 comments
Thursday, April 07, 2005
PGATOUR.COM - 2005 PGA TOUR Presidents Cup Eligibility
Kevin Na: PGATOUR.COM - 2005 PGA TOUR Presidents Cup Eligibility
Well at least the PGA is counting Kevin Na as an American, even though every golf reporter gets it wrong.
Well at least the PGA is counting Kevin Na as an American, even though every golf reporter gets it wrong.
posted by Don Sheu @ 6:08 PM
0 comments
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
GolfDigest.com - The Homecoming
GolfDigest.com - The Homecoming
Now this is golfing, anybody want to join me for a trip to Korea for a round of golf. Forget about St. Andrews, take me to Seoul.
Now this is golfing, anybody want to join me for a trip to Korea for a round of golf. Forget about St. Andrews, take me to Seoul.
posted by Don Sheu @ 5:15 PM
0 comments
