Hines Ward Changing the World (wow)

Pretty amazing article on the impact of Hines Ward in South Korea where being biracial is normally curse. He is being hailed as a hero. (hat tip)

The article first ran in the LA Times, and it is being syndicated across the country. Some tidbits:

"Ever since Hines Ward was named the most valuable player of the Super Bowl last week, the half-Korean Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver and former Georgia Bulldog star has been the toast of [South Korea]. People are talking about throwing parades in his honor. His name dominates the television and radio talk shows; his photo is splayed across the front pages of the newspapers.

Biracial men have been banned from the South Korean military, although the Defense Ministry announced Friday, in a move that some attributed to the Hines Ward phenomenon, that the policy is being changed.

In fact, South Koreans might get their chance to celebrate Ward's success. The MVP has said he will visit in April, perhaps with his mother. Already, the country's two leading airlines are competing to fly them over and foot the bill for the trip.

Many South Korean newspapers in recent days have run editorials calling for an end to discrimination. Among them, the JoongAng Ilbo opined that "pure hearts" are more important than "pure blood."

The paper called on South Koreans to "open our minds ... to raise the second and third Hines Wards in Korea."

The entire article is a must read. Interesting to see his impact in a country where his mother was spat on as recently as 1998 for the mere fact that she had a mixed race son.

Photo from AJC.com

Note to newbies: Hat Tip (or HT) is the acknowledgement for where a blogger finds a link. I don't do this nearly enough.

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