Sunday, December 6, 2015

Pearl Harbor...74 Years Later






A lie which will live in infamy...

My quote, and after years of posting the racism and lies of Pearl Harbor, I'm going in another direction, and that direction is culture and tradition. You see, many of the Asian culture live with a culture of honor. They not only speak of honor but actually live it too. Japan is no exception and six generations later or the Roku sei  (六世) tries to maintain that belief by sticking to culture they were brought up. Even if the person is 1/4 Japanese, the family tend to buy Japanese garb like a kimono, study karate, do taiko

And other Japanese traditions  like are ikebana and odori. You can Google the Japanese word to see what I am writing about. Yet there is another part of the Japanese culture that isn't recognized too well in the U.S. even among liberals, because, one cannot grasp the concept of losing face. From a U.S. perspective, what the U.S. did to the Japanese and Japanese Americans was unconstitutional. What the Christians did was ungodly, but what Japan did, though according to rules of combat (there are rules in combat? Really?), Japan properly declared war and attacked, but there was shame. The leader of the attack, a captain named Mitsuo Fuchida was surprised when he saw ships in the harbor.

He then was ordered by his commanders to attack and attack he did. As the attack was complete, Fuchida and his men returned to Japan and awaited for the response from the U.S. The attack was not a declaration for war but to sue for peace. Well, the U.S. sought other solutions and went head-first with war against Japan and her territories. This is not what Japan wanted but WWII begun with Japan.

After the infamy speech by FDR against Japan, many Japanese and Japanese Americans (JJA) were in shock. Though many had no ties to Japan, because, Japan committed a heinous war crime, the JJA felt that they too were responsible. Especially when they heard Roosevelt's lie: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrpearlharbor.htm


Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives:
Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

Forget the fact that it was a lie, the fact that the leader of the free world, said it was a surprise attack and Japan was responsible for this, JJAs felt shame. JJA felt disgraced that their motherland, the land where their ancestors were from, attacked a U.S. territory. This brought shame and disgust as well as hatred for what Japan did, but because of what Japan did, JJAs were in a sense defeated. The family structure collapsed, many of the children of immigrants discarded their culture and being together as a family was no longer important.

Even the youth rebelled against the traditions that they were raised in, which was coursing in their blood for more than 10,000 years. They too felt shame and many either joined the army to fight against the Nazis, did intelligence work against the Japan's military or rebelled against the U.S. and ended up in Tule Lake Concentration Camps as No-No Boys. Many lost pride in themselves and civil rights was in conflict with the culture.

We were a defeated ethnic group and in some cases, we still are, as many on social media still believe that the concentration camps were justified, yet at the same time, scream AGENDA 21 and many of our people know nothing about the past. Though there are a group of activists who still demand Asian American Studies, and practice their culture, we are an ethnic group that is fading away. Japanese Americans will no longer be the homogeneous group anymore (which is not a problem) and according to Japan Times, the last of the pure-bred Japanese will end by the year 3011, but with the hatred for JJA because of Pearl Harbor as well as the Bataan Death March, the memories of Japan's war crimes still triggers shame that we, as JJA, have nothing to with.

As many of the white conservative Christian evangelical who say: We're not responsible for Timothy McVeighs of the world, JJAs think differently. Our culture is hive-minded and what others do, we feel responsible for the downfall or corruption. Many other Asian groups feel the same. Like who? Asian and Africans of the Muslim faith.

When the couple out of Long Beach killed their coworkers, CAIR and other Muslim groups spoke out against the crime as Republicans swooped from their perches and said that Islam is a violent religion. When Robert Dear killed three people and injuring several other people at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs Colorado, the Republicans were silent and the pundits called Dear a liberal transvestite. Ironically, neither shootings mentioned firearms...hmm.

Today, folks from Western and South Asia as well as Northern Africa are going through what my people went through, and what I went through as a junior and senior high student. They are going through all the hate and violence from racists and fearful xenophobes who feel that Islam is of the devil.

Anti-Muslim Incidents Since Sept. 11, 2001


It doesn't matter if the person is a Muslim, Jew, atheist, agnostic, humanist, Christian, Catholic, Coptic Christian Sikh, Hindi, Buddhism, Jainism or any of the world religion or nonreligious, the fact that their skins are not white is the issue.

As a third generation (sansei (三世)) Japanese American, I swore to my Muslim and non-Muslim people that I will do my damndest to make sure that they are protected and not go through what my people went through. I will stand by their side or as my denomination promotes, I will be Standing on the Side of Love so that the Asian and African Americans will not have to go through and have their lives destroyed by racism and xenophobia.

I will, as a Japanese American atheist will support them the best way I can and from I heart, I say to you:

As-salamu alaykum