Sunday May 27, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

A decade, and counting, of publicly mourning 9/11

By Tamara Lush

Lifestyle Jul. 18, 2011 - 06:35AM JST ( 19 )

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19 Comments

-2

darnnameJul. 17, 2011 - 09:50AM JST

And yet, not a single spark of curiosity entered the head of the writer or any of the heads of the people interviewed to wonder why it happened.
-1

Thomas Justin KazeJul. 17, 2011 - 03:12PM JST

It is good to know that the 9/11 incident stays in the minds of the Japanese people. There is a book encompassing Japan, Yukio Mishima, a foreigner in Japan and the 9/11 attacks - **"The Year of the Green Snake: The Year of Serendipity" **by Thomas Justin Kaze (Dorrance Publishers). Another one of the ''foreigner in Japan' genre.
0

cleoJul. 17, 2011 - 03:39PM JST

It was designed to help children of our community understand what happened

Difficult to expect the children to understand when the grown-ups don't.
-1

Thomas Justin KazeJul. 17, 2011 - 03:44PM JST

"The Year of the Green Snake: The Year of Serendipity" written by Thomas Justin Kaze. Yoroshiku.
0

johninnahaJul. 17, 2011 - 03:55PM JST

Yes, Darnname. My thoughts exactly.

No thoughts as to why ...

Or how ...

Very curious.
0

chewitupJul. 17, 2011 - 09:20PM JST

She’s never been to New York City and doesn’t know a soul who died on Sept 11, 2001—but talk of the terror attacks a decade ago immediately moves her to tears.

Probably never even heard of Rwanda. They weren't Americans.

As an American, I feel about the same about 9/11 as I do any other massacre of civilians. Just because I was born in the same country as most of the dead really does not mean jack to me, and why should it? Us meaning more then them is an idea will leave to terrorists and people like this woman.
0

uznekoJul. 17, 2011 - 10:51PM JST

I still get emotional sometimes when I think about it, but that's because I am from DC and knew a lot of people who were in the Pentagon at that time, and had to watch as my teacher got the news in front of us that her brother was dead.... not sure why these people are still mourning daily when they were not even remotely involved. I personally found it best to try and move on with my life and focus on trying to make the world a little happier. But I guess that's cool?
-2

ihavegreatlegsJul. 18, 2011 - 04:28AM JST

There seems to be something strange about that town and its people.
0

JonathanJoJul. 18, 2011 - 05:33AM JST

A decade is not long at all. Major traumatic events like those of WW1 and 2 are still 'remembered' with due reverence, as there are many alive who lived through those times. Only after a century will 9/11 be consigned to history, as we now consider events of the 19th century to be. I doubt anyone now chokes up about the American Civil War, Crimean War, Waterloo and so on.
1

DeploreJul. 18, 2011 - 06:20AM JST

Probably never even heard of Rwanda. They weren't Americans.

As an American, I feel about the same about 9/11 as I do any other massacre of civilians. Just because I was born in the same country as most of the dead really does not mean jack to me, and why should it? Us meaning more then them is an idea will leave to terrorists and people like this woman.

Caring more when your fellow citizens die != us thinking we're worth more than others

Sorry, but by that logic when a relative dies we shouldn't grieve for them because that means we think they were worth more than others.

It's the same situation when you deal with countrymen vs foreigners. Of course we're going to care more when our fellow citizens die - we have a cultural bond with them that we don't have with others. It doesn't mean we think we're superior to other peoples - after all, we'd expect them to do the same thing.

P.S. We live in the age of nation states. Deal with it.
-3

cleoJul. 18, 2011 - 06:43AM JST

by that logic when a relative dies we shouldn't grieve for them because that means we think they were worth more than others.

Relatives (and friends) are people you have a direct emotional bond with, not just people who happen to have been born in the same country. To the individual, they are worth more than total strangers.

Of course we're going to care more when our fellow citizens die - we have a cultural bond with them that we don't have with others.

We have a genetic bond with the whole human race.
1

MapleGJul. 18, 2011 - 07:36AM JST

Strange to mourn like that in my opinion. Somewhat like the frenzy after Princess Diana died in the UK, but even that "grief" has waned through the years. It's almost like some people want to grieve for others rather than think about the vapidity of their own lives.

Better to honour the living in any case.
1

IBHMCJul. 18, 2011 - 07:48AM JST

While it is very positive thinking to suggest that people should grieve equally for other people's losses around the world, that simply isn't how people think. Every connection a person has with a group of people, be it through nationalism, ethnicity, profession, etc. will cause said person to feel more compassionate when said group is afflicted with a loss.

The tragedy of the Rwandan people should serve as a reminder to those around the world of horrible, widespread atrocities happening elsewhere. However, that should not detract from the memory of thousands of innocent men and women who lost their lives to isolated fanaticism. The September 11th attacks should serve as a reminder that no country, regardless of level of development, can stand to ignore threats and not see the impact of that lack of vigilance.

The aftermath of the attacks also proves something very important; that a democratic nation's level of protection against similar attacks will be proportional to the amount of freedoms that are given up. Freedom isn't free, and for a nation such as the US to enjoy the freedoms it maintains takes sacrifice in one form or another. As the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks comes, I too feel saddened for those who lost their lives, but at the same time feel a renewed sense of joy from that fact that I live in a nation with many freedoms which I play a part in maintaining.
0

cleoJul. 18, 2011 - 09:38AM JST

that should not detract from the memory of thousands of innocent men and women who lost their lives to isolated fanaticism

Wherever they came from and wherever they were when they died.
0

Skeptical HippoJul. 18, 2011 - 09:42AM JST

Thomas Justin Kaze>

"The Year of the Green Snake: The Year of Serendipity" written by Thomas Justin Kaze. Yoroshiku.

What is it about?
0

Skeptical HippoJul. 18, 2011 - 09:53AM JST

I still remember the terrorist attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995. Terrible thing what happened....

many Americans are still actively mourning 9/11.

Of course! Let them mourn is what I say. It's a terrible thing what happened. Many lives were lost.

Like the people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For 66 years they have been mourning. It's okay.......
0

BreitbartVictoriousJul. 18, 2011 - 10:51AM JST

darnname'

And yet, not a single spark of curiosity entered the head of the writer or any of the heads of the people interviewed to wonder why it happened.

Oh yeah. 9-11, man. It just sort of happened.

Whatta laugh. It is darnname who is the incurious one.
-1

johninnahaJul. 18, 2011 - 08:03PM JST

Oh yeah. 9-11, man. It just sort of happened.

Right, BBV.

Like the way three buildings all "happened" to collapse in their own footprint.

Curiouser and curiouser.
0

BreitbartVictoriousJul. 19, 2011 - 11:12AM JST

Like the way three buildings all "happened" to collapse in their own footprint.

Solace in conspiracy is so 2003.