Showing posts with label university. Show all posts
Showing posts with label university. Show all posts

Friday, January 13, 2012

American Exceptionalism: How Murdering Children by Drone is Actually Saving Lives - When the US Government Does It!


If America ever passes out as a great nation, we ought to put on our tombstone:  America died from a delusion she had Moral Leadership. 
~ Will Rogers

I think America needs to order that tombstone to be made.



I think because I am an American, I meet and talk to a lot of Americans (of course). You know, birds of a feather and all that. I'm no Einstein, but all I can say is that there sure seem to be a lot of boneheaded Americans running around with some very twisted and weird ideas. I think that can be expected from the average Joe Blow, but you'd think that university grads might offer a bit more logical and clever insight... I am often really (unpleasantly) surprised at how dimwitted, sheltered, egoistic and naive my countrymen are. 


Of course, not all American university graduates are knuckleheads. But there are far too many of them that are. Maybe it's the schooling? As one of my favorite author's, Fred Reed wrote recently about US university education:


“Look, the US is in intellectual collapse. The average American university wouldn't qualify as a high-school in Japan. It's crazy. The whole world know it's crazy. But take out the Kims, Khans, Nguyens, Wangs, and Cohens, and what's left is Albania in 1750.”


Of course, the average American will have none of this when it comes to pointing out how low the mighty have fallen. Why? Well many of them will tell you; "Well, in spite of our problems, you've got to admit it: America is still the greatest country in the world."


Another writer, Mark Davis, adds:



"Self-glorification is a powerful narcotic. Every country has a state that promotes itself shamelessly, but since WW II Americans have been on a binge thanks to non-stop propaganda about how great that made "us". Many believe that 'It's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way.' But the cognitive dissonance that is rising undermines this paradigm. It's hard to simultaneously believe that this is 'The best country in the world' and 'Everything is going in the crapper!' at the same time."

Now, hold that thought for a second... The one about cognitive dissonance. Americans are really bad when it comes to this. I think it's the schooling, or maybe it's the fluoride in the water. Or maybe it's too many fried and fatty foods (deep fried bacon covered hamburgers anyone?) I don't know. But there are A LOT of Americans who seem to have a problem in this area.


....


It's not often that I read something that really infuriates me. But usually, recently, if I do read it, it's something really cretinous written in the American media or said by some American who has a problem with cognitive dissonance. Incredibly, you see these people on American TV all the time so the general public hasn't a problem with parroting nonsense. Lately, I've been trying to ignore this trend, but last night I read something that was just simply unbelievable: It was, of course, an American guy regurgitating dim-witted detritus that he read in a newspaper. 


Japanese troops celebrating the fall of Singapore


I come from the most self-centered, conceited, ethno-centric nation in the world. And, no, I'm not talking about Japan. Japan may be Xenophobic, but no nation in the world can hold a candle to modern day American chauvinism, delusion and self-righteousness. Like I said, the Japanese may be Xenophobic but they are not bombing and killing brown skinned children on the other side of the world 24/7 like the USA is now doing in six Muslim countries... (As my friend Kevin Riley says, "Japan used to do that, but we grew out of it.")


Now, onto what made me so mad about how ignorant some Americans can be! (If, someday, they find out that the cause of this malady is 85% all of Americans suffer from dyslexia, then forgive me.) One of my friends (who lives in Japan) posted this picture on Facebook yesterday:



Underneath it, my friend wrote (now remember we're talking about someone who lives in the only country that has had atomic bombs dropped on it) :

To raise awareness of the horrific effects of war, I plan to place this photo of a dead child as my profile photo for the rest of January. He, and other innocents around him, were murdered in Pakistan by one of many US drone attacks internationally. According to one statistic, in Iraq alone, over 110,000 civilians were murdered by the US. Add to that deaths of innocent civilians in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and then add to that deaths authorized tacitly by the US through its sale of weapons, the toll of murders is mind boggling. And let's not get into the history of US aggression: Grenada and Vietnam are examples that come to mind.
Do you feel that the murder (and subsequent cover up by the US govt) of civilians is wrong and must stop now? If so, I encourage you to help raise awareness of these atrocities by making your profile picture that of this innocent child, for this month. Raising awareness can help save lives. You can help save a life.

Okay. So far, so good. Who wouldn't be against killing 2 year old kids? I mean, what's to complain about? That's what my friend posted. Pretty simple to understand. There were many comments and "likes." 


Except one. One commentator was an American male who completely misses the point. I couldn't believe how illogical his comments were. It would be okay if he were just your typical stupid Beavis & Butthead type, but I checked this guy's profile and he is a university educated man and the managing director of a company! 


Beavis and Butthead are not a problem. The problem is that 
there are 22 million American males with the same intelligence level.

I will write this guy's two comments below and let you read how absurd they are and mirrors of US government propaganda (there are still Americans who believe that stuff!?). It is astounding that a supposedly university educated American male can be so, well, so uninformed (I'm being polite, as you know). Before I pick his comments apart, here they are for you as written: 

"A depressing photo indeed, but hardly fair to label this as murder. The drone attacks have saved more lives than alternative courses of action. Muslims are not always labeled terrorist - this is the same type of misleading remark that people who are on the other side of the coin would make from their perspective. I find it more distressing that we don't make a bigger deal about the bombing that takes place in markets where innocent people are shopping and living their daily lives. There is more violence taking place between varying Muslim factions than are being killed in a military campaign. I was not in favor of going into Iraq from Day 1. But the regime in Afghanistan did protect the culprits from 9/11. Pakistan for a variety of reasons is trying to placate all sides and find it's own strategic advantages in Afghanistan. I find the photo sad but misleading as this is not a simple problem. The civilian casualties would be less if there were a more honorable government that truly cared about people more than power and money running Afghanistan..." 

He adds in his immediate follow up post:

"I looked this up a few minutes ago. "The reports make it clear that most civilians, by far, were killed by other Iraqis. Two of the worst days of the war came on Aug. 31, 2005, when a stampede on a bridge in Baghdad killed more than 950 people after several earlier attacks panicked a huge crowd, and on Aug. 14, 2007, when truck bombs killed more than 500 people in a rural area near the border with Syria." Excerpt from NYT...  the deaths are deplorable, but most of them do NOT come from U.S. military activities. If anything violence is likely to escalate after we leave."

This guy's comments are incredible. George Orwell, pick up the phone. America is calling you!..


His first line, "A depressing photo indeed, but hardly fair to label this as murder"? Hardly fair to label this murder!? Hardly fair to label this murder!? An innocent child is killed by a missile fired by a robot drone and this isn't 'murder'!? What is it then? Oh? I see. It's an accident? If someone (like you or me) intentionally fires some projectile into someone's house and it kills a child, it's most definitely called "murder." But if the US government does it, it's not? OK. In that case, it's called "bringing democracy to them" or "collateral damage"? 

I think it's hardly fair to call this "flattening a house" or "killing family"

I'm sure this is the typical American who would say that, "World War II? Oh, dropping atomic bombs on civilian cities like Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not murder... Because, of course, killing innocent people actually saved lives. Don't you know that?" 

All Americans seem to know this. Repeat after me: Killing actually saves lives. We need war to have peace. Slavery is freedom. Ignorance is strength.  

Yeah, sure. But this lady and her kid shouldn't have 
bombed Pearl Harbor in the first place.

The guy then goes on to write some more cockeyed litany, let's skip those (there's so much) and go to another one that really makes me want to slap my forehead with it's inanity and that is this one:

"I was not in favor of going into Iraq from Day 1. But the regime in Afghanistan did protect the culprits from 9/11."

Am I the only one who sees this glaring logical inconsistency? Let me get this straight: He was, "...not in favor of going into Iraq from Day 1"? Okay. I'm with him so far. Got it.... "But the regime in Afghanistan did protect the culprits from 9/11."??? 

Wait a minute (there goes that cognitive dissonance again!) clear-thinking people might ask "What's the connection between Iraq here and Afghanistan besides the letter 'a' in both names?" 


First off, that bit about the Afghan government protecting culprits of 9/11 is not true at all and US government propaganda. The government of Afghanistan said they would turn over Osama bin Laden to a third country if the USA would provide proof of his guilt, which the USA said they would do within 48 hours of the World Trade Center Attacks, but never did. And secondly, what does the regime in Afghanistan have to do with Iraq?

Oh, yeah. I forgot. We'll just conveniently forget that even president Bush admitted that 15 of the 19 supposed hijackers on 9/11 weren't Iraqi or Afghani, but from Saudi Arabia - a US ally. But, hey, what's the difference, right? Saudi, Iraqi, Afghani, all towel-heads and camel jockeys look the same, right? 

Japanese? Chinese? Korean? Asians?... Whatever! They all look the same, right? 

Damn! I'm pulling my hair out with this! This should be a total embarrassment to all Americans and the entire educational system of that country! How can American people be so benighted? It embarrasses even me!



This guy is so brainwashed; so wrong on every level and so full of propaganda that I don't know whether I want to strangle him or just slap him silly. It drives me crazy that people who think this way actually exist on this planet. I could feel the fire coming out of my ears. I posted back:


"The drone attacks have saved more lives than alternative courses of action"? That's total and complete nonsense. Why are US forces bombing people in countries that haven't threatened or attacked us? Get out of this imperialist "USA is world's police force" BS. What right does the USA have to be bombing these people? Or, do I infer, that you consider US lives more important than the lives of brown skinned kids in the middle east? The best course of action would be to kill no one and that is to LEAVE THOSE PEOPLE ALONE! Japan, Sweden, etc., etc. do not have terrorist attacks against them. Can't figure out why? Because we are not killing these people in their own backyards. Americans need to wake up and get out of this stupid mindset."
My friend who made the original post wrote to me and said that "...we probably can't convince (that person), so we need to plant the seed." 


My friend is a very diplomatic and nice person. I am not.


To all Americans who believe that we have a right and we are special in god's eyes; to all Americans who think that the United States has a duty to be the world's policeman, and to all other peoples who are apologists for American state-sponsored murder, I say:


"Realize this, about Americans from this American who escaped the madness; (about) my brothers and sisters back home; after 150 years of history of US imperialism, exceptionalism and indoctrination - as well as 40 ~ 50 years of conditioning in US government public schooling are not quick to change their beliefs and thinking because of a few exchanges with you or me on Facebook or other social media.

It does anger me greatly when Americans think we are "saving lives" by killing people. I know people don't read anymore but the the classic book, "1984" has a lot to say in it about that sort of Orwellian nonsense. That this gentleman fails to realize that when it comes out of his mouth is astounding... In today's America, "war is peace," etc… Americans should know all about this… Need an example? In Vietnam, an American major was famously quoted as saying, ""It became necessary to destroy the village in order to save it." 


US troops burning down Vietnamese villagers' homes in order to save them

Americans are in serious denial. The end of the US empire is coming soon (not soon enough) and people like this American guy will be suffering greatly because, like an alcoholic, they fail to acknowledge the sickness. Tough love is all they deserve, if that.

Why Americans can actually think we have the right to be bombing people in foreign countries or have our navy buzzing the coast of nations on the other side of the world shows the madness of the typical American… I wonder how much Americans would like it if the Chinese were buzzing the Gulf of Mexico or, if Russian drones were killing American children and then Russians claimed that "the drones actually saved lives because of we didn't use them, our soldiers would die"?

Americans who claim this sort of thing are idiots, or at best, liars and it should be pointed out for what it is (for their own good, at least). I do not take kindly to this sort of justification of killing children and think that when people do try to justify it, they should be put on the spot for it.

Killing children, no matter what the reason, is not necessary, cannot be justified and is simply murder.


To think that some Americans actually believe that "killing people by using drones actually saves lives" shows the depths of deprivation and lack of humanity that far too many in today's America show. There is no hope for those people and that country.


There are many Americans who have been waking up and realizing the truth in recent years. But, they haven't a good future in that nation and the awake ones know it.


It is too late.... America is over..." 


......


Later I calm down and unruffle my feathers... Now, dear reader, you know something that really infuriates me: US state sponsored murder of innocent children overseas 24/7 and American citizen's rationalization of it. 


But it's hardly fair to label it as murder, isn't it? And, you've got to admit it; America is still the greatest country in the world.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Santa Claus Visits Tokyo Hospital for Children With Incurable Diseases

Every year at about this time, Santa Claus visits the mothers and their children who have been diagnosed with incurable diseases. In Japanese, "incurable disease" is 難病 (Nanbyou). 


The good folks at the NPO Nanbyonet (Nanbyonet.or.jp  http://www.nanbyonet.or.jp/) help Santa and his helpers to visit these wonderful children and to try to brighten their day and spend some time with them and bring them happiness and Christmas cheer.



Santa tells me that he thinks that Nanbyonet.or.jp is one of, if not thee, most reputable charities in Japan. Nanbyonet.ot.jp helps to raise funds to give these children some happiness and enjoyment in their short time on this earth and to bring people closer together.

Besides Christmas events, Nanbyonet.or.jp also arranges camping for the kids, poolside and swimming events, arts and crafts, musical events and others to create enjoyment for these wonderful little people. Nanbyonet.or.jp also arranges training and support for the parents of these special needs children. 


For more information on how you can help Nanbyonet.or.jp check their website (Nanbyonet.or.jp) or inquire here: http://www.nanbyonet.or.jp/inquiry/index.html


Today, Dec. 6, 2011 Santa Claus and his helpers got an early start and had the pleasure of going to Juntendo University Hospital in Tokyo, near Ochanomizu Station to visit several dozen children and their mothers in the hospital.


Santa brought presents to all and took pictures for the moms and the kids to keep forever.



Of course, Santa can't show you all the pictures with his friends and their mothers, but here are a few that you might enjoy...


Oops! This little girl was out at the moment so Santa left a present behind on the bed. Luckily for Santa, when he came back a little later on, the girl was waiting for him! 


In the three wards Santa visited were about 60+ kids with varying degrees of illness. In spite of that, you probably couldn't find a more positive and happy bunch of kids and their moms anywhere else in the world! Ho! Ho! Ho!


This little girl thought Santa was scary! Maybe the yelling, "Merry Christmas" loudly in the usually quiet hospital hallways was a bit much. Next year, Santa may have to tone it down a bit in front of the very little tykes! But no! Santa is sure these kids are all going to get better and I will see them next year too.... ... Happy and healthy at their homes!

All the children Santa met were wonderful and loving, special children. One little girl, her name was Miki, sang a song for Santa and, even though she couldn't see Santa very well, she asked Santa to sit next to her so she could feel Santa's beard. She even gave Santa a big Christmas hug... Not only that, she handmade the best Christmas present any Santa could ever receive. She made Santa a candy cane out of red & white pipe cleaners with a bow on it! What a beautiful present from that lovely little girl's heart. How thoughtful! Santa took it home and showed it to Mrs. Santa and promptly hung it on the Santa family Christmas tree.

Candy cane present from lovely Miki san! 
Santa will never forget, Miki san. That's a promise!

Now, every year, Santa is going to think about Miki and all the wonderful children who shared their time with him this year. Santa loves you and is praying for you all and may a miracle happen to you and may god bless you all! 

Santa and his friends and helpers from Juntendo University Hospital and Nanbyonet.or.jp


CHRISTMAS NOTE: Every day of every year, some child is struck down with a terrible disease. While medical science desperately searches for cures, there is something you and I can do to make these children's (and their parents) lives just a little bit better. We can volunteer our time or donate to a worthy cause.

Won't you consider all the good things you have and just how fortunate we really are and give some of your time or donations to a just cause?

You'll feel better about yourself. I know I do. I wish I could do more. Won't you help this Christmas season?

(Nanbyonet.or.jp) or inquire here: http://www.nanbyonet.or.jp/inquiry/index.html 
(Sorry Japanese only! Trying to convince them to make English info ASAP)




Thanks to Nanbyonet, Fukushima san, Ogisu san, Okado san, Pfizer KK Hirata san and all the great folks at Juntendo University Hospital!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

John Belushi, Japan and Me - or How the Movie Animal House Changed My Life

John Belushi and I have a long running, very old relationship. Seriously, we do. I first "met" John Belushi in 1975 on the set of Saturday Night Live. He wasn't famous then but John Belushi would go on to influence my life greatly since that time. Of course, when I say, "met," I don't mean in person. We only met on the TV screen..


Let me explain the intricate details of how John Belushi influenced my life and how his life and mine have intertwined repeatedly over all these years... Mostly through excessive drinking, humor and an unshaven, slovenly lifestyle... John Belushi made me see that, if you want to do something great, you just can't follow the rules. You have to break those rules... And you have to be decisive in doing so... No matter what the bosses or "authorities" say, you have to be wild and outrageous if you want to do something really special and unique.


If you want to be special and do something really different, then you can't do what everyone else is doing. You have to go for the "gusto!" Watching John Belushi taught me to do that... Sometimes, it got me in big trouble with bosses, but the results have always been good. Like Francis Ford Coppola once said, "The things you get fired for at 20-years-old, are the things you are celebrated for at 50-years-old." I want to be celebrated. Who doesn't? Life is short.


Because of my former job producing and co-hosting the highest rated and most popular FM radio morning drive time show in Tokyo, Good Morning Garage (GMG) from 2006 ~ 2009, I still, to this day, sometimes meet people who know who I am and ask for my autograph. No! Really! I do! I'm not making this up. Honest! Please believe me! Really! Would I lie to you?


Had I never "met" John Belushi, nor been so influenced by him, this situation would have never happened.


ANIMAL HOUSE (1978)
Animal House came out in 1978. I graduated from HS in 1975 then went to city college and worked for two years before seeing this movie. Because of this film, I decided that I just HAD to go to university. I did join a frat too... But they kicked me out after a few weeks... Losers!


It is proof that that morning FM radio show was hugely popular because people don't usually know what radio DJ's look like, but that show was so popular that we were sometimes on TV and in magazines too! So some people knew our faces and what we looked like.


But let me continue the story...


One time, about a year or two ago, I was riding the train home and, across from me sat a young, pretty housewife. She looked at me and smiled several times. She even said "Hi!" I figured she was a fan of the former show and so I said, "Hi!" back. She kept on smiling and acting embarrassed and shy. I smiled.


"Gee!" I thought... I wonder if she is the type for some "randy" action? You never know about these radio-show-fan women! I wondered what it would be like to "Get it on, bang a gong, get it on" with her?" I mused like Marc Bolan on a majestic white steed. 


The train ride continued and she kept smiling shyly at me and I smiled back while imagining all sorts of "games." I kept fantasizing about me and her going on a whirlwind date and drinking and making wild love together... Even though she wasn't really my type, I supposed that she might be hot love in the sack.


When the train reached my stop I got up to get off. To my surprise, so did she. We both walked to the train door and, as we walked off the train she said, "You probably don't remember me..."


"Of course, I do..." I glanced her a impish grin. I figured she was a fan and, well, who knows where that could lead too? I leaned dangerously close to her like a lecherous cartoon fox so where we could have closer eye contact... My right eyebrow curled with menacing approval.... 


She bubbled, "I'm a good friend of Yuka, your wife. I'm in the neighborhood mothers association. I've even been to your house before. Remember?"


I immediately stood up straight and began rubbing my eyes. I sneezed. "Allergies, you know!... I, er, uh,..." One second I was within 1 foot of her, the next second I was six feet apart... Of course, I remember!" I gasped. "Your name is.... er...?"


She told me her first name (can't remember what it was) but I acted like I knew the first name. I asked her what her last name was! She told me that too, but I can't remember that either.... Oh well...


So, you see. I sort of have to be careful with what I am doing... For one, I can't have my wife's friend's gossiping about how I am having affairs with all sorts of women when I am not - excepting in my imagination... And for two, I'm so bad with names and faces that I think it might suck royally if I wake up in bed in some hotel with some woman only to realize it's my next door neighbor... 


Now that might be bad for public relations and neighborhood tranquility...


Now, you might ask, "Mike! What does this have to do with John Belushi?" Not much on the surface, perhaps, but it does have very much to do with him if you dig down deep into the past...


Here's why...


About an hour ago, I was at a supermarket buying a couple of bottles of booze. (Disclaimer: I was already a tad bit drunk). There, a young housewife looked at me several times and smiled. I smiled back.


She looked at me and smiled again at me several times. "Wow! She's definitely my type! The old Rogers magic is still there!" I thought. 


"Until we meet again!" I thought as I walked out the store. She smiled again as I walked out and looked back.


Then I came home and looked in the mirror. My eyes are bad. Maybe she wasn't smiling. Maybe she was laughing.


Or, since all gaijins looks alike, maybe that lady thought I was John Belushi.


(Left) John Belushi in Animal House: Unshaven. Hair fashionably a disaster. I've always liked that guy. (Right) Me: Unshaven. Hair fashionably a disaster.

This might seem like it has zero to do with Japan, but looks can be deceiving. This has a lot to do with me and Japan and here's why:

If I had never seen the movie Animal House, I'd have never gone to university. Had I never gone to university, I'd have never met all those hot Japanese girls at my dormitory. Had I not met them, I'd have never gotten interested in studying Japanese. 

Had I not studied Japanese, I'd have never met my Japanese wife. Had I not met her, I'd have never gone to Japan. Had I not gone to Japan, I'd have never moved here.

Typical Japanese University Student
(Yukie Kawamura)

Had I not moved here, I'd have not had my rendezvous with fate tonight with that hot young housewife who smiled at me.

Had our hearts not met for a few moments tonight, I'd have not have thought about John Belushi. Had I not thought about John Belushi, I'd have not looked in the mirror.

Had I not looked in the mirror, I wouldn't have immediately had a shave and now, because of shaving and showering, I look "normal" (well, as normal as I can look!) I have to look normal because guests are coming over.

I hate being normal.

I love John Belushi.

And now you know about John Belushi and me. When was John Belushi ever "normal"? I don't want to be normal... So that's why he is my hero and my life's inspiration.... And that's how Animal House changed my life...

Oh, and Repo-Man reinforced those changes...

"Look at 'em, ordinary fucking people, I hate 'em." - Bud (from Repo-Man)




*NOTE: Of course the stories about the women being interested in me and vice versa are all a part of any writer's (or drunk's) vivid imagination and artistic license... These events are not to be confused with actual events....



Thanks to George Williams, Taro Furukawa, Hiroko Wakana, Takatoshi Uchiyama, Megane kun and all the GMG fans

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