"Anti-Japan" rallies worldwide to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the Pacific War and the liberation of the city, as well as protest Japan’s distortion of World War II history in the country’s school textbooks and also oppose its attempt to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, is totally unnecessary.
LF Ng, strongly believes that Anti-Japanese rallies should not provoke, in order to avoid more chaos. Quote:
Although history has time and again taught humankind many lessons, old wounds never heal or can even be reopened after provocation.
Many adults today have no idea what World War II meant and the suffering and cruelty it brought with it. The few septuagenarians and octogenarians from both sides that are the survivors of this assault on human dignity will soon be gone.
There is a saying that the first casualty of war is truth. Enthusiasts of history should aim to pursue the truth. Emotionally-loaded statements against any country where the majority of the population are of the post WWII era will cause bewilderment and guilt.
Back to Malaysia, since the turmoil happened, I received endless notification over messenger, spreading anti-japanese messages, preaching the bad side of Japan and subsequently escalate needless sentimental, which I perceive as very irresponsible and its no difference with a "war-provoker".
We may not experience the WWII tragedy, but we did learn the consequences and its terrible impacts through our early education. By all means try to pursue the truth, but to rub salt on healed wound or to try to inflict a wound on someone, who is in all likelihood not guilty, is totally inappropriate.
I hope with this, my fellow peers will realise this well, no less than that.
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Now staying in China, I think you would expect a comment from me, so here goes!
I think a rally to show the true feelings is alright, as long as it is under control, and nothing physically destructive in nature is done.
However, some go as far as spreading messages getting everyone to anti Japanese goods. Not taking into account its effectiveness, it is still potentianally an act that could damage the whole country, like what you said, “inflicting wounds on someone, who is in all likelihood not guilty”.
Responding to your last paragraph, I think the wounds between China and Japan(don’t know about South Korea, but I assume its the same) is far from healed. Also believe that the Japanese Government is definitely guilty in failing to respect the feelings of billions of Chinese still bearing grudges, by paying respect to the infamous “jing-guo-shen-she” shrine every single year.
In my opinion, the Japan Government holds the key to defuse hostilities, but aren’t showing any effort, and they certainly need a knock on the head!
Simply put, the Germans killed millions, the Japanese killed millions. The whole world moved on with the Germans, but not with the Japanese, why?
My conclusion? Rally on! Direct it against the government not the people, and don’t break anything.
I agree with what you said about Germany.
One need not delve too deeply into why Japan’s bid should not be supported, the simple reason being Japan has yet to own up to its war of aggression against its Asian neighbours and for the most brutal atrocities ever committed by one country on another.
Before any country is to be considered for a permanent security council seat, we must first look at its willingness to be open, frank and honest about its past history and whether it can be relied upon to be a responsible member.
Does Japan fit this bill? Its actions and attitude show otherwise. If any country should be considered, I think Germany should be given priority over Japan. This due to Germany’s open admission of its guilt and the apologies it tendered to its victims during World War II.
In fact, several high-ranking German war criminals were brought to trial and given life imprisonment sentences. Germany has now been fully accepted as a responsible member of the world community that has contributed to the rise and unity of Europe.
But what of Japan? Not only has Japan whitewashed its wartime history, it has even tried to justify its war of aggression and subsequent atrocities. It even enshrines its war criminals for worship by the new generations.
Coupled with this, it has even formed an alliance with the US to contain China. Isn’t this adding insult to injury? Can one now understand China’s sentiment?
Very well said SK.
Very well said KillerKai. I agree with you that the Germans are indeed moving along very well with their “used-to-be-enemies”.
It seems that most of them are having a scar which is not even theirs. Most of the war survivors will already been dead by now. The scar is the scar implanted onto them by the previous generation and the HATE is brought till this generation and the generations to come.
If we look at TV drama, we will see how stupid it is when the characters kept revenging for one another. Some even revenge based on the words of others and not the truth.
To tell you the truth, Hitler went to heaven!!!! Accept it or not! Hitler went to heaven. If one is truely enlightened, he will understand why Hitler went to heaven. No one would do anything bad given their model of the world.Hitler did what was best for his people!
2 wrongs do not make 1 right. War and violent protest will not bring any peace. It provoke more violent. Revenge and revenge will not solve the issue. If we slove the issue with peace and civilized ways would that be a better way!
Because we are too egoistically holding on to our own truth, we fail to see what the other truth is. The war already happen! No one can change history. You go around preaching violent is not good. But on the other had you use violent to force people to see your truth without first see the other person’s truth. That is why most war happen.
Move on!! Dont live in the past. Determine you future based on your future not your past. Leave those baggage behind and move forward.
Again I would like to stress. Peace comes from within. It is never outside. People can force you to give him your free will and dignity but only if you let them.
Justin I agree that peace comes from within, the bible also teaches people to forgive and forget, but we are not saints after all aint we? ;)
Maybe I can live well with the scars from the past if it is unprovoked. However, in this case it is actively provoked. (changing history in text books, visit to the temple)
The Chinese have to be all saints to stay silent to that.
You are also right about violence + violence does not equate right. I am of the opinion that rallies should not be violent, and should only serve as a reminder to the Japanese. In the best case scenario, maybe some will start to question themselves what many Americans are thinking – “Why does the world hate us?”
As a China chinese,I just wonder if China people’s silence can stop those Japanese’s prejuduce towards
China and Chinese. If China people’s silence can change Japanese racial superiority complex.
There’s a true story happened in China. A Japanese student studied in China called to radio station. He insulted millions of Chinese people in the radio by saying that Chinese are all ignorant pig. This radio clip is widely spread in China.
Put yourself in our shoes, will you still keep silence?
And there are lots of other examples we can give. I think the outcome of these behaviour is because government’s education. If there’s no protest against this kind of government, how can we wake up their government and their people?Who can assure there won’t be another slauter towards Chinese if Japanese keep their superiority mind set?
I want to move on from the past. China people want to move on from the past. What we need is an apology. Is that so difficult?
The Rally will be still on…from generation to generation..if Japanese refuse to face their history.
CC
therefore we are after the war must do what we can to spreadthe truth, and don’t let those who died did so in vain…
regarding japan and china thing….i think currently china is alot worse than japan…..they dont give a crap about anybody else in the world even with thier big economy engine they are not willing to help out other countries in need…..and to relate chinese people who are not china citizens or who are not born in china to china chinese is wrong. china needs to be contained because unlike japan who has a caused attrocities in the past…..china is seeking to cause hostilities in the future…(so a masacre of japanese troops on china soil is highly unlikely)…..presumable near future when the world cannot contain thier military might anymore….and japan being a small country near china…you would at least expect some control or UN involvement to ensure they dont become hostile (nuclear weapons and the like)…. i think when the japanese called the china chinese ignorant is quite true…..they being oppresed but dont have the capacity to oppose the government…..though a few minority do and are usually kicked out of the country…..china chinese ought to clean up thier own peoples mindset first…..anyway…..if your dad killed someone…..i dont think its your fault that your dad killed someone…..and now its the government who ordered the attacks…..