On 10/20/2004 5:49 PM, Ernest Schaal wrote:
> in article cl58gi$s8u$1@newsflood.tokyo.att.ne.jp, Scott Reynolds at
> sar@gol.com wrote on 10/20/04 5:44 PM:
> 
>>On 10/20/2004 5:15 PM, Ernest Schaal wrote:
>>
>>>in article cl56d8$p0q$1@newsflood.tokyo.att.ne.jp, Scott Reynolds at
>>>sar@gol.com wrote on 10/20/04 5:08 PM:
>>>
>>>
>>>>A lot of the criticism about Japanese whitewashing seems to focus on
>>>>what people (politicians, etc.) didn't say, rather than on what they
>>>>actually said. I'm happy to hear that you don't subscribe to that sort
>>>>of thinking.
>>>
>>>I disagree with you. The criticism about Japanese whitewashing is similar to
>>>that about Yoshida, who argues that all stories of the abuses and atrocities
>>>are overblown, without any admission that abuses and atrocities really
>>>occurred. It isn't that they are condemned for their silence, but for their
>>>blanket rejection of any hint of the atrocities.
>>
>>On the contrary. Yoshida-san never said there were no atrocities. You
>>are jumping on him for not saying there were atrocities, rather than for
>>something he actually said.
> 
> I specifically asked him to clarify his position, and he tried insults,
> lawyer jokes, citing books in Japanese, etc. Based on his "active"
> avoidance, in combination with his previous Chinese bashing, it is not an
> unreasonable assumption to assume that he would deny the atrocities.

It might not be an unreasonable assumption, but it is still an 
assumption on your part.

>>>A similar situation would be a Southerner who refuses to condemn slavery,
>>>but instead heaps praise on the South for resisting the Union's
>>>"interference" with their economy.
>>
>>But here again, you cannot assume that such a person actually thinks
>>slavery was beneficial, or does not think it was wrong, just because he
>>"refuses to condemn slavery."
> 
> Not if he kept silent, but you sure could if he heaps praise on the South
> for resisting the Union's "interference" with their economy.

YOU sure could. As for me, I would try not to jump to conclusions.

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Scott Reynolds                                      sar@gol.com