On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 20:58:19 +0900, Eric Takabayashi
<etakajp@yahoo.co.jp> wrote:

>"Any" does not mean "all". It represents potential. ANY kind of foreigner can have
>trouble in Japan due to discrimination. I did not say ALL Japanese with ALL types of
>foreigners.
>
>You are correct that you have a communication problem.

You see, there you went and misquoted me again. I said WE. WE WE WE WE
WE !!!!! :-D

>> Maybe many of the racist Japanese just hide it better. But they can
>> hide it no longer when their children want to marry a black person for
>> example. That's when it often rears its ugly head. I know stories
>> personally involving acquaintances.

>People hiding their negative feelings and never expressing them, are in effect, the same
>as those who do not commit acts of discrimination or make discriminatory statements. For
>example, after my first child, a son was born, which seems to be what her father and
>stepmother expected, no one in my wife's family, zero and none, has ever made an issue
>of me being foreign again. They don't ooh at me being able to speak English, nor do they
>ask me for lessons or even attempt to speak to me in English, nor do they treat me as if
>they look down upon me as a foreigner.

Is it at all possible that they've changed and it wasn't your son's
birth but YOU that educated them?

>> Well I don't know if I'm a racist or not.

>I don't say so, and I believe so, which is why I doubt you were a problem. You don't
>need to tell us how you are close to blacks. I treat any I meet (haven't known any in
>maybe eight years) like ordinary people, too.

I only brought that up because it's a shotgun response you get in the
USA and the number one defense when one is accused of being a racist. 

"But I have black friends!"

It's meaningless as to racism.

>I told you the poor can eat well out of the trash. I would eat out of the trash, and I
>would feed my kids trash too, before collapsing of starvation and possibly dying in the
>hospital like one local man, but people shouldn't be required to do so.

No, they should not. No arguments there.

>> I'm a man who doesn't only care for himself.

>Beyond pursuing free time, neither do I. In just the past year, I've gone even more out
>of shape. It would help if I didn't assume I was going to die early like most of my
>direct ascendants.
 
Please take care of yourself too. You'll do no good to anyone dead.

>> I do not spite you one bit for what you do, Eric. I've already said a
>> bunch of times that I sincerely admire your efforts.

>And let me tell anyone if I haven't yet, DON'T admire me or what I am doing.

>If I relied upon Internet and newsgroup people to try to feel good about myself, I would
>be a wreck, because I and my views am normally as unwelcome as you first were.

FIRST were??! LOL, I don't see any evidence to that and I suggest if
you read my conversations with some of the other FJLIJers I'm still
not very welcome although I don't know why. I'm just a fun-loving guy
:-D

>> What I resent is the proselytizing.

>Other posters are ignoring it. They also used to attack.

Was I attacking? I thought I was defending.

>Many people resent being confronted with possibly having to question themselves, their
>behavior, or their beliefs. I often did the same.

I don't have nearly as much of a problem with questioning myself as
being inquisitioned by others with an agenda.

>> Read above. I commend your efforts with the homeless.

>Don't.

Too late.

>> It's the sermons I take issue with.

>You're just attacking the messenger. Ask someone who knows or read your own Bible.

I'm not Christian.

>> >The New Testament is a very brief account of a number of years of ministry which can
>> >be browsed in about an hour containing relatively few memorable passages.

>> Read above.

>Have you read it?

Not yet.

>> >I no longer call myself Christian, but it seems you know something of the teachings
>> >of Jesus.

>> Very little actually.

>One is not required to convert, to understand some of the basics. The problem is
>actually trying to put the ideals into practice, which I could never do, one reason I
>cannot be a real Christian.

I choose not to be any kind.

>> Yes, I would. Shall we change the subject at last? I'll extend my hand
>> in friendship if you consider me to be worthy of such and happily be
>> done and over with it. It's not really going anywhere anyway.

>Anyone is welcome on the newsgroup. When I first began posting in 1996, I used to
>believe people I disagreed with for whatever reason, should shut up and get out of
>newsgroups. I no longer harbor ill will toward any of them and would prefer to ignore
>attacks on myself from regulars.

I'd not feel comfortable in a place I wasn't accepted or where I was
constantly attacked for whatever reason.

Plus, I was never any good at turning the other cheek as noble as that
is.

>> Hey, that's a great idea about North Korea!

>Isn't it. I realized he was probably financially capable of doing so a while ago. Of
>course the regime would resist, but substantial bribes would take care of them. They
>aren't going to amass Gates' billions running their country into the ground waiting for
>handouts of food.

>Do what was done with other dictators: offer Kim and others comfortable lives in exile.
>It failed with Saddam Hussein, but worked for some others before him.

In the case of the DPRK it would most certainly be worth it. It may be
too late if they've already been exporting nukes to the highest
bidder. Only time will tell on that.

>Why the US does not attempt this approach with North Korea, I do not know.

I guess because the thought of rewarding despots flies in the face of
American ideals. I think it's a great idea. Also, once they get what
they wanted they could always dispatch a few CIA operatives to serve
justice on said despot.

>> Yes, they're apparently good people.

>Understand I hate his business practices, and don't like most of his company's products.

I like Windows XP.

>> I was being sarcastic as an extension of my anger towards your
>> accusatory preachy attitude towards anyone not playing with your game
>> plan.

>It is not my game plan. This is what many fail to understand. I am merely a clumsy
>messenger.

Yes, but in fairness that's what all preachers say, "I'm not GOD I'm
just his messenger!"

>Let me give you an example and an update: the remaining man behind Fukuyama Castle is in
>bad shape. It is no act. I can observe him as I walk up from behind where he spends the
>day sitting alone near his sleeping spot, and I have to hail him to speak to him. I can
>observe him without his knowledge.

>While he used to be talkative and alert just last week, this week, he sits hunched over
>and unresponsive. When I arrived with the futons, he was nowhere to be seen. I found out
>upon his return the next day that he had gone to find some medicine for some unspecified
>problem.

>I fear that he will be a repeat of his friend, but am unsure of what to do.

>Two things I will not do, though it would be the right thing, and what would be required
>of someone eventually if he continues: I will not feed him all his meals to be sure he
>is eating right, and I will not take him in.

It sounds like what he really needs is something else you probably
couldn't do: get him to a hospital. Is there anywhere indigents can
turn for emergency treatment in Japan? 

>Can you understand how I am feeling now about the responsibility? And about myself?

Sure.

>Apathetic and uncaring people may not do anything to improve the situation, but they
>conveniently avoid such problems as I have.

>> What makes the strangers more in need than those
>> I'm related to??

>Are your acquaintances also unemployed and or homeless, sleeping outside on cardboard in
>the cold?

No, they are not and thanks in large part to the fact that they have
their family to protect, care and provide for them. I don't know the
future but I sure as heck hope they never have to face that sort of
thing and will do my damndest to see that they don't.

>> Further, I don't hinder you. I wish you great success in your efforts
>> to help the homeless and hope you will step off your soapbox to give
>> them 100%.

>You tell me your area is so warm and kind, but do not take me up on the offer to have
>some unemployed or homeless move into town to get what they need. If your area has the
>jobs and the social system, what's the problem? The government and people of Fukuyama
>are not helping them. I want them to have the opportunities or help I simply cannot
>offer.

I don't know that there aren't any homeless here. The winters are as
cold or colder than your part of the country and the government is the
same one in Tokyo.

>> That's cool and if that's the limit of your own children's "going
>> without" so you can help the homeless it's hardly worth mentioning.

>My children are going without snacks, for which they neglect their regular meals. They
>are not denied piano lessons or juku because of the underprivileged of the world. And if
>for my lack of personal ambition to succeed, my children cannot have university paid for
>them (if they want to attend), they can simply seek full time employment, join the
>military, or pay their own way after high school. The world needs blue collar workers,
>service industry employees, or more ambitious people who can take care of themselves and
>learn valuable life lessons. One reason for my lack of ambition is my privileged life as
>a child. I went to university because my mother told me to at the age of 16.

I want my children to have an even more comfortable life than I did
(not that mine was uncomfortable). I want them to be happy first and
foremost. If they want to be blue-collar workers that's just fine with
me. My 9 year old son currently says he wants to be a fisherman. I
hope they will all go to college and I'm certainly going to save so
that they have that option should they choose it.

>> But that's certainly not limited to Japan

>But we are talking about Japan. If you want to talk about the US, I pointed out a while
>back that the American situation is simply obscene, and last night that the US should
>rethink their priorities in national spending.

I think I want to branch out and talk about other things too. I'm just
not sure this place is "right".

>> and in fact I argue that
>> it's much worse in other parts of the world where there are many many
>> more homeless and needy. Why CAN'T we talk about those places?!

>Because while I go wildly off topic, here we are still talking about Japan.

Excellent point there.

>And I am already doing something about people in less fortunate countries halfway around
>the world, according to my own meager ability.

I won't commend you although I want to.