Eric Takabayashi wrote:
> "John W." wrote:
>
> > I think folks that live in Japan don't understand truly how big the
> > anime culture is.
>
> I can read about it often while in Japan, and I can see it while at
home.
> The appeal or reach of anime is not the issue. Not even the unsavory
> aspects of anime are the issue.
>
> You, however, link anime and its popularity, to crimes against
children.
> You even wonder if anime is not the cause of in increase in child
porn (or
> at least, the increase in child porn online from servers in the US).
>
Now where did I say that anime leads to the increase of child porn in
the US? I really think you're stretching things a bit here. Anime is a
definite influence on Japanese and American culture; to even suggest
otherwise is idiotic. I never once said it is the root of all evil,
though. In fact, relating to the US I'm not sure I said it's the root
of anything related to child pornography.

> Do you think American criminals need Japanese inspiration to commit
crimes
> against children or women? I have numerous times identified the
weaknesses
> of Japanese crime reporting, but what say you to the amazingly low
rate of
> violent crime reported in Japan, despite the incredible abundance of
> unsavory forms of entertainment? Why are Japanese largely able to
resist
> the influence of their entertainment, but an increasing number of
> Americans are not?

Do you think Japanese are largely able to resist the influence of their
entertainment? And when did I even suggest otherwise?

John W.