Scott Reynolds wrote:

> On 10/22/2004 10:50 AM, Eric Takabayashi wrote:
> > Scott Reynolds wrote:
> >
> >>Are you seriously saying that your parents expressed no anger of dismay
> >>about My Lai?
> >
> > In front of me? That's right. I have no idea what my parents thought of My Lai or any other
> > aspect of the Vietnam War. Or even of living as children during the WWII period. That my
> > grandfather from Japan considered life in Hawaii viewed with suspicion from military
> > authorities as the worst period of his life, is about the limit of what I am told.
>
> Then you were just speculating when you wrote about your parents'
> attitudes toward the Vietnam War.

No, I mean exactly what I wrote, and what you asked about above regarding "expression of anger".

> >>And many do. You would not use the contemptible attitudes and foolish
> >>statements of a few callous individuals to condemn an entire nation,
> >>would you?
> >
> > "A few callous individuals" are not adequately outraged by Abu Ghraib or other such abuses
> > in even just Iraq?
> >
> > Is that what you think there is? It is quite plain to media observers in Japan the
> > difference between what international audiences were able to see, and what Americans
> > (including soldiers) were fed during the active combat period in Iraq.
>
> You are changing the subject. We were talking about responses to Abu
> Ghraib *after* it was widely reported in the media.

So am I. Many Americans still don't give a damn. They make well circulated jokes such as those
that end, "black end positive, red end negative", or publish newspaper columns about having
panties on the head, as if that were the extent of the abuse, or make international speeches
about "bad apples" as if that were all there is in Iraq.

> >>There is quite a lot of information out there, if you are inclined to look.
> >
> > There's a lot about such as Abu Ghraib.
> >
> > Can we get it all? Regarding Abu Ghraib, we are fortunate some were fool enough to send
> > photos to people at home. One can still hear fresh claims from detainees in Iraq, such as
> > the woman freed recently, about what happened to them, or at least what they saw. But how
> > many people are being investigated or court martialed, and how high will it go?
>
> Stay tuned. We'll see.

I will not hold my breath on the current situation in the Middle East, any more than I hold my
breath over reflections on US history.

--
 "I'm on top of the world right now, because everyone's going to know that I can shove more than
three burgers in my mouth!"