On 7/9/2003 8:57 PM, Eric Takabayashi wrote:

> Scott Reynolds wrote:

>>(I honestly don't know. My son does not have
>>"Peace studies" at his school and I can say that from what I have seen
>>of his textbooks and tests, and from talking with him, they do not seem
>>to be trying to instill in him any sort of victim mentality.)
> 
> Then what is his opinion of what happened during the first half of the 20th
> century in the Pacific and why, if I may ask?

My guess is that he thinks that a dispute between Japan and the US and 
its allies escalated into a full-scale war, which had negative 
consequences for Japan. I don't get the impression that he has been 
indoctrinated with a particular point of view.

>>Anyway, the balance that we seem to agree is presently lacking ought to
>>be added to the Peace studies curriculum,
> 
> But you just said your son do "peace" studies. How . . . convenient.

Yes. Lucky him.

>>it seems to me. Trying to add
>>it to the straight history courses would only mean that something else
>>would need to be left out. I'd hate to see the kids have to give up on
>>learning about, say, the Genpei War or the Ashikaga Shogunate because
>>they had to set aside a couple weeks
> 
> Part or half of "six pages" is hardly a couple weeks. Considering your son has NO
> "peace" studies to begin with, and your unwillingness to add it to the texts or
> history curriculum leads me to ask if you want them to seriously hear about it at
> all.

I'd rather they not get anything at all (beyond the bare facts) if the 
alternative is heavily slanted "peace studies."

-- 
_______________________________________________________________
Scott Reynolds                                      sar@gol.com