The Chinese government is outraged by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's decision to visit the Yasukuni Shrine, established in memory of Japanese soldiers killed in World War II.
On the one hand, this is understandable. In the Asian theater of World War II, Japan's armies slaughtered the Chinese. 1,100,000 Chinese soldiers were killed, and 1,800,000 were wounded. Even more significant is the large number of Chinese civilians who died--close to 9,000,000.
On the other hand, these complaints come from a government that has never shied away from murdering its own citizens. In fact, the number of Chinese killed by their own government exceeds those killed by Japanese soldiers by the tens of millions. Consider just one example: Mao's "Great Leap Forward" (a collectivist scheme that led to famine and suffering on a nearly unimaginable scale) led to over 20,000,000 deaths.
To this day, China maintains a strict policy of forced abortion and infanticide--to limit a population growth that had been encouraged under Mao's regime. Political dissidents continue to face deadly persecution, as do Christian missionaries.
See www.victimsofcommunism.org, and http://www.washingtontimes.com/commentary/20031129-105900-4023r.htm
This does not exculpate Japan completely, but it should be noted that the Japanese government that trained, equipped, and deployed its soldiers to China is no longer in existence. The Japanese lost WWII and were forced (by the United States) to draft a new, liberal constitution that forbade the formation of an army capable of waging such a war ever again. Chine, however, continues under the same government, and it's army is massive and continues to threaten war against its neighbors (e.g. Taiwan); it maintains an arsenal of nuclear weapons capable of threatening anyone; and it continues to hold conquered provinces (e.g. Tibet) with an iron fist.
So Japan's Prime Minister is wrong to remember those killed under a now defunct Japanese government, but China is free to neglect its own atrocities? (Chinese textbooks completely omit every single detail!).
Let's be clear: Japan's government is to blame for many awful things from the WWII era. Let's be clearer: China's government is to blame for even more awful things ever since.
We should remember all who died at the hands of evil governments--Japan's, China's, North Korea's, China's, Germany's, Russia's, Iraq's, Iran's, Israel's, The United States', Great Britain's, France's, Vietnam's, Cambodia's, South Africa's, Sudan's, Argentina's, Chile's, Cuba's, Nicaragua's, Bolivia's, Italy's, ad infinitum.
All government's derive their power from their ability to threaten and inflict violence on their own population. There is no such thing as a benevolent government. There isn't even anything like a benign one.
Do you really think the government of the United States is evil?
ReplyDeleteYou might have noticed that I listed over a dozen governments and concluded the list with "ad infinitum." Basically, I indicted all governments as evil.
ReplyDeleteAs I said, "All government's derive their power from their ability to threaten and inflict violence on their own population. There is no such thing as a benevolent government. There isn't even anything like a benign one."
Thomas Paine believed that government was a necessary evil at best. I'm not sure if I believe in the necessity of evil.
Is it shocking for me to say that the United States is evil? If, as Thomas Paine implied, even the best governments are still evil (though supposedly "necessary" ones), then this would include not only this United States government but the original one founded by Jefferson, Franklin, Hamilton, Madison, et al.
Yes, the U.S. Government is evil. It steals property, it wages unjust wars, it deprives people of their liberty, and more. However, I did not say that the U.S. Government is as evil as, say, the Taliban or Maoist China, or Stalinist Russia, etc.
There are degrees of evil. Stealing candy from a baby is evil. Killing a baby is evil too, but it is much worse.
Accidentally farting in public is embarassing. Accidentally crapping your pants in public is moreso.
You get the point, don't you?
Seriously, all governments are evil. That's why constitutions are necessary, and it's also why constitutions weaken to the point of impotence (Hey there, Pat, I'd like a T, now I'd like to solve the puzzle, "PATRIOT ACT.").
First things first. You mispelled China in the 5 paragragh.
ReplyDeleteSecondly - does the U.S have "a liberal constitution that [forbids]the formation of an army capable of waging such a war ever again"? Last time I checked, no. So, how does the U.S have any right to be like, 'Hey, you can't do that, even though we can! Do as we say, not as we do!'? How is that fair? And can't Japan go against this "liberal constitution" if they didn't draft it themselves? Just because they signed it doesn't mean anything. I don't get it.
Third of all, China isn't that cool anyways. They may be the up and coming world power, we all may be speaking Chinese in however many years, China this, China that, yada yada yada, but they don't deserve a whole post blog thing.
Carly:
ReplyDeleteThe United States was willing and able to force such a constitution upon the Japanese because they (the U.S.) had just beaten them (Japan) in the bloodiest war in the history of the world, and they (the U.S.) never wanted to go down that road again. To the victor go the spoils.
However, you're right to suggest that a standing army is simply a bad idea.
Also, when you point out a spelling error, do so without a major one of your own. You said, "First things first," but you meant, "First thing's first"--as in "The first thing is first." Also, you typed the number five (5). Spell out numbers less than ten, unless they are part of an address, phone number, or something of the like.
I can't believe that your stinking English teacher never taught you that.