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David 
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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| think positive wrote: | | David wrote: | | We don't know whether the tone was accusatory or merely inquisitive; either way, you don't think that being personally responsible for the deaths of so many people might have some effect on the conscience? No matter how many gung-ho "west is best" cheerleaders were slapping you on the back for it? I would think that it's a perfectly reasonable question to ask, simply out of psychological curiosity if for no other reason. You've merely presumed that, because the journalist was Japanese, it was some sort of 'gotcha' question. |
bold shows your bias,
it was a rude question, and as mugwump said, he wasn't personally responsible for anything, as for presuming the worst because he is Japanese, well gee whiz, i reckon that's a pretty fair conclusion! what would you assume if the conversation were the other way around? |
He wasn't, his grandfather was. He was being asked a question about his grandfather.
I think perhaps a slightly rude or impertinent question (if it was indeed either of those) is perhaps fairly insignificant compared to the deliberate decision to kill 200,000 civilians, whether you consider that act justified or not. Perhaps we need more rude and impertinent questions about such things.
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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Might actually be worth listening to Truman's grandson speak on this topic, because he's not nearly as willing to whitewash the bombings as many in the West:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Neax39wuSTk
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Mugwump
Joined: 28 Jul 2007
Location: Between London and Melbourne
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I watched it, and it was what one would expect from a civilised person who considers the events of August 6th : a recognition that what was done that day was an act of terrible violence in which many ordinary people were swept up, and the expression of a desire not to see that occur again. The clip you quoted here, however, says nothing about guilt, which was the point behind the Japanese journalist's question.
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Location: Andromeda
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But you can disagree with that while still seeing it as a reasonable question, imho. That's all I'm trying to say here.
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Mugwump
Joined: 28 Jul 2007
Location: Between London and Melbourne
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you'd need to define "reasonable". I think that a question based upon some implied blood-guilt fails any adequate definition. A question which assumes American guilt for taking the steps it considered necessary to win a war against Japan's barbarism at that time in its history - that also needs to work very hard to get across the line of reason.
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think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Location: somewhere
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Probably not reasonable to bring this up at the Christmas dinner table, with hillbilly rednecks on one side, and a couple of hard line free love Japan visiting & studying people on the other!
But it got interesting for a while!
I just ate my pudding (cake) and watched the fireworks after I dropped the bomb!
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You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
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