New found respect..

[ironglow]

 A newfound respect for the Japanese people that is;
     Of course, all I have to go on is the various news agencies' reports ..but if they are anywhere near correct, I have a heightened respect for the Japanese people.  The closest thing we have had in recent years to compare to the tragedy in Japan is the situation in New Orleans a few years ago.  What a difference !
         N. O. got hit with wind and then water..a flood, while the people in a large section of Japan got  hit with a record earthquake, a tsunami and then a nuclear catastrophe in quick succession. Following this have been hundreds of small quakes and several major earthquakes.  They have suffered another 6.6 earthquake just this morning !
   
       It seems the events could not be more different, following the initial events:
     
  In New Orleans:
    The mayor of New Orleans ensconced himself in the 10th floor of the building he was in, and refused to allow the city school buses to evacuate refugees, while news reports claimed that a good portion of the public employees such as police and fire personnel fled the scene..
  As far as private citizens, looting started almost immediately and As I recall, the people were at first, refused permission to use the Superdome as a place of sanctuary.
  For some reason, both the mayor and the governor refused federal help for days on end...an option they can legally exercise, but have never explained why they let their citizens languish so long without without federal succor.
  Meanwhile, having gotten access to the Superdome, the people there were subjected to robbery, rape and murder..from among themselves and when finally evacuated, it was found they had trashed the building so badly, it was debateable it could be rehabilitated.
  The same went for some of the churches etc, within which they found shelter with in Texas.

  In Japan:
      When the tsunami hit, the public service employees were fast to spring into action, doing their duty fearlessly.  The police and fire depts stayed on the job, rescuing people from under debris and those isolated by the flood.  When hit with the nuclear double-whammy, the people directly involved in the nuclear installation heroically, stayed at their stations..some with the stomach pains and throwing up..knowing full well they were experincing a fatal dose of radiation.  Select crews stayed on the job for days, having protective gear and clothing, but knowing full well they were "pushing the envelope".
  The authorities were not too stubborn or proud to accept help from other jurisdictions; even from benevolent foreign countries.
  All through these various vicissitudes..all downers; the Japanese people remained stoically calm and orderly...When the USS Ronald Reagan & co showed up, the help was greatfully received and utilized.

   I must admit I was in neither place during the calamities and other than the Texas refugee situation, have only have news reports to go on, so I could be corrected....but that's the way I see it

[slim rem 7]

a sobering post..

[XD40SC]

Asian culture is all about honor and respect.

[Land_Owner]

Evidence that the Nanny State recipients are a single step away from anarchy, owning nothing and in effect "owing nothing" to their fellow man while the more civilized culture gives to one another in a time of need in the spirit of brotherhood toward a common goal in the return of stability, order, and safety.

[BUGEYE]

certain kids in this country are taught to DISrespect their elders and any authority figures from the time they are babies.  they don't see looting as a crime. they think it's owed to them.
our country is in pitiful shape.

[Dixie Dude]

That is what happens when you have a welfare society.  Everyone expects someone else to do things or to take care of them.  No respect for themselves, therefore no respect for others.  Certain segments of our society have become hedonistic.  You do know that 3/4ths of New Orleans residents packed up and left town.  I know of one guy who gassed up both his vehicles before the hurricane.  Had emergency generators, had a few months supply of food ready.  He said when the levee broke, he knew he had to leave since he was below the water level.  So he packed up all his guns, food, water, blankets, family pictures and negatives, and drove out via back roads to Vicksburg, then over to Birmingham.  He said he knew the I-10 corridor would be damaged and maybe impassible.  His home was ultimately flooded, but he got out with his family, personal possessions, and weapons.  Some were just smarter than others.  Problem is the welfare mentality spreads to the cops and others who only see the middle class and rich as being crooked and disrespectful as themselves.  Certain minorities are especially this way because of the last 40 years of welfareism.  They have forgot how to fend for themselves and how to provide for themselves.  Elderly and dissabled I have mercy on, but able bodied adults, no excuse for what they do.

[DakotaElkSlayer]

Asian culture is all about honor and respect.

EXACTLY!

Jim

[Conan The Librarian]

I've always seen it as a culture of guilt and conformity and stress because of having to live up to somebody else's standards. I'd definitely rather live in New Orleans than in Japan. I think most of us on this forum would.

But I will agree that in a situation like this, there are good side-effects to the Japanese idiosyncratic ways.

One interesting thing to note is how much chatter there is in other Asian countries. Many are reveling in Japan's misfortune, supposedly because Japan is not very well liked by other Japanese countries. A lot of this has to do with Japan's history of warfare, imperialism, and arrogance.

[ironglow]

Conan says;
"One interesting thing to note is how much chatter there is in other Asian countries. Many are reveling in Japan's misfortune, supposedly because Japan is not very well liked by other Japanese countries. A lot of this has to do with Japan's history of warfare, imperialism, and arrogance."


    This statement makes me wonder..just how long & strong should old grudges be.  There are other nations which have suffered under Japanese imperialism, of that there is no doubt.  Korea, China, Philipines and we are the last victims of such old arrogance and still....
      Are there other old enemies who hold such a grudge that they take pleasure in such misery, mostly falling upon generations who never had a thing to do with the old imperialism ?
  I can understand some residual bitterness coming from Korean slave girls, chinese who suffered under brutality and our troops who were POWs and suffered inhuman treatment.  ...But I cannot, for the life of me understand ancient grudges which have held over the centuries, which may cause a peson to revel in other folks' misery; folks who never had a thing to do with causing the grudge.
   ...But to each his own, I guess..

[Conan The Librarian]

I don't think these are ancient grudges. All of them are within the last 70 years. I believe these are sustained because of animosity about recent Japanese commercial tactics more than military tactics. It's fresh in the minds of Asian youth, not just old timers.

We had the same kind of sentiments here during the 1980s when it was clear that a lot of US businesses could no longer compete with Japanese businesses. There was definite resentment among many.

Look at the car industry, for example. Toyota and Honda are judged to be the best by consumers, and for good reasons. I found it interesting that I recently had to make a car buying decision and didn't even consider GM or Chrysler products. It wasn't a concious omission. It just never occurred to me.  And that has nothing to do with the "government motors" sentiment held by many. I just didn't see them as being worth the time to investigate.  It's not dislike, it's apathy and risk avoidance. That's a bad sign for GM and Chrysler. Good for the others.

[Brett]

Conan says;
"One interesting thing to note is how much chatter there is in other Asian countries. Many are reveling in Japan's misfortune, supposedly because Japan is not very well liked by other Japanese countries. A lot of this has to do with Japan's history of warfare, imperialism, and arrogance."


    This statement makes me wonder..just how long & strong should old grudges be.  There are other nations which have suffered under Japanese imperialism, of that there is no doubt.  Korea, China, Philipines and we are the last victims of such old arrogance and still....
      Are there other old enemies who hold such a grudge that they take pleasure in such misery, mostly falling upon generations who never had a thing to do with the old imperialism ?
  I can understand some residual bitterness coming from Korean slave girls, chinese who suffered under brutality and our troops who were POWs and suffered inhuman treatment.  ...But I cannot, for the life of me understand ancient grudges which have held over the centuries, which may cause a peson to revel in other folks' misery; folks who never had a thing to do with causing the grudge.
   ...But to each his own, I guess..

Hmm,  You mean like some blacks who hate whites because of slavery (never mind that it was their own kind from rival tribes that rounded their ancestors up back in Africa and sold them to the white slave traders.  A fact that seems to be somehow lost to them.)    Or even southerners who still hold a grudge against 'Yankees' because of "The war of Northern Aggression".   

I also agree with the premise that to a large degree we have become a country of cry babies, who can't or at least won't lift a finger to help ourselves but are always looking for someone else (usually the government) to pull our butts out of the fire.   And we have no one to blame but ourselves for electing politicians who push for more and bigger government with all it's social programs for the past 3 plus decades.   

[Land_Owner]

If another SHTF event, like a 9.0 earthquake, were to hit the US in Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, or tsunami in lower Manhattan, etc. you would see how truly barbaric "affluent" man is to his fellow man (by comparison of US Standard of living to most everywhere else).  Clustered in the concrete and asphalt jungles, the meek would be eaten by the Might is Right crowd.  War in the street would be common.  Enclaves would spring up like "Escape from New York", "The Postman"; "I am Legend".  Maybe that last film isn't a good example.  However, I would love to go to "Zombie Land" just for the target practice.

[ironglow]

I don't think these are ancient grudges. All of them are within the last 70 years. I believe these are sustained because of animosity about recent Japanese commercial tactics more than military tactics. It's fresh in the minds of Asian youth, not just old timers.

We had the same kind of sentiments here during the 1980s when it was clear that a lot of US businesses could no longer compete with Japanese businesses. There was definite resentment among many.

Look at the car industry, for example. Toyota and Honda are judged to be the best by consumers, and for good reasons. I found it interesting that I recently had to make a car buying decision and didn't even consider GM or Chrysler products. It wasn't a concious omission. It just never occurred to me.  And that has nothing to do with the "government motors" sentiment held by many. I just didn't see them as being worth the time to investigate.  It's not dislike, it's apathy and risk avoidance. That's a bad sign for GM and Chrysler. Good for the others.

   Conan;
       I guess I don't understand the animosity about the Japanese commercial "tactics"..  As far as I can see companies such as Toyota & Honda got where they are simply by solid, sensible business practices....and QUALITY products.
   One need not feel guilty about buying a "foreign" car, after all..  Just what is a "foreign" car ? If we use the most fair measure of all (domestic content), then a Toyota beats them all.  Fact is, the Toyota Camry has more domestic content than the Ford F-150...and the Fusion is made outside the United States...using about 50% domestic content.

   http://www.businessinsider.com/toyota-americas-car-company-2009-7

      I know the unions sing their song about "buy American",  but they are campaigning not for American jobs, but rather union jobs, since the top American car companies (eg Toyota) have been smart enough to build in right-to-work states.
     Just another way the liberal govts have chased companies out of their home (blue) states.
   See "top ten" list  http://www.cars.com/go/advice/Story.jsp?section=top&subject=ami&story=amMade0709

[Conan The Librarian]

Good points. I think that the GM and Chrysler bail outs should have come with the condition that they operate in right to work states. This would have pressured Michigan to get with the 21st century and maybe even have a brighter future. As it is today, those companies are going to be bailed out again despite the wildly profitable non-US parts of GM and the probably unsustainable Chrysler.

[Brett]

I read that the big three US auto makers all had to shut down some of their lines because they could not get parts to build their cars.  Why you ask?  Because the parts were manufactured in Japan.      

[Mohawk]

Definately a culture difference. Its about respect and honor. Its almost embarrassing what the world thought of us in NO. It was like a bunch of thugs taking advantage, and that's the way they see it. In the worlds eyes we were a bunch of violent criminals.

[yellowtail3]

Many are reveling in Japan's misfortune, supposedly because Japan is not very well liked by other Japanese countries. A lot of this has to do with Japan's history of warfare, imperialism, and arrogance.

Well, the Sons of Heaven did behave badly first half of the 20th century, and grudges were held. I wonder if the Vietnamese have forgiven us for the million-plus killed during our time there (or however many it was we killed). They seem to have; we're trading with them an getting along alright. Nice of them not to hold grudges (though I'm sure some do)

[wreckhog]

New Yorkers were quite heroic after 9/11. I believe that most of the rest of America pissed and moaned to get Homeland Security $, when they knew that they would never be a target. Total lack of respect IMHO.

Lot of whiney part Indians around these days too.

[ironglow]

Did you fellows notice the sign pictured in my last post ? 
      Though the place isn't identified, it must be a GM or Chrysler plant; since the union owns the parking lot !!

[Mohawk]

Don't know, Iron. The last GM plant I worked at didn't have anything like that. Their internal policy stated that foreign vehicles irritated management but there was not active enforcement or signs. However, that was 15 plus years ago.

[OldSchoolRanger]

Many are reveling in Japan's misfortune, supposedly because Japan is not very well liked by other Japanese countries. A lot of this has to do with Japan's history of warfare, imperialism, and arrogance.

Well, the Sons of Heaven did behave badly first half of the 20th century, and grudges were held. I wonder if the Vietnamese have forgiven us for the million-plus killed during our time there (or however many it was we killed). They seem to have; we're trading with them an getting along alright. Nice of them not to hold grudges (though I'm sure some do)

The Vietnamese love us, right now American pop culture "rules" in Vietnam. 
You have to realize there was quite a bit of difference in what we did in Vietnam, compared to what the Japanese did in Korea, China, the Philippines, Burma, etc. Americans didn't commit the barbaric acts the Japanese did in places like Nanking. Sure we had the Mei-Lai massacre but that was an anomaly, what the Japanese did was S.O.P. for their troops. The Japanese "Unit 731" "research" conducted on P.O.W.'s, and the native Asian population was comparable to what Joseph Mengele and the Nazis did to concentration camp inmates. The fact that a lot of the generation that lived through the "Japanese War of Aggression" (Chinas' name for WWII) are still alive, and hold bitter feelings against the Japanese doesn't help. Neither does the Japanese attitude of superiority toward other Asians.
It also helps the Vietnamese psyche that since they "won" the war, they can be friendly with us.

[ironglow]

You have some valid points there Old Ranger !