The Telegraph: Why is there no looting in Japan?

[Rich_Olszewski]

So at last the true nature of this thread is laid bare for all to see: a naked assertion that looting happens because “negroes” are by nature morally deficient. You’re saying that any city with a high black population quite naturally would be expected to loot at the slightest provocation because, well, “we all know why” wink wink. It’s a very time honored philisophy, and one which few have the courage to openly voice since the Civil Rights era. I give you points for raw honesty if nothing else.

But of course that’s just politically correct tripe in your eyes.

Though I hope that people are more charitable on this Forum, I notice that that assertion about black people, whether “coded” or spoken out loud is far less, if at all, found on overtly liberal websites than on overtly conservative websites.

 

[ishii]

No, that means that those who relegate looting to inner-city minorities are fooling themselves…

And those who downplay or otherwise make excuses for inner city looting are also foolingn themselves.

OK, so why was there looting in Egypt just recently? No pride? An entitlement mentality?..

Maybe not. Poverty perhaps. In America their certainly is a lack of pride and an entitlement mentality that would cause folks to justify looting. But I would’t attribute all looting around the world to that.

Look, societies differ. And Japan surely has problems with its minority populations and their protests.

Japan doesn’t really have sizable minority populations - atleast nothing that can compare to America’s. Japan’s society is still largely homogeneous. That might have to change as their population is dwindling due to their low birth rate.

Ishii

 

[qui_est_ce]

Those who remain in that situation in more modern times do so because they have no other options. They are the product of generations who have had hugely inferior educational and economic activity. They have no ability to leave for something better and a culture which believes in sticking close to one’s roots and family. But of course that’s just politically correct tripe in your eyes.

I disagree. I think minorities are in a crisis today like none ever seen in this country. Statistically, minorities experience more children born into single parent homes, higher rates of STD’s, higher rates of school dropouts, voter apathy, higher crime, and unemployment. The leading crimes are black on black.

Why are women who have no jobs having one child after another? Birth control and abortion services are low cost, subsidized by PP.

Why is the marriage rate so low?

The government is the new Daddy. The government provides housing, education, health services, food, (WIC, school meals).

The government is a nameless faceless Daddy. We can make demands of government in a way that we can’t from private charities. Those with names. St. Vincent de Paul Society insists on visiting the homes of aid recipients. They will help with rent, utilities and food.

If we could keep more of our tax dollars and contribute more to charities, we’d have a much more efficient and responsible way of helping those in need better themselves.

:twocents:

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

In America their certainly is a lack of pride and an entitlement mentality that would cause folks to justify looting.

When has looting been justified on an entitlement basis? I missed that one. Do you have a quote from a looting spokesperson?

Do you cite some yahoo running in the street? What verification do you have for your conclusion?

 

[ishii]

When has looting been justified on an entitlement basis? I missed that one. Do you have a quote from a looting spokesperson?

Do you cite some yahoo running in the street? What verification do you have for your conclusion?

I remember Celine Dion on the Larry King show during the Katrina aftermath commenting on looters stealing TV’s:

“maybe those people are so poor…they’ve never touched anything in their lives…let them touch those things for once…”

youtube.com/watch?v=rlHg-Ow6R4A

Of course Larry King said nothing to challenge her. And I guarentee you that there were lots of other liberals who share her bleating heart idiocy.

Ishii

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

Of course Larry King said nothing to challenge her. And I guarentee you that there were lots of other liberals who share her bleating heart idiocy.

So no verification, huh? Celene Dion is a spokesperson for herself.

One small verification: My first cousin is a contractor in New Orleans and was on hand for Katrina. He went to the Superdome when refugees were shuttled there. When he saw infants inside crying because they had no food, he then broke into a grocery store and brought milk back for those in the 'dome. He later hitched a ride to his brother’s home in Shreveport.

So, I can verify that some of the Katrina ‘looters’ were actually following legal (and perhaps Biblical) precepts concerning compelling justification. That was not a feeling of ‘entitlement’ nor a lack of pride.

Now, you can guarantee the accuracy of your suggestion of what others may think, but I disagree with your opinion and I have first-hand knowledge of how it is in error.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

I remember Celine Dion on the Larry King show during the Katrina aftermath commenting on looters stealing TV’s:

“maybe those people are so poor…they’ve never touched anything in their lives…let them touch those things for once…”

I forgot! Yes! Celine Dion! The recognized expert on the matter.

 

[Carlan]

Lest we forget.

We trust Government’s of the people learn from their bad mistakes!
And yes , I remember it well. Back then, when I was barely a teenager,
Singapore fell at the very same time Pearl Harbor was hit, the enemy at the time, also had their eye on Australia, I had a brother-in-law taken prisoner that day in Singapore.
We thank God that Japan has become our very good friend!
Peace, Carlan

 

[ishii]

So no verification, huh? Celene Dion is a spokesperson for herself.

One small verification: My first cousin is a contractor in New Orleans and was on hand for Katrina. He went to the Superdome when refugees were shuttled there. When he saw infants inside crying because they had no food, he then broke into a grocery store and brought milk back for those in the 'dome. He later hitched a ride to his brother’s home in Shreveport.

So, I can verify that some of the Katrina ‘looters’ were actually following legal (and perhaps Biblical) precepts concerning compelling justification. That was not a feeling of ‘entitlement’ nor a lack of pride.

Now, you can guarantee the accuracy of your suggestion of what others may think, but I disagree with your opinion and I have first-hand knowledge of how it is in error.

Of course! The looters were following the biblical precept concerning the justification of stealing TV’s! Is that what you’re saying? And as I said, Celine Dion was merely echoing the sentiment of bleating heart liberals everywhere who deny personal responsibility and blame “the environment” for the crimes others commit.

Ishii

 

[ishii]

Some people were looting flat screen TVs, electronics, and expensive sports shoes from department stores, after Katrina. They were also breaking into private homes. Looting expensive merchandise is pure criminal activity and it has nothing to do with the necessities of survival. But it got even worse. There were people shooting at civilians and shooting at rescue helicopters, just for the heck of it. One doctor who was loading patients to be evacuated into helicopters, on top of Tulane University Hospital’s downtown building, was shot in the arm. He was really lucky he wasn’t shot in the head. They had to cease all evacuation for hours, with cancer patients and renal dialysis patients waiting on top of the building, in the searing heat, because it was too risky for the helicopters to fly while criminals were specifically aiming their gunfire at them.

Careful, you don’t want to bother people with facts. They’d rather think those folks were acting under justified biblical precepts.

Ishii

 

[ishii]

I forgot! Yes! Celine Dion! The recognized expert on the matter.

And there she went, on national TV, unchallenged by the great host Larry King. I agree, she isn’t an expert on the matter - neither are the bleating heart liberals who share her sentiments.

Ishii

 

[ishii]

Exactly! The same culture of strict adherence to authority is the culture that spawned the depredations committed by the Japanese in the 30s and 40s. It is the same culture that led to Kamakze attacks, suicide charges , the Battan Death March, cannibalism and mass Harri kari. I’ll take the United States culture, looting and all.

Oh please. To compare the culture of Japan today with the society of Japan from 80 years ago that was hoodwinked into supporting militarism is a bit of a stretch. Japan’s respect for authority and value of the community over the indivudual is one of the qualities which are helping them cope with this terrible tragedy in such an admirable, orderly way. United States does have good things about its culture, but looting and lawlessness is not one of them. Countries and cultures can learn from each other and I think we can take a lesson from Japan’s response to this.

Ishii

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

And there she went, on national TV, unchallenged by the great host Larry King.

His opinion is no more valid than hers.

I agree, she isn’t an expert on the matter - neither are the bleating heart liberals who share her sentiments.

Nor self-righteous rightwingers who don’t share her sentiments.

 

[Beau_Ouiville]

And as I said, Celine Dion was merely echoing the sentiment of bleating heart liberals everywhere who deny personal responsibility and blame “the environment” for the crimes others commit.

And your comment is woefully lacking in verification. Citing ‘liberals everywhere’ is just so much vapid banter and gets us no further on in the discussion.

 

[jdnation]

On the topic of the Japanese, I believe it’s vital to understand two key factors:

1. The Japanese do still maintain a system of honor and family and focus on group rather than the individual, very similar to the Biblical era of honor, family and group over teh individual mentality.

Anyone who’s been to Japan will notice things such as being allowed to freely borrow umbrellas from a hotlel if its raining. They’re kept in a basket and they trust you to bring them back. Vanding machines offer beer and alcholic beverages where anyone can get them, including kids, but by and large this has never been a problem. This is not to say that kids or people don’t break the rules sometimes. But the situation isn’t so dire that they need to stop doing this freely out in the open. It’s a testament to the fact that the Japanese by and large do respect order and this is thanks to the values of the family hierarchy, honor for oneself, and the importance of the collective group being favored over the selfish individual.

1. The government has also responded fast and as efficiently as they are able in contrast to the American government. The reason is simple. The same values taught to children and the general population of family heirarchy, honor and group importance carry over to politicians and those who run the country. The same mentality that you raise your children up in will carry on in them when they are adults and when they take office. This is common sense. The government is only as good or as bad as the general population of people is. If the government responds responsibly to the people when there are in need this reduces the need for people to resort to desperate behavior. The same goes for corporations and businesses, whether large ones or local stores who respect their neighbor.
2. It should also be noted that Japan has long been used to earthquakes and disasters. Their infrastructure is built for it. They’ve kept themselves prepared. Schools and towns run drills. Food and necessities are always stockpiled in case things happen. This preparedness also helps to take care of the situation in the face of the disaster. The people, authorities, and government are prepared to deal with it. Despite that they never expected something of this scale, all that planning and preparedness has paid off and thus people are better taken care of and are unlikely to resort to desperate or criminal behavor.

The solution for America and other nations is simple. Follow values that teach your chldren to respect their parents. Promote family values and maintain an orderly home. This affects their view of other authorities whether at school or in the government, or in the Church. Children rebellious against their parents or neglectful parents will only raise a society of kids who will rebel against authority and mistrust them. But not focusing on ones acocuntability for sin and how sin afects their fellow men, they become more individualist, selfish and do not regard any greater repercussions that their behavior and wants can have on society or others. Japan is not perfect either and the have their fair share of problems. But if we follow the laws of God we can do better.

This attitude in Japan is simply a taste of what a better world could be. It is too bad they aren’t a Catholic nation. A combination of Christian morality and the Japanese attitude, intelligence and discipline which matches the ancient Biblical mindset could’ve made them a far greater nation! Alas, they chose to massacre an persecute the Christians. I pray that somehow the nation will be converted under Our Lady fo Akita following this tragic time.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

Oh please. To compare the culture of Japan today with the society of Japan from 80 years ago that was hoodwinked into supporting militarism is a bit of a stretch.

Hardly hoodwinked as though their society was wholly anti-militaristic and used to challenging authority and they were bamboozled into following Tojo.

United States does have good things about its culture, but looting and lawlessness is not one of them.

Those are bad, to be sure, but I’ll take all the looting and lawlessness in New Orleans over the Rape of Nanking and the Death Railway any day.

 

[Havard]

white dominated So-Cal in 1906.

San Francisco is 100% http://pacwave.com/media/aitmanufacturers/29.jpg, amigo.

 

[ishii]

Hardly hoodwinked as though their society was wholly anti-militaristic and used to challenging authority and they were bamboozled into following Tojo.

Those are bad, to be sure, but I’ll take all the looting and lawlessness in New Orleans over the Rape of Nanking and the Death Railway any day.

Right, but those happened 80 years ago. Katrina was only a few years ago and the mentality which led to the looting in katrina (and elsewhere) still exists, waiting to be incited. While some might say Japanese society could be hoodwinked into supporting some kind of militarism, I do think they have changed their ways. I don’t think this is an either/or situation of having to choose tolerating looting and lawlessnes or having a docile population that is easily manipulated into supporting militarism, for example. For the record, if I had to choose between the looting and lawlessnes and the Rape of Nanking, etc. I would choose the former, so long as I had the right to own a gun or two to protect my family.

Ishii

 

[iamrefreshed]

So no verification, huh? Celene Dion is a spokesperson for herself.

One small verification: My first cousin is a contractor in New Orleans and was on hand for Katrina. He went to the Superdome when refugees were shuttled there. When he saw infants inside crying because they had no food, he then broke into a grocery store and brought milk back for those in the 'dome. He later hitched a ride to his brother’s home in Shreveport.

So, I can verify that some of the Katrina ‘looters’ were actually following legal (and perhaps Biblical) precepts concerning compelling justification. That was not a feeling of ‘entitlement’ nor a lack of pride.

Now, you can guarantee the accuracy of your suggestion of what others may think, but I disagree with your opinion and I have first-hand knowledge of how it is in error.

I guess there were an awful lot of babies that needed TV’s to watch and Heineken’s to drink as well.

 

[iamrefreshed]

Though I hope that people are more charitable on this Forum, I notice that that assertion about black people, whether “coded” or spoken out loud is far less, if at all, found on overtly liberal websites than on overtly conservative websites.

Don’t worry Rich, I don’t think you are racist because you are willing to walk in Greenpoint at 11PM but not willing to walk in East New York at the same hour.