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Plain Meaning
Joined: 18 Oct 2014
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 Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 5:31 pm Post subject: Okinawa Lives Matter |
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Okinawa protests alleged U,S. contractor rapist
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About 65,000 people on Sunday held a protest in Okinawa, Japan, to pressure U.S. military bases to leave the country after a former Marine was arrested in connection with the rape and killing of a local woman.
The protesters wore black to mourn the woman as they demanded Japanese officials to review the U.S.-Japanese security agreement, which allows for the continued presence of U.S. military bases in Japan, the Associated Press reports.
The woman’s body was found last month. A U.S. contractor, who is a former Marine, was arrested last month on suspicion of abandoning her body. However, he has not yet been charged with killing her, according to the AP.
In 1995, three American servicemen raped a girl, which also sparked outrage at the time. Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga referred to the tragedy when addressing the crowd at the protest on Sunday. “We had pledged never to repeat such an incident,” he said, the AP reports. “I couldn’t change the political system to prevent that. That is my utmost regret as a politician and as governor of Okinawa.” |
Since the contractor was arrested for rape but not murder, there are strong parallels with BLM. I doubt that Japan will ultimately sympathize with Okinawa given the geopolitical ramifications. |
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trueblue
Joined: 15 Jun 2014
Location: In between the lines
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| Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2016 3:50 am Post subject: Re: Okinawa Lives Matter |
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| Plain Meaning wrote: |
Okinawa protests alleged U,S. contractor rapist
| Quote: |
About 65,000 people on Sunday held a protest in Okinawa, Japan, to pressure U.S. military bases to leave the country after a former Marine was arrested in connection with the rape and killing of a local woman.
The protesters wore black to mourn the woman as they demanded Japanese officials to review the U.S.-Japanese security agreement, which allows for the continued presence of U.S. military bases in Japan, the Associated Press reports.
The woman’s body was found last month. A U.S. contractor, who is a former Marine, was arrested last month on suspicion of abandoning her body. However, he has not yet been charged with killing her, according to the AP.
In 1995, three American servicemen raped a girl, which also sparked outrage at the time. Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga referred to the tragedy when addressing the crowd at the protest on Sunday. “We had pledged never to repeat such an incident,” he said, the AP reports. “I couldn’t change the political system to prevent that. That is my utmost regret as a politician and as governor of Okinawa.” |
Since the contractor was arrested for rape but not murder, there are strong parallels with BLM. I doubt that Japan will ultimately sympathize with Okinawa given the geopolitical ramifications. |
U.S. Forces should leave Japan (and Korea)...as soon as Japan apologizes for the B.D.M. |
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Neil
Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Location: Tokyo
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bigverne
Joined: 12 May 2004
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| Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2016 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Here we have Okinawans outraged about the rape and murder of Japanese women by (black) American soldiers. In the US, BLM is outraged about the killing of black criminals by the police. I guess that's a kind of parallel. |
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trueblue
Joined: 15 Jun 2014
Location: In between the lines
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 2:55 am Post subject: |
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| bigverne wrote: |
| Here we have Okinawans outraged about the rape and murder of Japanese women by (black) American soldiers. In the US, BLM is outraged about the killing of black criminals by the police. I guess that's a kind of parallel. |
The police generally don't rape and murder.
Besides, BLM says nothing about what happens to their own, among their own. It is, and they, nonsense. |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 5:45 am Post subject: |
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Overall, it is a good write-up. That writer, though, is a bit confused about how the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between Japan and the US works. If a US service member commits a non-serious crime off base, it does not matter if the Japanese police or the MPs arrest him or her. The service member will be held the military authorities until indictment, at which time he or she will be turned over to the Japanese authorities. For serious crimes, the service member is turned over upon request of the Japanese authorities, even while an indictment has yet to be issued. In the 1995 case, the month-long delay was due to the Japanese authorities not issuing an indictment before that time had passed. It was that case that caused the change requiring handing over accused service members for serious crimes even without indictment.
The writer is slightly confused about one or two other issues; however, as I said, overall it is a good write-up. |
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yodanole
Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Location: La Florida
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 11:00 am Post subject: |
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| Criminals commit crimes. This is similar to the furor over the random ESL teacher committing a crime in Korea. People start painting with a broad brush. Bad publicity, but mostly meaningless to society. |
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Plain Meaning
Joined: 18 Oct 2014
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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That is a rather excellent reddit thread, I must say.
You read on down and you learn that elderly Okinawans remember the U.S. liberation; there are very similar dynamics to Korea in play. Of course, the threat from the Chinese is not as strong as the threat of the North on South Korea. |
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geldedgoat
Joined: 05 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:09 am Post subject: |
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| bigverne wrote: |
| Here we have Okinawans outraged about the rape and murder of Japanese women by (black) American soldiers. In the US, BLM is outraged about the killing of black criminals by the police. I guess that's a kind of parallel. |
I, too, fail to understand the point of the comparison. Is it meant to undermine potential sympathy for the Okinawans? Maybe he has some rivalry with an Okinawan university and wants to see protests there that devastate its enrollment and funding. Dunno. |
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