Definitely a lot of food for thought in those assorted articles (and currently my brain's trying to shut down from information overload, so will be going back to the one's I didn't get to). Definitely had an "ohhhh, I see" moment, though. Or, well, series of moments.
One of the big issues here in JP is over what is an isn't taught in class about WWII and the things which happened in Korea, Manchuria, Okinawa and so on. A lot of the time it's just not talked about and, in fact, if current legislation passes those topics will become even more off limits. And the thing is, I've always known the teaching of history in the states was also pretty damn biased but the list in Tim Wise's article definitely managed to beat me over the head with the point that I'd largely lost/forgotten while getting caught up in the Japanese version of the same damn problem. In a way, and I don't know that this is better or worse, just different, but in a way, the Japanese government's much more straightforward about this sort of thing. Abe and the Education Ministry coming out and saying "no, we're not going to talk about the comfort women anymore" is incredibly scummy and infuriating, but at least they're up front about it. Japanese instutionalized racism is out there for everybody in the international community to see and go "tsk tsk" over, and I think in the states it's much more insiduous. Covert, but no less devistatingly effective.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2007-07-18 05:54 am (UTC)One of the big issues here in JP is over what is an isn't taught in class about WWII and the things which happened in Korea, Manchuria, Okinawa and so on. A lot of the time it's just not talked about and, in fact, if current legislation passes those topics will become even more off limits. And the thing is, I've always known the teaching of history in the states was also pretty damn biased but the list in Tim Wise's article definitely managed to beat me over the head with the point that I'd largely lost/forgotten while getting caught up in the Japanese version of the same damn problem. In a way, and I don't know that this is better or worse, just different, but in a way, the Japanese government's much more straightforward about this sort of thing. Abe and the Education Ministry coming out and saying "no, we're not going to talk about the comfort women anymore" is incredibly scummy and infuriating, but at least they're up front about it. Japanese instutionalized racism is out there for everybody in the international community to see and go "tsk tsk" over, and I think in the states it's much more insiduous. Covert, but no less devistatingly effective.