2012-09-21, 12:55 | Link #262 | |
Le fou, c'est moi
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Age: 34
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And it's not very strong with only like six members in the Diet, though its presence in the municipalities, again like its Western European counterparts, are somewhat stronger. But yes, the Left, the true Left, is very weak in Japan. I really wouldn't call DPJ a left-wing party, even if a part of its members and supporters are made up of the right wing of the former Japan Socialist Party, the key left-wing opposition party for much of the postwar period (this party's left wing went their own way as the SDP and now have a whopping 10 members in the 480-member lower house Diet). As for Ishihara and Hashimoto, I find in them nothing to admire but rather that they are a truly sad symbol of how deep the malaise Japanese politics is in, that they would win accolades just by being bullish and jingoistic. It speaks all too little about their personal and political virtues and far more too how deeply inadequate Japan's political class is that such juvenile grand-standing can be viewed as "refreshing." |
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2012-09-21, 15:35 | Link #265 | ||
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Montreal, QC, Canada
Age: 40
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Whenever there's something involving rioters, I always expect everyone with judgement to start preparing a counter-movement in the name of some form of common sense. This counter-movement may come from a few politicians, the more moderate parts of the population, or even workers trying to save their jobs when it's a Japanese company hiring them. Still, as long as no one reacts against the rioters, the rest of the population (+ the government) is guilty by association and that is something I have a hard time with (i.e. people sitting there without reacting). And about the Japanese part, I already stated that Shintaro Ishihara is no more than a buffoon who will end up being another Le Pen or Haider. He may have the voice for the flavor-of-the-month award, but his positions on various subjects will just simply die with him. Still, I would love it if anybody can find something on which he can be brought down towards an early retirement before he creates more damage. OOT: I was raised with Catholic teachings, but like many people in Canada, I've grown beyond the need to put my religious beliefs above everything else. I've read my share of reading history to see what was good and what was bad when putting religion above all. By doing so, it allowed me to avoid repeating mistakes of Christians who preceded me. And in the era of satellite TV and internet, I think everyone ought to be in touch with more than enough material/information to avoid making major mistakes such as what we have seen recently. Quote:
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2012-09-21, 15:45 | Link #266 | |
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Dai Korai Teikoku
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2012-09-21, 16:12 | Link #267 | |
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Montreal, QC, Canada
Age: 40
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Not many countries use such nowadays. Even the Swedes who held compulsory military service for such a long time have dropped it since 2010. |
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2012-09-21, 16:41 | Link #269 | |||
Meh
Join Date: Feb 2008
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You're placing expectations on those people based on your expectation as a citizen in a western nation, but it's neither reasonable nor practical. Counter protest? those things will fly in Canada, but over there you're literally risking your life and the lives of your entire family. Hell, forget about counter-protests, the LACK of actively protesting alone can get you in deep trouble. A Pakistani business owner was charged with blasphemy, punishable by death, because he refused to participate in a protest. It's a different world out there with different sets of rules, you can't simply force yours on everyone else. Um, it's definitely the other way around. There are plenty of countries that would go nuclear in a heartbeat if they could, and none of the nuclear nations is going go disarm themselves. |
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2012-09-21, 16:43 | Link #270 | |
Le fou, c'est moi
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Age: 34
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Comrades in arms and all that. And who knows, maybe swinging around a big phallic firearms for a year or two will empower The People (rich old fucked up powerful men? Shoot them down like the pigs they are!), and a popular militia can be *cough* corrupted into a proletarian revolution... Kind of like how you Singaporeans get to build camaraderie by sharing pointless misery with people you'd otherwise just walk past on the streets. Mind, not being exactly civic-minded, I'd still hate to be conscripted by anyone. Unless the Reapers are invading and we need to build the Alliance ASAP, I'm not answering no call of duty. |
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2012-09-21, 17:31 | Link #271 | |
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Montreal, QC, Canada
Age: 40
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The only way I think the Japanese public opinion would accept some form of military conscription would be if they have alternative service among other options, preferably something equivalent to the Swiss Civilian Service. |
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2012-09-21, 18:29 | Link #277 | |
ARCAM Spriggan agent
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And yeah, I'm sure the majority would oppose conscription due to WWII memories...
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2012-09-21, 18:29 | Link #278 |
勇者
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Tesla Leicht Institute
Age: 34
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I hate the idea of conscription, especially the Korean one, and this is one of the thing I envy about Japan. I don't mind if they give about great benefit like America, but Korean military gives you nothing and waste basically two years of your youth. Yeah they might gain the knowledge of what to do when grenade drops, or the taste of nicotine, but not much useful knowledge. It is also waste of athletic talents, who wastes their prime doing nothing. While Japanese football players are getting bought the European teams, the Korean players have difficulty time getting picked because of eventual military service hanging over their head.
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2012-09-21, 19:26 | Link #279 | |
うるとらぺど
Join Date: Oct 2004
Age: 44
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As for conscription in Japan, I'm in favor of seeing the famed samurai ferocity which the Americans faced and feared in Iwo Jima which had indirectly pushed for the use of atomics emerged once more. But it might be hard-pressed given how soft the current generation is. |
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2012-09-21, 19:47 | Link #280 | |
Banned
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Can't tell until the first bomb explodes and wait for the reaction from the Japanese people... Last edited by NoemiChan; 2012-09-21 at 20:17. |
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Tags |
border, china, dispute, japan |
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