Okinawa’s pissed. Why? The Okinawan governor recently sold out for another U.S. base in Henoko, the dangerous Ospreys (planes with a helicopter design) crash into a local university, and the rapes and incidents between American military men and Okinawans have people ready to deport all foreigners off the island.
It wasn’t a big surprise to noticed this little postcard in the back of the teacher’s office this morning.
In case you can’t read the postcard, it says:
“Dear President Obama,
The U.S. Forces have occupied Okinawa for 68 years. This oppression is unbearable. We demand the following actions for the restoration of our human rights:
1. The withdrawal of deployment of the Osprey aircrafts.
2. The closure of Futenma Air Base for safety reasons and its subsequent return.
3. The cessation of plans to reclaim land in the Henoko areas of Nago and the cessation of construction of Takae helipads.”
I know what you’re thinking: “As an American, why should I care about these brown Asian folks from some nowhere island?”
You’re a human being, right? Well, OK, let’s use something more practical: money. If you’re an American paying taxes, you should know that you’re paying for the stealing of someone else’s land that you won’t be able to go to even if you made it to Okinawa. You’re paying for the crashes and damages done by Ospreys, something that costs over $69.3 million for one aircraft. You’re giving a paycheck to rapists and pillagers.
And, no, I’m not being anti-American. I’m doing my duty as an American and questioning where my money’s going, where the soul of humanity has flown off to. “Our country is not the only thing to which we owe our allegiance. It is also owed to justice and to humanity. Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong” (James Bryce).
If you don’t feel a single emotion over this, you’re heartless, soulless, downright suicide material ready for the elevator to 6-Feet Under.