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【People’s Choice】
In any national election, who we vote for reveals the state of the nation. It reflects people's thoughts, attitudes, and values. While many agree that Japan’s general election last October dealt a huge loss for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), it still remains the largest and continues to hold power. [See #116] Last month’s upper house election produced similar results. Here are the vote shares from the upper house election, with the previous general election results in parentheses for comparison:
This marks a landslide 42.2%pts victory for the conservatives--an even wider margin than the 25.0%pts seen in the last general election. It’s a clear sign of Japan’s further rightward shift. To put this in perspective, consider the national popular vote from the most recent US presidential election:
While conservatives won in both countries, the margin of victory highlights a stark contrast: a staggering 25.0 to 42.2%pts in Japan versus just 1.5%pts in the US. That narrow margin in the US offers a glimmer of hope--not only for many Americans, but also for liberals around the world--as it signals the potential for a liberal comeback, much like the one that brought us the Biden administration. Now, back to Japan’s upper house election. One of the most alarming developments is the rise of Sanseito, a party known for rhetoric and behavior disturbingly reminiscent of Militarist Japan. It came in second overall in total votes, trailing only the LDP. Here are the top five parties by vote share:
In this 80th year since the end of World War II, the fading collective memory of that tragedy is increasingly evident in this election outcome. A genuine disappointment, it reveals the thoughts, attitudes, and values of many who disregard fundamental human rights. Why is this so concerning? Because Sanseito, mimicking the cruel immaturity of Trumpism, pushes a “Japanese People First” ideology. It promotes xenophobia/nationalism, spreads conspiracy theories and anti-vaccine mis/disinformation, and frequently targets women, foreigners, and LGBTQ individuals with discriminatory rhetoric. Worse still, their platform includes reviving the Imperial Rescript on Education (a key text from Militarist Japan), imposing a family-state ideology rooted in Emperor worship, denying established historical facts about Japan’s wartime aggression, stripping pacifist clauses from the Constitution, and glorifying the act of killing other humans “for your country” in war. These policies veer dangerously toward fascism, seeking to force people into obedience through authoritarian power. In essence, Sanseito appears intent on reshaping Japan into a nation once again capable--and perhaps willing--to go to war, echoing its militarist past. [See #84] This isn’t entirely new. Groups like Nippon Kaigi--to which most LDP central figures belong--and the rising populist party Ishin have long advocated similar views. [See #65] So why, then, do so many Japanese citizens continue to vote for these conservative parties? That’s the question we’ll explore in the next post. Read Next: 80 Years Later, Japan’s Big Problem (2)【Even in Urban Cities】 Read Theme: Violence/Peace Many differing opinions circulate about the ongoing Israeli military attacks in Gaza--ranging from those who condemn it as genocide, to those who defend it unconditionally.
But when we set aside emotion, avoid getting lost in the noise, and approach this situation with empathy/compassion for those who are most vulnerable, the truth begins to reveal itself. No violence. No matter what. That reality is incredibly painful. Incredibly difficult. Because it means even if your loved one is killed, "Kill them back!" is never the answer. Even if you fear you might be next, "Kill them before they kill me!" is never the answer either. [See #103] Approximately 1,000 people: The number of Israelis killed in the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. The vast majority were civilians. Approximately 56,000 people (including 17,000 children): The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli military attacks since then. Again, most were civilians. Killing 1,000 people is wrong. And even if it happened first, it doesn’t justify killing 56,000 people in return. It doesn’t justify killing 17,000 children. Killing is never acceptable. And getting attacked first doesn’t make killing in return acceptable. When we include the wounded, and all those whose lives/livelihoods have been destroyed, the sorrow multiplies exponentially. With empathy and compassion, the truth becomes clear. It’s unbearably painful. And incredibly difficult. But no violence. No matter what. Read Theme: Violence/Peace 【From Top of the 1st】
“But if there’s no justice in killing them back, then what are we to do?” In this way, when we’re on the brink of elimination with our backs against the wall, we're left with no sensible option to choose from. In fact, we’re only left with unreasonable/unjust options, pressed to hastily make sense of killing newborn babies, small children, and innocent people. Nevertheless, even when we're trapped in this Bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2outs situation, it doesn't alter the fact that injustice is still injustice. So then, what can we do? Here, let's begin by saying that starting any discussion from the Bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2outs situation is too little too late. Whenever a discussion entails “Peace and War” or “Nonviolence and Violence,” many people often rush to bring up the Bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2outs argument as if a treasured sword. The arguments in the likes of “Nonviolence couldn’t have stopped Hitler” or “Militarist Japan wouldn’t have surrendered without dropping the atomic bombs.” Simply put, that discussion, in and of itself, is futile because when that’s where we start the conversation from, there’s obviously very little that can be done; we’re only left with terrible options to choose from. It’s like being trapped in the Bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2outs, which quickly leads to “If we don’t kill back, then they’ll kill us again.” There’s no intelligence in that, and we want to be intelligent to stop all killings. But as long as we continue to stay trapped in that rut, no meaningful idea/discussion will come out of it. Instead, we need to begin thinking and discussing from the Top-of-the-1st-inning; from the start of the game. In fact, even better if we can start from pre-game practice. What we need to think and discuss is how to create a world where we don't end up in the Bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2outs situation. For that, an honest and sincere peace education is truly essential. To make this world a better place for everyone. Make no mistake, this responsibility falls upon all adults. Of course, entertainment is important. From babies to grown-ups, entertainment is necessary for everyone to bring smiles to our life. Nonetheless, while a viral fun video on YouTube may fetch over 5 million views a week, how many people are reading the important books on peace education? How many people contemplate deeply about the wisdom shared in the books by Martin Luther King Jr. or Mahatma Gandhi? Regrettably, it seems too few people truly comprehend and live by the ideas of those who’ve courageously practiced nonviolent resistance. Likewise, too few people contemplate honestly about the gut-wrenching thoughts on war responsibility shared by Saburo Ienaga. Truth be told, what’s most important is our own actions taken during normal times; in our everyday life on an ordinary day. By thinking and discussing from the Top-of-the-1st-inning, we can create a world where we don't end up in the Bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2outs situation. To be sure, we must remember about those who are willing but unable. For example, the people who live under less fortunate circumstances exposed to violence/abuse/poverty may find it nearly impossible. Or, for those of us who are swamped with work or raising young children. When we finally get a moment of break perhaps late at night after the kids have gone to bed, a book on nonviolence or war responsibility often feels very heavy to pick up. But isn’t it also true that even for those who find ourselves in more comfortable circumstances, we still tend to invent creative excuses to indulge in entertainment? In order for us to stop our raw emotions from taking over, falling for the fear hysteria, and embarking upon inconceivable insanity as we’ve seen throughout the history of mankind. To bring a permanent end to the unspeakable cruelties of wars/conflicts instead of a temporary halt. Let’s start from the Top-of-the-1st-inning. Read Previous: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (4)【No Sensible Option Left】 Complete Series: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (1)～(5) [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Read Theme: Violence/Peace 【No Sensible Option Left】
We can’t kill our way out of killings. It’s because when we award a “License to kill for justice” to everyone for every life of families/friends murdered away, this license will multiply itself exponentially, thwarting humanity from ever catching up no matter how many murders/slaughters we embark on. Soon, the killings will spin out of control. Look at the current atrocities unfolding in Ukraine/Russia and Israel/Palestine. Even when we only consider these two on-going wars, the Palestinian (approximately 33,091 people), Israeli (1,410), Ukrainian (40,000), and Russian (60) life lost forever grow each day. Here, we must remember that the vast majority of them are innocent people, having nothing to do with the initial killing. What’s more, roughly 1.7 million Palestinian people of Gaza have been forcefully displaced by the Israeli military attacks, losing their livelihood, and now barely surviving as refugees. Likewise, the Russian military invasion has forced 10 million Ukrainian people into displacement, both domestically and internationally, losing nearly everything they had built in life. And now, when we confront with full transparency the massive devastations brought on by all the wars/conflicts from past to present, everywhere. If we continue to award a “License to kill for justice” to everyone for every life of families/friends murdered away, then no matter how many murders/slaughters we embark on, or rather the more we embark on them, this license will multiply itself exponentially, thwarting humanity from ever catching up. After all, when we listen to our wisdom and humbly study/think about the seemingly endless wars/conflicts repeated throughout the history of mankind, we’d come to see the simple truth. That is, at the core of this perpetual pattern is our faulty justification for retaliatory killings in the name of self-defense; the “License to kill for justice.” In all fairness, a retaliatory killing might buy us some time; it may even stop the bleeding for a little while. But make no mistake--it’s at best temporary. In the long run, there’s no end to this self-defense logic because the innocent people who have nothing to do with the initial killing get caught up in these retaliatory attacks. “They killed us first, so us killing them back is self-defense” may sound emotionally appealing, but the problem with this logic is that it’s nearly impossible to precisely target any retaliatory attack at only “those who killed us first.” “But if there’s no justice in killing them back, then what are we to do? Doing nothing means the innocent people will continue to be massacred. My family and I may be next. We have no other choice but to kill them back!!” In this way, when we’re on the brink of elimination with our backs against the wall, we're left with no sensible option to choose from. In fact, we’re only left with unreasonable/unjust options, pressed to hastily make sense of killing newborn babies, small children, and innocent people; while in the back of our minds we know none of that really makes any sense at all. This indeed is getting “trapped” in the Bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2outs. Once you walk into this trap, you quickly get swallowed up. You get suckered into a place where there’s no sensible option left; where justice or wisdom hold negligible value. Nevertheless, even when we’re trapped, or regardless of how much sorrows/agonies fall upon us. They don’t alter the fact that injustice is still injustice; that it’s not right to willfully ignore injustice. So then, what can we do? In the next post, let’s connect to that point. Read Next: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (5)【From Top of the 1st】 Read Previous: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (3)【Can't Kill Our Way Out of Killings】 Complete Series: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (1)～(5) [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Read Theme: Violence/Peace 【Can’t Kill Our Way Out of Killings】
The more retaliatory killings are unleashed, the more innocent people get caught up in these attacks. And the once-innocent people become the next aggressors, thereby no longer innocent themselves. As a direct consequence of the attacks by terrorist organization Hamas, many innocent Israeli lives have been lost forever. And in wars/conflicts across time, sexual violences against innocent women unfold everywhere. Based on the recent investigations by the United Nations, at least several Israeli women were subjected to the heinous and heartless cruelty by Hamas. In many of these incidents, victims were first raped, and then killed. In fact, several bodies were found naked or undressed from the waist down, with their hands tied and shot to death. And all the more, the Israeli military insists, “They killed us first, so us killing them back is self-defense.” Thereby repeating this faulty justification for retaliatory killings in the name of self-defense, continuing to kill even more innocent Palestinian people. All the while, the UN investigations have also uncovered that numerous Palestinian women and girls were subjected to sexual violences by Israeli military, as well as murdered when fleeing while waving a white cloth. What’s more, a shelter in Gaza operated by the medical humanitarian aid organization Doctors Without Borders was attacked by the Israeli military, killing the kind-hearted families of volunteer staff working there to help people in dire need, as well as injuring several more innocent people mostly women and children. Additionally, at least 20 Palestinian children have already died from malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza, and the UN warns that hundreds of thousands of Palestinian people are on the verge of starvation. In this way, the cruelty of war is appalling, and its foolishness knows no limit. 3 Israeli civilians taken hostage by Hamas successfully broke free from their captors in northern Gaza, where they were in turn shot to death by their own country’s military who are there to supposedly “protect” them. The Israeli soldiers explain that they felt under threat and mistakenly fired on the hostages, although the hostages were shirtless to prove unarmed, and also waved a white flag as they called for help in their mother tongue Hebrew. To be fair, these colossal failures aren’t unique to the recent war in Israel/Palestine. Rather, they’re a hallmark of every war/conflict across time, everywhere, as humans fall for the fear hysteria, embark upon inconceivable insanity as we allow our raw emotions to take over. Truth be told, at the core of this perpetual pattern is our faulty justification for retaliatory killings in the name of self-defense. Despite it’s emotional appeal, the problem with this self-defense logic is that it’s nearly impossible to precisely target any retaliatory attack at only “those who killed us first.” It’s because the innocent people who have nothing to do with the initial killing get caught up in these retaliatory attacks. Against this backdrop, suppose we award a “License to kill for justice” to everyone for every life of families and friends murdered away. If so, then as we can all imagine, the “License to kill for justice” will multiply itself exponentially. And when the “License to kill for justice” grows exponentially, humanity will never be able to catch up no matter how many murders and slaughters we embark on. Soon, the killings will spin out of control. This is why we can’t kill our way out of killings. As in the Bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2outs situation, when we’re on the brink of elimination with our backs against the wall, we're left with no choice but to grapple with this truth. Read Next: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (4)【No Sensible Option Left】 Read Previous: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (2)【Raw Emotions】 Complete Series: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (1)～(5) [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Read Theme: Violence/Peace 【Raw Emotions】
“Retaliatory killings in the name of self-defense” translates into “Willfully accepting the inevitable killings of the innocent people.” As a result, there is no end to this self-defense logic. The same can be said in light of the Russian military’s abhorrent invasion of Ukraine. As a direct consequence of the Russian military’s barbarism, many innocent Ukrainian lives have been lost forever. In response, the Ukrainian military explains, “They killed us first, so us killing them back is self-defense” and attacks Russia. Yet, by carrying out this faulty justification, the Ukrainian military retaliates, and among those killed are Russian people who are truly innocent; those who had nothing to do with the initial killing of Ukrainian people by the Russian military. In fact, some of them may have been voicing opposition against the war, advocating for peace, or rejecting Putin’s ruthless policies. And what follows? Next up, the innocent Russian people use the same logic, “They killed us first, so us killing them back is self-defense.” In this way, the more retaliatory killings are unleashed, the more innocent people get caught up in these attacks. And the once-innocent people become the next aggressors, thereby no longer innocent themselves. In all fairness, “Retaliatory killings in the name of self-defense” might buy us some time. It may even stop the bleeding for a little while. When pressed into constant fear for life, that can mean everything. But make no mistake--it’s at best temporary. In no time, it’ll resume and wreak havoc all over again. It’s because tit-for-tat is a short-sighted emotion that leads to destruction and insanity. In the long run, there is no end to this self-defense logic. If in doubt, study and think about the unspeakable cruelties in wars/conflicts that are repeated, seemingly endless, throughout the history of mankind. Look at the current atrocities unfolding in Ukraine/Russia and Israel/Palestine, among other places. The facts speak for themselves; the truth proven many times over. Truth be told, many innocent Palestinian people have been and continue to be mercilessly oppressed by the past/present Israeli administrations, subjected to inconceivable violences, unjustly prisoned in hideous conditions for decades without legal due process, and forced upon a life of humiliating poverty. For those reasons, the innocent Palestinian people use the same logic, “They did it to us first, so us doing them back is self-defense.” And regrettably, among them are the once-innocent people who become the next aggressors, thereby no longer innocent themselves, as they begin to profess false justification in gruesome terrorism and join Hamas. The indescribable sorrows brought on by the murder of our loved ones. The raging anger and unforgivable feelings against the killers. This crushing sorrow, the anger, the hatred. Being a part of nature, humans carry these raw emotions that direct us to the faulty justification of “Retaliatory killings in the name of self-defense.” As in the Bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2outs situation, when we’re on the brink of elimination with our backs against the wall, many of us allow our raw emotions to take over. Read Next: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (3)【Can't Kill Our Way Out of Killings】 Read Previous: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (1)【Is it Justice?】 Complete Series: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (1)～(5) [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Read Theme: Violence/Peace 【Is it Justice?】
Bottom of the 9th inning with 2outs. It’s a popular baseball expression also used in an everyday setting, often to illustrate a dire situation where we’re “on the brink of elimination.” That is, a situation in which one more out and the game’s over; we lose. And it’s sad to say that we find the Bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2outs situations across the world. The attack against Israel by terrorist organization Hamas. The Russian military’s abhorrent invasion of Ukraine. So many conflicts/violence unfold in the world, spreading sorrows everywhere. And the terrible truth is that these conflicts are repeated, seemingly endless, throughout the history of mankind. Truth be told, at the core of this perpetual pattern is our faulty justification for retaliatory killings in the name of self-defense. The Israeli military explains, “They killed us first, so us killing them back is self-defense” and attacks Palestine. Here’s the logic: if we kill the enemy who killed us first, then that same enemy will no longer pose a threat to our livelihood, therefore us killing them back is a legitimate self-defense. Despite it’s emotional appeal, the problem with this self-defense logic is that it’s nearly impossible to precisely target any retaliatory attack at only “those who killed us first.” Our long history of wars/conflicts have already proven this point repeatedly. It’s because the innocent people who have nothing to do with the initial killing get caught up in these retaliatory attacks. For this reason, “Retaliatory killings in the name of self-defense” translates into “Willfully accepting the inevitable killings of the innocent people.” As a result, there is no justice in this self-defense logic. Yet, by carrying out the faulty justification, the Israeli military retaliates, and the innocent Palestinian people are killed. Among those killed are the innocent people who had nothing to do with the initial killing of Israeli people by Hamas. Small children are among those killed. Even the newborn babies are among those killed. Even if not killed, innocence is lost. Childhood is lost. Livelihood is lost. Joy and happiness are gone. Fathers are taken away. Mothers are violated. Sisters and brothers are tormented. Families are destroyed. Poverty crushes them. Emotional wounds dig so deep, they scar forever. To state the very obvious, there is no justice in any of this. And what follows? Next up, the innocent Palestinian people use the same logic, “They killed us first, so us killing them back is self-defense.” In this way, “Retaliatory killings in the name of self-defense” translates into “Willfully accepting the inevitable killings of the innocent people.” There is no end to this self-defense logic. “But if there’s no justice in killing them back, then what are we to do? Doing nothing means the innocent people will continue to be massacred. My family and I may be next. We have no other choice but to kill them back!!” And that’s the Bottom-of-the-9th-inning-with-2outs situation; on the brink of elimination with our backs against the wall. Read Next: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (2)【Raw Emotions】 Complete Series: Trapped in Bottom of the 9th (1)～(5) [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Read Theme: Violence/Peace 【A Baby Within Us】
From time to time, people say Don’t wake a sleeping baby and mean Better not talk about it; safe to steer clear. Almost as if to willfully ignore a very large problem in our world like Discrimination. The same is true with a very large problem in War. That is, we tend to focus on the Aggression against our own nation, yet conveniently look away from Our own aggression against other nations. In fact, not a small number of people say Don’t wake a sleeping baby in an attempt to deter us from rocking the boat; as if talking about “Our own aggression” equates to stirring up “Unnecessary trouble.” Truth be told, a society that quietly condones such willful ignorance is a society that’s disturbingly trapped in a “Prejudiced justification created by the majority.” Sadly, we can’t help but make a regrettable observation that discrimination/violence are found everywhere, across time. Perhaps, it’s because most living beings naturally possess the survival instincts to try to secure our own safety/comfort; the territoriality behavior that often directs us to attack those who seemingly endanger it. To be sure, most people from very young age, possess a selfish part within ourselves that drives this territoriality behavior. For example, when kids fight over a toy or a prime play spot at the park. “It’s mine!!” Kids can easily get worked up, screaming their lungs out. Pushing and tugging, sometimes escalate into hitting and kicking. Simply put, kids often attack to try to get what they want. The most embarrassing thing, however, is that some adults continue to display this same behavioral pattern. And most regrettably, many adults quietly condone such adult selfishness so not to stir up “Unnecessary trouble.” It’s truly regrettable because such pattern, knowingly or not, weaves discrimination/violence into our social fabric. And it creates a social structure that subjects people, especially those who are less-fortunate than most, to discrimination/violence at the opposite end of selfishness. In both the past and present, the horrors of discrimination/violence incited by adults who blindly followed our survival instincts; who selfishly carried out our territoriality behavior. No matter how inadvertent we claim our behavior to be, we can do better by becoming a part of the solution; not part of the problem. To ensure that past tragedy will never again fall upon anyone, talking/learning/educating about the realities of discrimination/violence is crucially important. Just like Discrimination, we must recognize the risk in “Tragedy repeating itself when no one knows anything about Our own aggression against other nations.” We must engage in valuable conversations with our youngsters on this sensitive but important topic of “Why wars are wrong.” When we truly commit ourselves to never again let past tragedy fall upon anyone, we will honestly confront the realities of our history with full transparency, no matter how harsh they may be. We must engage in discussions, express opinions, and delve deeply into the truth. We must educate with honest facts at our schools. Facing the harsh yet honest facts builds true pride, whereas looking away or gravitating toward the easy way out fabricates hollow pride. “Wake a Sleeping Baby” isn’t really about babies. It’s about the “Sleeping baby” within ourselves who tend to look away from the harsh realities; who tend to seek for the easy way out. Read Previous: Wake a Sleeping Baby (4)【Discrimination Doesn’t Exist?】 Complete Series: Wake a Sleeping Baby (1)～(5) [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Read Theme: Violence/Peace 【Hate Speech】
The tragic incident at a gas station, cited in the last post, violates a person’s life. Regardless of how much the killer insists that his rights were intruded or wants to fully enjoy his Own Freedom, no freedom allows to violate others’ life. In this case, a murder is of course outlawed, and masks are legally required. Others’ life is Others’ Freedom that must be protected, and to that end we’ll even go as far as to implement laws that limit one’s Own Freedom. Surely, for most of us who enjoy freedom, we don’t wish to be bound by laws that limit our freedom. Indeed, no one wishes to be deprived of freedom. For that reason, we shall self-control our Own Freedom rather than resort to violence. To protect everyone’s Freedom to live from the threat of coronavirus across the world as best we can, we shall self-control our own Freedom to refuse vaccination and Freedom to not wear a mask. Because if we don’t reign ourselves in, then we invite the law to bind our Own Freedom on our behalf. To avoid having the law do what we fail to do ourselves, and to sustain everyone’s freedom, as people who enjoy freedom, we shall self-control our Own Freedom guided by self-discipline, especially when our Own Freedom may potentially morph into violating other people’s life, livelihood, and dignity. Consequently, to protect everyone’s Freedom to live, we shall self-control our own Freedom to kill. Likewise, to secure everyone’s Freedom to live without fear of gun violence, we shall self-control our own Freedom to own guns. It’s about having compassion to respectfully care for each and every one of us in the world. As a responsible adult, and as a responsible member of our society. * * * * * * * * * * In the last few years, more than just a few people have jumped on a hateful bandwagon influenced by former-US President Trump and former-Japanese Prime Ministers Abe and Aso, spewing hate speech, in particular, around the internet. Hate speech is any expression of hostility or disparagement based on a group characteristic, often by the privileged group of race, background, gender, or majority status. Hate speech more broadly includes those of promoting such behavior or inciting violence. To put it another way, it’s violence in the form of verbal abuse – violating other people’s dignity. In many instances, it also turns into violation of others’ life and livelihood. We come across quite a few who spew hate speech in the name of Freedom, as if to proclaim there’s no moral boundary to this Freedom, but in truth reveal Selfishness with little regard to those whom they hurt by verbal abuse. Very understandably, many European nations including Germany, France, UK, Denmark, and Sweden legally ban and penalize hate speech. In particular, learning from the past atrocities of Nazi era, the German criminal code provides for up to 5 years in prison. In Japan, the Hate Speech Act was enacted in 2016, but it neither bans nor sets penalty, rendering it hollow. And most regrettably in the US, the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that laws criminalizing hate speech violate the freedom of speech. Nonetheless, whether the laws allow it or not, and regardless of freedom, it’s not fine for us to do whatever we’d like with little regard to others. For example, we refrain from entering our neighbor’s home without permission, using others’ belongings without asking, threatening others, abusing people, and of course killing. Likewise, just because our freedom of speech is protected, it doesn’t mean that it’s fine for us to say whatever we’d like with little regard to others. It’s because we must not violate other people’s dignity. It's because the freedom of speech is not the only freedom that must be protected. For those reasons, to protect everyone’s Freedom to live without verbal abuse, we shall self-control our own Freedom to hate speech. We all have freedom. We all should. That’s why it’s essential to protect everyone’s freedom. As people who enjoy freedom, we shall self-control our Own Freedom guided by self-discipline, when our Own Freedom may potentially morph into violating other people’s life, livelihood, and dignity. Read Previous: Freedom for Everyone (1)【Vaccine】 Read Theme: Violence/Peace 【Gun Policy】
The residents of the less populous rural states wield disproportionately larger power than one person, one vote to influence the political decisions for the entire country. The troubling truth is that our Constitution, of all things, grants them that power to subvert our democracy. Based on these unfortunate facts, we can’t help but draw a regrettable conclusion that a Constitutional amendment is quite unlikely, even when the vast majority of Americans demand the change. And it’s not only the Constitutional amendment. This problem extends to all matters under the Congressional authority including the gun safety measures, the confirmation of Supreme Court Justices, and the presidential impeachment. In fact, every decision that requires the approval of the Senate diverge far from the democratic principle of one person, one vote. For example, let’s take up the issue of gun violence, surely one of the worst problems in America today. By the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, the possession of firearms is widely allowed, and this directly leads to gun murders daily. Mass shootings are also common, in fact, so much so that our children need be prepared for the worst just going to school every day. Indeed, we live in an absurd society which doesn’t have to be this way. And the numbers speak for themselves. In 2020 alone, more than 19 thousand people were killed with a gun in America. This equates to over 50 people losing their lives every day. It’s important to note that this figure doesn’t include suicides nor does it include the victims of non-fatal shootings who’ve suffered injuries, disabilities, and traumas. Furthermore, this figure doesn’t capture gun threats, gun assaults, the devastating sorrows of losing a loved one, or the unmeasurable emotional toll from the fear of gun violence. What’s more, in 2020, there were 612 mass shootings as defined by the Gun Violence Archive to be minimum of four victims shot (either fatally or not) excluding any shooter killed or injured in the attack. This means that we have nearly 2 mass shootings a day in America. When compared to countries with strict gun laws such as Japan and United Kingdom, it’s quite evident that America is an ailing country from the gun violence epidemic. So then, we ask the obvious: Confronted with so much suffering, why doesn’t America move forward on its gun safety measures? First of all, what’s clear is the answer to that question is not the general consensus of the American people. In fact, based on the four prominent nationwide polls, roughly 65 to 75% of Americans support stricter gun safety measures. So then, why aren’t the effective gun policies getting implemented? That’s because the Senate blocks those policies. Here, too, the residents of the less populous rural states wield disproportionately larger power than one person, one vote to influence the political decisions for the entire country. The end result is that the vast majority of Americans who demand the change are taken hostage “at gunpoint” by a few who adamantly oppose to enact any effective gun safety measure. And the troubling truth is that our Constitution, of all things, grants them that power to subvert our democracy. In all fairness, it’s a fact that certainly back when Constitution was ratified 230 years ago, and even today, many rural counties in America are so geographically isolated where police response time can be measured in hours even under emergency situations. When we take such circumstance into account, we can show a certain degree of understanding to those who feel the possession of firearms as a necessity for self-defense. Nevertheless, make no mistake, this doesn’t give a free pass to oppose all effective gun safety measures including the ban on military-style assault rifles. Instead, we must seek for a balanced approach that, on the one hand acknowledges a certain degree of necessity of firearms in the geographically isolated rural counties, while on the other hand implements effective gun policy in the larger cities where a vast majority of gun violence takes place. Simply opposing all effective gun safety measures without sincerely seeking for the right balance is not a morally acceptable approach when we wish to bring about a truly heart healing resolution for the victims. Today, we have an American reality where our people learn of the vast perspectives, live amongst the diversity, and accept one another’s uniqueness, all of which enable us to lead the world in areas like the innovative technology. On the flip side, we also have an American reality where our people have no access to the world-class education, live in a closed society, and accept only their own narrow perspective, all of which impede our progress and isolate us from the rest of the world. Both of these realities coexist in America today. The troubling truth is that our Constitution, of all things, is sucking all of us into that closed society. It shows up as the disproportionate allocation of senators by a whopping 68 multiple which undermines the democratic principle of one person, one vote. It shows up in the form of 1 Wyoming gun enthusiast successfully blocking 68 California parents demanding the stricter gun policies just to keep their children safer at school. So, why doesn’t America move forward on its gun safety measures? That is, just as Trump won the 2016 presidential election despite getting 3 million fewer votes, not the general consensus of the American people. The truth is, the vast majority of Americans demand the change. It’s because the residents of the less populous rural states wield disproportionately larger power than one person, one vote to block progress for the entire country – aided by our Constitution granting them that power to subvert our democracy. And that’s the biggest problem of American democracy. Read Previous: Big Problems of the US Election (2)【Congressional】 Complete Series: Big Problems of the US Election (1)～(3) [1] [2] [3] Read Theme: Violence/Peace |
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