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February 3, 1998

Good Morning from the Zundelsite:

"The marvel of all history is the patience with which men and women submit to burdens unnecessarily laid upon them by malicious governments and oppressive religions."

I cannot think where that shoe better fits than with the country and people of Germany, especially the young ones. The latest generation has become a pooch that has been trained to "Sit!" "Fetch!" and "Roll over!" And they are not alone.

Recently I received a letter from a young Japanese student who describes his feelings and experiences regarding this encroachment on the mind and raid on the pride of a people. Here is what he wrote down:

"Dear owner of this page:

I read your page with great surprise.

I appreciate (you) for your brave action based on your belief. I am a Japanese who is studying criminology here in Canada.

As well as German, Japanese pride has been torn apart after the War. It is because of great propagandas of the "Winners" of the War that have been telling us that the Japanese, as well as German, had done everything bad, terrible, cruel and against humanity during the War.

We still have to keep saying "sorry" for what they claim that Japanese did more than 50 years ago, even if their claims has no proof at all.

Some people say that Japanese killed millions of people in a Chinese city in a day in which population at that time seemed to be less than that. Some people say that they kidnapped Korean women and forced them to be prostitutes for Japanese soldiers even if the government paper was found saying that Japanese Army paid for them good salary and these women were voluntarily hired as professional prostitutes. (...)

I have honestly listened to these claims since I was a child as all Japanese have to do. I believed that German people were bad because they had killed Anne Frank as my teacher told me.

However, when I see the things are going around us now, still forcing German feel guilty, talking about Holocaust, etc...is enough even if it is true. It is too much. As well as Asians, they only to create hate inside us. They may think it for humanity. No. They just try to take advantage as victims. They do it for their sake.

I feel sorry for them if they are true. I just would like to know the truth. However, it is forbidden for us to consider these historical facts from different point of views, because we have no right to analyze them. If we say something if it was true or not, THEY surely start to criticize us that we say so because we do not feel sorry enough. Then, what is enough?

Should we hang down our heads until another big war or "genocide" will happen? Korean war in 1950s and Vietnamese war and Cultural Revolution in 1970s are not big enough? What is the difference?

Yes, we have money and we are not strong enough just like Americans. How much money has Japanese government paid for these Asian countries after the War? Their economic foundations were not built without Japanese money. They still count on us.

I feel like that they are using these propagandas as political tools to drag money out from us, making us feel guilty all the time. Thus, they can keep their prides in spite of owing everything from Japanese as long as putting themselves as victims who have concrete right to be made up for it by us.

This is a kind of threat. We are abused.

I know many Japanese who hate themselves only because they are Japanese. I know many German who hate themselves only because they are German. They hate themselves only because they are taught that they did terrible things in the history and they should be ashamed themselves of it. Our education has produced people without self esteem.

To be defeated in the War is such a terrible thing? To entrench hate to ourselves for what they have claimed that we had done? Don't we have right to say or think something about it by ourselves? It seems that we do not have these rights in Japan.

Every time I write my own opinion in my newsgroup of Japanese, even if I quote some historical proof, I receive many critiques telling that I am not human beings because I do not feel sorry for the fact that they had made up. Most of them are too emotional and making no sense.

They say that I am too biased. However, they are too biased for me. Why people should believe the things that are given or taught? What if they are not true?

I just write this e-mail only because I would like you to know that there is a person who appreciates your courage (I guess there are many). I hope I can make myself understood in English."

Thought for the Day:

"The Internet has revolutionized revolution."

(Joel Dyer - HARVEST OF RAGE )