Re: Sidebar-USS Arizona Preservation Project

As if China, before and since, has been a bastion of human rights. To say the attack at Pearl Harbor was unfortunate is an understatement, but to label it some action of evil is asinine. If WE had been the ones to do the attacking do you think we would have announced it? Of course not. It's what any military planner strives for, the element of surprise. It was a military action, nothing more and nothing less and they handed our hat to us.

Did the Japanese get what they had coming? The military most certainly so, since they were the ones running the show and lying to the population, but John Q. Public pretty much got the shaft at both ends.

The apologies have been given on more than one occasion, some times more clear than others, but that is just the Japanese way. Rarely is ANYthing ever said directly. It is almost impossible for them given their social history. Hell, a group of modern day Japanese friends discussing where to go for dinner contains enough indirect hints and beating about the bush that you could write a college thesis on it. NOTHING is ever said directly, it may be considered...rude.

Unfortunately for them, this communication shortfall is pretty much what sealed their fate when it comes to the dropping of the bombs. That and our inability to decipher what was truly being said by their government at the time. The government was looking for a way out, the military (leadership) were the ones wanting to go to the last man.

One of things that Americans are just as guilty of as a good portion of the rest of the world is assuming that the actions of a government have the complete blessing of it's population. It's why the Muslims and a good portion of the world think "Americans" are devils, why the US thought all Germans were Nazi murderers, Russians were Commie Bastards, Vietnamese were Gooks, Chinese were Chinks, Japanese were Nips, Camel jockeys, rag heads, towel heads, spear chuckers, frogs, wops on an on an on. Beginning to see a pattern?

I see Indians (the REAL ones), Egyptians, Iranians, Pakistanis, Chinese, and Japanese etc. on a regular and personal basis. The fresh off the boat variety so to speak and you know what? Without exception they have been regular people that just want to live their lives in peace and get along with everyone else. Pretty much just like your average every day American.

I'm sure though that there is the oddball extremist walking the streets ready to sow death and destruction in the name of his religion. Much like Protestants and Catholics in Ireland.

Imagine that, white skinned Europeans willing to murder in the name of their religion, and damn...not a towel or camel in sight.

Come on now Bill,

They probably learned history from Ted Turner's American History Documentaries.

Bill, I am going to send you a pix from NKU's 2005 Graduation. Can you see what is wrong?

The US flag is mounted on a pole that is slightly higher but it is displayed to the RIGHT of the state flag and was dipped during the procession. Had this state college not had a sizable ROTC contingent, seated in the rear of the auditorium, I might have attributed it to liberal arts ignorance.

But, as mentioned, they had ROTC in which all the cadets and certainly the commander knew the flag protocol. (Or should have)

Of course, I realize that in 1989 the Supremes said you can do whatever you want with our flag so I guess I shouldn't complain. At least it was displayed.

Is that ever the truth. It's the noncombatants who suffer-and the military men loyal to their country but not necessarily the ideology, as my German uncles and cousins killed on the Russian Front and in U-boats testify. The Nazi Party people had cushy safe jobs far from the front, just like Communist Party members in Russia and Bush's kids in Washington.

I don't blame Truman, it had to be done considering the military were in control. But as Curtis Lemay correctly said, the reason it was the Japanese and not him going to the war crimes gallows was, we won. Look at the picture of "Old Hickory" Jackson in your pocket-he defied the Supreme Court to off the savages. The Israelis hung Eichmann for far less.

Yep. There's no master race. We're all about equally capable of murder and mayhem.