Comments on: ‘Kimigayo’ snub stings another teacher http://japan.shadowofiris.com/conservatives/kimigayo-snub-stings-another-teacher/ japan.shadowofiris.com Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:34:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Kentaki http://japan.shadowofiris.com/conservatives/kimigayo-snub-stings-another-teacher/#comment-4281 Kentaki Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:28:41 +0000 http://japan.shadowofiris.com/conservatives/kimigayo-snub-stings-another-teacher/#comment-4281 As a guy who grew up in Japan, I think these teachers are way out of line. The graduation ceremony should be about students. Not about self-centered teachers. Yes, people should embrace diversity in opinion, but also should show respect to other people's opinion or feeling. Their public display of disdain made graduation ceremonies about themselves. That is wrong. I have been in situations where people asked me to join the prayer. I have always joined or pretended to join just to show my support even if I am against public prayer. The prayer is for people in need of help, done by people who care about them. It is NOT an opportunity to show my personal view because it is not about me. As a guy who grew up in Japan, I think these teachers are way out of line. The graduation ceremony should be about students. Not about self-centered teachers. Yes, people should embrace diversity in opinion, but also should show respect to other people’s opinion or feeling. Their public display of disdain made graduation ceremonies about themselves. That is wrong.

I have been in situations where people asked me to join the prayer. I have always joined or pretended to join just to show my support even if I am against public prayer. The prayer is for people in need of help, done by people who care about them. It is NOT an opportunity to show my personal view because it is not about me.

]]> By: William Matheny http://japan.shadowofiris.com/conservatives/kimigayo-snub-stings-another-teacher/#comment-323 William Matheny Tue, 10 Apr 2007 09:05:46 +0000 http://japan.shadowofiris.com/conservatives/kimigayo-snub-stings-another-teacher/#comment-323 A couple of years ago, I played Japan's national anthem for the first time and wrote a bit about the experience: 10 March '05 Yesterday, as I was thinking about the ceremony, the significance of one of the pieces we did hit me. We played 君が代 ("Kimi ga yo"), the national anthem. I suppose a redneck patriot would refuse and thus make a statement. For a change, I didn't think about it much. Just did it. Maybe, in the end, the graduation ceremony was just a musical gig and 君が代 was just one of the tunes that was on the program. Not a big deal -- or so I prefer to think. Christmas '05 In the midst of all that came my first public performance as a bassist with the orchestra. That was at the graduation ceremony in early March. In addition to the pieces previously mentioned, we also played the accompaniment for singing of the national anthem, Kimi Ga Yo. For me personally, that was a very significant moment. Yes, you could say that I was just a musician performing a function. But there are many people in Japan who dislike their national anthem because they feel it is associated with militarism and with worship of the emperor. How would such people regard a foreigner participating in the playing of the anthem? Indeed, how did I feel about it myself? The patriot in me seemed to be saying, "Have you gone too far?" On the other hand, I wonder: Does a foreigner's participation in this singular national rite help to push those war-related associations further into the past? Perhaps. A couple of years ago, I played Japan’s national anthem for the first time and wrote a bit about the experience:

10 March ‘05

Yesterday, as I was thinking about the ceremony, the significance of one of the pieces we did hit me. We played 君が代 (”Kimi ga yo”), the national anthem. I suppose a redneck patriot would refuse and thus make a statement. For a change, I didn’t think about it much. Just did it. Maybe, in the end, the graduation ceremony was just a musical gig and 君が代 was just one of the tunes that was on the program. Not a big deal — or so I prefer to think.

Christmas ‘05

In the midst of all that came my first public performance as a bassist with the orchestra. That was at the graduation ceremony in early March. In addition to the pieces previously mentioned, we also played the accompaniment for singing of the national anthem, Kimi Ga Yo. For me personally, that was a very significant moment. Yes, you could say that I was just a musician performing a function. But there are many people in Japan who dislike their national anthem because they feel it is associated with militarism and with worship of the emperor. How would such people regard a foreigner participating in the playing of the anthem? Indeed, how did I feel about it myself? The patriot in me seemed to be saying, “Have you gone too far?” On the other hand, I wonder: Does a foreigner’s participation in this singular national rite help to push those war-related associations further into the past? Perhaps.

]]> By: Japan in amber » Blog Archive » Kimi ga Yo, national anthem controversy http://japan.shadowofiris.com/conservatives/kimigayo-snub-stings-another-teacher/#comment-172 Japan in amber » Blog Archive » Kimi ga Yo, national anthem controversy Tue, 27 Mar 2007 06:39:33 +0000 http://japan.shadowofiris.com/conservatives/kimigayo-snub-stings-another-teacher/#comment-172 I've blogged more on this topic at the above link. I’ve blogged more on this topic at the above link.

]]> By: Matt Dioguardi http://japan.shadowofiris.com/conservatives/kimigayo-snub-stings-another-teacher/#comment-152 Matt Dioguardi Sat, 24 Mar 2007 20:20:44 +0000 http://japan.shadowofiris.com/conservatives/kimigayo-snub-stings-another-teacher/#comment-152 Students should be taught that people have diverse views. This is the reality in the world, and in Japan. People will naturally have strong opposing opinions at times, and while open debate should be encouraged to help make progress between opposing views, in the mean time, tolerance should always be the order of the day. I don't see students as being victims in cases like this, but instead are being taught two lesson in one, first, that the imposed harmony they see around on them is not reality, and two, the importance of standing up for what you believe. If the lesson is a hard one to learn, then it's only because teachers have waited too long before teaching it. I will look into the case of the suicide in Hiroshima and try to comment on it. Thank you for making me aware of it. If you have links or information on similar cases please forward them here. Students should be taught that people have diverse views. This is the reality in the world, and in Japan.

People will naturally have strong opposing opinions at times, and while open debate should be encouraged to help make progress between opposing views, in the mean time, tolerance should always be the order of the day.

I don’t see students as being victims in cases like this, but instead are being taught two lesson in one, first, that the imposed harmony they see around on them is not reality, and two, the importance of standing up for what you believe. If the lesson is a hard one to learn, then it’s only because teachers have waited too long before teaching it.

I will look into the case of the suicide in Hiroshima and try to comment on it. Thank you for making me aware of it. If you have links or information on similar cases please forward them here.

]]> By: moji http://japan.shadowofiris.com/conservatives/kimigayo-snub-stings-another-teacher/#comment-147 moji Sat, 24 Mar 2007 14:33:00 +0000 http://japan.shadowofiris.com/conservatives/kimigayo-snub-stings-another-teacher/#comment-147 How do you think about these teachers that urge their students to sit and remain silent to politicize the school ceremony? School principles and local education committees have tried to keep the radical actions of these teachers in check, but they have been powerless. A suicide of a principal in Hiroshima(there exist twelve similar cases at least) has finally made the government realize the principals and committees need some regulatory support. If the Nikkyoso were not so radical, these measures would have been unnecessary. They are not victims at all. It is the students that are real victims. How do you think about these teachers that urge their students to sit and remain silent to politicize the school ceremony? School principles and local education committees have tried to keep the radical actions of these teachers in check, but they have been powerless. A suicide of a principal in Hiroshima(there exist twelve similar cases at least) has finally made the government realize the principals and committees need some regulatory support. If the Nikkyoso were not so radical, these measures would have been unnecessary. They are not victims at all. It is the students that are real victims.

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