Its been interesting reading this.. the opening peice is a ggod example of why patriotism has such a bad name.. but its not so much patriotic, as it is propoganda. and like the best propoganda, stirring.
but MG, your comments..to forgive the Japanese, as an entire race, for their atrocities during WWII. also struck a chord--or i should say sour note.
During WWII there were major cities on both sides destroyed, Coventry comes to mind, and the fire bombing of Dresden.. but almost never mentioned is the firebombing of Tokyo, a city, over 90% made (at WWII) of wooden building.
Most north American and europeans are aware, and distressed by the fire bombing and fire storm at Dresden.. and but are unaware the same was done to Tokyo.. atrocities occured on both sides. and there is still a dispartity of attitudes about what happened in europe, and what happened in far east.
the Japanese have a very different set of values that those that most of western europe, and the their offshoots share.
and values, are neither good or bad, but rather shared or not.
