I was lucky enough to attend the World Baseball Classic in San Diego this past weekend. My friend, Bob and I had tickets to the premier game yesterday - Japan versus Cuba. That was an odd event. Watching hundreds of people cheer and applaud a communist country on American soil, an odd sight (to me anyway). Kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Bob said it is not the baseball player's fault they are stuck in such a country.
He is right, of course, but we still need to stand up for freedom. Japan was another story. While standing for the national anthem of Japan, Bob turned to me and said his uncle would turn over in his grave if he saw Bob doing this - standing in respect of the flag of Japan. Times change in 70 years. I guess we have grown in our global spirit. Or our memories have faded over the years. Maybe both.
Bob is 72. He rew up in a different part of the country and a different time in the century. Yet we share many of the same values. My parents instilled in me a strong work ethic. And I share that ethic with Bob. I thought it interesting the two different reactions. I was ok with our honoring the participation of Japan, yet "bothered" by the participation of Cuba. Yet Bob, only twenty years older than myself, had no problem with Cuba, but was "bothered" by Japan. I guess we just have different personal visions of the world.
D.
Note: I am still a baseball fan. I did enjoy the game on Sunday. I may have to come back and watch some major league games this year.
Update, 03/18/09: I have been informed that my little blog post is being translated into Chinese and reposted to Japan with words altered to make it look like Chinese propaganda. This was never my intent. I am a staunch anti-communist. I believe in personal freedom and liberty and I will fight for that with my dying breath. I have boycotted China (in as much as possible) for many years now. I have many Japanese electronic products scattered around my house.
I fear this may be a problem with translation or it may be intentional. Please know that I do not condone it. I was merely stating my observation of a moment shared between two friends of different generations. I apologize for any offense given.
I would like to refer to a poem I wrote lamenting the lack of freedom in China:
Http://www.ponderingdave.blogspot.com/2008/10/world-away.html
D.
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2 comments:
Hi, Dave
I'm a Japanese who informed the fact yesterday. Thank you for the message you added. I translated all the words you wrote including your poem into Japanese and posted to a reader's colum below the article.
When I read the article provided by "Searchina" to Yahoo Japan, I thought I had to check the original blog, because it's very common that Chinese media in Japan, "Searchina" and "Record China", change context of other people's words. Then, I noticed that "Searchina" translated your blog differently and tried to impress Japanese as if American hate Japanese.
I believe in freedom and liberty of speech like you. And I hope good relationship between America and Japan will continue for a long time.
Sincerely,
S
Thank you S. I was very shocked at the possibility that my words were being used wrongly.
I support good relations between our two nations. I hope our relationship lasts a long time. Thank you for reading my words.
David.
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