kireikoori
Sempai
- 3 Aug 2007
- 264
- 7
You talk as if I haven't been to that site several times throughout the years.Take a peek at www.debito.org for a glimpse of the many topics
He says he's Japanese, but seems to promote only his non-Japanese side, while antagonizing the rest of the Japanese. Seems hypocritical.I'm happy that Debito cares about the treatment of other foreigners in Japan. And I think it's neat how he forcibly ingrained himself in by becoming a naturalized citizen himself. But I'm not sure I agree with his methods.
He says he's Japanese, but seems to promote only his non-Japanese side, while antagonizing the rest of the Japanese. Seems hypocritical.
Does that have anything to do with whether his actions are hypocritical or not?What do you mean by "Japanese". It isn't just a legal concept. It's also a cultural/racial concept.
Debito is a great example that you can be naturalized in Japan (no matter how loud you are).
"American" is citizenship, but even Americans have their own racial/ethnic/cultural identities. You are European American, African-American, native-American, etc. "Japanese" is both citizenship and cultural/ethnic identity. The majority in Japan are "Japanese-Japanese".Well, nothing he can do to change his Haplogroup arrangement. Nationality shouldn't be a racial thing anyway. Sorry, but my American upbringing makes me think that nationality is just citizenship. It doesn't matter you're ethnicity, you can still be an "American". Even the Native Americans are immigrants from Siberia, in my mind.
But if a person wants to be Japanese and be considered Japanese, ruffling feathers isn't exactly the most Japanese thing to do.
Yes, I saw that, but i was very confused about your next statement there:You talk as if I haven't been to that site several times throughout the years.
Also, did you not see where I brought up Japanese Only signs on my previous post. Like I said, it's okay to have constructive criticism, but one much be very careful to not be racist oneself when pointing out the racism in others.
You make it sound like he naturalized to be a stronger advocate of human rights here.I'm happy that Debito cares about the treatment of other foreigners in Japan. And I think it's neat how he forcibly ingrained himself in by becoming a naturalized citizen himself. But I'm not sure I agree with his methods.
He says he is Japanese because that is his citizenship now. His American citizenship is no longer a part of his life, and he is obviously proud of calling himself Japanese. Just because he is in favor of helping the foreigners here doesn't make that hypocritical. If a person advocated gay rights but was not gay, is that hypocritical?He says he's Japanese, but seems to promote only his non-Japanese side, while antagonizing the rest of the Japanese. Seems hypocritical.
Tell that to the Aum Shinrikyo or the Red Army. Not that such a statement is meant to compare Arudou with those creeps, but what I'm saying is, there are plenty of Japanese who are waking up to human rights, women's rights, equal rights, etc. and are being vocal about it. Are they not truly Japanese? Besides, being vocal is often one very good way to get noticed, and that is just the start in getting things changed. Squeaky wheel, you know.But if a person wants to be Japanese and be considered Japanese, ruffling feathers isn't exactly the most Japanese thing to do.
What the heck does this have to do with anything? Plenty of foreigners eat with chopsticks and wear kimonos and sleep on futons and bow and follow certain polite manners, etc. and they have NOT taken Japanese citizenship, but do you say they are weird? Arudou is by law a Japanese citizen. Who cares (or knows) what he does culturally? Is he supposed to retain American ways? You pose a very strange question.Has Arudo Debito not tried to become Japanese culturally?
Reread what I wrote above.Debito is known to distort things in his posts and delete posts of all reasonable people. I am sorry for you if you believe everything in his site.
BTW, I don't always agree with what he writes or how he acts, either.
Some would argue this to be true...You make it sound like he naturalized to be a stronger advocate of human rights here.
I'm sorry, I cannot agree.will begin to rightfully feel Japanophobic.
Being Japanophobic does not mean that those foreigners are racist. You misunderstood what I wrote. "Phobic" means to dislike. If someone or some country treats you badly, you are justified in disliking them. That is, it's human nature.I'm sorry, I cannot agree.
I do not believe racism is ever justified.
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If someone or some country treats you badly, you are justified in disliking them. That is, it's human nature.
If a person treats you badly, you are justified in disliking that person."Phobic" means to dislike. If someone or some country treats you badly, you are justified in disliking them.
No race is a race. Race is a completely relative term.Besides, Japanese are not a "race", so there is no "racism" involved, if you want to get technical about it.
Personally, I would respond as passively and humbly as possible.How do YOU feel foreigners should feel and respond to the racist and discriminatory elements in Japan?
It would solve 99% of most foriengers problems IMO.Becoming naturalized is still no solution to the discrimination, pipokun. You ought to know that by now.
And, not every foreigner here (me included) even wants to naturalize.
It would solve 99% of most foriengers problems IMO.
And if you really believed that naturalizing would not help then you would not need to say what you said in your last statement. It sounds like you are saying "Even if naturalizing did solve your problems, some of us don't want to naturalize anyway... " . Not naturalizing is is "YOUR" choice and no one elses, so don't you think that those who do choose to not naturalize should show a little bit more empathy towards what Japan decides for it country?
And if it's the government that treats you badly, or a lot of shopkeepers...? Increases the numbers, doesn't it?If a person treats you badly, you are justified in disliking that person.
Not a whole country.
Again, if you want to get technical...No race is a race. Race is a completely relative term.
I can just as easily say Asian isn't a race.
I guess so. But in some ways, passive doesn't cut it. How else are things going to change unless something active is done?Personally, I would respond as passively and humbly as possible.
But I guess that's just me.
It's my choice. It's every individual's choice. We agree on that.Not naturalizing is is "YOUR" choice and no one elses, so don't you think that those who do choose to not naturalize should show a little bit more empathy towards what Japan decides for it country?
I know I am going to get flamed again for saying this, but your level of Japanese plays a huge part in how you are ultimately treated. And if you were to be near native level in speaking it would only take you 2 seconds to say to someone that you have naturalized and that would be the end of it.Obviously naturalization helps when it comes to legal or procedural issues. But I don't see how it would alleviate any of the 'standard gaijin gripes'. The many new Japanese you meet every day will still judge you by your 'non-Japanese' looks.
And it's not exactly true that naturalizing or not is completely the choice of the foreigner. Japan makes it damn hard to naturalize. I'm sure there are many people who would naturalize if they could.
From what I understand he has brought most of the crap he gets on himself, so I think you have a "exception" with him. I was reading up on the onsen incident and the owner was letting in foriegners at the time he refused Dave, apparently there was some trouble and that is why he was refused. The sign was there so that the owner could enforce it if need be. I don't know how true this information is , but I have come accross it several times now.More empathy towards Japan? Case by case. How do you think Arudou feels despite naturalizing?