This thread is a spin off from another thread that was posted earlier regarding the Kimigayo.
For one, most Japanese had no problem singing their national anthem when they won the World Baseball Classic nor when Shizukawa took home Gold, the only Japanese to earn a metal, saving Japan from the worst upset in 30 years ! I teared up when I saw Shizukawa lip-sync that beautiful song (sigh)...
The problem with singing the national anthem is that most teachers feel that it's in violation of their right to freedom of thought. In the U.S. we felt is was a violation of 'church & state' and that by making us sing it was a violation of our constitutional rights, so we stopped it, except at sporting events. In the U.S. of A. it's okay to do such a thing because freedom is something that's embraced by all peace loving god fearing Americans.
In Japan, no such luck !
Most Japanese have no idea what the consitution means in their country. These teachers try to embrace free expression and free speech but societal wise there is no embracing of such thoughts on the core psychological level. It's like they want to be free but lack the vitality to change anything because the system that they are apart of deosn't allow it. These teachers should first embrace a comprehensive form of free speech by first doing away with the Ministry of Education and by changing the way they teach first. Once society embraces these realizations then, decide whether or not you should do away with the singing of the national anthem.
By attacking the symbol before treating the core problem you only create a bigger wound. Japan is only compounding the problem by not first addressing what they teach to their pupils.
For one, most Japanese had no problem singing their national anthem when they won the World Baseball Classic nor when Shizukawa took home Gold, the only Japanese to earn a metal, saving Japan from the worst upset in 30 years ! I teared up when I saw Shizukawa lip-sync that beautiful song (sigh)...
The problem with singing the national anthem is that most teachers feel that it's in violation of their right to freedom of thought. In the U.S. we felt is was a violation of 'church & state' and that by making us sing it was a violation of our constitutional rights, so we stopped it, except at sporting events. In the U.S. of A. it's okay to do such a thing because freedom is something that's embraced by all peace loving god fearing Americans.
In Japan, no such luck !
Most Japanese have no idea what the consitution means in their country. These teachers try to embrace free expression and free speech but societal wise there is no embracing of such thoughts on the core psychological level. It's like they want to be free but lack the vitality to change anything because the system that they are apart of deosn't allow it. These teachers should first embrace a comprehensive form of free speech by first doing away with the Ministry of Education and by changing the way they teach first. Once society embraces these realizations then, decide whether or not you should do away with the singing of the national anthem.
By attacking the symbol before treating the core problem you only create a bigger wound. Japan is only compounding the problem by not first addressing what they teach to their pupils.