Political Thought #1

[benlehman]

Choosing to put the fascist Japanese flag (the rising sun w/ rays) on your bookbag? Bad fashion choice.

Comments

[yeloson.livejournal.com]

I'm coming to the thought of it like this: people appropriate imagery as a fashion statement without thought to context- so it's equally problematic whether it's the images of the oppressor (nazi skulls on my wal-mart t-shirt? It looks cool!), or the oppressed (Who cares if this is your holiest symbol? It looks cool!).

Some recent discussions have brought up the point of privileging intent of one group over another and how that creates this- "We didn't mean no harm" is greater than "You are doing something which extremely hurtful with a lot of history to it".

[nekoewen.livejournal.com]

I'm kind of a Japanophile and I don't like to dwell on such things, but yeah, that's about on the level of a swastika, really.

[matt-rah.livejournal.com]

What about putting Fascist Chess Knight on your bookbag?

Matt

[psychotropek.livejournal.com]

The Japanese are all pirates. At least, this is what my friend's mother always says.

I don't think many Americans know what the Japanese did in Asia. I didn't know why my mom hated the Japanese so much for a long time.

Also, when I'm in Turkey and someone says "Holocaust," we're referring to something before WWII. An odd tidbit.