Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsuwabuki
I have never been harassed in Japan for any reason by normal individuals. I was once yelled at by a guy in Hiroshima because of the bomb, and the Japanese around him apologised profusely to me for his behavior. To put this in perspective, I have twice been accosted in East Texas by the KKK for being Roman Catholic.
The only time I am approached by police is if they think I am lost. I may have told this story here before, but once, a police officer figured out I was sick and showed up with medicine for me. I was amazed any officer would care that much.
Maybe this is Fukuchiyama, and if it is, then there is a reason why I love my town, I guess, but I was always pulled over, yelled at, and generally treated like crap by city police agencies in the US, and that hasn't happened here.
I get treated far worse in America for being different, religiously, politically, age-wise, than I ever do in Japan for the color of my skin.
This is why I take such accounts of people being harassed in ridiculous ways "all the time" with an entire shaker of salt. As MMM said, every country has idiots, and Japan is no exception, but I just don't see the kind of institutionalised, conspiratorial racism/nationalism/xenophobia I am constantly encountering in Western discourse, be it online or in person.
|
"normal individuals", as you put it, clearly doesn't place the KKK into that category. Professing your Roman Catholic beliefs isn't a good idea to such people and will only bring what you ask for. Example: Professing a belief that the hiroshima bombing was such a great thing at the memorial sight or Saying a new military base in Okinawa is a great idea is not going to make you a lot of friends in Okinawa.
Just because be treated differently as a foreigner in Japan didn't happen to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Excuse me for saying though, your adult short life experience and / or situation doesn't rack up the entire gaikokujin population 'special treatment' experience ratio.
You were not a "foreigner" in the US. I'm saying foreigners get different treatment in Japan because they are not Japanese. Not for the reasons you describe of how you were treated in the US. If you believe you were being treated in the US badly because of race, then that is not a American trait, its a human trait.
Also you don't see "racism/nationalism/xenophobia" like you do in the US because Japan is a country of one people. Its more of a day to day issue for people in the US vs Japan.
In Japan, if you do speak out religiously or politically or in general "go against the grain" you will see generally the same treatment in Japan as well. Your example of the Hiroshima bomb person is an example of "going against the grain" on popular belief and was shunned and apologized by the general belief public.
My point is that foreigners will get special treatment because they are foreigners because of their looks or heritage - just to a lesser degree because of the way Japanese society is. America in general is a more violent place pound per pound, but your unfortunate experiences are comparing apples to oranges.
While off the subject: Is because you don't see the discourse you speak of in US online or person discourse is probably because the topic of discussion is different? I mean racism is a human trait... just because its not in discourse as much in Japan vs the US is because Japan simply doesn't deal with the differences as much as other countries.
In general you have more freedom and can be more outspoken than you can in Japan because that is what America is about - now that we are completely off topic ^^/
Topic 1:
Don't dismiss that foreigners are treated differently simply because of their face / skin color or if their heritage is known just because you haven't experienced in your relatively short time in Japan. This is a human trait not a Non-Japanese / Japanese thing. Japanese simply handle it differently than other countries in general. This is not just isolated to police / authoritative figure - so the story about the nice police officer helping you adds little to the topic.
Topic 2:
Japan is a great place to live and on average more peaceful due to the society, culture and beliefs. But you may want to get some salt for yourself if you go against the grain in Japan like it seems you described in the US.