Hiroshima’s World Peace Museum
Haven’t had very many moments to blog, but here’s a powerful moment that happened in the middle of our trip:
When we decided to go to Japan, we all knew that visiting Hiroshima was a foregone conclusion. The site of one of the seminal moments in world history, it was our responsibility as American’s to educate ourselves as to what happened there.
The World Peace Museum was very impressive. The first part of the Museum showed the history of Hiroshima and its pace in Japan’s culture. I hadn’t known, for instance, that Hiroshima had been a garrison city, or that it has at one point been the provisional capital. Nor did I know that it was an center of education. This part of the museum also explained, briefly, Japan’s involvement in World War 2, as well as the genesis, creation, and decision to use the Atomic Bomb.
I was impressed by the candor of the museum. It mentioned how the Japanese public was celebrating in the streets over the capture of Nanking, while at the same moment Japanese soldiers were massacring hundreds of thousands of people. It also dealt with the history of the bomb in very sober terms. There was one detail which I hope is not true about the decision to use the bomb- that in addition to the concerns over lives lost/saved by the choice, there was also pressure to use the technology in order to justify the high amount of money spent developing it, as well as pressure to bring Japan to a quick surrender in order to limit Soviet influence, as the USSR had then only just declared war on the Empire.
The devastation was obviously incredible, and the various pictures and models helped the imagination. The next part of the museum was a section devoted to the long-term aftermath of the bomb- the rebuilding of Hiroshima, the post-war occupation period with the United States, the long-term building of trust between the two nations (jump started by the American public’s efforts to secure medical treatment for several survivors with heavy scarring), and the transition of Hiroshima’s identify from being a garrison city- a city of war- to The City of Peace.
And that was it. We hit the gift shop and Jennifer bought a trinket. We moved on to the next hallway, ready to leave.
We entered the next room and instead found a nightmare. We rounded the corner to an exhibit reproducing Hiroshima right at the moment it exploded. Literally the entire city was engulfed in flames for days. Women and children ran from buildings, ther skin literally melting off of their bodies. People, overcome with pain and horror, tried to drown themselves in buckets of water only to find the water boiling hot. People thrown meters through the air when the bomb exploded burned horribly over their entire bodies, and now trying to find their way back to their homes. All reproduced from the memories of survivors.
It got worse, if you can believe it. In glass cases were the physical evidence of the destruction- an entire section was devoted to the uniforms of schoolchildren, worn while they had been forced to work demolition duty, now tattered and gooey with blood. Each came with the story of that child’s death, none of which were instantaneous and all of which were gorier than you would see in a horror movie. One glass case contained the finger tips and skin flaps which had melted off of a child. His mother collected them as he died to show his father. One picture showed a woman who, though well away from the blast, was nevertheless maimed as the super-intense light instantaneously ignited the black pattern on her Kimono, permanently burned into her skin.
The next sections showed examples of destruction to the buildings- twisted metal and boiled shingles. There was the infamous human shadow, where the bomb’s light bleached a building, except where a human being stood to block it.
We had to leave, skipping the section where survivors colored and drew their memories, or the written testimonials. It was just too much.
Altogether, we came away with a much greater sense of what happened that day, and a much greater appreciation for how Hiroshima has recovered. Parts of the streetcar system were operational 3 days after the blast. Mayors of Hiroshima have formally objected to every nuclear weapons test conducted since, and the people of Hiroshima continue to push in myriad ways for nuclear disarmament. Yet they also recognize that nuclear weapons are merely a symptom of war, and that our true duty as a world society is to engender a permanent peace.
Last year, the people of Hiroshima issued a declaration of peace. In it, they recognize Barack Obama for stating that “as the only nation to have used nuclear weapons, the United States has a responsibility to act [for the elimination of such weapons].” The people of Hiroshima are so enthusiastic about Obama that they call themselves, the global majority for peace, the “Obamajority”. They have even created T-shirts with this slogan. I think their hopes may unfortunately be a little high or misplaced, but I guess that’s the mental state you just have to force yourself to exist in when, even after such a dire warning, the world has steadily disappointed for 65 years.
New Videos
We’ve been keeping very busy in Japan! I might have to save the blogging for after I get back, due to lack of free time and lack of internet. But I’ve been taking copious notes and tons of pictures, so there will be plenty to write when the time comes.
In the meantime, here are three new videos from the past few days. In the first 2, Jen and Tristan bravely try some Japanese foods in a traditional Japanese dinner, held at our hotel at Miyajima. This was one difficult meal, believe me, but we still enjoyed it.
This last video was from a temple in Kyoto, which we were visiting in the evening a few hours ago. We were checking out a shrine, the street was empty and quiet, when all of a sudden we hear a clack and some bells. Before we knew it, we were engulfed in a sea of people, while a very surreal and somber parade made it’s way past us:
Fresh means FRESH!
How fresh are the fish in the Fish market in Tokyo? Well, let’s just say that right before processing, they are down but not out:
Getting to Japan
I started my trip by staying up the entire night before my 7:30am flight. This is a system I like to engage in called “abusing my body’s internal clock so that it forgets what Jet Lag means”. After a long night, I kissed Adrianna goodbye, made my way to the Metro, and practically the next thing I remember, I’m in San Francisco. Seriously, the flight from Portland to SF is spotty at best- I think I remember landing but definitely not taking off.
Once in San Fran, my missions were to get my next boarding ticket (went smoothly) and convert some real moeny into Yen. This did not go as smoothly. First, let me just say that I know that converting money at the airport is idiotic. I once spent 50 dollars on nachos and 2 Margaritas at the airport- I know that it’s the most expensive option. However, I didn’t know that I was going to be screwed QUITE as hard as I got screwed. So, after thinking about it for a while, and talking to my bank about using my card in Japan, I decided to undo the transaction and use ATMs once I got overseas.
The currency exchange people, having just screwed me out of a lot of money, did not like this. We then proceeded to go through a too-complicated exchange where they informed me that there were no refunds, I informed them that the purchase had a “return guarantee”, they informed me that this is possible but comes at a very different exchange rate, conveniently one that lets them keep the entire amount of money they made off of me, I noted that this doesn’t constitute a “return” so much as a completely separate transaction, and they tell me that’s the available deal. I say that I’ll think about it, and while I’m thinking I decide to tell them I’m going to file an FTC complaint and see if that broadens their minds.
Fortunately it didn’t come to that. The guy I was actually speaking to in person had called his supervisor again and secured a return. I’d give him a shout out, but he also told me to not use his company if I don’t want to lose an arm and a leg, so I think I’ll keep his identity a secret :D Quality guy.
After this little adventure, and a small wait, I was walking down the plane- past super high-tech chairs, high-tech chairs, roomy chairs, and finally to my section, the cattle car. I was on my way to Japan!
11 hours later:
Powerball!
I’m positive that one of the surest measures of life (dis)satisfaction has to be the amount of time one spends thinking about winning the lottery. Every day on my way home from work I pass a billboard advertising Powerball. And I have to say that my productivity in that grey cubicle is being severely impacted by plans for how best to dispose of 100 million dollars. (For the record- an airship would be a nice start)
The most pathetic part, if there even is one, is that I don’t even play! I’m way worse than the people who have one chance in a billion of being rich. I’m dreaming about money it isn’t even possible to win!
I can’t help but wondering if this would be so front and center on my mind if I had a few more hobbies!
Awkward Improv
Super awkward moment at Improv class last night. Let me set the stage: We are being taught by this really nice, knowledgeable, and funny guy named John*. John’s a medium-set blond guy with a shaved head. He’s a really helpful, positive personality who knows how to correct you without making you feel stupid, but also isn’t afraid to take a light dig at someone who needs to be taken down a peg.
There’s this other guy, Ryan*- very big, muscular dude, clearly an alpha personality. He is also a good guy but…. how shall I put this…. he doesn’t have spot-on comedic/social instincts. He’s one of those people who thinks he’s a bit funnier than he actually is (then again, glass houses….).
There’s a story about Ryan that sort of sums him up. When we start class John leads us through a few stretches to loosen us up. The first time we did this, John instructed us all to touch our toes, which he then proceeded to do. In fact he may have palmed the floor- very limber guy. Ryan then shouts out “Somebody told me if you can touch your toes it means you’re gay- hahahahaha.” Um. What?! It wasn’t appropriate, which would have been fine if it was funny, which it also was not.
So, last night we were getting ready to try this game where we throw out ideas to one another, and John cautioned that we should be careful to not be too offensive with our ideas (Apparently you’d be surprised what people come up with in the heat of the moment). One of my classmates sheepishly mentions, as an example of something offensive, a bad idea he had in a previous game where he asked his partner about his “gay marriage”. Ryan took this as an invitation to relive his own moment of homosexual glory, and shouted out “Yeah, remember how I said if you can touch your toes it means you’re gay?” I think he might have even had to say this twice to make it heard over the other conversations going on.
John deadpans: “Yeah, well, that didn’t offend me though, because I am gay!”
Several people laugh.
“That wasn’t a joke.”
Awkward. Silence.
Oh Jesus. Ryan, why did you have to take us down this road?
I must say though- the reason Ryan brought this little story up again was clearly because he remembered it as a bad choice. To my mind, that’s better than nothing- some people like that, you get the impression that they have no idea when a joke falls flat. Perhaps his normal social circle will laugh at anything with the word gay in it, but as long as he’s paying attention to negative feedback then his instincts will improve. Hard to hold a mistake against someone who is trying to get better.
For the record, my hands are far from clean. Right after this whole exchange I inserted into a story an element about a passive-aggressive Grandma electrocuting herself in the bathtub with a toaster. Hilarious! Oh, If I could turn back time.
(*names changed so I don’t accidentally out somebody!)
Funny Things I Found on Craigslist
Here’s a post I found in the Rants and Raves section of Craigslist (which, as you might expect, is a bizarre and stupid political screamfest wasteland):
Liberals - Be Thankful I’m a Jesus Freak
I know how Liberals and you R&R people HATE Christians. Just be Thankful I believe in God, and believe I will have to answer to God for what I do.
Because IF NOT, I would kill all of you pathetic Liberals Scum.
Hahaha! Love thy neighbor just enough to not murder that pathetic sonnuvabitch!
I hesitate to make a point about the ridiculous person who posted this, but isn’t it strange that for some people, it’s really about the punishment/reward part of religion? Rather than the message itself? “Well, Jesus, that whole universal brotherhood and understanding shit is idiotic, but if you’re sending me to Heaven I suppose I can go through the motions.” Talk about the letter of the law. It’s like he obeys the word of Christ grudgingly!
The primary thing I don’t get about this flavor of Christianity is: you can divide the whole Jesus thing up into 2 claims. First, that he was the Son of God who may or may not smite thine ass with his incredible magic powers. And second, that he had a perfect philosophy of peace which could lead the world into a golden age if we would only accept it into our hearts. If you’re forced to pick one, if only one of those statements is credible, who on Earth would pick the first? How could anyone possibly think that, yeah, the water to wine and the raising from the dead and the walking on water- all THAT stuff is true and super important. But the business about turning the other cheek? That’s not serious- we only listen to that cause of the scary magic powers.
Man, that really didn’t warrant a response at all. Obviously this guy doesn’t represent religious people in general. I’d still love to talk to him and get inside his head though.
Hair Loss Buddhism
There will come a day, and that day seems to be rapidly approaching, when I will bid farewell to the hair on the top of my head. (Incidentally, the hair on the other 95% of my body doesn’t seem to be going anywhere). I confidently intend to rip the band-aid off all at once with the assistance of a safety razor when the time is right. Yet the possession of a plan should not yet be seen as a sign of comfortable acceptance of the inevitable.
All the jokes I’ve made about comb-overs and toupees have come back to bite me as I realize that, as one’s body changes in ways that are permanent, obvious and out of control, there is a very palpable loss of identity. Physically, I’m becoming a new person, but I liked the old one just fine. I now find myself sympathizing much more with those men who will go to absurd lengths to look like they still have hair, even if they look far more foolish than if they had just let themselves be swept along by the tide.
There was a time when I decided the right way to act regarding this issue was to take a pill. Now I’ve decided to take the money I would have spent on pills and devote it to something more worthwhile. This condition should be taken not as a problem to be solved but rather as a lesson in one life’s universals- impermanence. Nothing lasts forever, even FANTASTIC hair.
put on a happy face
I am so thankful that I get along with my family. I honestly enjoy the company of every one of them, and for the most part we all get along. When we see each other, there’s laughter and smiling.
Hanging out with other people’s families reminds me that things could be so much worse. Damn, that was awkward. How hard is it to put on a happy face when you see a relative after X months?
Skype
Just got off a Skype call with Scott and Caitlin. It was so good to see their faces! The internet connection they have almost ruins it, but not quite.
Everyone in the Universe should get Skype. It’s the next best thing to being there in person. Head and shoulders above the telephone, anyhow.
Living with Desi
My roommate Desiree and I have been living together for about 4 months now. I have to say one of the greatest pleasures of living with her is that she hasn’t been exposed to nearly the amount of pop culture that I have. I introduced her to The Daily Show, which we now watch regularly. Yesterday we watched half of Pulp Fiction, which she hadn’t seen since it was released and didn’t really remember. We even went to the Battlestar Galactica showings at one of the local theaters here. She was kind of a doll for playing along with that one!
The other great pleasure is that she cooks food for me every once in a while. Today it was a big breakfast, which she broughtout to me while I was reading in the sun! Amazing- thanks Des!
Torrential!
Oh my god! I’ve just witnessed the most intense outburst of weather I’ve ever seen. It was just drizzling a little bit, and in the space of literally 1 second, it went from a few raindrops to the heaviest rain I’ve ever seen in my entire life. COMPLETELY instantaneous and without warning. Branches were being ripped off. I hear a car alarm ringing down the block. Thunder is clapping to the East. Portand’s known to be rainy, but THIS!
It was actually sort of exactly like this:
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