2008年10月24日
Iran
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your comments. I guess that a lot of people have a negative image of Iran, but I actually have a very positive image of that country because I have taught quite a few Iranian students, and they have all been lovely people. One thing that a lot of people do not know is that Iranians actually have some very good reasons for hating America and Britain. In 1953, the Iranian Prime Minister was removed from power in a plot which was supported and funded by the American and British governments. This was just one episode in a long list of terrible things that Britain has done in the Middle East. And there is one more very good reason for Iranians to hate America ...
On Sunday July 3rd 1988, a civilian Iranian airliner was shot down and destroyed by an American warship. 290 people were killed, including 66 children. At the time of the attack, the aircraft was within Iranian airspace. The US government paid around 62 million dollars to the Iranian government in compensation, but they have never apologized for that mistake. If you want to read more about this story, have a look at this Wikipedia link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655
To be honest with you, if another country had decided to overthrow the government of my country and shot down an airliner killing 290 civilians, I don't think I would like them very much either!
As for the image of Japan in Korea and China, I think the situation was made much worse by Koizumi san visiting that shrine in Tokyo. As you know, Japan has never apologized for the terrible things it did in those countries before and during the second world war, and I can understand the feelings of older people who still remember those days. Actually, when the Japanese Emperor visited London a few years ago, hundreds of men who had fought in World War II made a line along the road to Buckingham Palace and turned their backs on him as he drove past. They said that they did this because Japan had still not apologized for their treatment of Prisoners of War during WWII, so it is not only in Asian countries that Japan has an image problem.
Anyway, I thing the most important we can do is not stereotype people because of the way their country is portrayed in newspapers and on TV. We should also remember that the leaders of a country are often not very representative of the people.
Have a great weekend, and I will see you again on Monday.
David
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Hi David,
I also read the story in Wikipedia. Of course, it was really terrible event that the civilian airliner was shot down and a lot of people were killed. USS Strak was strucked down by Iran as well. It seems that there is a complicated background between Iran and America. It's difficult to say and I don't know well about it to say, which country is worse. But I understand what you say, "I don't think I would like them very much either!"
I remember that hundred of men made a line along the road to Buckingham Palace and turned their backs on the Japanese Emperor as he drove past. I didn't know about the people until I watched a TV programme. I hear that at that time Japanese government worried about a big protest march and negotiated with a leader of them. So they made the line instead of the march. As Tomo said, I also should learn more about world affairs.
Have a lovely weekend!
Maki
- Maki
- 2008年10月24日 23:11
Hi everyone,
I read about Iran in Wikipedia ,too. The relationship
between Iran and America seems to be complicated
politically and religiously as Maki says.
A 12 year old half-Iranian girl who was born and lives in the US stayed with my family before.She told me that her grandparents were persecuted in Iran because they believed Bahai; a kind of new
religion ,and Iranian goverment tried to kill her grandparents ,so they escaped and moved to America. When I looked into Iran in Wikipedia,I ended up this religious persecution. I hadn't realized her grandparents' story well at that time.
Thanks to David's entry,I was able to learn about
Iran .
Have a nice weekend ,everyone!
I'll go to a town sports festival tomorrow.(^^)/
- Q chan
- 2008年10月25日 21:32
Q chan, are you going to a sports festival tomorrow? 頑張ってね！*(＾＾)*
- Tomo
- 2008年10月25日 21:51
Hi Tomo,
Yes! I'm going to get a lot of 景品 . \(^^)/
- Q chan
- 2008年10月25日 22:08
Hi Q chan,
Are you taking part in the sport festival? Wow! You can get 景品, if you would be a winner?
Good luck! (^^)v
- Maki
- 2008年10月25日 22:38
Hi Maki and everyone,
Today's town sports festival was canceled due to rain. (..) Maki, all runners can get 景品 .(^^)
- Q chan
- 2008年10月26日 09:59
Hi Q chan,
I'm sorry to hear the sports festival was canceled today. Is it postponed to another day?
The weather here was strange today. It was raining and then suddenly was being very clear and bright. Started raining again and so on...
Have a nice evening!
Maki
- Maki
- 2008年10月26日 20:02
Hi Q chan,
The town sports festival was canceled due to rain? Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.. Maybe you can get a lot of 景品 next year;-)
Hi Maki,
The autumn weather is fickle as a woman's mind. 『女心と秋の空』だね＾＾
Hi David,
Did you have a good weekend? It's a beautiful day here. How's the weather where you are?
See you later,
Tomo
- Tomo
- 2008年10月27日 09:11
Hi everyone and David,
I have been thinking about the word which I
had written on October 25. I checked David's book
『英語と仲直りできる本』 and found out I had used the word “realize” in the wrong.I wrote 『I hadn't
realized her grandparents' story well at that time.』
According to David's book,‘realize’should be followed by the clause. So I guess that I should have used “understood” instead of “realize” .
【わかる】の使い方が “わかる”ようになるのは難しい（＞＜）
- Q chan
- 2008年10月27日 12:05
Hi Q chan,
I understand how you feel. It's difficult for me too.
Sometimes we have to use some English words for each situation or feeling, which are the same meaning in Japanese. (This sentence makes sense?)
ちょっとした気持ちや状況の違いで使い分ける言葉があるよね。
Thanks for reminding me that!
Hi David and Everyone,
How was your weekend? I was surprised to hear that you had hail in Tokyo! Don't catch a cold.
By for now,
Maki
- Maki
- 2008年10月27日 22:38
Hi Q chan,
【わかる】の使い方が “わかる”ようになるのは難しい ←ほんとだね～。 私はよく notice と realize 『気づく』で迷ってます。
Hi Maki,
‘hail’って「ひょう・あられ」ってことだよね？（I didn't know this word!) めったに降らないけど、前にすごーく大きいのが降ったことがあるよ。 その時は車の屋根がボコボコになった人もたくさんいたみたい。
Hi David,
Did you have a busy day today? Hope you are doing well.
Good night,
Tomo
- Tomo
- 2008年10月27日 23:18
Hi David,
I read the Wikipedia link(but in Japanese). When I read your entry, I thought it was all America's fault, but according to the Wikipedia article, Iran also shot down USS Stark with two missiles by mistake, and 37 people were killed in May 1987. 290 people and 37 people, I don't say which is worse. Both of them are murders for the family of victims. Around the time the civilian Iranian airliner was shot down, Iranian air force(F-14) was doing provocative action every day, and it was sometimes flying with the signal of a civilian airliner.(民間旅客機の信号) I don't know whose fault it was. It sounds like ‘やられたらやり返す’ or ‘やられる前にやる’, and I often see those ideas among children..
By the way, I didn't know that Japan had an image problem in Britain as well. I think I should learn more about world affairs, at least about my country.
Have a great weekend and see you next week.
Tomo