Shakespeare の”Merchant of Venice”より

  Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, offections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, sujbect to the same diseases, heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you pick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrongus, shall we not revenge? 

ユダヤ人には目がないというのか。手も臓腑も五感も情熱もないというのか。ユダヤ人はキリスト教徒と同じ物を食べてはいない、同じ武器では傷つかない、同じ病気には罹らず、同じ治療では治らず、夏の暑さも冬の寒さもキリスト教徒と同じようには感じないというのか。我々ユダヤ人を刺しても、血は出ない、くすぐっても笑わない、毒をもられても、死なないとでも言うのか。そしてお前たちキリスト教徒が俺達に悪さをしても、俺たちは復讐しちゃならないと言うのか?」といったところでしょうか。

 このシャイロックの訴えはそのままパレスチナ人のものでもあります。とにかく、今すぐ、ただちに停戦してほしい。

 

After Japan’s defeat in World War Ⅱ, Soviet Russia confiscated major documents of Kanto-Gun or Kwantung Army and brought them all to Moscow. According to the documents, Kanto-Gun implored Soviet Russia to take advantage of the Japanese residents in Manchuria as work forces. In fact, 600,000 Japanese people were sent to Siberia, and 60,000 Japanese were died in cold. The notorious Asaeda document tells us that the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters had an idea that they could continue fighting against America and England if they succeeded in cooperating with Soviet Russia. We Japanese should keep this fact in mind that almost 80 years ago, the Japanese Imperial Headquarters tried not to protect Japanese residents, but to ignore them and do the same thing as the Russia has been doing now.     

ミラン・クンデラが死にました。ずいぶん昔に場末の映画館で『耐えられない存在の軽さ』を観たのを思い出します。大宮の繁華街から少し外れたところにある、閑散とした映画館でした。(今もあるのかな?)チェコへのソ連軍の介入の前後を独特のスタイルで描いた作品でした。他国へ亡命しようとする人々、ソ連支配下に置かれ、お互いを監視し合うチェコ人の日常、その中にあって自由人トーマスの際立った存在ーーいろいろなことが脳裡に浮んできます。映画を観た後、英語に翻訳された原作(?)を読みましたが、小説というよりも哲学書のような感想を持ちました。あれから半世紀経った今、クンデラが描いた世界があたかも亡霊のように繰り返されています。チェコは長い冬の後、プラハの春を取り戻しました。ウクライナはそうあってはならないと思います。政治的駆け引きに現をぬかしている場合ではありません。今すぐにでもソ連の亡霊の桎梏から解放されるべきです。

The international community is in an anarchial state. There are neither sheriffs nor authorities over nations. Russian invasion of Ukraine shows that United Nations Security Council is of no use, simply because Russia is one of the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. Russia can easily exercise the power of veto over the motions if it doesn't like them. It seems like a kid. This juvenile-boss behavior causes today's anarchial situations. Former President Mr. Obama used to say that America is not the world's policeman. That is true, but in an anarchial international community, big powers such as Russia try to gain the hegemony just like an outlaw during the pioneer days. Strangely enough, I think the world might need Harry Callahan.    

Russia invaded and annexed the Cremean Peninsula in 2014. It was anti-government demonstration occurred in 2013 that triggered Russia's military action two years ago. That demonstration, however, overthrew pro-Russian administration and led to pro-Europe & American government. It was Mr. Biden, then Vice President of Obama administration, that supported strongely the anti-government activity. In fact, he took charge of Ukraine problems at that time. Therefore, he should be more accountable for his actions and remarks than other leaders.  

The tragidy occurred in Bucha reminded us of Katyn massacare during Wold War Ⅱ. According to the military allience between Hitler and Stalin on August 23 1939,  Stalin's Red Army attacked Poland. About 4,300 polish officiers were shot to death in Katyn and buried in the forest there. Stalin murdered them because he suspected polish officiers would resist being ruled by the Klemlin. Even when the truth of the massacare was unravled , the Soviet Union didn't admit the fact for a long time, saying "it's Nazis doing." Here again, Russia didn't admit Bucha's murdous things. We should keep in mind the old saying--War coveres up the truth. 

When the Imperial Japanese Army occupied Nanking in 1938, the Japanese were so excited that they held the lantern parade. People hoped that China would surrender to Japan and the war would end. However, Chinese government moved their capital from Nanking to Chorgqing and continued to fight against Japan. I wonder whether the people of Japan had been disappointed or angry at that time. Maybe, they got angry. Why?  Because they had recognized that they were invaders, I guess.  Japan launced the world's firsrt nortorious bombing, that is , Bombing of Changqing. We should have recognized  that war lasts as far as resistance against invaders lasts. The war in Ukraine shows it.