You're probably reading this because of the links on Facebook and
Twitter (if not, the introduction/explanation is below, in 'Forbidden
Colors'). If you're worried or angry
about what 's happening around you, you might think - "Sure, but what can
I do about it? I feel so helpless. I live in Japan and if I speak out too much
about this, I might lose my job."
Yes, we know that. "Gaijin" in Japan are supposed to
behave like friendly, bumbling tourist stereotypes. The Japanese line up the
hoops and then expect us to jump though them like good little lapdogs. Well,
consider this; you can become fluent in japanese, you can work hard, do your
best, cultivate good friendships, but at the end of the day, you will STILL
have your job taken away when you have outlived your usefulness, because you
are an outsider and you always will be. Don't kid yourself that you have
integrated yourself into society, becuase you haven't.
Therefore, if you have want to stop feeling helpless and afraid,
Excalibur has three recomendations;
1) If you're a Gaijin resident in Japan, begin your individual campaign
of civil disobedience. Refuse to pay your local tax, refuse to pay your
electricity bill, refuse to cooperate with police officers or government
officials, if necessary refuse to speak the local language. If you can't
refuse, try to make as much disruption and inconvenience as you can while
engaging with bureaucracy. You might think you have too much to lose by
becoming a troublemaker - really, you
haven't.
2) If you're a foreign
national planning to come to Japan to live, work or study, please reconsider
your decision. Perhaps you don't know what you're letting yourself in for.
Perhaps you think you know how this country works; you're mistaken.
3) If you're young,
Japanese, and reading this, consider studying or working abroad. Start making your
arrangements to leave, and start choosing a destination that's right for you.
This is not a country for young people.
4) Lastly, please buy a copy of "3/11: The Fallout". The
link to Amazon is here. This book offers practical advice on what to do if you
find yourself in the middle of a natural disaster, and raises funds for the
homeless families in Tohoku (yes, that's right. They're still homeless. This is
Japan, and nobody wants to take responsibilty for rehousing them - what else
did you expect?)
You can choose to ignore this post, to laugh at it, to leave
comments below or not, to buy the book or not. The choice is yours. It always
has been.
We are Excalibur. You will hear from us again soon.
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