Tragedy strikes everywhere, there is no place safe in the most generic of terms. If a disaster doesn't kill you old age will. These are the cold, hard facts of our existence. So the way we meet our end should not be our greatest concern, where we spend the eternity that follows should be the concern of greater weight.
That being said, one thing I have noticed in the wake of the recent devastation in Japan is the dignity of the Japanese people! No looting was reported even in the areas where no food could be found. I heard one reporter, an American who lives in Japan, say that He and others were wondering the streets looking for an open store to buy food, none could be found so they would wait until food was made available to them. What ! A people group that doesn't think it is their right to break in and steal when law and order is disrupted?
I will admit that I was not at all surprised at the honorable conduct of the Japanese people.When I was a young Marine I spent six months stationed at Okinawa and the culture was indeed different, not void of crime but the people had an honorable way about them. We were warned soon after we arrived on the Island that if we got into trouble in town, off the military base, we would be in trouble with the local authority's and would probably receive no assistance from any U.S. authority. Of course some would have to try this warning to check its validity and some may still be there in a Japanese prison eating fish heads and rice. A gentle, humble people but if you were a thief or worse they would not hesitate to exact punishment on the guilty.
No dought the Japanese will recover from this tragic event and do it with class and hard work. The story has been the tragedy, but News organizations will do well to follow their recovery. Maybe we could learn a valuable lesson in conduct following a disaster. I certainly hope that people around the world will take special notice of the courage and honor of the Japanese people. My prayers are with them.
That being said, one thing I have noticed in the wake of the recent devastation in Japan is the dignity of the Japanese people! No looting was reported even in the areas where no food could be found. I heard one reporter, an American who lives in Japan, say that He and others were wondering the streets looking for an open store to buy food, none could be found so they would wait until food was made available to them. What ! A people group that doesn't think it is their right to break in and steal when law and order is disrupted?
I will admit that I was not at all surprised at the honorable conduct of the Japanese people.When I was a young Marine I spent six months stationed at Okinawa and the culture was indeed different, not void of crime but the people had an honorable way about them. We were warned soon after we arrived on the Island that if we got into trouble in town, off the military base, we would be in trouble with the local authority's and would probably receive no assistance from any U.S. authority. Of course some would have to try this warning to check its validity and some may still be there in a Japanese prison eating fish heads and rice. A gentle, humble people but if you were a thief or worse they would not hesitate to exact punishment on the guilty.
No dought the Japanese will recover from this tragic event and do it with class and hard work. The story has been the tragedy, but News organizations will do well to follow their recovery. Maybe we could learn a valuable lesson in conduct following a disaster. I certainly hope that people around the world will take special notice of the courage and honor of the Japanese people. My prayers are with them.
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