Despite a devastating and catastrophic disaster...they might still be another "disaster" that awaits...or had subsequently followed...Aiyaa!!!...what is this all about!?...
Firstly...again...I myself and the rest of the world...feel sorry about had happened in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami...I would like to take this chance to just open up several issues...and perhaps open up some mind and eyes to see something behind all of this....
A picture worth a thousand words as they said it...(giggles and jeers for some)....(somehow)...yeah...perhaps worth a thousand insults...or a thousand apologies....I guess some of us knew about this incident....come on...its in the news...local and worldwide in fact...so let me just list out the main crux of the whole commotion...this is what I heard in the New Media...
Damages *traversed by the cartoon strip *(presumably)
1)Japanese feelings- (Priceless)
2)Our (local) feelings- (Pride)
3)Economic relations- ($$)
4)Diplomatic ties- (Ask the rescuers we sent)
5)World Reputation- (Tourism, investor, etc.)
6)Berita Harian Sales- (Well...to the very least..they have something to worry about themselves)
No.1 & 2
Indeed...obviously...no doubt about that...everyone is affected in this sense...this incident have or may have severed a LOT of relations...
No. 3,4 & 5
Some might argue that since most of our electronic appliances came from the Land of the Rising Sun...definitely this incident could have jeopardize the economy between two countries...some also said that the rescuers and aid that we had sent was not "welcomed"...and some locals over there complained being "shunned" by them....WOAH!!..CNN!!...to that extent...(sigh)
No. 6
Too bad...some might reconsider buying the newspaper...even the daily buyers...
Above all of that...its all from the Internet it is...whether those claims made by various people of different background,view and opinion were TRUE...lets just assume they were...or they are all just assumptions made to vent out frustrations...
I wouldn't be the correct person to judge this situation...but I can only say what I think about it...
1)Freedom of expression
To exercise such a right...would be meaningless...if it hurts the sensitivity of others...in which case...the question now was...was it really considered offensive?...even people can argue such things...from my point of view..yes...it is...because in such a situation..we shouldn't try to be humorous...it is just disrespectful since we are portraying ourselves as selfish people...to many...making jokes out of a disaster which many people died from isn't a laughing matter...I think so too...the most appropriate response to this incident is express condolences...
2)Economic, Social And Political Landscape
When a cartoon strip goes horribly wrong...you can expect such things...especially when people are enticingly exaggerating and blow this issue totally out of proportion...it depends how the Japanese took it...since the responsible parties had already apologized...
"The pensive-look" time
Just when I think about it...something we should all learn from this incident...I guess there are mistakes that seemed "unforgivable" for some...but still...lets also have some sympathy for this cartoonist also...I have to say...this person might be a no-brainer or a selfish twat to you...for all you know...he is just a human being who cannot run away from making mistakes such as this one...think about it...why would he purposely wanted to hurt the sensitivity of the Japanese and risk his job and perhaps putting his entire lifetime at stake at the mercy of the locals?...did he ask for it?...I don't mind if people are scolding him for his mistake...but bombarding him with insults just make ourselves even more inconsiderate than he is...even to such a degree...I must admit...a certain level of punishment must be carried out to him...as a sense of justice...as a lesson and reminder...(retribution and deterrent factor)
For us normal ordinary folks...for our scale of no-turning-back events...perhaps some of us once made such an offense that was not given any room for forgiveness...perhaps a slip of the tongue...came up with a really bad and dirty practical joke...something we forgot to do or remind ourselves...whatever it is...it might not make any sense to others...to what leap of logic that got us from right to wrong...what lines did we cross?...how low could we get?...people cannot imagine that we had the heart to do such a thing...that is because we don't...only we can understand ourselves...but at least just try to understand and put ourselves in other people's shoes...as the damages had been done...we have to be responsible for the consequences...but it hurts even more when people make "extra-judgments" about us due to our mistakes...
So..be careful out there...don't exercise your freedom of expression too much...=)
