War only brings Grief and Sadness : In Commemoration of the End of the Pacific War

 

Reposted from my Family Blog on wednesday, august 15, 2007:

War only brings Grief and Sadness

[Video Clip from youtube: ]

While watching the Digital NHK news today past 9:00 pm at my Hotel room, I found myself sobbing in tears, an situation a adult mad like me would be ashamed to admit.

Why did a man like me cried ?

Today is the 62nd anniversary of Japan's surrender to the United States after the war. In the news was featured an old woman 101 years of age who lost son in the war. She was crying while asked for a statement during the commemoration event. She said (in Japanese) - the war did not have any justifiable reason and purpose - wars are all useless and destroys families. She wondered how happy she would be if she is still with her son who died just a few months after graduating from Tokyo University while in combat.

Another story that broke my heart is that of a Japanese father who wrote nice 43 letters for his newborn son. The artistic letters had matching pictures of bird , trees , and humans among others. The poor guy joined the war when he was just 27 leaving his 2 month old son. In his desire to keep in touch with his son a he constantly wrote colorful letters that he hoped his son would read when he grows up. After the 43rd letter the young man was killed in while destined in the Pacific. His son now an old man white haired man himself tearfully reminisce the contents of the letters one by one . One of the letters saying "How are you my son? Are you alright? How is your mother ? Papa is doing very well over here". The son went to Papua New Guinea last year with other families of World War II casualties. He read a letter addressing his father for the first time while tears uncontrollably flowed out of his middle age eyes and amongst about 5 other veterans' children threw flowers onto the sea.

He said in the TV interview "War does nothing but separate families and bring grief".

As we speak, war is still happening- big and small in different corners of the world. Haven't we humans learned our lesson from the past? Why do people have to suffer? Why do families have to be separated? Why do people have to die without really a justifiable cause?

I DENOUNCE WAR!! Its useles and futile. It does not bring anything good. The world is big enough for all of mankind. Its resources abundant for all humans of all races and religions.

Let us share God's blessings and love one another. There is no reason to kill another man, woman or children. There is no justification whatsoever to take another man's life for for life is sacred and only God who gave it can take it away.

I appeal to the terrorist organizations to listen to reason and stop murdering innocent lives - your brothers and sisters.

I appeal to the United States to fight terrorism not at its military facade but in its roots ? Why do people resort to terrorism ? Is it because they are victims of injustice ? Is it because they lost their families due to dire poverty? Find the root cause of terrorism and resolve it at its roots. The solution is not an eye for an eye. The solution is Love and Understanding.

I believe the solution is to eliminate poverty for starters.

Japan went to War to conquer countries with rich natural resources for they feared that western domination of Asia would cut the flow of natural resources. Thirty years after the war the Japan arised from the ashes of poverty and proved that they did not need rich natural resources after all. In simplified terms Japan attained wealth by importing raw materials and adding value.

Other countries should learn from this example and stop complaining that they need more territories. True wealth can be found from within the heart of each of your citizens.