More on Hunger Strike

This is my response to Ketaki and Ashok on Ashok’s blog.
http://someitemshave.blogspot.com/2011/08/anna-hazare-and-power-of-love-truth-and.html


Yes, I read about Anna Hazare’s strong conviction, fast until death.  I hope he continues his conviction and self-sacrifice in fighting corruption without hunger strikes.

He or his supporters can start a general strike or even a grass root movement such as not ever paying bribe money for getting passports and driver license, and then they can move onto more areas of bribes.

This is a different problem, but for the stop smoking campaign in the US, it first offended many people not only the smokers, but now, not only the government offices, but also restaurants and other shops have followed. Today, most of the time, we don’t need to ask people not to smoke indoor. There have been many silent sufferers to quit smoking. I was one of them. And I didn’t think Japan could follow that because the culture was different. But now, I’m amazed about the progress although from the US perspective it is probably slow. Now, I look back at those times and realize that we just kept quiet in the smoke filled rooms without ever thinking that needed a change or could change. And babies and small children were in those smoke-filled rooms! I smoked and quit several times, so I’m so marveled about how it happened, how the public image of smoking has changed and many of us.

Also, it isn’t as clear cut as the stop smoking campaign, but the US is changing very slowly in fighting obesity. Everywhere I go, I see signs that people are more conscious of what they eat. It’s probably hard for Indians or Japanese to feel sympathy to this problem, but please imagine the pain many people are going through. So, beside the good taste, Indian foods have become very popular here—I love it, and just about all my American and Japanese friends recommend me Yoga.

So, I think we need to understand each other’s problem, but also we need to raise each other’s awareness. Like Yoga and Indian diet, I hope India leads a good movement other country would like to follow, but not by hunger strike, please.

Aoshima Yukio (1932 -2006)

Because of my post “Stop Hunger Strike Anywhere, Please,” I searched the web for a Japanese hunger striker and read Wikipedia. And I thought you might be interested in his work. He was a multi-talented comedy writer like Steve Martin or Al Franken in my opinion. I love those writers. Quality humor writing makes us laugh and think. If you are a writer, you probably know how hard it is to do that.

He became a member of the upper house in 1968, and between 1995 and 1999, he was the governor of Tokyo. He was since 1960s for his comedy writing and also as a comedian. He won a series of his elections without making any political speeches. He was highly critical of sponsored political campaigns. Once, he declared that he would write his first novel and win a prestigious Naoki award. He did write it and won the award. His painting also won a prestigious award.

He suffered from tuberculosis as a young man, and in 1991, he was diagnosed of malignant lymphoma. He underwent chemotherapy. The following year, 1992, a big corruption was revealed, but the prosecutor office only fined minimum and tried to let go of the incident. To protest this lukewarm measure and also to get rid of the rotten root of the Liberal Democratic Party, he went on to a hunger strike. But after 30 hours into it, he was rushed to a hospital. Later, Kanemaru Shin resigned and was indicted on this Sagawa Kyubin scandal.

I found a rare slapstick comedy sketch on youtube below. Aoshima Yukio started this live television program called Otonano Manga. It ran from 1959 to 1964, but because it was live, only few films exist. I believe Aoshima Yukio wrote the majority of the sketches, but this particular one on corruption was written by Suzuki Tetsu. But you get an idea of Aoshima Yukio’s early comedy.

Two cops are investigating a cop for his alibi. The defending cop says he was in a movie theater three days ago, but the manager cop on right tells him the theater has been under renovation for a week. The manager cop says, “In recent years, cops related corruptions have become increasingly rampant. The eyes of the society are very severe. What you did was very serious! It reflects on our entire police force. Do you understand this situation?!”

The left defending cop admits his lie and apologizes, but takes out a tape from his shirt pocket. He says to the manager cop, “Haven’t you been taking bribe from a mafia group and leaking information? He continues,

“In recent years, cops related corruptions have become increasingly rampant. The eyes of the society are very severe. What you did was very serious! It reflects on our entire police force. Do you understand this situation?!”

The left and right cops become friends. The middle cop intervenes. He accuses both cops and gives the same speech as above. His arm is revealed. He is a drug addict. All three become good friends. “We all make this happy society together.” End.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJLkCxFvyYw&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL2B2C2B699F017186

http://spysee.jp/faces/1394

No More Corruption But No More Hunger Strikes Anywhere, Please

むむむのむ　　m in "Mmm"
The brushstroke by Iida Kazuko Sensei

Don’t you think hunger-strike is outmoded style of protest?


No, it’s highly effective. Peaceful method is better than violent one. We are peaceful people.

If we starve ourselves, we’ll die. No one in the great tsunami survived after three days in cold without food. Is he okay?

He sprints like a young man after four days of fasting. He is 74. He is not an ordinary man.

If he died young, he would be unable to lead this important anti-corruption movement. Don’t you worry about his health?

If he died, the masses become violent.

That will prove the people are violent.

No, that won’t happen. Only a few can do this.

Do those few live only in your country?

Mmm

If we want corruption to stop, we have to remain honest, don’t you agree?

Hunger Strike is peaceful mean. Not like Libya.

Mmm

It’s non-violence.

I think hunger strike and bribe are similar at the root. They both threaten.

There is a need of a change in the system. When we face a huge social problem, a drastic measure can be employed. This is a case in point. People think he is a saint.

If he were a saint, don’t you worry a lot about his health?

When fasting is combined with spiritual power it strengthens rather than weaken.

You mean he becomes stronger as he gets hungrier?

Yes! And people become hungrier for a huge social change!! People become POWERFUL!!!

Don’t you worry about his health?