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| “We fully empathize with how the Japanese feel right now” Wen Jiabao, Chinese Premier |
Some people are laughing out loud at Japan right now. No, not Gilbert Godfried, the long-time voice of the most annoying duck on the planet. He quit laughing last week when Aflac canned him for tweeting tasteless tsunami jokes (sidenote: Thank you Aflac). Ironically, he was immediately hired as the new voice for the most annoying comedian on the planet . . . Gilbert Godfried. In China, however, it goes deeper than just a spineless, moronic, wannabe funny-man trying to cash in on the suffering of broken people. Some in China are laughing at what they call karma.
Hatred for Japan dates back to atrocities like the 1937 Nanjing Massacrewhere hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians were killed (or much worse) by the Imperial Japanese Army in a matter of weeks. It’s one of those dark pages in the history books that stretched the parameters of what evil men are capable of. Decades of downplaying or denying the event haven’t exactly served to boost Japan’s tainted reputation in China.However, even though some are laughing, I’m standing by my previous post (On Japan, China and Things That Don’t Matter When Disaster Strikes)” with one slight revision. When disaster strikes grudges carry more weight than ever. When your arch enemy is brought to their knees it’s like the world holds it’s breath and waits for your next move. Will you kick them in the face or help them get up? Granted, there are plenty of Chinese who, by their gloating, have voted to kick Japan in the face but the vast majority and the nation as a whole have opted for a more noble response. China was one of the first responder’s when the earthquake and Tsunami hit and continue to hold out their hand to their fallen foe. To a friend, that action means a lot. To an enemy, so much more.
There is something pure and beautiful and right about loving your enemies.
