Fred & Okinawa.

This is coolbert:

From the Fred on Everything web site and extract with commentary:

"The View From Okinawa"

 "America Doesn't Lead The World In Everything"

"Okinawa--Perspective both geographic and temporal leave one wondering just where American society is going. I came here to research a magazine piece on tunnel warfare, but was, not unexpectedly, struck by the different tenor of life. We in the United States pride ourselves on having the best country in the world. In many ways we don't."

"Crime is rare Okinawa, except when committed by American GIs stationed here. (In a store I saw a sign: 'Because of recent incidents of theft, groups of American boys are not allowed inside.') Civility is usual, not a cause for surprise as it is when it breaks out in America. Parents do not become anxious when they lose sight of their small kids in a supermarket. Nobody is going to snatch them. Outbursts of almost psychotic violence are not part of what I suppose we would call the automotive experience."

That American military man when overseas behaving badly are popular topic for discussion. Crime when as committed by an American soldier against an Okinawan sensationalized and elaborated upon endlessly [?] by the Japanese media.

Rape of an Okinawan female by an American serviceman an especially egregious offense [as is well understood to be the case rape under any circumstances egregious] offensive to the Japanese people and society. NOT normally a crime as common, very rare indeed!

Japan as perceived a nation and society very civil and orderly, little crime as understood in the American context.

However, it bears repeating that AN OKINAWAN IS SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE ATTACKED BY A FELLOW OKINAWAN THAN BY AN AMERICAN SERVICEMAN!

That perception that U.S. military personnel stationed in Okinawa are a band of miscreants running amuck perpetrators of all sorts of violence and mayhem is over exaggerated, regardless of how presented by the media. NOT to excuse misbehavior when it does occur [and it does occur], merely I suggest that unjustified sensationalism of events is hardly a good policy.

coolbert.