[lit-ideas] Ethnic Pride, Black Truck Style

  • From: "John McCreery" <john.mccreery@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: Anthro-L <ANTHRO-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2007 14:28:48 +0900

I am sitting at my computer looking at a photo I took the other day.
It is taken from the top of the steps of our local Shinto shrine.
Sitting across the street, in the upper right hand corner of the image
is one of Japan's infamous black trucks, from which loudspeakers blare
right-wing rants against the enemy de jour. This one isn't blaring,
however. It is just sitting there. My eyes are drawn to the Japanese
characters emblazoned on its side. One line reads
*minzoku-dento-shugi* (literally "ethnic-trandition-ism"). Below it is
them name of the organization, *gi-shin-juku* (School of Righteousness
and Faith).

In Japan these trucks are seen as remnants of pre-war militarism and
emperor worship and allies of right-wing political parties. Am I, as
an anthropologist, committed a priori to treating them with respect?
If so, why not the John Birch Society or Bob Jones University?

It's a hot, muggy day in Yokohama and my 63rd birthday, a good day, I
think, to reconsider assumptions.

John McCreery
The Word Works, Ltd., Yokohama, JAPAN
Tel. +81-45-314-9324
http://www.wordworks.jp/
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