I swear to god, that the rise in terrorism in the world is giving people the excuse to do nothing that they have been looking for. Got a pesky problem you don't want to deal with anymore? Eradicate iyour problem by blaming terrorism. For example, there are no longer any garbage cans around the local train stations here. Why? Terrorism. Or so they say. Shinjuku station or Shibuya, I could buy that excuse. After all, more than a million people pass through those train stations every day. But guess what? They have garbage cans. The train stations near my house, which no one could be half-assed to go to unless they live there, have no garbage cans. When I asked why, they said "terror jo-tai" (state of terrorism). Rather, I think the translation should be "we are sick of dealing with garbage cans and so due to the fact that there is terrorism in the world, we find it convenient to get rid of garbage cans."
Lets look at the facts here. Rather than have a garbage can outside the convenience store (which most convenience stores here do) this one is by a train station and in front of a university (of not particularly great renown). Lots of garbage all the time. No there is no garbage. Why? The remotest possiblity that terrorism could strike there. There is a greater chance of being struck by lightening that by terrorism at that location.
The station in front of the National Diet actually has no garbage cans that I can recall. I will have to check that out now that I think of it. But in all fairness, that station was the site of domestic terrorism with the Aum Shinryoku's sarin attack in 1995. And like Shinjuku or Shibuya I would call it a target.
I have no problem with being alert, looking out for strange objects etc. But be reasonable!
Let me add my little experience with the post office today. I sent some money back to Canada to pay for bills. In the space where you write the reason for sending money, I wrote, as I have for the last eight years, "bills." Last month "Bills" wasn't good enough. At least the woman working there was on the ball enough to ask at the time I sent the money. I said "credit card." Okay, no problem. I learn from my mistakes. This month, in the little space I wrote "credit card." Thinking all is well, and that I will get my money home in time to pay for my BILLS (which actually I think is a fairly private affair and none of the post office's business) I get a phone call a week AFTER I send the money. As in, my money order just sat around the post office doing nothing rather than bein sent in a timely manner the phone me to ask they wanted to know what kind of bills.
And what do they want to know this time? What did I buy with my credit card?
Why don't I microscopically write my whole shopping itinerary for the last month in the small half inch space helpfully provided? I don't even know where to begin. So the clerk suggests, "clothes?" Feeling a bit like my privacy is invaded, I ask why they need to know. The answer? "Terror-jo tai" the state of terrorism in the world. They have to check more carefully. Must be the world situation, because last I heard, Japan is NOT a hot bed of terror. No doubt there are terrorists here but I doubt that a terrorist is going to write on a money order, "I am sending this money overseas to pay for bombs, explosives, arms or drugs." If they were that stupid, the war on terrorism would long be over.
Trying to be reasonable and understanding and wanting to do my part, I ask if I should come back to the post office and fill in something or sign a form. Because, to me, if you are going to be dilligent enough to ask someone what they spend their personal money on, you don't take their word for the truth over the phone! But, oh no! It's okay. They said that wasn't necessary. They just need to fill in the form.
I feel so much safer now.
All they are doing is filling in the blanks.
One more pet peeve. Why are nail clippers without the nail file banned from airplanes but we can bring on as many sharp pencils or pens as we like? If the nail clippers had a pointy thing, I can definately see the weapon potential. Scissors or swiss army knife? No arguement. Of course. But without the pointy thing, the most damage that fileless nail clippers can do to me is if someone throws it at me and I don't duck in time. I have, however, been stabbed by a pencil and IT HURT! Doesn't anybody remember that Clint Eastwood movie in which he plays a presidential body guard, and John Malkovich (the bad guy) makes a gun on a plane from a pen? Wait... maybe that was "Con Air."
Here's another thing that bothers me. I always think this when I fly, and I am scared to ask why in case people freak out at the airport. Yet, some essential piece of logic seems to be missing. Not only that, it should be OKAY to ask.
Don't think that I am denying the seriousness of terrorism in the world. I am not an idiot. I know it exist and is horrifying. The fact that anyone can justify those actions against innocent people is beyond belief. But living in constant fear where that fear is not reasonable means that terrorism wins, doesn't it? ( As far as anyone can "win" in a no-win situation like that.)