Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

The Austraian government made an official apology to the Aboriginal people. The Prime Minister said "sorry" to the Stolen generation who were taken away from their families to concentration camps to be assimilated to white values.

I've seen the movie "Rabbit Proof Fence." Three Aboriginal girls forced to live in the camp apart from their parents escaped from the camp to go back their home by tracking down the rabbit proof fence. That was based on a true story. What a terrible thing whites did to them. This Aborigines' sad history was mentioned in the You Tube Video about whaling issue. Some scenes of the video showed Aborinial people and subtitles "Australians treated Aborigines inhumanely." The video was viewed by the Australia's foreign minister. It is now removed. But it was very interesting. The theme was Australians' anti-whaling is racist sentiment against Japanese.

Now we feel like Aborigines who were taken away their identity and culture. What is wrong with hunting whales and eating the meat? You are not only protesting whaling because of the extinction issue. You think whales are special animal that even there were plenty of it in the ocean, anyone should not hunt even one of them.

Your government showed the photos of captured whales being transported to the fleet from the ocean by the anchor. Cruel? Haven't you ever seen the photos of the meat factories? See this video.   

Are you extracting meat from cows, pigs and kangaroos without killing them? Are you living in the Disney fantazy? Learn the history of your people, there were Australian whaler ships in the past.

I shall stop eating Australian beef because cows are cute and intelligent. That is how you think.

I do not think your country is civilized nation. You might poison the beef like what Chinese did to us.

It is just fair to decide not to eat the meat imported from the people who criticize what we eat.  

The photo of whalemeat sashimi served in a restaurant in Tokyo.

This morning, I learned a very shocking news that an Australian actor, Heath Ledger died in his Manhattan apartment.

I've known him since I saw the movie "Brokeback Mountain." His act was superb. He turned out to be very American cowboy. His horse riding was great, too.

I would like to extend my deepest condolence on the sudden death of this great Australian actor.

But sorry, I don't like his home country, Australia because of whaling conflict.

I ate Aussie beef, tonight. But that's it. I do not think I would visit that country in my life.   

The film was about a woman who taught English at Long Beach High School. The school became decayed after integration program. Non-white students occupied the school and then good white students had gone. Most of the students had problems in their families.

A young teacher, Gruwell played by Hillary Swank taught her students how to live with confidence. It is based on a true story.

The main theme of the story is "Express yourself and learn how to live."

Learn how to live in the ghetto like Anne Frank did.

I know a woman who were a high school teacher. I think she was already retired. I remember she came over to help me with my life in US. She was so kind to me.

She said the message she gives her students was "There is no fair." The family she was born was very poor. She worked so hard to get a teacher's credential. Her father was half-Native American. She told me the stories of her father's experience.

I understand these words as I grow up. This is what a teenager should know before entering the grown-up society.

We want to complain but things don't change so easily just like the song "Waiting on the world to change."

But there should be a way out. The world is not perfect but can change better little by little. Don't do wrong things by your emotion.

Even after I left the U.S., we exchanged the emails each other from time to time.  

I was sometimes very rude to her because I had been so childish. I miss her so much. What is she doing now?

I hope I can see her again. Her name is Joyce Becker. She told me she was awarded a "Teacher of the Year" Award in California several years ago. She graduated from UC Berkeley. She was a teacher in San Diego.    

I rented a DVD of animated movie "Cars." The story was one rising racing car "Lightening Maqueen" got accidentally stuck in a forgotten town on route 66. He met cars in the town and learned how to live life. Funny and heart-warming story. Pictures were very detailed and beautifully drawn.

The world of cars living like humans was a great idea.

Looks like cars are living things for Americans. Yes, I know that because I used to drive in the U.S.

My car was '89 Mitsubishi Galant Sigma. 3 liter, 4 door sedan. Kind of luxurious car. I loved that car. I named him "Nobunaga" after famous Samurai lord in 16th century.

Everyone who drove my car said "moves smoothly like Cadillac." I was glad to hear that just like I was the one who was given such compliments.  

I drove from San Francisco to Los Angeles. 7 hours, that was longest drive in my life. The roads were wide. 1.5 time wider than Japan's. He was very nice friend to me.

When I left the U.S. and sold him to new owner, I gave him beer for the farewell.

Well, I guess that is the memory of 20th century. This is 21st century. People are well-aware of environmetal crisis. Cars are releasing green house gas. Also, what we have to pay attention is crude oil is running out. The oil is said to be run out in 40 years. That is why oil price is getting high recently.

We need to use public transportation instead of private cars to reduce emission. Not the time to enjoy driving.

It is critical time to think about future of our precious earth. Change the current lifestyle for our humankind to survive in this century and next century.

That is the main theme of 21st century.

Hope all of us have a happy new year.