Okinawan anger increases: 2 more marines arrested
Well, with everything that’s gone on in the last week, I think most foreigners have been trying to keep a relatively low profile. But it’s always the small minority that cause problems for everyone else, and it looks like we’ve had 2 more incidents this weekend. One marine has been arrested for drink driving, and another for trespassing after he was found passed out on some random Okinawan’s sofa up in Nago in the north of the island. Note that these stories are almost the top crime headline of the day here in Okinawa. Seemingly less important stories are that a man has tried to beat the 6-year old daughter of his girlfriend to death in Osaka, and an 82-year old man being arrested for molesting a 14-year old girl in the street.
Now, DUI cases among Okinawans is the highest in Japan as I have reported before, with people being pulled over and arrested almost daily. That’s not trying to belittle the crime, which is something stupid and very dangerous to do. But you don’t see every incident of this being reported, because if you did then there would be no newspaper column inches to report anything else. But because it is a US marine it is suddenly the most important crime story in Japan. An accident wasn’t caused in this case and nobody has been injured, but it’s still going to provide more fuel to the fire that anti-US and anti-foreigner people need in Japan.
But 2 very stupid people have done pretty much the last thing that should have. I think the only way it could have been worse would have been if a 14-year old had been found sat in the passenger seat of this guy’s car!
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Please capitalize Marines when you type it. It’s just an English thing - much like you would a sports team’s name.
Great mini-article! Thank you for pointing out the craziness taking place ELSEWHERE which further illustrates the nature of people. What is slightly funny (not really) is that I attended MULTIPLE briefs, classes, warning-sessions, or whatever you wish to call them, on the topic of “definately don’t be an idiot this weekend following the other idiot” and most likely the Marines you report got in trouble, did as well. The fact that they got in trouble, so close to the other trouble, clearly marks them as idiots. Their bosses may be idiots; especially if they didn’t give a brief to the idiots that got in trouble. I had several drinks “out there this weekend” and could have easily driven home - but I didn’t. Me no idiot, me no idiot.
This is better than Eastenders!
Da-bo: thanks for the grammar correction! My father usually does that for me but it’s nice for someone else to do it. Actually, I’m glad you’ve told me as I’ve seen it spelt without the capital and with the capital. Now, I will always talk about the Marines! And thanks for visiting the site and taking the time to make a comment. Glad to hear you’re no idiot!
Hrm, about the DUI thing… I -hate- to say this… but none of the bases can go for more than 60 days with out a DUI, or at least not since I have been here. There used to be a big sign outside Kadena to say how many days since the last DUI, and the highest I saw it go was 57. [If we had hit 60 the base would have had a day off as a whole]
DIU’s are terribly common on and somewhat off base, no ifs and or butts about it. They just normally don’t make press. I will abstain from the social commentary on this DUI bit though. This one is making press only because of all the other negative press we have right now. I am pretty sure if I tripped and fell on a kid outside Kadena right now it would make headlines.
I agree completely with you, and feel free to comment on the DUI. I know it is common both on-base and off, and whenever I get on base I always get excited if the “… days since last DUI” is over 7! But it is because of everything going on at the moment that it’s making news. Otherwise nobody would blink an eyelid.
Thank you Soldave! Nice catch with the Naval Message on one of your other threads - It was just made available to me this morning after our (wish we hadn’t) 96-hour liberty period. The really really fun part, for the upcoming weeks, will be seeing what happens next. The smart-guy will take heed to the guidance of our leaders, and limit American exposure out in town. There is, however, a small, tiny, itty-bitty degree of cloudiness for some: What if you need to do x? The verbal guidance we have been given is to make alternate means of payment, contact, or whatever equates to not leaving base. It has been said that in order to do predetermined functions off base, you need to draft a request letter - I had better get off of here and start typing my requests!
Nobody else thinks it’s a little ridiculous to get a 96 because you can go 60 days without a DUI? I mean, shouldn’t everyone be doing that anyway? Why get rewarded for something that is common sense? Not only that, rewarding service members with a 96 means there will most likely be more drinking, which could result in a DUI. It just doesn’t make that much sense to me.
Thanks for the comments Elizabeth. Just to point out for people who might not know, a “96″ is a 4-day weekend. 24 hours multiplied by 4 equals 96. There you go - proof the maths I learnt at school hasn’t all been forgotten!