That a majority of people living on the island of Okinawa want the U.S. Marines gone seems a well-established fact. A plan to build a new airfield on a different part of the island in the town of Henoko is even more unpopular. One recent poll found 84 percent opposition to the new base.
And yet the New York Times tells readers today that it knows better. The headline alone over the piece by Martin Fackler tells youthat those polls—not to mention the massive demonstrations against the base—shouldn’t be believed: “Amid Image of Ire Toward U.S. Bases, Okinawans’ True Views Vary.”
Unsurprisingly, the “true views” are apparently supportive of U.S. bases. As Fackler puts it, just “wander up Henoko’s narrow streets, and the villagers will tell you a different story.” The Times explains that if you “look more deeply and a nuanced picture emerges,” one that apparently supports the base and the U.S. military presence.
What of the polls that overwhelmingly say otherwise? The Times gets around to citing one of those 80 percent polls, only to turn around and say: “But look across Okinawa’s divided political spectrum and the depth of that opposition varies.”
Why put so much effort into trying to tell readers that the facts are not what they seem? It’s frankly hard to understand this one. But it can’t be said that this is a new problem for the Times—as FAIR pointed out (11/29/10):
A New York Times piece (11/29/10) on the re-election of Okinawa’s governor, who opposes the U.S. military base there, treated the views of the island’s residents as an annoyance—describing their resistance variously as a “wrench,” a “thorn” and a “headache.” The paper seemed to share the stance of the Japanese national government, which described the re-election as “one manifestation of public opinion”—and perhaps elections are not so important a manifestation, if they give the wrong results.
UPDATE: The New York Times‘ dismissal of polling data from Okinawa is very similar to its treatment of polling in Iraq—see Extra!: “As Usual, NYT Ignores Iraqi Opinion: Anecdotes Trump Polls on Withdrawal” (11-12/08) by Dahr Jamail.
I guess I’m having difficultly understanding what’s so hard to understand.
The US wants something.
There are inconvenient facts working against the realization of that something.
Ergo, the facts go.
Remember the old “Fawlty Towers” line?
“This isn’t a proposition from Wittgenstein.”
Two plus two equals four.
Unless the gummint wants it to equal five.
Polls and public opinion are irrelevent unless those being polled are tea partiers or corporate types.
How many other countries have U.S. bases and do not want them in their country but they remain anyway. How would the U.S. government feel about foreign bases in the U.S.?
Of course, mention should be made of the fact that American taxpayers pay for the defense of Japan (or at least subsidize it heavily). We also pay for the defense of South Korea. Are these poor nations that can’t afford to defend themselves? What other countries does the U.S. taxpayer pay to defend while millions of Americans have no health insurance because there’s no money for it.
Is it so hard to believe that after over 60yrs the people of Okinawa no longer want to live under USA military occupation. It should be remember that under the status of forces agreement every country that USA military bases must sign soldiers can not be prosecuted for committing any crime.
We have a bunch of brainwashed young mostly men with weapons who are told the USA is great and they can do anything. They are let loose on the population looking for a good time which includes alcohol. When they hurt someone or commit any crime they whisked off the island to another USA base. The people of Okinawa have endured the actions of our drunken disrespectful children long enough. Girls & women have been beaten & raped, people have been killed robbed, auto’s destroyed in accidents all with no legal recourse. The Okinawan should be freed from USA occupation to run their country as they wish and to live in peace without young American bullies with guns who have been brainwashed into thinking they are superior to every other race, that the people of occupied nations are no better than stray dogs and should be treated as you would any dumb animal.
To top off the misbehavior of our children the USA has decided it want 2 new bases, both would take pristine areas not touched by man. One is a beautiful beach front location with sandy white beaches & a beautiful view. The other is in the middle of a forest uninhibited by man full of flora & fauna never before seen a region important to the ecosystem, health care & religion of the Okinawan.
The Okinawan are not actually Japanese their Island was captured & occupied prior to WW2. It is a distance from the main Japanese Islands so the USA military bases don’t have any impact on the Japanese people or government. They are unseen & unheard on the main islands.
Neither the Japanese nor Okinawan people are given a choice concerning military occupation. According to the post WW2 peace treaty Japan’s army can be defensive to the Island only. Although there have some modification of the Peace Treaty to allow Japan to send troops to Afghanistan & Iraq.
WW2 has been over for more than 60 years the European enemies are now friends and have freedom of choice concerning USA military presence. The Okinawans should have the same choice. Yes certainly the capitalist 1% whose business is based on servicing USA military personal want the base and are willing to give up anything for profit The rest of the nation is sick and tired of playing host to a bunch of unruly uncultured classless USA soldiers who have no respect for a culture that is thousands of years older than the USA’s.
I was an Air Force Dependent (“brat”) stationed with my then Step-Father-finger-on-the-nuclear-trigger-silo-chief in 1969 when the current controversies actually began over our treaty violations, particularly the parts forbidding us to stage/store a nuclear arsenal as well as bio and chemical war materials.
I can tell you how the citizens of that island felt then and feel now about Americkan occupation.
The same way most of us who read & comment on FAIR do.
We don’t like it one damn bit !!
BTW, I had a summer job while there working in the graphics department of the 7th Psyops. I know a little about our Vietnam military propaganda machine too.
KUDOS FOOTNOTE:
Continued thanks to Daniel Ellsberg, Mike Gravel and whoever else (Nixon unwittingly) helped to expose the Pentagon Papers, which led to the expiration of the Selective Service Act, and by a mere 21 days letting me NOT go die for corporate profit and the misplaced and perverted ideals of Amerikan Exceptionalism & Christian dominance, in some faraway jungle where other people like me wanted to just be left alone to determine their own personal futures. You know like we do?
Life and politics in particular are only “nuanced” when the NYT stands behind something that is very bad. Then, nuance means, “Even though we’re utterly wrong and your right, we’re still right.”
That’s “you’re,” don’t you know.
My father fought in the campaign to take that island.13 thousand American dead another 60,000 wounded.Japan lost 100 thousand men.WE paid for the security it gave us then and now, in human blood.Japan has agreed to lease it to us understanding our military needs(and hers) for now.As far as I know it is a forward US base necessary for US strategic plans.Im not even sure if the populations wants are in this equation -as hard as that sounds.Of course I would hope we do the best job we can to make our presence there conducive to good relations with the people of Okinawa.
Ps Elaine is right.Why we pay and have paid for other countries defense(Europe)free of charge is bewildering.