Hitomi Soga, Jenkins's mother, Jenkins and thier family
From the article G.I. Deserter to Visit U.S. - New York Times
As the article says, Jenkins and his family could finally meet his mother, 91 years old, in the U.S. For Japanese it reflected impressed reunion, but for American, it wasn’t seemed so. “We don’t have to allow such an American soldier who deserted his Army and fled to North Korea” This is the way they think. This news was played up to some both local and big newspapers and they wrote the article with hard-eyed. In evidencethis article’s title has a word, Deserter, for him. In Japan, Media never use such word for him on headline.
I think these differences arouse because we have no idea for the army and they have. I know not counted sin against his escape exerts a bad influence on armies in Iraq, but I can’t really understand why they are so strict. I thought it’s a kind of militarism.
2 comments:
Actually, that article doesn't mention anything about what the American public thinks. Did you hear or read such comments somewhere else? Where did you find that quote? Who said it?
I think even the Japanese media has used the word "deserter" (in Japanese) in the past to give background information on Mr. Jenkins. But since most readers/viewers know who he is by now, they don't need to repeat themselves. On the other hand, as you point out, some American media (and maybe international but I'm not sure) uses the word "deserter" as an adjective to describe him (like "alleged child molester"), and by using that description, the media may give a biased view. But then he IS a deserter. It's a fact, not an opinion. Whether or not we should still refer to him that way is another question.
As for it being a kind of militarism, I think you have a point. America has become a rather militaristic nation since 9/11 (and even before). When at war, a government needs to ensure that it's citizens remain patriotic.
Actualy, I found that opinion in TV program, "HOUDOU-STATION". At that program, one columnist tald about "how other countries treat the incident".
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