on Rokkashomura film

 Comments on Rokkashomura Rhapsody

-Tomoko Seto

In Rokkashomura Rhapsody, thanks to Kamanaka san’s efforts to include portrayals of local people on both sides, I found that ongoing problems in Japan, not limited to that of nuclear plants, should to be more seriously discussed from various directions. It was a great opportunity for me to learn about the local fishermen’s protest in the 1980s, the recent conditions of the reprocessing plant, urban/rural cleavages, and the lives and opinions of the opponents and proponents in the village. According to Kamanaka san, voluntary screening of the film is beginning to spread widely in Japan. Together with the current revelation of scandals surrounding nuclear power plants as well as Kamanaka san’s appearance in the mainstream media in Japan, more people are likely to become interested in the film, which will probably lead to more support for the local opponents struggling on the spot. I am concerned about the possible effects of popularity of the film on activism at the local level.

Protest CBS Radio

I think Mike made a great suggestion for our class to become a mini-lab of protest.

Here’s something that requires our unfettered anger.

Two hosts from CBS Radio (the station that fired Imus) made a patently offensive prank call to a Chinese restaurant.

Audio clip.

The caller told the restaurant’s female employee, “Should I come to your restaurant so I can see you naked? ” and continued, “That way, I can see your hot Asian spicy ass.”

Online community

It’s a follow up on Mike’s and Patrick’s comments on “community making,” but Kamanaka san’s visit, her films and activities have taught me the powerfulness of creating an online community. To me, online communities and activities have been something far from everyday life. My use of computer started only after college, and I’ve thought about the difference between contemporary highschoolers in such a computer(ful) environment and myself…and I thought that those “virtual” communities are more or less “fake”–until Kamanaka san and this class show how effective the PC could be to connect “real” people in this age. (Her story of “dot(s)” becoming a “network” was especially interesting.) In a sense, her visit introduced me to the online world in a new way.

The Internet community is becoming more and more “-less” –”borderless,” “ageless” etcetc. Oh but, how do we connect to people who do not have an access to the Internet? I am somewhat worried about the information gap–between those who have a PC and who do not. I think that question is still left unanswered.

Re: Community

I like Mike’s post about community because I think it’s overlooked when we’re talking about starting social movements and protests. But when we’re talking about community, it’s not enough to just protest each other and keep arguments within the community. In many ways going online like this blog can put the conversation out there in unexpected places—just like traveling, for Kamanaka. I think it’s an important step to get out of the online community to find support. It can mean getting the screening up at the local theater or boarding a plane from Japan to the U.S. I mean, wouldn’t it be nice if we knew what our counterparts at DePaul or the Art Institute were saying?