I Apologize, or I Regret?
Another look at Hiroshima
There is a difference. We apologize for our actions that are wrong by contemporary standards: Hurtful words, not needed; taking or inflicting pain without conscience; deliberate acts directed toward others that stem from our own greed or creed: oppression in any form; denying others their just due; casting our values on others who intend us no harm are the start of a long list of offenses that you, or I, or our country can and should apologize for.
Bombing Hiroshima is not one that belongs on the apology list. We hold freedom to be too sacred. We can show our humanity by expressing regret for Hiroshima. We also regret Japan’s decision to invade our country, that its military bombed and killed our citizens in a sneak attack, and forced us to defend ourselves. We regret the need to mobilize, and to battle their armed forces in a bloody war. We regret that Japan never once backed away from its aggression. We regret each and every bloody battle up to and including Iwo Jima. We were also justifiably angered by the inhumane death march Japan inflicted on us and our allies at Bataan; and by their kamikaze attacks. And we regret that Japan’s government was prepared to fight to the bitter end with no thought of surrender.
But it is beyond the scope of reason to apologize for ending that war. To apologize for it is tantamount to apologizing for our quest for freedom—for ourselves and for others, especially for the Japanese people. To apologize for freedom is to acquiesce to tyranny, and to acknowledge that brute force has more honor than does freedom.
To apologize for Hiroshima is to strip away the dignity of the human race, and to acknowledge that freedom is not the highest purpose for our existence. We would also be turning our backs on all who went before us, every man, woman, and child who gave up some part of their lives just to be able to live them according to their own desires. Apologizing for freedom is to dishonor equality, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Instead, let us offer Japan a plaque emblazoned with Jefferson’s words. Perhaps those words will help them to understand and to heal as we have with this resolve uttered by Patrick Henry: “I know not what course others may take, but as for me give me liberty or give me death.”
Yes, we can and should express our regret that we were forced to defend freedom. But we can never apologize for defending it—not to Japan, not to ourselves, and not to our God.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/world/asia/obama-hiroshima-visit.html?_r=0
Ron
Love ya!
Jane