Monday, January 31, 2005

Some Remarks Worth Quoting

▼ These words are quoted from some of the recent remarks. It is the 60th New Year since the termination of World War II. Ikezawa Natsuki, a writer who was born in the year when the war came to an end, said, “What is important more than anything else is that Japan has not been involved in war during the past sixty years. Peace has never lasted so long as this since the Meiji Period.”

▼ Osada Hiroshi, a poet, wrote about the power of language. “Words to express what should be done are used to describe heroic actions and often to initiate war. Words to express what should not be done are used to reserve actions and are often used at the end of war.”

▼ Ten years have passed since the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Sugawara Shohei, a fourth grader in Kobe, was born on that day. His father is thinking of telling him some day, “On the day when so many lives were lost, you were born with the help of many people. Whatever difficulties you may face in the future, you should never be daunted by them.”

▼ Paul Krugman, an American economist, expressed his opinions on “These Ten Years.” ”‘Free market’ and ‘free capital flows’ have been believed to be ideal. We should be awoken from the fever to recollect what is buried in oblivion.”

▼ President Bush said in his second inaugural address, “The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. We will defend ourselves and our friends by force of arms when necessary. Some have unwisely chosen to test America’s resolve, and have found it firm.”

▼ On the day when great tsunami devastated Sri Lanka, a baby girl was born in the southern city of Galle. She was named “Angela Shehani,” which means “angel.”