Tag: japan

A lack of compassion: the story of Takumi

This is a bit different from my usual rants in a way, but then again it’s not. This is a story about someone with medical problems of grave severity for his age, whose parents eithe don’t understand the meaning of compassion or who have actively chosen to turn their back on their son.

The pages at takumisheart.com tell the story in detail. I’ll summarize the key points:

Takumi is in his mid-twenties, was born in Italy and is currently living in Japan with his parents. In January of this year he suffered two heart attacks, and in February had a third heart attack and a stroke. He had surgery and his current symptoms keep him homebound most of the time.

Up until his medical problems, he was staying with his parents. Their response to his medical problems, particularly the stroke and resulting hospital bill, was to evict him! His father destroyed many of Takumi’s possessions including a computer and a camera. Their rationale for this is that Takumi is their “child of sin” because he’s gay, which is, in my eyes, an incredibly pathetic excuse to turn their back on him when he needs them most.

Nowhere does it say what religion Takumi’s parents are, but regardless of that, this is no way to treat one’s offspring. The Christian Bible has this to say: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13) I would expect other holy texts to contain similar verses.

Some kind people have already helped out, but he still needs more help; according to the figures on the website as of this writing, at least another US$640 (which would cover one month of rehab) and possibly more than that if he needs surgery again.

I know I’ve got a few loyal readers out there. I’m not sure who I’ve lost or gained in the past few months, but I’d like to think a significant chunk of that $640 from just readers of this blog is achievable easily. Let’s help Takumi out. He’s way too young for this. If you can’t chip in, spread the word.

Dogs on film

Okay, so not really on film, probably more like videotape or DVD, but the pun on the old song title was just hanging out there.

A recent story reported by Fastcompany.com, NPR, and ABC News tells the story of Robert Stevens. Robert is an independent filmmaker who compiled films of pit bull dogfights made in jurisdictions where dogfighting is legal, most notably Japan. He sold the films commercially to promote the proper care of pit bulls. For this, he received a jail sentence of 37 months, under a federal law that prohibits “knowingly selling depictions of animal cruelty, with the intention of placing them in interstate commerce” which was passed in 1999.

Robert appealed his case, and won on First Amendment grounds. The government compares these videos to obscenity, or “patently offensive conduct that appeals only to the basest instincts.” And so the case winds up in the US Supreme Court, where it is still being considered as of this writing as far as I can tell.

What I find disturbing here is that Robert’s sentence exceeds Michael Vick’s sentence for actually running a dogfighting ring. This is in effect saying that selling videos of legally conducted dogfights is a worse crime than actually running an illegal dogfighting ring. That, and I fail to see why Robert’s actions should be illegal. I do side with the appeals court here.

This does not change my viewpoint on dogfighting, however. I believe wanton animal cruelty such as staged dogfighting is despicable, which has been my view for the entirety of my adult life. I could go on and on about how I’ve always been an animal lover (I prefer cats to dogs). Suffice it to say, there are certain places such as Japan where it’s legal to stage dogfights, and it is equally their right to make the law what it is there as it is mine to condemn it.