Recent calls for Japan to ban the use of the Rising Sun were met with the argument that the flag is a part of the country's history and banning it would be an infringement on freedom of expression.
A couple of days ago, the Australian gold medal almost-favourite Jack Robinson posted a photo of he and his fleet of Olympic surfboards, each emblazoned with the Japanese Imperial Flag, in this case the eight-pronged version and not the old school sixteen-pronger.
The Japanese Imperial Flag, aka the Rising Sun Flag, which was proudly flown by the Japanese military during its failed attempt to own the Pacific, sits alongside other controversial flags as the Soviet Hammer and Sickle, the Nazi Swastika and, ooh-wee-ooo, the US’s own Confederate Flag.
Now, Jackie don’t know his history, I’m guessing.
And, the Rising Sun boards are actually Jackie’s tribute to the great Andy Irons, whose Rising Sun trunks kept Billabong staff in bonuses for half a decade in the early 2000s.
Pretty crazy, but you can still buy ‘em despite the Japanese Imperial Flag being associated with the myriad atrocities (Rape of Nanking etc) of an Empire who refused to fly the white flag even when Tokyo was firebombed to a pile of ashes, Nagasaki was blown to hell and the Enola Gay was circling pretty Hiroshima and readying to take 150,000 souls.
Despite only a little pushback on the post, an appreciative emoji from Kanoa Igarashi and one reader who wrote, “Should’ve had Aus colours mate. The Japanese might be cheering for you now”, Jackie deleted the post.
Very hard to argue that it’s not a pretty flag, howevs.
Now: a favourite debate of mine is Rising Sun Flag v Confederate Flag.
Which offends more? And which continues to delight?
Recent calls for Japan to officially apologise for its wartime actions and to ban the use of the Rising Sun Flag were met with the argument that the flag is a part of the country’s history and that banning it would be an infringement on freedom of expression.
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Neither Puerto Rican nor Cuban🤣. Che was from Argentina 🇦🇷
I find it incredulous the poor journalistic approach to this piece. This piece was less to do with a surfer and his surfboards, and more to do with the “journalist” attack on the Japanese. While there is no denying the atrocities of WW2 at the hands of Japanese military. To succumb to call them “Japs” which since WW2 is considered a derogatory term. Also, this idea that “Nagaski was blown to hell.” Who the F$#& writes like that. Especially since the victims of Nagaski and Hiroshima where almost entirely women, children and the elderly. And the U.S. was ready to take “150,000 souls.” No journalistic integrity whatsoever. This reads more like a 4chan post build up with male fragility and an over exposure to video game violence.
Andy’s muumuu lol
History is written by the victors. What a coincidence that the goodies always win!
Isn’t Che Cuban?
No he wasn’t Cuban🤣. He was from Argentina 🇦🇷
That’s even further from Mexico then
Perhaps the world could grow some balls and thick skin and stop worrying about so much bullshit. Flags and symbols can be just that for people. Not everything has a profound meaning or hidden message. Sometimes something just looks cool. Stop being pu$$ies every day of your life and get over it.
Amen.
Weird choice by Robbo but I bet he never learnt much about history in home school
The boards are only reminiscent of the flag and a tribute to AI!!!
The Japanese were certainly brutal during WWII. But the Yanks remain the only country in the history of the world with a government extreme enough to drop nuclear weapons on humans.
I’m sure my granddad and his mates that survived the Burma railway would have just loved to have a chat with you.
Technically, the Stars and Bars is not the flag of the Confederated States of America.
It is the “battle flag” of the army of Northern Virginia, but has evolved to symbolize the entire Confederacy and the values of ignorant, inbred Southern rednecks and hillbillies who fly it to this day regardless of the condemnation of the rational people who won the civil war and rejected cherished southern values like slavery, cousin-kissing and underage marriage.
The Rising Sun graphic is a political symbol.
For the millions of people who suffered under the aggression of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II, it is an extremely offensive symbol, the regional equivalent to the Nazi swastika.
Banned or not, it is inappropriate for use in the Olympic Games as a surfboard graphic.
tighten up that mask _aggot
I’d always thought it was an abstraction of Lyndie’s sideboob? Which certainly made things rise around here.
Ironic that the author writes about this cancel culture subject, then refers to the Japanese as japs!
Part of the woke bullshit movement. Jack is afraid of being cancelled. Its not even the same flag. Used to do those all the time on wooden deck railings. Instead of boreing vertical pickets.
Yep, the woke shit is pretty stale at this point.
Hmm ever heard of why the Japanese went to war?
The USA had a 7 point plan to push Japan into going to war. The USA was also aware of Japan attacking Pearl Harbor …..but they let it happen , to enrage the public to go to war…and calling Japanese Japs is like calling a person of color , nigga…..carry on shit stirring!!
Bullshit.
haha which part or all?
The idea that the US let such a significant amount of their surface fleet be destroyed as some sort of false flag operation is bullshit. Or that Japan was somehow tricked into invading the Pacific. Bullshit bullshit bullshit. Did they anticipate an attack on the primary military target in the Pacific? Obviously. Were there significant intelligence failures that allowed it to happen? Absolutely. Stick with shaping surfboards and stop trying to revise history to fit some ‘US/white people=bad’ narrative you have
you are right , it was an 8 point plan to lure Japan into the war..please educate yourself…… https://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/McCollum/index.html
yes the USA let Pearl Harbor happen…….All four of the code systems used by Admiral Yamamoto had been broken in the fall of 1941 and were used by Station Hypo located at Pearl Harbor. The message intercepted at Station H on November 24th was translated and forwarded directly to Washington DC by Station Hypo, bypassing the local Hawaiian commanders. Washington DC did not relay the translated message back to Kimmell and Short, but instead sent an immediate order to Admiral Kimmell to terminate Exercise 191, a fleet preparedness exercise operating northwest of Hawaii directly in the path of the oncoming Japanese Striking fleet. Kimmell was ordered back to Pearl Harbor. On November 25th, Winston Churchill sent an urgent message to President Roosevelt. Of all the messages sent between Churchill and Roosevelt, only the message of November 25th remains classified on the grounds of “National Security”. On November 28th, USS Enterprise was ordered out of Pearl Harbor in company with 11 of the Unites States’ newest warships, ostensibly to deliver aircraft to Wake Island. On December 5th, USS Lexington was ordered out of Pearl Harbor in company with 8 of the Unites States’ newest warships, ostensibly to deliver aircraft to Midway Island. When the Japanese attack hit Pearl Harbor, the targets they found were older relics from a bygone age; the 21 modern ships of the Pacific fleet, including the two carriers, were safely out of harm’s way.
The son of the man ????
Pretty stupid take by Jacky boy. That’s right up there with the half brother of the heir to the throne wearing the Afrika Corps uniform that time.
By the way there are two rising sun flags, the Japanese navy are still allowed to fly the one with the sun offset.
Fly The Greenpeace flag in honour of the Capt of The Sea Shepard who is being detained and may have to be extradited to Nippon for blocking whale harvesting?
Team Free Willy or…Team Taco Tuesdays?
A little late for Arakawa replacement sleds
Could modify to look like an Irukandji maybe?
“And, as if guided by the karmic hand of the 50,000 Australians killed or wounded by the Japs in combat…” Yeah… trying to educate your readers about the abhorrent acts done by a Japanese regime who raped and murdered based upon race and then calling them “Japs” in the same breath is a quick pathway to cancellation. Not very smart.
Incredible irony.
Written “ironically”, of course, by an un-ironic zionist.
Is Pip still running the black ball flag on his boards?
ha! that’s just a SoCal ting. but then what shows up in Cali tends to show up world wide. Sorry ’bout dat!
White feather this year