Leave it to Speaker of the House John Boehner to alienate World War II vets by inviting the Prime Minister of Japan to speak before a joint session of Congress on April 29. That just happens to be Showa Day also known as Hirohito’s birthday. Aside from alienating World War II vets, Boehner provoked the wrath of usual friends like The Washington Times and Newsmax. Not bad for a single invitation.
In a statement announcing the invitation, Boehner said:
Abe’s “address will provide an opportunity for the American people to hear from one of our closest allies about ways we can expand our cooperation on economic and security priorities,” Boehner said in a statement. “That, of course, includes working together to open markets and encourage more economic growth through free trade.”
The issue here is not who was invited, but like part of the problem with his invitation to Benjamin Netanyahu, the timing is really bad. In this case, Boehner shows a total disregard for what April 29th symbolizes to World War II vets.
As Jan Thompson, president of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial Society explains :
For many World War II veterans who suffered through torture and imprisonment in Japanese detention camps, “the wounds are still healing — and some may never heal.
Thompson goes on to spell out the significance of April 29th to WW II vets who were POW’s in Hirohito’s Japan and who are members of her organization.
The members of our organization are fully aware of the significance of the date chosen for Prime Minister Abe‘s address. The POWs [70 years ago] all had to bow in the prison camps to honor the emperor on that date,
Aside from being the date of Hirohit’s birthday, April 29th is significant because the Allied International Military Tribunal for the Far East convicted Hideka Tojo, Japans Prime Minister in WW II and other Hirohito government officials for war crimes and sentenced them to death.
Still, loving the troops and Republicans say they do would mean recognizing that perhaps its a bad idea to ask the PM of Japan to speak on a day that continues to haunt surviving World War II vets.
According to the Washington Times, Congress doesn’t want to discuss if it Boehner even bothered to consult with surviving World War II vets or surviving family members. If he did, evidently he didn’t care about the effect of the loaded symbolism that comes with the timing of this invitation.
Comparatively, it makes his invitation to Netanyahu look like the height of sensitivity, even though that invitation alienated a majority of Americans and Israelis.
Is there anyone John Boehner and company hasn’t offended? If so, it’s probably a matter of time before they do because in Republican world being sensitive to people has become so Democrat.
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