JAWing On – Life on Okinawa

Local newspapers that use incidents of individuals to promote a political agenda. Recently, another male service member committed an appalling predatory act of molestation against another local elementary school girl. Once again local newspapers are using the incident to state an opinion on the military presence on island. Unlike this blog, which is based on personal experiences and observations of the past 32 years, I always felt that news agencies are supposed to print unbiased reports based on well-researched facts. The reality of the situation is there are thousands of Americans on island connected to the military bases in one way or another. The individuals who commit these heinous acts of aggression are limited in number. The persons who commit these types of behaviors are not representative of the population as a whole. These behaviors are not limited to only persons connected with the bases. I remember stories on a male Japanese tourist who was assaulting women in the tourist hotels a few years ago. And then there were the news reports of local males who also have committed assaults on local women, as well. As a woman, an American, and a resident of this island, I find the actions of the individuals who commit these crimes disgusting and offensive. But to tag a political agenda on the end of an incomplete story only fuels disharmony in the community based on misinformation. If a newspaper wants to be biased and print a political agenda instead of all of the facts, it should state on the newspaper which political party it is affiliated with.