Today was May Day. I have been wondering since when I had begun to
feel this true feeling of desperation--feeling like munching sand in
my mouth--by this date, May 1.
It has always been legitimate that workers possess demands for shorter
work hours and minimum wages, therefore it has also been perfectly legitimate
that workers express their demands. However, what has been bothering
me is organizations and parties that actually organize workers' demands.
As far as I understand, these parties do not guarantee an 8-hour working
hours or minimum wage system for people working within the organizations.
They function as organizations that they would make legitimate demands
against whoever they wish, but neglect to solve the same problem they
possess internally. And they have never attempted to find answers to
this theological problem as to this date. This, makes me truly desperate.
In 1999, there was a huge debate whether to pass a legislation that
legalize "Hinomaru" as the national flag and "Kimigayo"
as the national anthem. Of course I was among those against the legislation,
but I had to point out those who shared my view that people did not
possess the legitimacy to speak against the legislation if they could
tolerate red flags and the song "International." If their
original intention against the legislation was that they were against
the government's intention to leading people's mind to certain direction
using a flag and an anthem, their notion seem to be correct.
However, the logic fall apart when they forgive themselves for using
a flag and an anthem as a symbol--an identical attempt by the national
government--because they are "right." It has a similar resemblance
of a notion that an act of war led by an enemy is evil, but an act of
war led by the other side is a war of justice.
I believe that was then that I felt the desperation towards May Day,
and the day of a flag and anthem, May Day, was here once more.
