Officials seize cocaine submarine

I think this news might be unbelievable for Japanese because the scale is very large, although every year there are many illegal drug traffics in japan, of course. The article said that Guatemalan and US authorities have seized a makeshift submarine which loaded with cocaine with a US street value of $200m (£120m). Drug cartels often uses the submarine-like vessels in order to make it difficult to be detected, and they sink them after use...... I think it shows that drug traffic is a lucrative job because if not, they don't want to throw away the vessels in vain. Many illegal cartels run a big risk to get much money from selling drugs like cocaine, so we have to destroy these traffic at first. If we can do that, we might weaken the gang or mafia. Therefore a crackdown against a illegal drug traffic should take priority over arresting each person abusing drug. I think that is one of the most important thing that the police have to do.


News from BBC : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8321677.stm

To want to enjoy freedom without friction is like trying to go for a swim without getting wet.

The freedom of expression for art and many kinds of criticisms against it are inseparable, because there is just a fine line between obscene or violent elements and stimulus which is necessary for art, I think. Japanese famous writer Ryu Murakami's novel "Almost Transparent Blue" (1979) which depicted drug abusing, violent and sex is a good example. When this novel was selected as the winner of Akutagawa Prize, some people said this had a novelty and this was really artistic, but others said it was just daring and was not artistic. (By the way, I myself think the novel is a masterpiece.) I think it is very difficult for us to decide whether it is art or not. Therefore there have always been friction and criticism against art. However, I already wrote it in previous blog, we have to protect right for the freedom of expression for art. One of the main purpose of art is to depict the truth or reality, so censorship should not prevent it. And I agree with the statement in the video saying that art always needs incentive. I hope the freedom of expression is NOT an impossible dream.

Freedom of expression

About art, there were many cases that the freedom of expression was invaded. For instance, the case of Lawrence's novel "Lady Chatterley's Lover" is well-known in Japan. In 1957, the translator of the book and a president of the publisher was accused of publishing obscene novel, and as a result, both of them were judged guilty. However, it may sound strange, the book was not judged obscene in England. I think it is difficult to decide whether literature or picture is against a law or not, because separating art from some kinds of sexual elements is impossible. In myopinion, one of the main purposes of art is to express the truth or fact, and of cause sexual element too is fact in our lives. So we must stand up for the right of freedom of expression and support art in order the artists to search after their purpose.