I know that this is kind of old news, but it's been on my mind for a while, so I'll resurrect it. A group of senior Japanese citizens volunteered to perform difficult and dangerous work at the Fukushima power plant, willingly exposing themselves to radiation in order to protect others from having to do the same. The moniker that they've earned, "Suicide Corps," is catchy, but I don't believe it captures the character and honor that this group exemplifies (the citizens involved apparently don't like the unofficial title either). Nowhere in the psyches of these people is there a death wish. What is there is an unshakeable sense of honor, duty, and meaningful sacrifice. Hero Corps would be more fitting.
This story caught my eye for a lot of reasons. I followed the development of the tsunami story fairly closely, out of interest in confirming that my relatives in Japan were safe. As more news came in, I was glad, but also surprised that despite a national crisis, the Japanese remained civil, orderly, and in many cases selfless. I heard virtually no stories regarding looting, crowd chaos, or cutthroat behavior. When I later learned of the existence of the Suicide/Hero Corps, I can't say I was terribly surprised, nor did I find this story to be particularly sensational. For me, these senior citizens are simply continuing the tradition of giving their fellow man the respect and kindness that they need and deserve. This is not a suicide squad. These are incredibly courageous men and women who wish to see Japan come out of this disaster as unharmed as possible. These are heroes, and should be respected as such.
Also, here is a pack of corgis.
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