Saturday, July 9, 2022

My Condolences To The People Of Japan

Prime Minister of Japan
Official, CC BY 4.0,via Wikimedia Commons
I was deeply saddened this morning to read the shocking news of Abe Shinzo's assassination as he delivered a speech in western Japan.


As most of you know, the Japanese identity plays a big role in my A Lady's Prerogative: The Yearning And The Learning series of books and short stories.


Mila Rendebelle, one of the main protagonists from those books and the fiancé of Barris Windsor is part Japanese (though she is a resident and citizen of Canada). 


As well, Mishima Sato, the mysterious shop owner and best friend of Barris Windsor is also Japanese, providing both wisdom backed sensitive insights and comedic relief throughout the stories and books. Hence, the Japanese identity is a big contribution to the story line, and much of the mythos surrounding the books, though the Sanctum itself is a multi-national organization much like the United Nations.


Alternately, in the Butterfly Dragon stories and books, Heylyn Yates (Ai Yuanlin Ying), her story is centered around a Chinese philosophy but the mixed martial arts style of the Butterfly Dragon combines Japanese Goju-Ryu, with Chinese Wing Chun and Gong Fu, and Korean Tae Kwon Do to yield a truly encompassing form and style. Morgan Hind Sensei, the Butterfly Dragon's Goju-Ryu instructor will be a big part of the story in The Two Dragons. 


Also, Aikiko Tanaka aka the Dragon Butterfly, though seemingly playing the role of the antagonist in the book The Two Dragons, she will have a complex character progression arc that will take her in a much different direction than many of you might initially suspect. Her Japanese identity is a very big part of the story, and is focused around ideas and concepts found in Japan that have great potential to liberate the world in many ways. Abe Shinzo's sudden absence is truly devasting for us here at Shhhh! Digital Media, especially given the fact that the A Lady's Prerogative stories came to symbolize a women's movement, that is often centered around concepts and philosophies that were pushed forward a great deal by world leaders like Abe Shinzo.


Often, those in the front lines of world events inspire a sense of direction in the world, and Abe Shinzo was just such a man. Not only for Japan, but also by the example he set for the rest of the world. It is sad that such a great man was taken from us, but he has left Japan with an inspiring legacy that will continue to resound for many generations to come. As with many inspiring leaders, women and men alike throughout the world, Abe Shinzo will continue to inspire elements of our stories here at Shhhh! Digital Media.


To the people of Japan, I give you my deepest, most heart felt condolences for Japan's and the world's loss.


I also wish to clarify that I believe in everyone's right to believe as they choose, and that I am not a member of the Unification Church but in fact am an Atheist that leans toward Buddhism and Taoism. 


Switching or swapping a person's identity or reputation using colour symbolism or any other method for any convenience or otherwise is absolutely wrong.


Brian Joseph Johns








Friday, July 1, 2022

Happy Canada Day!

 


To all of my Canadian sisters and brothers out there across this wonderful, and sometimes turbulent nation of ours, I'd like to wish you all a very Happy Canada Day! 


I'd also like to invite everyone throughout the world to share in our celebration of the true, north, strong and free nation of Canada, with the good graces of our Indigenous land lords and guardians of this vast and ecologically diverse country.


We've come a long way from our colonial, multi-language origins to progress ever closer towards that ideal that drives us all from within. Regardless of our differences, we share a common denominator that is reflected in our Constitution, our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and our Human Rights Act


Most of all however, it is reflected in what we express, in what we do, and our ability to somewhat converge those often conflicting idioms to become the Canada we all know and love.


We're far from perfect (I'll be the first one to attest to my own imperfection), but insofar as imperfection goes, we're all perfectly so. Let's face it, progress is the drive to act upon our motivations towards a better future. For ourselves and our way of life, and most certainly for our children. We'll never achieve perfection, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't set our compass toward its ultimate destination. Our history reflects this ideal, and progress is synonymous with the Canadian way. Eh?


As we struggle in this day and age to define what it is to be Canadian, attempting to pigeon hole it to some distinct limiting concept, perhaps we should all agree that to be Canadian, means to spend our lives struggling to define it, because being Canadian isn't a static destination. Its the strive towards something we'll never truly understand, because being Canadian is the journey, not the destination.


Why not the destination?


Because we're already here, struggling to find something that's been carrying us all along.


Happy Joyeux jour du Canada Day from Shhhh! Digital Media


PS: I'll have a short gift to commemorate the occasion soon to be up on Shhhh! Digital Media. 😉


Also, I'll do something for the July 4th as well, though being Canadian I'm certainly going to focus on today. After all, I'm Canadian, not American.


Remember, group harassing others is something that defies the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Human Rights Act of Canada. You could say that who do so to others are actually denying themselves of their own Canadian identity.


Brian Joseph Johns (non-transferable)

https://www.shhhhdigital.ca

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