On this day in 1970, a spontaneous uprising against U.S. military occupation broke out in Koza, Okinawa, Japan after an American drunk driver struck a local pedestrian. Approximately 60 Americans and 27 Okinawans were injured, and dozens of cars with American license plates were torched.
Following Japan's defeat in World War II, the country was occupied by Allied forces and governed under martial law. While most of Japan regained its independence in April 1952, the Okinawa Prefecture was to remain under U.S. military occupation for another twenty years.
Prior to the events of December 20th, three Americans had been acquitted via court martial after striking and killing an Okinawa civilian. This incident fueled the growing discontent of Okinawans with the standard status of forces that exempted U.S. servicemen from Okinawan justice.
On December 20th, 1970, a drunk U.S. serviceman struck an Okinawan pedestrian in the city of Koza. A crowd quickly surrounded the car and the policemen who had arrived, demanding that this incident not also be swept under the rug.
When American MPs arrived and attempted to pull the driver away, the protest turned violent, with thousands gathering to try to prevent the driver from leaving. By the end of the night, dozens of cars with American license plates had been torched and approximately 60 Americans and 27 Okinawans had been injured.
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Adventures of a month long veteran of Amazon delivery drivering.
Today's episode: Suburban Generosity!
I was pretty psyched on people who leave snacks and drinks out for their delivery people. I keep a gallon of water in my van and I bring some trail mix for a snack during my lunch break so it's not like I need to be saved from the elements or anything, but I'll take a couple snack sized bags of doritos or whatever. It's nice.
or at least I thought it was until I started going around asking everybody to "Alexa, thank my driver" for me so I'd get a holiday bonus 5 dollars at a time (one of the more senior employees told me they used to get ACTUAL bonuses). The tone this lady used with me while refusing to open the door "is there something you needed??" was so dismissive and condescending that it absolutely blew my mind. Those snacks aren't being nice to someone you think has a tough job. They're bread you throw at pigeons. When it came to actually talking to me it turns out I'm just the help. So fuck your sugary granola bars and fuck your bewilderingly tiny bottles of water.
is that just at certain times or do you always get the bonuses?
I'm told there's a 2 million dollar fund for which it's 'first come first served' and when it runs out it's over. Apparently it's a yearly thing just for the holidays.
The best part about it is the paycheck I'm expecting to see it on comes on dec 29 so just in time for all your new year's shopping
I never thought about this. Gonna start leaving snacks for the delivery drivers. What kind of stuff would be good and/or helpful?
I notice I'm the only one who seems to carry a giant jug of water with me so I'd go with bottled water. Like I said, I'm partial to trail mix as a meal replacement while I'm on the job so I'd recommend some of those single serving packets. Fun sized snack chips are good high calorie fare to be a fun little treat. I think it does more as a positive gesture than anything else. The best is when I find something in there that I wouldn't normally think of or get for myself. Like one time there was a packet of peanuts with lemon/lime flavoring that was fun and novel.
Cool. I'll keep this in mind. Delivery people get treated like shit but they're as important as janitors and teachers for keeping things running. Even if it's just a morale boost, helping feels worth it.