Hi!

The other day Farrell Cleary posted a note about how subscribers to this
mailing list can support Cynthia Worthington and Sandra Mitchell, who are
facing unemployment as a result of the discriminatory practices of the
Prefectural University of Kumamoto.

http://www.egroups.com/group/kumamoto-i/551.html?

As Farrell wrote, on Wednesday, March 8th (Farrell wrote "Tuesday" but he
meant "Wednesday"), beginning at 12:45, Sandra and Cynthia will file an
injunction (karishobun) at the Kumamoto District Court in Kyo^machi.

This is a very important event. Television cameras and newspaper reporters
will be there to cover it. It is very important that the television
cameras show that the residents of Kumamoto, Japanese and foreign, care
about this issue.

The Prefectural University of Kumamoto would not and has not treated any
Japanese member of its teaching staff as it has and is treating Cynthia and
Sandra. Cynthia and Sandra are about to be "discarded" because they are
not Japanese. If you are concerned about this kind of issue please come to
listen to the speeches that will be made outside the courthouse at 12:45.

Perhaps some of you have questions or doubts about this issue. No one can
deny that it is complex. But uncertainty about relative merits of the
arguments being put forth by Cynthia and Sandra's supporters as opposed to
the arguments proffered by the Prefectural University of Kumamoto is no
reason to stay away on Wednesday. If you agree that the basic question at
stake (i.e. Do foreigners deserve to be treated with the same respect
accorded to Japanese?) is an important one, please come to the courthouse
to show your interest in this issue. Ultimately, the courts will decide
the merits of the case. We have to show the court, however, that the
residents of Kumamoto want the case to be taken seriously.

*** DIRECTIONS ***

If you look at the following map, you should be able to see the "Natsume
Soseki Memorial Hall" just north of the castle:

http://www.city.kumamoto.kumamoto.jp/kanko/sitesheeing/citymap.html

That is close to the courthouse. A more detailed map of the area around
the courthouse is shown below:

http://www.kumagaku.ac.jp/teacher/~masden/mamorukai/courthouse.GIF

(I got a bit of help from http://www.mapfan.com/ in putting this map together.)

I hope to see a lot of kumamoto-i friends at the courthouse at 12:45 (or a
bit earlier) on Wednesday. Bring lots of friends! If you have to work and
can't make it during the day please come to the meeting to be held that
evening. I'll post a message about that soon.

Yours truly,

Kirk Masden