Posted on 06/15/2026 9:10:26 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
Japanese World Cup fans put American sports culture to shame over the weekend as videos circulated across social media showing Japanese supporters staying behind after matches to clean up trash throughout the stadium. Many even brought their own trash bags, viewing it as a sign of respect for the host country, the players, fellow fans, and the venue itself.
Their display of courtesy was quickly contrasted with the aftermath of the New York Knicks' NBA Finals victory over the weekend, when crowds poured into the streets, smashing vehicles, setting fires, and causing widespread destruction across parts of the city.
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
It starts in their schools when children as young as kindergarten clean the class room and put up chairs at the end of the school day.
On another occasion one of my former heroes, the late Joe Paterno made his football team clean up the stadium following a game. It seems some of the football players engaged in a bar fight and there was ‘no leadership’ in stopping the it before it got outta hand. Lesson learned.
Japan is an orderly society. They have to be that way on their crowded island(s). We can never be that way.
How true! We’re chugging along to third world status.
As it should be and was in the one room school I attended.
We did everything, sweeping, mopping, cleaned the toilets (no running water, chemical toilets), shoveled the snow, hauled the wood, started and kept the fire going in the wood stove, etc.
In the United States, sportsball is the “circus” part of the “bread and circuses”.
I never leave my trash around after a sporting event.
I love the Japanese culture.......respect for others.
Sloppiness is one of the prices we pay for raising personal freedom above societal harmony.
We could be like the Japanese and keep everything clean, including all the streets, trains, and buildings, at the price of never expressing ourselves beyond what is considered proper behavior. As one who has lived in Japan and has cared about Japanese culture for over half a century, it is a strong temptation, but not strong enough to give up being American—I just wish we would be willing to voluntarily give up some freedom for the sake of manners.
Mostly?
It is a good example and a good lesson but, I cringe at the 1000s of years of submissive conformity to group think and masters, and the penalties imposed for non-conformity that bred this cultural behavior, and that it is not always a pleasant activity that they conform to.
I have no problem being a rowdy and exuberant fan but also being able to clean up after myself at an event.
Kudos to the Japanese fans for setting that example.
I hate walking out of a venue and seeing all the garbage in the aisles.
“We’re chugging along to third world status.”
Western civilization requires westerners.
————————————
Years ago we (FR) did a FReep in Crawford (Texas y’all) to counter some Cindy chick.
We brought trash bags for any trash we had and policed our area even emptying trash barrels of what had been there prior to us.
From the videos I've seen regarding NY Knicks, all races participated in it. Even a couple white folks destroyed a bunch of stuff.
Kinda like Philly although it went out of control in NYC and that was never really the case in the city of brotherly love.
Import the 3rd World, become the 3rd World.
In the general case, right wing protests tend to leave the place cleaner than before, leftists tend to trash the place.
It has to start much earlier than that, at home.
It’s pretty common to see people empty their ashtray and leave lunch debris on the ground in parking lots. They can’t even walk a few steps to a trash barrel.
There are Americans that regularly behave in a social manner like this ... many belonged to the TEA party.
Agreed. Many people at my church tidy up and some go beyond to tidy around.
A few leave a mess. Some of those are arms full of kids so … yea up to a certain age then those kids need to be setting the standard rather than the low bar.
Similarly elsewhere. Not Japan tidy but tidy is respect for self and others and Christian humility.
It’s a mutual thing of course; I don’t go to a restaurant and scrub the place spotless.
And yes one can’t import locusts and expect anything other than ravages and destruction.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.