HERO: 95-year-old veteran took four buses to attend the Christchurch solidarity vigil

[catbyte]

Veteran, 95, takes bus to join anti-racism rally

Liu Chen, Reporter

It was one of the most moving moments of the rally against racism at Auckland's Aotea Square on Sunday.

An elderly man was supported by police and a helper to show his support for the Muslim community and his opposition to racism.

He is 95-year-old John Sato from Auckland, and it took him four buses to join the march.

Mr Sato said he was a bit out of touch with the modern world.

Most of the time, he would have a walk around the neighbourhood, do some house chores, and listen to his favourite classical music and opera on the radio.

However, after hearing the news about the mass shooting in Christchurch, he couldn't sleep.

"I stayed awake quite a lot at the night. I didn't sleep too well ever since. I thought it was so sad. You can feel the suffering of other people," Mr Sato said.

Mr Sato identifies himself as Eurasian. His mother is Scottish and his father Japanese.

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https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/385640/veteran-95-takes-bus-to-join-anti-racism-rally

[ck4829]

1. K&R

[Leghorn21]

2. Mr. Sato

Lead the way

[RussellCattle]

3. "You can feel the suffering of other people". That, in a nutshell, is....

....what being truly human is all about. Thank you, Mr. Sato, for reminding us.

[malaise]

5. Beautiful

Thanks for this

[Demovictory9]

6. I'm glad he got a ride home

[irisblue]

7. Now a question

How did a Scottish Woman meet a Japanese man in the 1920s? Singapore? SouthEast Asia elsewhere? A 20 ish Eurasian man during WW2? Much richness in that family history.

From the article...."

Policeman took me all the way home, waited down there until he saw me getting up the stairs. The tragedy in Christchurch, look at what it brought out in people. It shows the best of humanity."

Mr Sato was young when he was recruited into the New Zealand army during World War II to fight against Japan. He was one of only two Kiwi-Japanese in the army, he said.

He said the war claimed innocent lives and it was a waste of time. Life, he said, was too short to be wasted on meaningless things such as hatred.

The Christchurch incident was more than just a tragedy for us, Mr Sato said.

"We all go through our furnace in certain ways and some of the things that happen to us will make you more understanding, I hope."



Kiwi-Japanese