Comments on: Caroline Pover’s T-shirt campaign to find Lindsay Hawker’s murder suspect

by: Garrett DeOrio

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:45:15 +0000

In an update on the Lindsay Ann Hawker case:
Tonight (Tuesday, Dec. 11th), TV Asahi ran a long piece on Tatsuya Ichihashi, who might have grown a beard and was sighted by one English-speaking foreigner (not a native, but I didn’t catch where he was from - judging by appearances alone, I’d guess the Philippines.)

The report also showed Lindsay’s former colleagues in undated footage, passing out flyers with such catchy phrases as, “Take it, take it. You’re Japanese, he’s Japanese.”

Lindsay’s father wondered how a person, in this day and age, could disappear. (There are things I want to say here that I can’t.)

From Lindsay’s mother, to Ichihashi: “You’re a coward. And we will find you. You will be caught. And we will never stop looking for you. Never. Never ever. Ever.”

This is reassuring. Asahi, at least, has not forgotten and ran plausibly doctored photos of what he’d look like with his hair grown out, a beard, glasses, a goatee, and more.

While I have criticisms of the police, some in the know tell us that the Gyotoku PD really is taking the investigation seriously. Beyond that, we cannot comment.

I hope no one gets upset, I’m going to cut and paste this comment on all relevant threads here on TPR.

by: ken

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 14:54:10 +0000

Wait…Jarad…they had him on an elevator in nichome? I heard a report before that he might have been spotted there, but the footage I had seen from the elevator was his old apartment building.

by: Jarad

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 14:26:16 +0000

I am not sure of exactly what was being said on the Japanese news show, but evidently Ichihashi has been staying somewhere in the Nichome area. They had him on the video from an elevator, but no one seemed to have seen him. This story seems to get stranger ever day.

by: Steve Schapiro

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:13:38 +0000

Whoa! I don&t think I was implying ulterior motives at all, just bringing up a rather obvious question. I would agree with your assumption and hope that it’s so, but people abuse and try to profit from tragedies all the time; I don’t think it’s “insidious” at all to point that out. Nowhere did I say that I thought Ms. Pover was doing so, only that what would be done with the money raised was unclear. Ignoring bad things doesn’t make them disappear.
That said, anything that keeps the issue in people’s minds is a good thing and I applaud her initiative.

by: ken

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:51:21 +0000

Steve,

Not to be a stick in the mud or to assign ulterior motives where none exist

But that’s exactly what you’re doing by implication, and I think it’s wrong. To tell the truth, I have no idea what’s happening with the funds generated through these purchases, but I’m going to assume that they are being put towards things such as helping the Hawkers cover costs while in Japan. I don’t think it’s helpful to make insidious comments concerning the intentions of those involved, who are doing the right thing by trying to raise awareness.

If I’m wrong on this, I’m fully willing to eat my words. Until then, I support it 100%, with no questions asked.

by: Steve Schapiro

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:00:32 +0000

Not to be a stick in the mud or to assign ulterior motives where none exist, but, when something is purchased from CafePress, there is a profit, which, it seems, will go to Being-A-Broad. What are Ms. Pover’s intentions for the profits generated by this T-shirt campaign?