Exercise, or I'll beat you up and kill your daughter!

Man arrested for assaulting neighbor for not joining exercise session
KANDA, Fukuoka -- A man was arrested Monday after assaulting a neighbor who refused to participate in a gymnastic exercise event organized by the neighborhood association, police said.

Katsuya Mori, 34, a company employee of Kanda, stands accused of inflicting bodily injury and damaging property.

The incident occurred on Aug. 1 this year. Mori visited a 35-year-old self-employed man's home in Kanda when he was drunk, and hit him, investigators said. Mori then hurled a concrete chunk at the victim's 5-year-old daughter and threatened to kill her.

At the time, Mori criticized the neighbor for refusing to participate in a radio gymnastic exercise session for summer vacation organized by the neighborhood association. Mori serves as vice president of the organization.

"Come to the exercise session," Mori was quoted as shouting at the victim's home. "You never cooperate even though I'm enthusiastically organizing the event."

Mori then summoned the victim to his own home and hit him with a golf club, leaving him with injuries that took seven days to heal. (Mainichi)

Original Japanese article here.

Wow. Given today's fat-hate climate, though, I'm amazed that they arrested him instead of giving him a medal--and a badge to enforce it everywhere.

What are we to expect when exercise and athleticism are regarded as the highest possible virtues? When those who decline to participate in them are derided as slothful degenerates who are entirely responsible for the moral and economic decline of society? When we cannot even schedule time to read to our children or sit down to a meal with them, but manage to fit in a daily workout and take Susie and Johnny to soccer practice?

Yet, this guy was beaten, and his kid's life was threatened, because he dared to have priorities other than engaging in an exercise program. His and his child's lives were declared worthless because he wasn't exercising. Apparently, you don't deserve personal safety if you aren't a fitness fanatic.