This petition is to serve as record of the hardships caused by the curfew and alcohol ban. Regardless of affiliation and social ties, one thing is certain…. we are all human deserve to be treated as such. We are all responsible for our actions and must be held accountable for those actions. The moral of all affected is rapidly decreasing. This is at time of year that should to be filled with joy and celebration, but all to often comes with grief and depression. 

   There are thousands of Okinawans and Japanese who like the military. There are many who support and are grateful for what the military does (i.e. charities, orphanages, community service, disaster relief, etc). Some lives are affected more severely than others. Local business owners and employees have lost most, if not all, business. Primarily the businesses affected are the ones who provide a release to the daily tensions in life. These establishments provide the military/SOFA members with a way to relax and get away from the norm. This curfew and alcohol ban has stripped them of that. The employees are being laid off. The businesses are closing early, if they open at all. The people who run these businesses survive on them. These businesses are NOT just bars and clubs…..they are sources of income. For many, it's all they have.

   It is our collective hope that the officials involved revise these rules and punish only those who have done wrong. Right now all this is punishing all the people who are responsible and the local businesses that support the military lifestyle. Please join us in our efforts.