Tyburn Tree

　　A new bill concerning LGBT was voted for the other day in Japan. It is said to have followed the policy of the U.S. and the prime minister had ignored the public opinion of Japan. I was so angry at his act. Japan has originally been generous to LGBT people and this law is unnecessary or harmful in Japan. So, I investigated its background to know why the U.S. was so positive for this legislation.
　　In the U.K. a law was enacted in 1533 which was directed at homosexuals. The law dictated that homosexuals were subject to capital punishment. The execution of three homosexuals in 1726 is recorded. Public execution seems to have been an entertainment for commoners in those days. You can see what was going on at venues for public executions in some pictures.
　　In fact, homosexuals in the U.K. had been suppressed and ill-treated and they have been killed in front of audiences for amusement. There is such a long-term horror story and the Anglo-Saxon would have feelings of redemption for their negative history. I imagine on my own that those feelings would be streaming under radical advocacy for LGBT.
　　I therefore visited the site of a venue for the execution of three homosexuals. An epitaph, which at least seemed to me so, or a panel which read "The Site of Tyburn Tree" was embedded on the ground as shown below. Additionally three trees stood in the busy street. Three trees apparently represent the shape of the execution stage. It was located on the north-east corner of Hyde Park and near Marble Arch. The site was desolate despite being adjacent to one of the tourist attractions. I supposed that even the Briton might not know this site. Marble Arch was under renovation and regrettably I wasn't able to view it.

(Vocabulary)
venue for public executions 公開処刑場
redemption 罪のあがない

　日本で先般、ＬＧＢＴに関する法案が成立した。米国の方針に従うもので国民を無視したものだったので随分腹が立った。日本は法律など無くてもＬＧＢＴの人たちに対して寛容な国だ。少し背景を調べてみた。すると、イギリスでは同性愛者を死刑とする法律が１５３３年に発布されていて、１７２６年に３人のオカマが見せしめのため公開で処刑された記録が残っていた。当時は処刑がエンタテインメントでもあったらしい。当時の絵が残っており処刑台が描かれている。
　要するに見せしめで殺されるほど、イギリスの同性愛者は抑圧され虐待されていたわけで、こうした長年にわたる惨劇があり、自国の負の歴史に対する贖罪の気持ちが、英米の過激なLGBT擁護運動の根底にあるのだろう。と、勝手に思っている。
　で、この処刑場の跡へ行ってみた。『タイバーンの木の場所』と書かれた墓碑銘（と僕には思えた）が設置されていた。３本の木は処刑台を模したものだそうだ。ハイドパークの北東角にこのような場所があるなんて、ロンドン在住でも知らない人の方が多いのではないかと思う。近くの観光名所マーブルアーチは写真の通り工事中。残念。