This is the actual quote:
"Of course, not all my conversations in immigrant communities follow this easy pattern. In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans, for example, have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense of security and belonging. They have been reminded that the history of immigration in this country has a dark underbelly; they need specific reassurances that their citizenship really means something, that America has learned the right lessons from the Japanese internments during World War II, and that I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."
Some people have tweaked the wording to make it look like he is saying something he's not. I've never agreed with this tactic, but whatever. All's fair in love and war.
It’s interesting that Obama would want to talk about Japanese internments during WWII, but the sad truth is that such internments, if they existed for certain ethnic groups, could have theoretically thwarted the 9/11 attacks. But, the reality is that Obama is making what is essentially a strawman argument. ‘Hard stares’ from neighbors is a poor comparison with Japanese internment. What ugly direction does Obama suppose the political winds could shift to in which he thinks he needs to stand with Arab and Pakastani Americans?? IOW, he’s drawing a line over a nonexistent problem.