[Zippo44]

I do not think it was an unalloyed good, but on balance it was the best thing that could have happened given the circumstances. Would you have preferred to have innocent Japanese Americans hanging from lampposts? Feelings were running high and there was a very real possibility of massacres of Japanese Americans on the west coast in the early days of the war. Not to mention the inevitable cases of mistaken identity e.g. Chinese, Filipino, etc. Isolating the Japanese Americans and publicizing the fact not only protected them from atrocity, it also protected all Americans of Asian descent from the misplaced anger of aroused (and occasionally deranged Americans).

[gdani]

Would you have preferred to have innocent Japanese Americans hanging from lampposts?

Ah, yes. The "it was for their own safety" argument. Funny how that argument wasn't being made at the time by the feds.

Tell ya what, if the feds ever come knocking for bald white guys who sort of resemble Timothy McVeigh, I'll take my chances w/out being interned & relocated.

[politicket]

Would you have preferred to have innocent Japanese Americans hanging from lampposts?

Sorry, but I live in a country where innocent people have freedom and the criminal are punished. Anyone hanging Americans of Japanese origin from a lamppost should be tried, and if found guilty, executed. That's the way that Biblical law is approached (or don't we base things on solid foundations anymore - not touchy, feely enough)?