Posted on 02/18/2002 4:05:49 PM PST by RCW2001
Japanese-Americans recall the pain of World War II internment 60 years later
Monday, February 18, 2002
©2002 Associated Press
URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/02/18/state1949EST0101.DTL
(02-18) 16:49 PST SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) --
It's been 60 years, but the pain of destroying her mother's kimonos and anything else of Japanese origin still stings Betty Haruko Nishi. She remembers all too well how the federal government forced thousands of Japanese to give up their homes and businesses to live in internment camps during World War II.
"Everything happened so fast. My dad's new tractor, we had to leave behind. We couldn't take anything Japanese," Nishi, 72, told the San Jose Mercury News. "It was horrible."
President Roosevelt signed an Executive Order on Feb. 19, 1942, forcing about 120,000 Japanese-Americans -- many of them U.S. citizens living on the West Coast -- away from their homes, jobs and farms and into 10 internment camps.
The U.S. government did not formally apologize or make reparations to internment survivors until 1989.
Former internees say they hope a lesson was learned from their pain and that others aren't treated the same during America's war on terrorism.
"I hope the same thing doesn't happen to the Middle Easterners," said Dave Tatsuno, whose family was forced to sell their store's merchandise and move to Topaz in the Utah desert. "Most of them are innocent like we were. The country has to be careful to never again fall into the trap of condemning a people due to ancestry."
Nishi had just celebrated her 12th birthday with her family in Turlock when she was sent to a filthy assembly center in Merced with her parents, five brothers and sister. Nishi's mother went temporarily blind with stress, and her siblings got pneumonia and ulcers.
Four months later, they shared two stark rooms in Amanche, Colo., and watched many young men leaving the camps to fight for the United States overseas. Ultimately, the all-Japanese 100th Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team suffered the highest casualty rate and became the most decorated unit in U.S. military history for its size and length of service.
"Looking back I remember the deep well of pain the experience caused my parents," Nishi said. "It is something that will always be in my heart."
Katie Hironaka, 82, also can't forget, even though she admits the camps -- in a strange way -- may have saved lives.
"What was done to us was wrong," said Hironaka, who was a new mother sent to Heart Mountain, Wyo., with her parents and brothers.
"And yet, there was so much prejudice and ignorance, who knows how many Japanese homes would have been burned, how many citizens would have been hurt or even killed if we had been around?" she said. "In that way it was good, and yet it was so terrible as well."
They pose as conservatives and in reality are socialists.
#3Fan supports a classless society. That's a socialist construct.
When you study the Russian-Japanese war, there's an underlying anti-Asian/yellow peril philosophy that is mainly spouted by certain liberal elements. These elements can be reviewed and analyzed for the past 100 years in our nation.
A few years ago I didn't understand these cultural and political issues. Partly due to the online behavior of these anarchists, I am cognizant of their "troll" like behaviour.
You said holding someone on no charges is "wrong". The Constitution makes provisions for this very act in cases of rebellion or invasion with it's "suspension of habeas corpus" paragraph.
Show me where I said that I did not know habeas corpus could be suspended. You have mere speculation on this point and because of your twisted mind you believe that your speculation is fact.
If you knew, why'd you ask?
NO, NO, NO. You say to lock up suspicious Islamic-Americans. In WWII all Japanese Americans were locked up and only released when taking oath to fight for this country. Don't sugar coat it moron, tell the facts. So why are we not suspending habeas corpus and locking them all up?
Because this country is more liberal than in 1941, and we will pay soon by further terrorist acts.
I don't want your opinion, I want to know why we are not locking them up?
Liberalism.
If you are not afraid to answer questions, why do you refuse to do so until called on it? Do you need more time to think up your retarded responses?
I've answered every question you've asked, several times as a matter of fact.
What did I tell you about your catch phrase? I better see it next time. I'm not going to tell you again.
Results suggest you are wrong on your points.
Again I didn't ask for your opinion. Why did we pay and say we were sorry if we did nothing wrong? What was the motivation of the gov't at the time?
Window dressing, I suppose. The act wasn't wrong no matter what those who came later and who weren't in the situation that those in 1941 were in say.
Once again you have failed to show proof that I cannot make up my mind.
You say that you would have done the same but that it was wrong.
Surely you have some sort of evidence.
You said that you would have done the same but condemn those that did it.
Nope I forgot you live in fantasy land where your opinion is fact. You keep going and that foot is going to be coming out of you a$$ soon.
You're getting awfully worked up. LOL
What's your question, goofy?
There's nothing unusual about his predictable behavior. I've seen this kind of idiosyncratic behavior by several groups. Mainly it is caused by well-researched liberal and socialist elements who seek to undermine the conservative and republican movement.
So anyone who agrees with the "suspension of habeas corpus" clause is a commie?
#3Fan supports a classless society. That's a socialist construct.
I am opposed to government subsidized classes.
When you study the Russian-Japanese war, there's an underlying anti-Asian/yellow peril philosophy that is mainly spouted by certain liberal elements. These elements can be reviewed and analyzed for the past 100 years in our nation.
What liberal elements are those?
A few years ago I didn't understand these cultural and political issues. Partly due to the online behavior of these anarchists, I am cognizant of their "troll" like behaviour.
You're the one that has came on this thread, disrupted and called names. How many people on this thread did you accuse of being socialists?
You seem more upset than amused.
Just like a disrupter, you use all the terms. You call people nazis, socilalists, communists, etc. Your arguments have no merit so you resort to namecalling.
We've run into characters like him (if not the same person) who play the same tactics.
So you're accusing me of having multiple handles? You are a nut. LOL
Discernment of radical left / anarchistic / marxist tactics is important. They pose as right, but a really just left behind!
Namecall, namecall, namecall, that's all your good for.
The Japanese were wrongly rounded up because of their ethnic origin, the Muslims may have to be rounded up because of their violent cult religion. Not all Arabs are Muslim, but all Muslims are Islamic and avowed enemies of the USofA.
Returned from where? I don't post every day. It doesn't mean I went anywhere. My life does consist of more than looking at this screen sometimes, you know. LOL
Did you need a little breather there? Did you need time to think and get that reply all ready?
In case you didn't notice, Passover came and went over the last few days. There were significant others to see, dinners to go to, etc.
You still have not proved a thing. I don't want your speculation. Show me where did I post the words "I have no respect for the Constitution.".
You say suspension of Habeas Corpus is "wrong".
Also show me where I posted the words "I did not know habeus corpus could be suspended.".
You asked me if the Constitution says if Habeas Corpus can be suspended.
Again you are saying we are more liberal. That is a mere opinion on your part. I want a solid fact as to why we are not locking them up.
You call yourself a patriot and don't think this country is more liberal since 1941?
Do you know the difference between fact and opinion? Nice try, re-read the posts. There have been questions unanswered that I have had to call you on.
Ask and I will answer.
Damn right you better use that catch phrase when I tell you to.
Results show you are wrong.
Once again I am not interested in your opinion. You say they were window dressing. That is an opinion. I want a hard fact as to why did we say we were sorry if we did nothing wrong.
Liberalism.
Like I said you have proved nothing. My statement is showing my understanding of the times. If I was alive back in the 1940's there is a chance that I would of been for internment.
Even though it is "wrong"?
Today I have the advantage of hindsight and can say that it was a bad idea, and wrong.
Results show that it was the right thing to do.
Apparently the govt agrees since they apoligized.
Mushy liberals in the government agree.
Don't even try that old debate tactic. Attempting to make it appear as if I am out of control and losing my temper.
Who's the one namecalling here? LOL
You have tried that several times now and it makes you look desperate to turn the tables. Perhaps you are having problems with my questions?
Ask your questions.
If suspension of Habeas Corpus wasn't meant for a situation like WW2, what was it meant for?
So if habeas corpus is suspended then fine, but that is not what I found wrong. Putting innocent Americans in lock-up was wrong.
That's what suspension of Habeas Corpus is.
So again I ask you since you refuse to answer, show me where in my posts that I posted the words "I have no respect for the constitution".
You said locking innocents up is wrong. The Constitution makes provisions for this very act.
C'mon now surely you can find the quote that shows I asked if habeas corpus can be suspended?
You asked me if the Constitution said that.
Now your going down that road again, so now show me where I said that this country is not more liberal than it was in 1940's?
You said I couldn't prove it was. I asked you if you thought it was on the basis that you claim to be a patriot. Do you think the country is more liberal now than in 1941? A question from my last post you refused to answer.
I find it very telling of you to question anothers patriotism because they do not share your views.
Um, excuse me, haven't you done that with me? LOL
Are we getting a little frustrated?
Who's the one that's namecalling. I've called you no names, I've simply asked you questions.
I can say that this country is more liberal than it was in the 1940's but that is a debatable opinion.
Undecided again? You sure are afraid of direct answers. The country is most definitley more liberal than in 1941.
To say it is the reason we are not locking up Muslims (a decision made by a conservative president) is opinion, unless you have evidence to back that statement.
A conservative president is not emperor, he must act in the most prudent way a constitutional republic allows him, and the country is too liberal now to take advantage of the Habeas Corpus clause. We will pay with more terrorism from Islamic-Americans. But hey, we certainly don't want to inconvenience anyone. What's a few thousand lives?
So I am asking not for your opinion, but the reason. The factual reason!!
The country is too liberal now.
Same thing for why we said we were sorry (a decision made by another conservative president).
Because the country is more liberal than in 1941, regardless of any one person's philosophy.
Show me your evidence that it was Liberalism that caused the apology?
Liberalism is what it is. As a person that claims to be a patriot, you should know what liberalism is.
With no evidence that is solid, that statement is simply an opinion.
Yep.
So lets try this again. Without using your opinions, show me why we said we were sorry if we did nothing wrong?
Because the country is more liberal now than in 1941.
Let me guess you have never done anything in your life that looking back in hindsight you thought wasn't the right thing to do, but it seemed right at the time?
I've done a million things wrong in my life. But when I do something right, I don't turn around and say it was wrong just to make people feel better.
You are the perfect saint aren't you?
Nope, but I don't fib in that way.
Yes, if I was living in the 1940's and was in the mindset of the times (fear) I might of been for internment.
Not fear, common sense.
That does not make it right.
Results show it was right.
So Ronald Reagan was a mushy liberal?
Reagan was president of all the people and the country is more liberal than in 1941.
I find it funny that you support a move by the liberal FDR but condemn a move by conservative Ronald Reagan.
I haven't condemned a move by anyone. If Reagan apologized, fine, window dressing. Makes people feel better. I wouldn't have, unless it was for not making reasonable reparations immediately after the internment. Better to use common sense and make a token apology than to have not done what was necessary and have people die from sabotage.
War is hell.
Sounds like a dictatorship, not a democratic govt using sound reasoning.
So you don't respect the Constitution for making this provision?
Suspending habeas corpus is well within the right of the govt. But when our govt is entrusted with those powers, we expect them to use sound judgement when using them.
They did.
The only requirement you had to meet to become a guest of FDR's camp site is to be a Jap.
Yep. And as we've seen with Islamic-Americans, that's a very good reason. Perhaps if we would have done something in 1993 after the first attack like a massive internment of Arabs along with a comprehensive interrogation to see who was a sympathizer and who wasn't, 3000 lives would have been saved.
Your skin color made you a potential terrorist.
Yes it does.
Not your record, or status in the country.
The terrorists who did this stunt had perfect records with this country.
You obviously do not understand the difference between opinion and fact. You obviously are not going to or cannot answer my questions.
Ask your questions. You want my answers. Some of my answers are based on my opinion. Do you go through life avoiding all conversations that involve your opinion?
You cannot produce one quote of mine to back up your claims.
You just made another. You said that locking up innocents is more like a dictatorship. Were the founding fathers dictators?
I do know what liberalism is and you question my patriotism because I don't use it for an excuse everytime I can't produce original thoughts about events, like you.
Can't produce original thoughts? What are you talking about? A thought is a thought. Your thoughts aren't original either. Do you think that you're the first to think that internment is wrong?
Are you saying that there was no fear in America back then.
I don't fear terrorists. But I damn sure woiuld like to intern all that there is in America. I'm sure that they felt the same way in 1941. How many feared Japs?...probably not very many, but for the sake of their country, internment was best.
I know a few WWII vets and Pearl Harbor vets that will beg to differ with you.
A soldier facing fire will face fear. An American citizen in North America would feel more of a sense of doing what's smart than acting out of fear.
Again, tap dancing around questions. You are either supportive of the govt apoligizing or you are against them apoligizing, hence you either condone or condemn.
I condemn no one for making apologies to Japanese-Americans. I don't think of every issue in extreme terms. Every president in history has done things that I would disagree with, I'm sure. That doesn't mean I condemn them for the things they did that I disagree with. Some things are worthy of condemnation though, like selling MIRV technology to the Chinese for campaign cash.
So which is it?
I don't condemn Reagan for making apologies to Japanese-Americans. It's not something I would have done though, except maybe for the reparations part.
This sorry excuse of Liberalism is the worst I have ever seen.
You're condemning me for saying that liberalism causes us not to invoke suspension of Habeas Corpus in times of invasion? You really think of everything in extreme terms, don't you? Funny how you're so direct on your feelings of my reasoning on the direction of this country but get wishy-washy on the question of what you would have done personally if you were there in 1941.
The country is more liberal, but that is no excuse for your reasoning.
Based on your judgment. The heroic generation of 1941 agrees with me, and I'll take their judgment over yours on this issue.
Conservatives in the 40's were saying the country was more liberal than the 30's.
Conservatives in the '40s? Who were these people? Republicans were conservative in the '40s? Democrats were conservative in the '40s? One wasn't much more conservative than the other, were they, on questions of habeas corpus and such? Now Dems were more into financial liberalism, but on social liberalism, I'm not sure. If you have examples of conservative social philosophy as opposed to liberal social philosophy in 1941, and who was who, I'd like to read up on it. (Don't have a cow. Every time I ask you a question, you have a cow. LOL)
So if the country getting more liberal leads us to give reparations, why haven't we given reparations to slaves yet?
Slaves are dead, too late for reparations. They should've received reasonable reparations right after 1865, while they were still alive, if it were possible for the government or guilty parties to give them. This world runs on practicality though, not idealism.
Mothers and Fathers of soldiers fighting overseas against the Japs were held as prisoners. Yeah their son is risking his life for the country, but we better lock them up anyway just in case. Sounds like a dictatorship, not a democratic govt using sound reasoning.
That is the whole statement that you saw fit to cut up for your views. So no I do not feel the Constitution is wrong for having that provision. However; it is expected to be used with proper judgement. Your view that the govt did that is a mere opinion. Your statement that War is hell is ridiculous. Other than Pearl Harbor what battle during WWII took place on American soil.
Your skin color made you a potential terrorist. Yes it does.
Well I guess bones was right you do make racist statements. They were not citizens and one (probaply more) had an expired visa but was allowed to stay. If you are not a citizen you are not protected under any American laws, and so therefore if all non-citizens are either deported or put in interm camps for questioning I see no problem with that.
I have asked questions and you have not answered. Tap dance around this all day long it still does not change this. Of course I argue on opinion, that is how this whole thing got started. But you don't have any facts at all to prove your point. Again another failure to answer a question. You cannot produce a quote. You try again to use the one above that you cut just to fit your point of view.
Of course I can't say for sure what I would of done. It's called being realistic. No one can say for sure. Times were different, you can't feel the emotionalism the way it was felt then. But I can say for sure that I would of not been for the locking up of American citizens based only on the color of their skin.
Ohh ok so you wont say you are sorry but you will give them money. That makes total sense. Why even give them money if you did nothing wrong? You have talked to all those in the 1941 generation? You have all their views, every last one of them? Whatever, I volunteer at the Veterans home here and help out at the VFW and about 75% of those men I talk to that fought in the war say they feel that locking up those Japs that were citizens, especially those that had sons, fathers, and husbands in the war was wrong. As far as the non-citizens go they say the same; They have no protection under our laws.
OK so if we had all these conservatives back in the 40's then why all the liberalism now. Shouldn't we all still be conservative, both Democrat and Republican. There you go again with that lame tactic. It is getting quite old already, try something else. "Don't have a cow" what are you in high school?
Exactly, so what happened to liberalism back then to get the slaves their reparations. It's too late for them now but why didn't they get it back then.
Everything I do irratates you. LOL
That is the whole statement that you saw fit to cut up for your views. So no I do not feel the Constitution is wrong for having that provision. However; it is expected to be used with proper judgement.
It was. If it wasn't, why weren't there protests? We protested slavery which was wrong, so if this was wrong there would have been protests. There wasn't protests because it was the right thing to do.
Your view that the govt did that is a mere opinion. Your statement that War is hell is ridiculous.
You don't believe war is hell?
Other than Pearl Harbor what battle during WWII took place on American soil.
What does that have to do with Jap sympathizers committing possible sabotage?
Well I guess bones was right you do make racist statements.
You don't believe that Arabs commit more terrorists acts than other races? How many white people participated in the hijackings?
They were not citizens and one (probaply more) had an expired visa but was allowed to stay.
Are you naive enough to believe that the there were no Islamic-Americans in on the conspiracy to hijack the planes? Do you always lay yourself out to be taken advantage of?
If you are not a citizen you are not protected under any American laws, and so therefore if all non-citizens are either deported or put in interm camps for questioning I see no problem with that.
You can't make up your mind again. You just called me a racist for singling out Arabs, and now you support the same thing that I supported. So were the founding fathers wrong when they put the provision in that innocent Americans can be held without charges?
I have asked questions and you have not answered.
Ask your questions.
Tap dance around this all day long it still does not change this.
Around what?
Of course I argue on opinion, that is how this whole thing got started.
So why are you saying I can't?
But you don't have any facts at all to prove your point.
There is the fact that no sabotage was committed on the mainland after we locked up potential Japanese sympathizers. There was sabotage after 1993 when we didn't.
Again another failure to answer a question.
Ask your question.
You cannot produce a quote.
So I'm not allowed to answer if I don't use quotes?
You try again to use the one above that you cut just to fit your point of view.
Huh?
Of course I can't say for sure what I would of done.
But you gladly lambaste those who weren't as wishy-washy as you.
It's called being realistic.
It's called being indecisive and wishy-washy.
No one can say for sure.
I can. Lock'em up. Too much was at stake.
Times were different, you can't feel the emotionalism the way it was felt then.
Yes I can. Remember 9-11.
But I can say for sure that I would of not been for the locking up of American citizens based only on the color of their skin.
You have no common sense.
Ohh ok so you wont say you are sorry but you will give them money.
This is a practical world. It runs on money. If Japanese-Americans were singled out and lost their possessions because of the war, then there should have been immediate efforts to ease them back into the economic system.
That makes total sense. Why even give them money if you did nothing wrong?
Because they were victims of the war. Reparations is a form of the word "repair". We would be repairing, not apologizing, by making reparations.
You have talked to all those in the 1941 generation?
It's necessary to talk to them? I'm not allowed to have opinions of past events if I didn't actually talk to the people involved? Does that mean you have no opinion of the holocaust since you haven't spoken to Hitler, Goebles, or any of the other Nazi leaders?
You have all their views, every last one of them?
Do you of the holocaust?
Whatever, I volunteer at the Veterans home here and help out at the VFW and about 75% of those men I talk to that fought in the war say they feel that locking up those Japs that were citizens, especially those that had sons, fathers, and husbands in the war was wrong.
Then why wasn't anything said at the time? I don't remember any protests going on.
As far as the non-citizens go they say the same; They have no protection under our laws.
You call me a racist for those views.
OK so if we had all these conservatives back in the 40's then why all the liberalism now.
Because the '60s aren't the '40s. Liberalism grew with television. Too few were given too big a voice because of television.
Shouldn't we all still be conservative, both Democrat and Republican.
Times change. You don't believe times change?
There you go again with that lame tactic. It is getting quite old already, try something else. "Don't have a cow" what are you in high school?
I'm not allowed to use figures of speech?
Exactly, so what happened to liberalism back then to get the slaves their reparations.
Releasing slaves wasn't liberal. Are you saying holding slaves was a conservative thing to do? It was common sense and moral to release the slaves because there was no reason to hold them. We didn't hold the Japanese for the purpose of making them do work, we held them to save American lives during a war.
It's too late for them now but why didn't they get it back then.
You like to lambaste every generation that has come before don't you? I guess all of our forefathers just weren't as smart, moral, and sophisticated as you, were they? We just got out of a Civil War with 600,000 dead. If 40 acres and a mule was the last thing on American's minds, I can understand that.
Let me respond by reposting the comment he made earlier in this thread:
"I think the founding fathers would approve, they weren't really into a class-based society"
HA HA HA ROTFL
Then he says, "So anyone who agrees with the "suspension of habeas corpus" clause is a commie?"
YES!!!
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