1 00:00:08,936 --> 00:00:14,384 How many of you are familiar with the Japanese-American incarceration? 2 00:00:14,867 --> 00:00:16,897 Oh! Thank you, and good night. 3 00:00:16,897 --> 00:00:18,397 (Laughter) 4 00:00:18,397 --> 00:00:20,269 You guys are wonderful. 5 00:00:22,031 --> 00:00:23,799 I was a prisoner of war, 6 00:00:24,419 --> 00:00:26,179 during World War II, 7 00:00:26,179 --> 00:00:28,129 held by my own country. 8 00:00:28,592 --> 00:00:30,460 I was six years old. 9 00:00:31,053 --> 00:00:32,851 This is my prison number: 10 00:00:33,405 --> 00:00:35,185 125 - 11 00:00:36,575 --> 00:00:38,597 12524. 12 00:00:39,085 --> 00:00:40,643 I'm the letter D. 13 00:00:41,153 --> 00:00:43,430 My family had 12524. 14 00:00:45,076 --> 00:00:48,814 My family and I were incarcerated for three and a half years, 15 00:00:48,814 --> 00:00:51,001 in Poston, Arizona, 16 00:00:51,001 --> 00:00:53,854 during World War II. 17 00:00:55,339 --> 00:00:58,060 As a teacher, I would ask my students, 18 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:00,899 sometimes on the first day of school: 19 00:01:01,610 --> 00:01:04,019 "Draw an American for me. 20 00:01:04,019 --> 00:01:08,556 Okay? Take out a piece of paper, and draw an American for me. 21 00:01:08,556 --> 00:01:09,676 Okay?" 22 00:01:09,676 --> 00:01:14,026 And then I would go around the room and check the drawings, 23 00:01:14,775 --> 00:01:18,666 and sometimes the drawings would be of a stick figure, 24 00:01:21,052 --> 00:01:23,196 not much better than kindergarten. 25 00:01:23,196 --> 00:01:24,562 Excuse me, Marsha. 26 00:01:26,342 --> 00:01:29,532 Marsha is a kindergarten teacher, my wife. 27 00:01:29,532 --> 00:01:30,772 (Laughter) 28 00:01:31,728 --> 00:01:34,939 Draw an American for me. You get somebody in mind? 29 00:01:34,939 --> 00:01:36,359 Hmm? 30 00:01:37,283 --> 00:01:40,341 How many of you thought of drawing a woman? 31 00:01:41,491 --> 00:01:42,861 Thank you. 32 00:01:43,631 --> 00:01:46,091 A majority of Americans are women. 33 00:01:47,569 --> 00:01:49,936 Who says it's a man's world? 34 00:01:50,261 --> 00:01:51,532 Men! 35 00:01:53,819 --> 00:01:57,060 Women can do everything a man can do, and more. 36 00:02:00,114 --> 00:02:04,222 How many of you thought of drawing a blonde, blue-eyed, hunk of a guy? 37 00:02:06,288 --> 00:02:08,606 Hitler would have been so proud of you. 38 00:02:11,954 --> 00:02:18,133 To many Americans, WASP is the American: White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. 39 00:02:18,133 --> 00:02:20,711 If you're not White, Anglo-Saxon Protestant, 40 00:02:20,711 --> 00:02:22,443 you're not really an American. 41 00:02:25,793 --> 00:02:28,279 You know, I'm not Japanese. 42 00:02:28,608 --> 00:02:30,598 I've never been Japanese. 43 00:02:31,023 --> 00:02:34,273 I'm an American, of Japanese ancestry. 44 00:02:34,273 --> 00:02:38,473 My father was Japanese, my mother was Japanese, but I'm not Japanese. 45 00:02:39,404 --> 00:02:41,866 When I go to Japan, and I speak, 46 00:02:43,016 --> 00:02:46,266 they laugh and they go: "We don't talk like that anymore." 47 00:02:46,266 --> 00:02:49,755 They know I'm a gaijin, a foreigner. 48 00:02:50,642 --> 00:02:52,641 When I was in London, shopping, 49 00:02:52,641 --> 00:02:55,114 and I had a nice conversation with the sales lady, 50 00:02:55,114 --> 00:02:57,454 and at the end she says: "Oh, you Yanks." 51 00:02:57,801 --> 00:03:01,481 She's looking at me, and I'm a Yank. 52 00:03:02,997 --> 00:03:05,947 But in this country, in parts of this country, 53 00:03:06,553 --> 00:03:08,143 I'm a damned Jap. 54 00:03:10,476 --> 00:03:12,517 And I don't mean just the South. 55 00:03:13,501 --> 00:03:18,941 There are parts of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and such. 56 00:03:19,295 --> 00:03:21,503 It's kind of dangerous for me to travel. 57 00:03:23,318 --> 00:03:26,272 Racism still prevails in this country. 58 00:03:27,470 --> 00:03:32,435 After 9/11, the attack on the twin towers in New York, 59 00:03:34,728 --> 00:03:37,310 there was talk about rounding up 60 00:03:37,310 --> 00:03:40,309 all the Arabs and Muslim Americans in this country, 61 00:03:40,309 --> 00:03:44,238 and incarcerating them in concentration camps. 62 00:03:44,935 --> 00:03:49,654 Now to his credit, George W. Bush, the president, 63 00:03:49,654 --> 00:03:52,174 he called a Cabinet meeting, 64 00:03:52,974 --> 00:03:55,254 and he told his Cabinet members: 65 00:03:55,254 --> 00:03:59,705 "We're not going to do to the Arab and Muslim Americans in this country 66 00:03:59,705 --> 00:04:03,088 what we did to Norm Mineta and his family." 67 00:04:03,499 --> 00:04:08,465 And all talk about rounding up the Arab and Muslims stopped. 68 00:04:08,932 --> 00:04:10,613 And we were grateful. 69 00:04:11,342 --> 00:04:14,847 Now, why was Norm, his family, 70 00:04:14,847 --> 00:04:21,187 and 120,000 Japanese and Japanese-Americans - 71 00:04:21,187 --> 00:04:24,004 two-thirds were American citizens, 72 00:04:24,004 --> 00:04:27,844 from Washington, Oregon, and California - 73 00:04:27,844 --> 00:04:31,937 incarcerated after the attack on Pearl Harbour? 74 00:04:33,261 --> 00:04:34,593 Well, 75 00:04:35,293 --> 00:04:40,493 Cabrillo College instructor Sandy Lydon, historian emeritus, 76 00:04:40,493 --> 00:04:46,084 said the Japanese strawberry farmer of Watsonville had nothing to do 77 00:04:46,084 --> 00:04:48,144 with the attack on Pearl Harbour. 78 00:04:48,782 --> 00:04:54,188 Did you know that there were 158,000 Japanese and Japanese-Americans 79 00:04:54,188 --> 00:04:58,438 living in the territory of Hawaii - it wasn't a state yet - 80 00:04:58,438 --> 00:05:02,828 who were not incarcerated, with the exception of about 2,000. 81 00:05:03,685 --> 00:05:05,555 They're in the war zone. 82 00:05:06,455 --> 00:05:10,557 Well, they needed the Japanese and Japanese-Americans in Hawaii 83 00:05:10,557 --> 00:05:12,687 to run the economy of Hawaii. 84 00:05:13,492 --> 00:05:17,710 They were the plurality, they were 37% of the population - 85 00:05:17,710 --> 00:05:20,792 a census was taken in 1940. 86 00:05:22,716 --> 00:05:24,037 Their general Evman said, 87 00:05:24,037 --> 00:05:29,739 "It's not necessary to do this. There is no plan for sabotage." 88 00:05:30,601 --> 00:05:34,322 We, who were 2,500 miles away from the war zone, 89 00:05:34,322 --> 00:05:36,140 we get incarcerated. 90 00:05:38,189 --> 00:05:39,429 Why? 91 00:05:40,242 --> 00:05:44,255 I have to take you back a little bit in American history. 92 00:05:46,256 --> 00:05:49,976 The United States Constitution legalized slavery. 93 00:05:50,979 --> 00:05:56,559 The U.S. government condoned and practiced racism. 94 00:05:57,468 --> 00:06:01,161 The Naturalization Act in 1790: 95 00:06:01,161 --> 00:06:05,337 Asians could not become citizens of the United States. 96 00:06:06,432 --> 00:06:08,113 The Cherokee Nation. 97 00:06:09,005 --> 00:06:11,281 You've heard of the trail of tears? 98 00:06:11,281 --> 00:06:13,854 They were forced out of their homes. 99 00:06:14,444 --> 00:06:16,478 Dred Scott decision, 100 00:06:17,698 --> 00:06:19,368 He was a slave, 101 00:06:20,028 --> 00:06:21,838 even in a free territory. 102 00:06:22,338 --> 00:06:26,918 There was an anti-Irish-Catholic mentality in this country. 103 00:06:26,918 --> 00:06:33,348 There were signs that were printed, and displayed: "No Irish Need Apply." 104 00:06:35,056 --> 00:06:39,428 The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. 105 00:06:39,428 --> 00:06:41,592 Plessy vs. Ferguson: 106 00:06:41,592 --> 00:06:43,204 "Separate but equal." 107 00:06:43,204 --> 00:06:45,430 How can the separate be equal? 108 00:06:46,501 --> 00:06:50,400 A. Mitchell Palmer Raids, 1919-1920. 109 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:57,799 The communists, and Jews too, were deported without trial, 110 00:06:57,799 --> 00:07:00,430 just placed on a ship and shipped out. 111 00:07:02,998 --> 00:07:05,770 Immigration Act of 1924. 112 00:07:07,449 --> 00:07:10,819 The Japanese could not come to this country anymore. 113 00:07:11,691 --> 00:07:13,861 Fred Korematsu case. 114 00:07:16,115 --> 00:07:19,829 Our history is a history of racism, 115 00:07:21,195 --> 00:07:27,205 and discrimination regarding immigration as well. 116 00:07:29,510 --> 00:07:33,648 In the early 20th century, it was said in the newspapers - 117 00:07:33,648 --> 00:07:36,765 The Examiner, The Chronicle, The McClatchy papers, you know, 118 00:07:36,765 --> 00:07:39,409 Sacramento Bee, Fresno Bee, and The Sentinel - 119 00:07:40,249 --> 00:07:42,579 that the Japanese race is an alien race 120 00:07:42,579 --> 00:07:45,449 which can never be assimilated into the American way of life; 121 00:07:45,449 --> 00:07:48,960 there is nothing of value of Japanese culture. 122 00:07:51,926 --> 00:07:53,516 Nothing of value. 123 00:07:55,685 --> 00:07:57,299 How many of you have eaten sushi? 124 00:07:57,299 --> 00:07:58,162 (Chuckling) 125 00:07:58,162 --> 00:08:00,364 Oh yeah, sushi's good for you. 126 00:08:01,009 --> 00:08:02,619 What about bonsai? 127 00:08:02,979 --> 00:08:04,974 Ikebana flower arranging? 128 00:08:04,974 --> 00:08:06,324 Origami? 129 00:08:07,262 --> 00:08:08,850 Wax on, wax off? 130 00:08:08,850 --> 00:08:09,930 (Chuckling) 131 00:08:09,930 --> 00:08:11,102 Karate? 132 00:08:12,205 --> 00:08:13,362 Ah, 133 00:08:13,362 --> 00:08:15,622 Japanese culture is rich. 134 00:08:16,252 --> 00:08:21,691 And so many enjoy participating in Japanese culture. 135 00:08:22,370 --> 00:08:26,434 To make sure the Japanese did not assimilate into this country, 136 00:08:26,894 --> 00:08:28,312 laws were passed. 137 00:08:28,312 --> 00:08:31,210 Asians could not own property, 138 00:08:31,210 --> 00:08:32,869 marry whites, 139 00:08:34,119 --> 00:08:36,373 become citizens of the United States. 140 00:08:37,979 --> 00:08:40,579 After the attack on Pearl Harbour, 141 00:08:40,969 --> 00:08:43,469 December 7th, 1941. 142 00:08:44,779 --> 00:08:46,918 John L. DeWitt, 143 00:08:47,660 --> 00:08:52,640 commander of the Western Fourth Army, 144 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,330 at the Presidio of San Francisco, 145 00:08:56,115 --> 00:08:59,014 had the ear of the President of the United States. 146 00:08:59,331 --> 00:09:00,488 He said, 147 00:09:01,058 --> 00:09:02,988 "A Jap's a Jap. 148 00:09:02,988 --> 00:09:06,850 It makes no difference whether that Jap is a citizen or not." 149 00:09:09,408 --> 00:09:13,193 J. Edgar Hoover said: "Mr. President, we don't need to do this." 150 00:09:14,096 --> 00:09:17,566 Francis Biddle, who was the Attorney General at the time, said: 151 00:09:17,566 --> 00:09:20,633 "Mr. President, I don't think we can do this." 152 00:09:21,543 --> 00:09:22,995 There were no ... 153 00:09:23,995 --> 00:09:27,671 lawsuits filed on our behalf. 154 00:09:31,925 --> 00:09:37,666 Executive Order 9066 was passed 75 years ago. 155 00:09:38,834 --> 00:09:44,332 You know, there was one group, nationally, one group, that supported us: 156 00:09:44,332 --> 00:09:45,768 The American Quakers, 157 00:09:45,768 --> 00:09:47,451 the American friends. 158 00:09:48,359 --> 00:09:50,309 They were the only ones. 159 00:09:50,309 --> 00:09:54,584 Nationally, not even the ACLU supported us. 160 00:09:58,379 --> 00:09:59,839 Locally, 161 00:09:59,839 --> 00:10:01,896 luckily, we had some friends. 162 00:10:02,230 --> 00:10:05,709 City attorney of Watsonville, John McCarthy, 163 00:10:05,709 --> 00:10:08,961 our police chief, Matt Graves, 164 00:10:09,351 --> 00:10:11,741 school teachers, public school teachers, 165 00:10:11,741 --> 00:10:13,148 and many others supported us. 166 00:10:13,148 --> 00:10:14,352 You know - 167 00:10:14,672 --> 00:10:16,042 The reward? 168 00:10:16,042 --> 00:10:19,386 They were called "Jap Lovers" for supporting us. 169 00:10:22,767 --> 00:10:25,706 They had their homes and cars vandalized. 170 00:10:27,221 --> 00:10:31,105 And they were among the very first to welcome us back. 171 00:10:31,930 --> 00:10:34,075 We had some very dear friends. 172 00:10:36,362 --> 00:10:38,302 In 1942, 173 00:10:38,302 --> 00:10:42,712 our homes were searched, without search warrants. 174 00:10:42,712 --> 00:10:45,855 The FBI came into our homes - 175 00:10:45,855 --> 00:10:48,882 they got the information from the Bureau of the Census. 176 00:10:48,882 --> 00:10:51,743 The Bureau of the Census is not supposed to do that. 177 00:10:51,743 --> 00:10:53,415 We were hacked. 178 00:10:55,554 --> 00:10:59,249 There were no trials, except for four people. 179 00:11:00,595 --> 00:11:04,536 But for the rest of us, we had no charges, 180 00:11:05,404 --> 00:11:06,838 no attorneys, 181 00:11:07,288 --> 00:11:09,368 no due process of law. 182 00:11:15,248 --> 00:11:19,231 This, the Constitution of the United States, 183 00:11:19,911 --> 00:11:22,064 ceased to exist for us. 184 00:11:29,813 --> 00:11:31,924 There were ten major camps, 185 00:11:32,914 --> 00:11:34,003 and from the camps, 186 00:11:34,003 --> 00:11:39,663 our men and women volunteered to serve in the United States Armed Forces. 187 00:11:40,503 --> 00:11:45,117 The men, many of them were in the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team, 188 00:11:45,827 --> 00:11:50,591 the most decorated army unit for its size and length of service. 189 00:11:53,631 --> 00:11:58,001 My two brothers were in the MIS, Military Intelligence Service, 190 00:11:58,001 --> 00:12:00,331 because they could read and write Japanese. 191 00:12:00,696 --> 00:12:04,876 They went to Japanese school after high school each day. 192 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:08,334 They fought against the Japanese. 193 00:12:10,804 --> 00:12:15,288 We used the Japanese language as a weapon against the Japanese. 194 00:12:17,670 --> 00:12:19,508 The MIS 195 00:12:20,092 --> 00:12:22,240 stayed after the war, 196 00:12:22,929 --> 00:12:26,956 with the restoration, occupation restoration of Japan. 197 00:12:28,649 --> 00:12:35,632 Their service during the war saved countless American and Japanese lives. 198 00:12:35,871 --> 00:12:39,392 It is estimated that it shortened the war by two years. 199 00:12:41,617 --> 00:12:47,511 Congress formally acknowledged the work 200 00:12:49,570 --> 00:12:55,912 of the 100th/442nd and MIS with a Congressional Gold Medal. 201 00:12:56,124 --> 00:12:57,555 We're grateful. 202 00:12:59,653 --> 00:13:01,688 Our forced removal 203 00:13:02,898 --> 00:13:04,388 was illegal. 204 00:13:04,388 --> 00:13:05,639 Right? 205 00:13:07,666 --> 00:13:08,968 No. 206 00:13:11,026 --> 00:13:12,348 No. 207 00:13:14,282 --> 00:13:15,891 It's legal. 208 00:13:18,322 --> 00:13:22,229 The government of United States can evict anyone from their homes, 209 00:13:22,678 --> 00:13:27,569 if under the guise of "military necessity." 210 00:13:28,778 --> 00:13:31,460 Today, we won't use that term. 211 00:13:31,460 --> 00:13:34,851 We'll use the term "national security." 212 00:13:37,167 --> 00:13:44,179 Congress and the president apologized for our wartime experience. 213 00:13:45,401 --> 00:13:52,453 The Civil Liberties Act was passed on August 10th, 1988. 214 00:13:53,104 --> 00:13:55,131 We have an official apology. 215 00:13:55,131 --> 00:13:56,474 You know, 216 00:13:56,474 --> 00:13:58,674 of the 120,000, 217 00:13:59,294 --> 00:14:03,071 the government expected 60,000 to have died, 218 00:14:03,071 --> 00:14:05,918 and 60,000 were still alive. 219 00:14:06,756 --> 00:14:08,376 But we fooled them. 220 00:14:08,376 --> 00:14:11,314 80,000 of us were still alive. 221 00:14:11,314 --> 00:14:14,322 You see, sushi is good for you. 222 00:14:14,322 --> 00:14:16,048 (Laughter) 223 00:14:17,132 --> 00:14:18,929 There's only one race. 224 00:14:19,973 --> 00:14:21,604 That's the human race. 225 00:14:24,818 --> 00:14:28,119 There are those who wish to classify us, you know, 226 00:14:28,119 --> 00:14:31,247 "Oh, you're Caucasian American, 227 00:14:31,247 --> 00:14:32,559 you're Asian American, 228 00:14:32,559 --> 00:14:34,344 you're Hispanic American, 229 00:14:37,138 --> 00:14:38,609 or Black American." 230 00:14:39,915 --> 00:14:41,698 There's only one race. 231 00:14:42,865 --> 00:14:44,529 You know dogs? 232 00:14:45,399 --> 00:14:48,825 We call them German Shepards, French Poodles, and Chihuahuas. 233 00:14:48,825 --> 00:14:51,625 They go to anybody, right? 234 00:14:52,205 --> 00:14:53,691 They're color-blind. 235 00:14:54,932 --> 00:14:58,200 I wish humans were color-blind. 236 00:14:59,755 --> 00:15:00,925 (Sigh) 237 00:15:01,374 --> 00:15:04,092 Today, the present administration 238 00:15:05,359 --> 00:15:09,541 is constantly issuing new executive orders and policies 239 00:15:09,541 --> 00:15:11,329 regarding immigration, 240 00:15:11,891 --> 00:15:14,851 contrary to the spirit of America. 241 00:15:15,953 --> 00:15:17,481 Fortunately, 242 00:15:18,151 --> 00:15:19,541 now, 243 00:15:19,541 --> 00:15:23,554 we have the Southern Poverty Law Center, 244 00:15:23,991 --> 00:15:26,283 the American Civil Liberties Union. 245 00:15:26,715 --> 00:15:28,667 We have so many groups, 246 00:15:29,484 --> 00:15:31,574 and individuals, 247 00:15:31,574 --> 00:15:36,686 supporting what really is of true America, 248 00:15:36,686 --> 00:15:40,374 something we didn't see in 1942. 249 00:15:41,882 --> 00:15:43,650 Will it happen again? 250 00:15:46,119 --> 00:15:47,930 Memory is short. 251 00:15:50,889 --> 00:15:54,260 No, not under the guise of military necessity, no. 252 00:15:54,260 --> 00:15:56,104 So who's the biggest threat? 253 00:15:59,609 --> 00:16:06,373 Some suspect it will be the reporters and producers of fake news. 254 00:16:07,502 --> 00:16:10,430 It doesn't have to be an individual or a group, 255 00:16:10,430 --> 00:16:12,856 a national group or a racial group. 256 00:16:15,206 --> 00:16:17,182 It could be an occupation. 257 00:16:17,182 --> 00:16:22,178 The days of Walter Cronkite, the conscious of America, are long gone. 258 00:16:23,542 --> 00:16:25,559 Now we have the internet, 259 00:16:26,062 --> 00:16:28,307 radio talk show hosts, 260 00:16:28,973 --> 00:16:31,121 TV commentators. 261 00:16:33,010 --> 00:16:37,086 I'm grateful to be living here in Santa Cruz County, 262 00:16:37,935 --> 00:16:40,797 the second most iberal county in the nation. 263 00:16:42,681 --> 00:16:46,092 You know, if you know the history of Santa Cruz city, 264 00:16:46,092 --> 00:16:48,194 it wasn't always that way. 265 00:16:49,012 --> 00:16:52,138 Yeah, minorities were not welcome in Santa Cruz. 266 00:16:53,436 --> 00:16:56,897 Growing up, I didn't come to Santa Cruz very often. 267 00:16:59,265 --> 00:17:00,986 But that all changed. 268 00:17:01,877 --> 00:17:03,096 How? 269 00:17:03,552 --> 00:17:05,859 Thanks to Cabrillo College, 270 00:17:09,812 --> 00:17:12,506 and University of California at Santa Cruz. 271 00:17:12,506 --> 00:17:14,620 The intelligentsia came, 272 00:17:15,725 --> 00:17:17,540 and it changed the whole county. 273 00:17:17,540 --> 00:17:22,253 Today, this is the most wonderful place in the whole world to live. 274 00:17:22,727 --> 00:17:24,321 And I kid you not. 275 00:17:26,073 --> 00:17:27,880 Gordon Hirabayashi. 276 00:17:28,366 --> 00:17:31,002 He was a student at the University of Washington, 277 00:17:31,002 --> 00:17:32,275 a Quaker. 278 00:17:32,275 --> 00:17:33,581 He was arrested, 279 00:17:33,941 --> 00:17:35,329 convicted, 280 00:17:36,579 --> 00:17:38,173 imprisoned. 281 00:17:39,246 --> 00:17:45,807 The prosecuting attorneys lied to the judges. 282 00:17:48,614 --> 00:17:50,125 Yeah, he spent some time. 283 00:17:50,125 --> 00:17:53,062 Now, his conviction was vacated. 284 00:17:53,062 --> 00:17:54,858 Not overturned, vacated. 285 00:17:56,237 --> 00:17:57,939 Gordon Hirabayashi said, 286 00:17:59,107 --> 00:18:01,795 "Ancestry is not a crime." 287 00:18:03,595 --> 00:18:08,783 Today, we would add, "Islam is not a crime." 288 00:18:11,685 --> 00:18:14,126 With our newfound energy, 289 00:18:15,358 --> 00:18:17,467 we have a lot of work to do. 290 00:18:17,838 --> 00:18:21,345 You know those, there was a gentlemen who lived not too far 291 00:18:21,345 --> 00:18:23,845 from Charlottesville, Virginia, 292 00:18:23,845 --> 00:18:25,722 at a place called Monticello. 293 00:18:26,649 --> 00:18:28,178 Thomas Jefferson, 294 00:18:29,036 --> 00:18:32,060 "Eternal vigilance is a price of liberty." 295 00:18:33,601 --> 00:18:36,685 It's up to us, all of us, 296 00:18:37,085 --> 00:18:41,075 to work in peace, and harmony, compassion, 297 00:18:41,075 --> 00:18:43,718 to overcome hate and bigotry. 298 00:18:43,718 --> 00:18:45,310 And we can do it. 299 00:18:46,765 --> 00:18:48,233 Thank you. 300 00:18:48,233 --> 00:18:49,744 (Applause)