Los Gatos, California Since1881
Letters
| Letter writer still doesn't get the point I am writing in response to Dorothy James'two letters of June 5 and July 3 regardingMegumi the storyteller. As I read theseletters, I could only shake my head infrustration and disbelief that she still doesnot get the point regarding the internment ofJapanese-Americans during World War II. The point is this: the vast majority (morethan 70 percent) of the 110,000Japanese-Americans interned were Americancitizens. Not Japanese. These were citizenswho were born and raised here whose parentswere prevented from becoming citizens becauseof exclusionary laws in force through thefirst half of the century. Throughout Ms. James' letters it is clearthat she is confusing the Japanese (i.e.,citizens of Japan) with Japanese-Americans(i.e. Americans of Japanese descent). Shedoes this when she bitterly refers to theJapanese survivors of camps who are stillalive to tell their stories of internment asopposed to those Americans who died duringthe bombing of Pearl Harbor or the BataanDeath March. She does this when she asksMegumi to explain Pearl Harbor, saying, "Wedid not starve, torture or slaughter herpeople." She does this when she asks whysurvivors of Pearl Harbor were not given the$20,000 in reparations thatJapanese-Americans received. There is no doubt that Pearl Harbor andBataan were atrocious acts; but doesn't Ms.James understand that they were perpetratedby another country against the United States?And doesn't she understand that theinternment happened to American people bytheir own government? Here it is, more than half a century afterthe war and still there are those who do notunderstand that there is a difference betweenJapanese-Americans and the Japanese. There isa difference between your own governmentdenying your rights, as opposed to an enemycountry that doesn't recognize those rightsin the first place. Japanese-Americans were not the enemy.Japanese-Americans did not bomb Pearl Harbor.Japanese-Americans did not force Americans onthe infamous Bataan Death March. What Japanese-Americans did do was tovolunteer to fight for this country in themost decorated unit in U.S. history (the100th/442nd Regimental Combat team) whiletheir families were incarcerated ininternment camps. They stood loyal to theircountry despite the denial of theirConstitutional rights. They remained silentfor decades as history books overlooked thisshameful chapter of American history. With the current political climate andanti-Arab-American feelings on the rise, itbecomes increasingly important that Americansof all backgrounds learn and understand thelessons of the past. Could this happen again?Is it happening now? There can be no betterillustration of why Megumi needs to continuetelling her stories of what happened toAmericans of Japanese ancestry during WorldWar II. —Mari Yamashiro, Los Gatos Town makes a good choice for new chief Congratulations to the Los Gatos Town Councilon an excellent hire. The town's new policechief is the genuine article—a seasoned lawenforcement professional who spends timegetting to know his community. I've watchedScott Seaman in action in San Jose for adecade and a half; he's a man of integritywith the interpersonal competence andperspective to lead a progressive publicsafety organization. He'll give Los Gatos thekind of sensible, tempered, thoughtful lawenforcement it needs. —Dan Pulcrano, San Jose The phrase 'Under God' is under scrutiny The flap following the Pledge of Allegiancedecision by a panel of the Ninth CircuitCourt of Appeals—the most overturned federalappellate court in the country—pretty welldemonstrated that most Americans arecomfortable with the notion that we are anation "under God." Following the announcement of the decision,radio talk shows were commandeered byprotesters strenuously objecting to theheresy of saying that the inclusion of thephrase rendered the pledge unconstitutionalbecause it violates the concept of separationof church and state as mandated by the FirstAmendment to the Constitution. Members ofCongress gathered in photo ops to recite thepledge. Television networks played clips ofschool kids reciting the pledge with theforbidden words over and over again. Ourpolitical leaders and communications industrytalking heads reminded us that not only arethere five references to a deity or creatorin the Declaration of Independence, we payhomage to a supreme being on our money, inour oaths of office, before the opening ofsolemn state affairs, and so on. In otherwords, we are indeed a nation "under God." At least we like to think we are. We say weare. We like the idea that we are. But thereseems to be some question as to whether ornot this is really and truly the case. Aquick review of recent events gives onepause. If I remember correctly, we've hadairplanes flying into buildings, firesburning up states, kids being sexuallyassaulted by clergy, other kids beingkidnapped by individuals or misplaced bystate institutions. In other words, thingshaven't been going along as smoothly as youwould think they should for a nation sailingalong under the guardianship of the creatorof heaven and earth and of all things visibleand invisible. One would think our conditionwould be at least a little better if "someoneup there liked us." Maybe the problem is that saying so doesn'tmake it so. Maybe just because the foundersof this country went around braying that weare "under God" doesn't mean that we are. Anymore than bleating about it today makes itso. The only one who could give us the reallowdown on the situation is the being weclaim as our protector, but He ain't talking(except to faith healers who get periodicreports from above in time to change personalproject plans but who are not interested innational concerns). Assuming the United States is in fact theapple of God's eye, does this mean He's goingto give us preferential treatment over othernational states? Would it not seem logical tothink that He might burden us with more thanour share of travail so that we, as citizensof the beleaguered land, might more easilyenter the pearly gates? There are some whowould argue that such is the case. Of course, there are others who would holdthat there has to be an easier way to gainsalvation and that it might be prudent tochange our game plan. They would contend thatinstead of proudly proclaiming we are "underGod," which, as we have seen, we can'tvalidate, it might be better if we kept ourcollective traps shut and did what we had todo without relying on third parties. Theextremists in this camp would probably preferan added step. They would undoubtedly demandthat we amend the Pledge of Allegiance toread " ... one nation, not under God ... "There is little likelihood that this willcome to pass. The current struggle we're having over ourrelationship with God is neither unique nornew. History records that every nation ornation state about to engage in warfare hasarrogated to itself the blessings of divineprovidence. No country has ever invadedanother or wiped out its cities and populacewithout having first sought the good wishesof the creator. God has always been on theside of those who approached Him, which, ofcourse, always placed Him on both sides. Whatever's God's role in internationalaffairs, it's a matter of record that allnations are constantly trying to get on Hisgood side. If I had the artistic talents of,say, DeCinzo of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times,I'd whip out a cartoon depicting God on histhrone in heaven munching on grapes andwatching celestial TV. In the backgroundthere would be an endless line ofrepresentatives of nations from around theglobe holding signs and placards praising Himand asking for favored status. Among thesigns competing for attention would be "InGod We Trust," "God Bless America" ... and"Under God." —Frank Stagnaro, Los Gatos |
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