Democracy and Japanese Americans

1942

The people responsible for the pamphlet question what was done on Constitutional grounds.

3 The writers say that the Nisei had been assimilating well.

Things went fairly calmly at first, then changed some weeks after Pearl Harbor.

It was only logical for other politicians to react to the evacuation of Japanese Americans by figuring that, if something was wrong with them, then why should our state let them in?

The Issei and the Nisei did not actively fight against the evacuation orders (with very, very few exceptions). Some wanted to make it appear they were being patriotic by going along placidly; others figured that, if they resisted, the military would crush them quickly and effectively. I have little doubt that, in today's world, any such attempt on any group would result in major mob violence and rioting.

One of the real reasons behind the evacuation was the greed of white farmers and business people. Once the Japanese were out of the way, with their lower-prices-due-to-good-growing-practices, the white farmers took over and automatically charged more.

The writers then say that the Issei and Nisei property loss due to the evacuation was about 60% at a minimum.

Some people had said the conditions in the camps were good, and they internees were being pampered. This is the writers' answer. They note the lack of medical equipment in the assembly centers and camps. Some of the assembly centers were former stables which still smelled. The wood on the floor was not fitted together well, so grass could grow up in the cracks. It could get to be quite cold.

The first legal challenge.

The Wakayama case.

Korematsu v. the United States. (He lost)

Gordon Hirabayashi.

Lincoln Kanai.

The Japanese were moved out, but not the Italians or Germans. This, the author says, was due largely to racial prejudice. The writer notes that the camps have had trouble placing some Japanese American students.

Work furloughs tend to work.

The sabotage stories are false.

What the writers of the pamphlet think should be done. They want mass evacuation ended, and civilian board hearings established. They also want Japanese Americans to have citizen rights paid attention to. They also add a variety of other things.



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