Japanese Internment camps were a violation of the rights of citizens based on public panic and discrimination. The unfortunate fact is that the government could be repeating history with its current version of abusing civil rights, the use of the Patriot Act.
On December 7th 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The citizens feared another attack on the west coast. War persisted and discrimination of the Japanese people started to occur. Various state representatives of the government seized the opportunity of the panic and put pressure on President Roosevelt to take action against Japanese-Americans.
Without trials, history of time spent in U.S., proof of being spies, or any other considerations, the Japanese-Americans were forced to leave land, homes, business, and most possessions and move to isolated areas called “camps” that were all within 48 hours of travel. Many lost all they had worked for by having to sell their land and belongings cheap. In these “camps”, the Japanese were forced to live in barracks and use general areas for washing, eating and laundry. Some families were separated, many died from inadequate medical care and the high emotional stress of the situation, but the most hurtful was that the Japanese-Americans were seen as enemies of the country. Many families were forced to live in a 15ft by 15ft living area with only a thin sheet separating them from the families next to them.
The camps were usually in desolate areas and they had to cope with severe temperature changes. In order to control the Japanese, every internee over 17 years old was given the “loyalty test” by having to answer the following:
1. Are you willing to serve in the armed forces of the U.S. when ordered?
2. Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the U.S. and give up all loyalty to Japan and the Japanese emperor?
Failure to answer “yes” could cause a Japanese citizen to be sent to Tule Lake facility in the Rocky Mountains where harsh treatment was endured.
In December 1944, Public Proclamation #21 which became effective in January 1945 allowed the Japanese to return to homes that were no longer there. Some Japanese viewed the internment camps as concentration camps. Some quietly rebuilt their lives, but all were affected. Years later, the government gave the Japanese individuals that had been sent to the internment camps, monetary compensation for the country’s shameful mistake.
But did American citizens and government learn so that this type of action where citizen are locked up without trials and discrimination leads to hatred and panic? Honestly, I think not.
After the attack of September 11th, the government enacted the Patriot Act. With this act, many civil rights were taken away. Again, like Roosevelt order 9066, it was based on fear, and panic. With the Patriot Act, the government has given itself many rights and taken away many from its citizens in the name of protecting us from terrorism.
But at least we have not set up camps? How about Guantanamo Bay? It has been proven that some innocent people are still locked up today, that were not terrorists. If America was again attacked, and we isolate a culture like we did with the Japanese, I believe we could easily repeat history of the Japanese internment camps. The arguments in favor for this action would be the same that were argued and used to develop the Japanese Internment Camps during World War II. We could be only missing the bobbed wire surrounding the camps in the steps to repeat the history of violating all of our civil rights.
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You made it very clear how the attack on Pearl Harbor and 9/11 are similar. Both lead to wars, both were used to steer the public's opinion, and both ended up isolating racial groups. Good thing Guantanamo has been closed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely that the United States has not learned their lesson that "camps" and such are inhumane and wrong. Put in a situation of panic Roosevelt thought that was his only choice. I wonder what the outcome would have been like if the U.S. decided a different method of holding the Japanese instead of the camps. The camps served their purposes so maybe that was exactly what Roosevelt wanted.
ReplyDeleteCamps are not wrong just the way they were run was inhumane. If the camps were run properly there would not be this problem and the camps can be helpful with the citizens of America because they might not want crazy terrorists or Japanese spies running out in the streets of their country so it also insured the safety of Americans.
ReplyDeleteIf the United States did not put Japanese Citizens into camps what would of happened? The Japanese could of attacked America again if they had better information from a loyal Japanese citizen living in America. This is why we put them in camps and it was the right thing to do.
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