Interviews
Lesson to be Learned
The internment did not just affect Japanese Americans. It certainly didn't just affect Asian Americans. It affected everybody in the country because it was done by the American government. And so I think one of the lessons that has to be learned is that in time of war -- and this is exactly what Judge Patel said in her opinion -- in time of war or national emergency, passions are aroused, and any group can be singled out. ... The thing that we can hope for is that more and more people will realize how important it is to learn these lessons and to be willing to work and take sacrifices and risks of protecting what's most important to us, the values of our Constitution, even though during wartime and crisis, as John J. McCloy once said, "The Constitution is just a scrap of paper."
Date: October 27, 2000
Location: Washington, US
Interviewer: Alice Ito, Lorraine Bannai
Contributed by: Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.
Explore More Videos
Is 'Korematsu v. United States' still a threat to American civil liberties?
(b. 1955) Lawyer
An emotional response from mother upon talking about incarceration experience
(b. 1946) Lawyer
Role of the redress movement in helping Nisei to open up about their wartime experiences
(b. 1946) Lawyer
Memories of hearing the verdict in Fred Korematsu's coram nobis case
(b. 1946) Lawyer
Impact of the Korematsu coram nobis case, historically and personally
(b. 1946) Lawyer
Not recognizing father after reunion at Crystal City, Texas
(1937 - 2021) Teacher
A child's memories of activities at Crystal City, Texas
(1937 - 2021) Teacher
Thoughts on relationship between Japanese Peruvians and Japanese Americans at Crystal City, Texas
(1937 - 2021) Teacher
Encountering a train full of Japanese Americans being transported to a concentration camp
(b. 1923) Chick sexer
Donating clothes to the Japanese interns (Japanese)
(1900–1996) The mother of Nikkei Brazilian immigration
Interrogation by police (Japanese)
(1900–1996) The mother of Nikkei Brazilian immigration
Concentration camp from a Japanese mother’s point of view (Japanese)
Shin-Issei from Gifu. Recently received U.S. citizenship
Sneaking out of the Hastings Park camp during World War II
(b. 1928) Doctor. Former Chair of the Japanese Canadian Redress Foundation.