Speaking of History

Kiyo Sato, the veteran and me

I had the opportunity (thanks to a very thoughtful friend) to attend a class at Sacramento State University yesterday.  The occasion was a session on the Japanese-American Internment featuring several speakers with first-hand experiences. 

Kiyo Sato, author of Kiyo’s Story, and the other speakers gave a presentation aimed at making sure the unconstitutional mistakes of the past are not repeated.  Most in the audience were college-age and for them even the Vietnam War veteran on the panel must have seemed impossibly old.  Kiyo at 88.9 is therefore a living link with an important era in ancient history. 

Kiyo’s Story not only gives a first-hand account of the Internment, but also illuminates what life was like for her family before and after World War II.  The incredible resourcefulness and patience, especially of Kiyo’s parents, is the way the family (of nine children) survived and thrived, despite awful setbacks.   

That Kiyo’s Story took place in the Sacramento area adds to its local relevance.  Kiyo Sato is a national treasure reminding us of what has really happened, warning us to work against it ever happening again.

Finally the Vietnam-era vet on the panel spoke.  He is not Japanese-American but he grew up in this area (after World War II) surrounded by post-Internment Camp survivors who were mute about what they (or their families) had survived.  His comments about the difficulties people have talking of trauma (whether Vietnam War experience or Interment experience) for years after an experience was very moving.

 

I was feeling comfortable with the idea that we all know better now.  Nothing like the Internment could happen today.  But, the speaker reminded me of something it is so much nicer to overlook. During the panic of 911 the previous Administration took some shortcuts with due-process but President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have recently claimed the right to suspend constitutional rights of American Citizens who are deemed to be ‘terrorists’.  Without diligence, bad things can happen.