My date tonight with Mrs. Ugly Naked Guy
I spent part of another evening with the rest of the wannabe intellectual coffee-slurping clones down at the Starbucks/Barnes and Noble. As usual I read books for free that I have no intention of buying (they don't mind though because I asked them and my wife makes up for my free-loading ways with her purchases).
Anyway, I picked up a book that validated ideas I have had for years but never verbalize for fear I will be fired from my job for not agreeing with the NEA. (Even my usually like-minded wife and friends cringe when I mention my feelings on this subject.) I have always felt that the internment of the Japanese during WWII was not only justified, but the common sense thing to do.
Until I saw Michelle Malkin's new book, In Defense of Internment: The Case for "Racial Profiling" in World War II and The War on Terror, I never knew anyone who agreed with me. Now not only have I found validation for my ideas, but I also have information about the whole period that you never hear about in your history class.
But first, I must confess my amazement over all the hand-wringing about the internment issue. People make out that we were so unenlightened in the 40's that we reacted with unreasonable fear. How can we say that people acted hysterically when we weren't there? We weren't in their shoes! Maybe we would think internment a good idea too, if we lived back then. I am not saying that for this reason alone it must have been a good idea, but I cannot dismiss out-of-hand the possibility that there were good reasons.
That is why I was so interested to finally find someone who agreed with me and documented some of the assumptions that I held. A good starting place to really examine the issue is some of Ms. Malkin's recent columns (http://www.townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/mm20040810.shtml). Also, MichelleMalkin.com has other columns and her blogs that discuss the same issue. Here are some of the most interesting items to me:
*Japanese made up only half of the internees during the war. We ugly Americans are guilted into believing that only people who looked different were interred, but in truth there were large numbers of Germans and Italians too.
*We had to give $20,000 to redress the wrongs done to the Japanese in these camps, but in way back in 1948 Congress paid out millions to those internees who had losses; they were already compensated by this law and many others over the years while immigrants from other countries got nothing.
*We are constantly told that it is silly to assume that a first-generation Japanese immigrant might still have some loyalty to Japan in wartime. Malkin's book gives irrefutable evidence that in fact there were instances of espionage and worse.
Heck, if I moved to a different country that was at war with America, I would certainly help my homeland all I could, who wouldn't?
2 comments:
Brian:
Thanks for the article! It certainly sheds some more light on the subject. There were some things I didn't know, so I am always glad for the opportunity to be informed.
However, I must wonder how much evidence of subversive activities the author requires before she thinks precautions need to be taken in wartime. Of course there is no way of knowing whether there wouldn't have been more incidents of collaboration had our government not acted. Any crime or chance for misbehavior starts first with an opportunity. Once internment was the policy and it became clear someone was paying attention, perhaps some decided not to try anything.
But to me all of that doesn't even matter. Really, I don't care whether or not there was any evidence of spying by the Japanese at that time. It is just common sense to be wary of a people who could very well have close relatives working to annihilate us. My gosh, moving people away from militarily sensitive areas seems like TOO LITTLE action to me. We were at war with their homeland, how could you expect them to be on our side?
I don't know, you tell me; if you were in a foreign country when when the U.S. attacked it, wouldn't you walk-not-run to the nearest consulate to find out how you could A)get out of town in one piece, B)convince them that you were not a threat, or C)find out how you could cooperate given the awkward situation you now find yourself in?
Yes, there was much racism toward the Japanese at that time and that is never OK, but I believe our government did LESS than what any other government would have done in the same situation. I was not living at the time, but who am I to say that any fear people had then was unfounded?
Brian,
I'm so glad my site has proved to be so useful to you as you learned more about how this technology works! Seriously, I know exactly how you must feel because I have learned tons in the past week as I set this up. The next thing I need to learn is how to clean up the litter you left me! :)
As far as our discussion, I am afraid that we are at an impasse (sp?). (This doesn't mean I have run out of arguements!) It seems clear that you feel just as strongly as I do on the subject and neither of us seem about to be swayed in the other's direction. Of course I would much rather the whole world agree with me on everything, but one can't have everything.
I only know my own motives in this matter so I can't speak for anyone else. I know that MY support for the policy of internment has nothing to do with racism, but rather the right of a nation to make decisions to ensure its security.
I am thankful for the thoughtful way you have articulated your position and hopefully I made some sense in getting my ideas across too.
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