JAPANESE INTERNMENT CAMPS -- Just another American violation of an ethnic group's human and civil rights

Throughout the history of the United States, Americans have been juggling the immortal words of human and civil rights with the demands of national interests and national security. These sacred rights, which were declared irrevocable in the Declaration of Independence and guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution, have often been denied or curtailed to various individuals or ethnic groups under the guise of national security or national interests.
Americans, sedated and lulled to sleep within the comforts of their everyday-life and wrapped in an unsuspecting blanket of tranquility, are easily transformed into vengeful, fault-seeking mobs when traumatic events strike them. Individuals, families, or entire ethnic groups are easily singled out as the perpetrators of an act committed by others of within that ethnic group. This stereotyping, created by mass hysteria and national panic, has forced government leaders on many occasions to deny or curtail human and civil rights to various ethnic groups.
Minority ethnic groups of color are usually the groups that are preyed upon. There have been cases where white ethnic groups faced similar treatment. The Irish, Russian, Polish, Scottish, French, Slovak, Italian and other European ethnic groups were all victims of some type of limited discrimination and had their rights suspended, curtailed, or denied.
However, of all the ethnic groups who were treated unfairly and denied their guaranteed constitutional rights, the American Indian and the African American have suffered the most and received the harshest treatment.
African Americans came to this nation involuntarily and have suffered and endured indescribable human degradations; and yet, they have bravely fought in every American war. Their proven valor in battle left their loyalty to this nation unquestioned. However, national interests outweighed the nations’ need to provide, insure, and protect human and civil rights for African Americans. For over four-hundred years African Americans suffered humiliating and excruciating indignities. Although promised forty acres and a mule, no formal or informal apology was ever made and no reparations (not even the forty acres and the mule) were ever given to African Americans.
American Indians suffered a similar fate. Under the guise of national security and national interests – treaties were negated, Indian lands were seized, and forced evacuations of tribes to permanent reservations were ordered. Those early reservations were horrendous and the treatment of American Indians by whites was inhumane. The apathy and indifference to the plight of this ethnic group by government officials were clearly displayed by the constant denial or curtailment of their civil rights in favor of national and local interests. Those atrocities continued throughout the nineteenth century and into the twentieth century.
Other ethnic groups of color, such as the Hispanics and Latinos, have also been discriminated against and denied their constitutional rights. They have been victims of vast indignities and injustice. Under public pressure and to preserve national interests, government officials strengthened immigration laws and instituted language barriers to further restrict these ethnic groups. Many Americans still vehemently resist any formation of a bilingual nation; and when overhearing a conversation in a foreign tongue, they become highly suspicious and insist that English be the only American spoken language.
On December 7, 1941, without warning, Japan attacked the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This surprised-bombing attack destroyed much of the American Pacific Naval Fleet that was stationed there. Americans throughout the nation were stunned and appalled. American tranquility had been disrupted and hysteria spread quickly throughout the entire country.
Within hours, FBI agents (many without evidence or search warrants) went house to house and rounded up 1,212 American Japanese citizens. Those illegally seized Americans, including prominent leaders of the Japanese communities, were all taken to an unknown location, interrogated, and treated as prisoners of war.
Anti-Japanese sentiments throughout the nation were fueled by west coast farmers who competed against cheap Japanese labor. On February 4, 1942, under increasing pressure from a growing number of anti-Japanese activist groups, the U.S. Army defined twelve areas where Japanese Americans were restricted and ordered to observe a strict curfew.
Presidential Order No. 9066 was issued on February 19, 1942, prohibiting all Japanese Americans from residing on the west coast; and on March 18, 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive order 9102 for the formation of ten internment camps and the immediate transfer of Japanese Americans to these camps. These U.S. internment camps were overcrowded and provided poor living conditions.
Protests by Japanese Americans, of the constitutional legality for this forced evacuation, fell upon deaf ears. Two cases, claiming violations of the fourth, fifth, and sixth amendments, were heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court denied their petitions using the logic that the need for national security outweighed their constitutional rights. Japanese Americans, like the American Indians and the African Americans, were also denied the equal protection clause guaranteed them in the U.S. Constitution.
In 1945, President Roosevelt rescinded his executive order and in 1946, most of the internment camps were disassembled. Even though these Japanese Americans were allowed to return home, many faced a number of hostile attacks and received no relief from law enforcement officials.
On January 2, 1945, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the detention internment camps were unconstitutional and in 1948, President Harry Truman signed the Japanese Evacuation Claims Act of $131 million dollars for evacuation claims. With the 1988 Civil Liberties Act, the United States officially and formally apologized. This act also provided for $20,000 dollars to each living survivor of the camps or if deceased, the money would then go to the spouse or children.
After World War II, the threat of Communism became the dominant issue. Fear spread quickly throughout the nation and many Americans, who were suspected (with little or no proof) of being communist sympathizers, were subjected to public ridicule, congressional inquiries, and denied all due process protections.
During the 1960, civil unrest erupted with race riots and anti-war hysteria. Civil rights were again curtailed while Marshall Law and vigilante justice ruled American cities. Curfews and other restrictions were ordered by government officials. To avoid total anarchy, the government rescinded its orders and began to address the nation’s domestic issues. Other flairs of civil unrest continued throughout the 1970s, and 1980s with similar curtailments of rights.
In the 1990s, the U.S. began its War on Drugs and War on Gang Violence. During this campaign many individuals found that they were stripped of their rights. Racial profiling and police brutality became a common practice among law enforcement officials. Minority-ethnic groups became the target of this governmental abuse. Justice and due process had taken a backseat to national and local security interests.
On September 11, 2001, the United States faced a new enemy. Terrorist attacks within our borders – once again – disturbed the American tranquility. This attack renewed America’s fears of vulnerability. Distrust and dislike of any Arab, American or otherwise, was immediately formulated in the minds of many Americans throughout the nation.
Widespread panic and hysteria forced government officials to create the Department of Homeland Security and implement new national-security measures which curtailed many of our basic civil rights. Many Arab Americans were detained in holding camps, interrogated, beaten, and denied their rights under the old familiar guise of national security.
Miekel Kruchief, the Soviet Premier during the 1960s, said, “Americans do not have to fear being attacked from the outside, for we will bury you from within.” His observations and words will prove correct if we continue to let physiological differences promote fear and distrust; and blind us from the principals that this great nation was founded upon.
In order to avoid eminent self-destruction, all Americans must take a stand for justice; and recognize and learn from the mistakes of the past. Fear triggers our stereotyping distrusts, prejudices, and hatreds – and by succumbing to this fear – we will become our own worst enemy.
We can never fully right the wrongs of the past or erase the painful memories, but we can resolve to rectify the injustices of today and uphold the rights of all Americans. We can insist that, from this moment on, this nation will live up to the full measure of its creed, “…one nation, under God, with liberty, and justice for all.” By insuring, preserving, and protecting the constitutional rights for all Americans, we will never again hear any ethnic group cry out, “Is this justice… or just us?”