On the recordFebruary 16, 2011
This Saturday, Japanese Americans will take a moment to remember the tragic events that imprisoned their community 69 years ago. In 1942, President Roosevelt signed one of the strongest acts against American citizens, Executive Order 9066, imprisoning 120,000 Japanese Americans with the stroke of a pen. Half of those incarcerated were children posing no threat to our national security. But these concentration camps were labeled a military necessity, and so they, too, were rounded up and forced to live their childhood in bleak, remote camps surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards. Families were forced out of their homes, made to leave their jobs and abandon their positions. Families were torn apart. This unconstitutional act was a blatant violation of Americans' civil rights. And all of this occurred at the hands of our government oppressing individual freedom for years without any factual basis and without due process. That is why I plan to introduce a bill tomorrow to institute a National Day of Remembrance to annually observe the signing of Executive Order 9066. This brings back painful memories of a period in American history, but it is important for us to remember because it also provides an ongoing reminder about the value of protecting the civil rights of all people. The Day of Remembrance also honors all who fought and continued to fight for freedom and equality among all people.
