Eid Stamp: Why A Tiny Stamp Deserves A Huge Protest

CNSNews.com ^ | November 21, 2002 | Paul M. Weyrich

[Leisler]

11,000 German resident aliens and their familes were interned during WWII. I don't know, but wouldn't doubt that the same or more were done during WWI.

[A_perfect_lady]

Is it actually your contention that we were justified in locking Japanese-Americans up but not German-Americans? This is the question you have been avoiding from the beginning.

I haven't answered it because I suspect you're really setting me up to say I want everyone locked up who is descended from nationals from any country with whom we are at war, and that you'll accuse me of wanting to lock up all Arab-Americans next. I will note, however, that Germany did not do what Japan did to us on December 7th. Germany was involved in a war, on the other side, and we got involved. Okay, fine. But Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. They attacked US. These are not identical situations here.

[Stone Mountain]

So I have learned. Do you know what the selection criteria was for them? Was it like the Japanese where they were all taken from the West Coast?

[Stone Mountain]

I haven't answered it because I suspect you're really setting me up to say I want everyone locked up who is descended from nationals from any country with whom we are at war, and that you'll accuse me of wanting to lock up all Arab-Americans next.

You are wrong. Read my post 116. But I forgot - you don't like people to educate you...

[Stone Mountain]

Many Americans lost their lifes and limbs because of mistakes made by the government and military. What are you going to do about them?

I think they should be recognized and compensated by the government as well. And if I see people defending the governments actions in these cases, I will argue with them about it. In other words, I will do the same thing I do when I see anything that I disagree with. Does my criticism of the WWII internments in any way diminish my criticism of anything else wrong that I see?

Now you haven't told me how we are going to compensate all the Americans whose lifes, limbs, fortunes, families, homes were lost because they had to go overseas, when others of the same circumstances didn't.

That's true, I didn't. I'm not talking about compensation; I'm not talking about revenge. I'm talking about looking critically at our country's history and attempting to learn from it. Again, I wouldn't be here if it didn't appear to me that people here still think that it was a good idea to intern the Japanese. The fact that they have been compensated doesn't make the original action any less wrong - it is true that they are lucky in that the vast majority of people screwed by any government have no chance to get any compensation for their suffering, but it still doesn't make the original transgression any less wrong.

[Stone Mountain]

Now I have enjoyed discussing this with you and have not intended to be nasty. As I said, we both learned things.

Thanks - me too!

[nanny]

Again, I wouldn't be here if it didn't appear to me that people here still think that it was a good idea to intern the Japanese.

As I said, in hindsight, was it wrong or not. But can any of us say if we had been calling the shots at the time, would we have done differently. If the government had not done what it did and some collaborators helped an invasion from the Japanese, what would have been the hindsight conclusion then? If it saved the country, was their sacrifice any worse than others? No - then what was the reason for the campaign on their behalf and not others?

The fact that they have been compensated doesn't make the original action any less wrong - it is true that they are lucky in that the vast majority of people screwed by any government have no chance to get any compensation for their suffering, but it still doesn't make the original transgression any less wrong.

The wrong that was done to the Americans of Japanese decent, in my opinion was far less egregious than was done to Americans who went to war and were harmed by either mistakes or deliberate actions of draft boards, or by military or political leaders. It was a judgement made during time of war - and in hindsight looks bad - but does not deserve the handwringing it has brought about, in my opinion - that is why I get angry when it is used to try to shut up any suggestion that we need to do something now.

My goodness everytime anyone suggests stopping affirmative action, set asides, etc., we still get beat over the head with slavery - just silly. WE made mistakes, lots of them over time, we will make more. Why pick and choose a few and not all. Because it fits the media agenda. It is just wrong to do that. I have learned over the years to look really hard at what and who the media and the left champions.

[Capt. Tom]

Neither the Jews or Christians have in their belief system instructions from God to install a Sharia type of law.

The muslims are under this obligation and there are countries around the world that have done this.

Your US Constitution that protects minorities, won't save you from the sword of Islam if they get the upper hand as they have done in other countries. - tom

[nutmeg]

bump

[Leisler]

I just remembered that during WW One, there was quiet the round up of reds, anarchists, Germans... So I just did a quick google search under the words "interment" "German American". I know very little.