POSTED: 10:52 a.m. PST February 18, 2003

Honda: Japanese Internment Should Be Remembered

By Jennifer Arterburn

SAN JOSE -- Members of the Japanese-American community are outraged by a statement made by a North Carolina congressman. Just a few days ago, he justified the interment of Japanese-Americans 61 years ago. The controversy comes as efforts are under way to start a national day of remembrance. Rep. Mike Honda has been leading an effort to get the day of remembrance made into law.

Honda is attending a meeting Tuesday in San Jose at the Japanese-American Resource Center.
The 61st anniversary of the internment falls Wednesday. Japanese-Americans say they are worried about what may happen to Muslims with a potential war in Iraq and the threat of terrorism.

They say with all the talk of war and terrorism, Muslims could be targets of a similar backlash.
"My family was interned at Tule Lake Detention Center during World War II, so when Sept. 11 happened, and racial scapegoating and all the war hysteria came up, I had the same feeling, and my family had the same feeling of concern for Muslim, Arab and South Asian-Americans," said Stacy Kono of the Nosei Network.

Kono's concerns were heightened by a Feb. 4 interview by North Carolina Rep. Howard Coble in which he implied Japanese internment was for their own protection and safety.
Kono told NBC11, "We were astounded. The impact of statements like this at a time like this, can be very devastating to communities in this country and to civil liberties in general."
San Jose native Jimi Yamaichi said the incident brought back painful memories, "This may happen again."

120,000 men, women and children of Japanese descent were locked up during World War II, many from the San Francisco Bay Area. Rep. Mike Honda says it is time Americans acknowledge the suffering of internment camp victims with a day of remembrance.

Honda told NBC11,"The lesson that's being taught by the day of remembrance is one that is based on the Constitution, not setting aside the Constitution, especially in times of tenseness."
A phone call by NBC11 to Rep. Coble's press secretary was not returned.
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