This is a public statement as Japanese Americans, standing up against racism, and standing with and in support of the Muslim community which has been targeted specifically and unjustly in this period, in much the same way that the Japanese American community was targeted during WWII.
This is a public statement in response to an escalation of hate rhetoric directed at Muslims. The recent comments by Trump surrogates referring to “Japanese American internment as a precedence” for Muslim registries is both alarming and dangerous.
If you agree with us, please take a moment to read this letter and sign-on. I’d appreciate it if you would also share this link widely.
As the community that has been targeted, and scapegoated here in the United States with this kind of racism, our voice in this period matters. Our historical response as a community to racism, incarceration and violation of civil liberties carries moral authority.
There is a need to activate and initiate in this time. We need to start reaching between communities and building our alliances.
We can be the kind of allies that our community needed when we were being rounded up and forcibly removed to concentration camps.
As a first step, please join us in speaking out against Muslim Registries and policies based in racism and oppression.
There is also a link in our statement to a petition by the DRUM organization asking President Obama to take steps to dismantle the post 9/11 authority to create a Muslim Registry.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NYDOR/
Digitized for the Oakland Museum of California Museum Technology Initiative for Educational Outreach, July 1, 2010 through June 31, 2011.
