This is lovely, Sabrina - thanks! As you know, Sonya and I were similarly moved when we visited Manzanar en route to Death Valley in February 2023. It’s a sobering, even shocking, place, and one that I think every American should experience.
Thanks Martin. I looked for the baseball when we visited but I didn't see it. Agreed that everyone should visit. It was heartening to see so many people there the day we visited, including lots of families with school-aged children.
Thanks for sharing your trip to Manzanar. Was Tanforan Park in the East Bay mentioned.? It was a processing facility and I believe many Japanese-Americans were housed there as well. During TransAm bike race in 2019 I rode past the Amache Relocation Center near Grenada Colorado. I had no idea. Then I recollected there was another camp at Heart Mountain in Wyoming. Both were located in very remote areas. It is problematic to misjudge or stereotype and how guilty one feels when you find out "they" are very nice people. And when you find out they can be interesting people. Last year while we were in the Gulf Islands of BC, Canada we were talking with a Canadian couple. We have a number of Canadian friends and they asked how that came about. So we filled them in. But when we were alone I said to Kathy "because we're the nice Americans". Holy crap, look where we are now!
I don't remember any reference to Tanforan Park, but the visitor centre was closed (staff resource issues....) so we only were able to access part of the interpretive material. I am sure the other camps you saw were equally as bleak. Keep on being the nice ones Crowell!
Thank you for this enlightening post and reminding us about being judgemental about those we don't know. An important lesson for all of us everyday.
I read a fabulous book Facing the Mountain by one of my favorite nonfiction writers, Daniel James Brown. It's about the Japanese who fought in World War II. After the U.S. government made them leave their businesses, homes, families, and education and forced them into these concentration camps, many men volunteered for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and were deployed to France, Germany, and Italy,. It turned out these men, many of whom died, fought some of the toughest battles in the snow in the mountains and were some of the bravest in the war.
When they came home, they returned to the camps. It's a powerful story and I must confess I shed a few tears over the bravery, courage, and compassion for these people.
Echoing what Martin said, everyone should read this book.
Thank you for the reference to this book Andrea, I had not heard of it. This is a shameful chapter in the American story, and so important to be reminded if it in hopes we do not repeat the same level of xenophobia again.
A dear US friend who is of Japanese descent often talks about how her family were incarcerated during WWII. She now, by choice, lives in France, and is terrified that such nationalistic, blinkered thinking might happen to others of her clan in the USA because 'they look Asian'. I feel for her deep experience and will never judge her for her very relevant fears.
I think we're all guilty of making assumptions. Every one of us. Comes back to the old saying: 'You can't judge a book by its cover...'
Absolutely. And no matter how open-minded I think I am, I still get caught out with assumptions and bad guesses. Sigh. I have to consistently check my assumptions and rely on knowing that my intentions are good, and hope that in the end, good will prevail.
I like this. Many thanks. I believe that human beings are "hard-wired" to be xenophobic and racist, and quick to judge and mistrust the "other." Happily, this urge is tensely counterpoised by natural tendencies for trust and social cooperation and altriusm. The conflict, however, seems everpresent.
There were also Japanese internment camps here in NZ during the war. One near Wellington incarcerated 800 people and subjected them to slave labor. When a protest erupted a guard opened fire. In less than a minute 48 were dead. News of the "mutiny" was suppressed from the papers out of fear that Japan would retaliate against NZ and Austrlian POWs.
Oh goodness, that is quite a story Tim. You are so right about that conflict between mistrust and social cooperation. In my ever-Pollyanna way, I am always hoping for the trust and good to win out.
In college I read a book called “Farewell to Manzanar,” written by a young woman who had been interned there. She visited our class, and the experience was informative and memorable.
Oh goodness, that must have been very impressive. I was reminded of that book when I was visiting there; I had forgotten all about it. Thanks for sharing that Linda.
This is lovely, Sabrina - thanks! As you know, Sonya and I were similarly moved when we visited Manzanar en route to Death Valley in February 2023. It’s a sobering, even shocking, place, and one that I think every American should experience.
Thanks Martin. I looked for the baseball when we visited but I didn't see it. Agreed that everyone should visit. It was heartening to see so many people there the day we visited, including lots of families with school-aged children.
Thanks for sharing your trip to Manzanar. Was Tanforan Park in the East Bay mentioned.? It was a processing facility and I believe many Japanese-Americans were housed there as well. During TransAm bike race in 2019 I rode past the Amache Relocation Center near Grenada Colorado. I had no idea. Then I recollected there was another camp at Heart Mountain in Wyoming. Both were located in very remote areas. It is problematic to misjudge or stereotype and how guilty one feels when you find out "they" are very nice people. And when you find out they can be interesting people. Last year while we were in the Gulf Islands of BC, Canada we were talking with a Canadian couple. We have a number of Canadian friends and they asked how that came about. So we filled them in. But when we were alone I said to Kathy "because we're the nice Americans". Holy crap, look where we are now!
I don't remember any reference to Tanforan Park, but the visitor centre was closed (staff resource issues....) so we only were able to access part of the interpretive material. I am sure the other camps you saw were equally as bleak. Keep on being the nice ones Crowell!
Thank you for this enlightening post and reminding us about being judgemental about those we don't know. An important lesson for all of us everyday.
I read a fabulous book Facing the Mountain by one of my favorite nonfiction writers, Daniel James Brown. It's about the Japanese who fought in World War II. After the U.S. government made them leave their businesses, homes, families, and education and forced them into these concentration camps, many men volunteered for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and were deployed to France, Germany, and Italy,. It turned out these men, many of whom died, fought some of the toughest battles in the snow in the mountains and were some of the bravest in the war.
When they came home, they returned to the camps. It's a powerful story and I must confess I shed a few tears over the bravery, courage, and compassion for these people.
Echoing what Martin said, everyone should read this book.
Thank you for the reference to this book Andrea, I had not heard of it. This is a shameful chapter in the American story, and so important to be reminded if it in hopes we do not repeat the same level of xenophobia again.
Yeah, cuz that's exactly where we're headed :(
A dear US friend who is of Japanese descent often talks about how her family were incarcerated during WWII. She now, by choice, lives in France, and is terrified that such nationalistic, blinkered thinking might happen to others of her clan in the USA because 'they look Asian'. I feel for her deep experience and will never judge her for her very relevant fears.
I think we're all guilty of making assumptions. Every one of us. Comes back to the old saying: 'You can't judge a book by its cover...'
Absolutely. And no matter how open-minded I think I am, I still get caught out with assumptions and bad guesses. Sigh. I have to consistently check my assumptions and rely on knowing that my intentions are good, and hope that in the end, good will prevail.
And your friend is sadly right to be worried.
I like this. Many thanks. I believe that human beings are "hard-wired" to be xenophobic and racist, and quick to judge and mistrust the "other." Happily, this urge is tensely counterpoised by natural tendencies for trust and social cooperation and altriusm. The conflict, however, seems everpresent.
There were also Japanese internment camps here in NZ during the war. One near Wellington incarcerated 800 people and subjected them to slave labor. When a protest erupted a guard opened fire. In less than a minute 48 were dead. News of the "mutiny" was suppressed from the papers out of fear that Japan would retaliate against NZ and Austrlian POWs.
Oh goodness, that is quite a story Tim. You are so right about that conflict between mistrust and social cooperation. In my ever-Pollyanna way, I am always hoping for the trust and good to win out.
In college I read a book called “Farewell to Manzanar,” written by a young woman who had been interned there. She visited our class, and the experience was informative and memorable.
Oh goodness, that must have been very impressive. I was reminded of that book when I was visiting there; I had forgotten all about it. Thanks for sharing that Linda.
To quote the great Ted Lasso - be curious not judgmental. It’s something I’m trying to do
Great words to remember Vicki, thanks for the reminder!