Japanese-Americans and Arab-Americans in America's Past and Present

January 23, 2003

Source: The Indianapolis Star

http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/9/017487-1559-009.html

On January 23, 2003 The Indianapolis Star "asked David Suzuki... [whose] parents were imprisoned for about three years while the United States and the Allied forces were at war with Japan... to compare the treatment of Japanese-Americans during World War II to the treatment of Arab-Americans and Muslims since the start of the war on terrorism and in anticipation of military conflict with Iraq... [He said,] the extended detention of Arab-Americans without formal accusations, the authorization of military tribunals and the use of racial profiling indicate that we could be heading down the same road that the nation mistakenly took 60 years ago. Then, as now, racially motivated fear and hatred seem to be driving some people's actions... [Nevertheless,] There are indications we may have learned from past mistakes. I have heard that Arab-Americans and Muslim Americans have received letters of support and encouragement from the non-Arab community. I believe that there is a level of concern for human rights today that would motivate many Americans to strongly oppose the mass incarceration of Arab-Americans."