Reading this made me sick to my stomach and overwhelmingly sad. We are watching history repeat itself. The administration is so very arrogant with its America First agenda that makes me embarrassed. We are the richest country in the world and we're forgetting that our country was founded on immigrants. How sad and disgusting it is to hear Stephen Miller spout lies to everyone just because he feels better than everyone else. Just sickening.
It’s hard not to feel heartbreak and frustration when we see echoes of past injustices reemerge. Your emotions are justified—no one should have to witness a country founded by immigrants denying its very roots. (Including all 4 of my grandparents)
We’re in a moment where strong voices are needed to counter the arrogance and misinformation you’re describing. Sharing your reaction, speaking out, and holding leaders accountable are powerful ways to insist on truth and compassion. Thank you for being brave enough to name what’s happening—recognizing it is the first step to ensuring history doesn’t repeat itself.
The propaganda campaign to malign Japanese was so affective that my mother continued to fear Japanese people for many decades. She was a high school student in California during the war and had powerful memories implanted by the anti-Japanese sentiments of the time. Over 50 years after the war ended, I shared with her my interest in applying to work/teach English in Japan and she was quite worried and tried to talk me out of it. Her pleas for me to not go were shocking as she was otherwise a very kind and compassionate person.
I think the lesson here is, YES! it is very important that we speak up against the actions and messaging of the current administration. Not only might this help those detained illegally but it may also help counteract the unnecessary/unjustified fear and prejudice influenced by the government’s actions.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Barb. It’s such a powerful reminder of how deeply propaganda can take root - not just in policies, but in hearts and minds, even among people who are otherwise kind and caring. That generational echo of fear you describe is exactly why these conversations matter so much today. History shows us how easily governments can weaponize fear, and how long the damage can last if it goes unchallenged. I really appreciate you drawing that line so clearly between then and now.
We’re seeing this happen all over again. A once proud nation has been brought low by FEAR; just like Dec. 8, 1942. The excuses were flimsy then. There is no excuse now. Sickening to watch.
SPW, I hear you loud and clear. We’re about the same age, and it’s gut-wrenching to see the same fear-based logic resurface—just like it did in December 1942. Back then, the excuses were flimsy; today, there’s no excuse at all. It’s heartbreaking to watch our country lean into the same mistakes. Thank you for speaking out—I’m with you in hoping we can stop this cycle before it’s too late.
Chiming in here to say there's a truly wonderful exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in DC right now thru Aug 17th. It's entitled "Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo" and displays many examples of midcentury American art by these three distinguished masters from San Francisco. One section in particular is outstanding, revealing drawings and paintings done in captivity. And there is a standout exhibit devoted to Miné Okubo's work on a graphic memoir of her experience of the internment process, drawings made almost every day throughout the incarceration, from being rounded up with almost no notice, shipped to the race track in San Bruno CA, 'housed' in shacks, and eventually transported to Topaz, Utah. "Citizen 13660" is really an amazing document.
My gosh – I just read your book about the Japanese American experience in 20th century Portland. Respect (and a little nostalgia – my mom grew up there in the 30's/40's).
It’s painful to acknowledge the injustices woven into our countrys history—and even more painful to see similar patterns repeated today. Recognizing these past crimes and their present-day echoes is an essential step toward real change. Thank you for voicing this truth. By remembering and facing these difficult chapters, we stand a better chance of preventing them from happening again.
Thank you for such a detailed piece about another shameful moment in our nation's history. This, too, is not taught in history classes and MANY Americans only hear tidbits about George Takei's experience as a five-year-old in an internment camp. I am restacking, and I hope everyone who reads this does as well.
Thank you so much for reading and sharing, Jude. Shedding light on these difficult chapters is vital if we want future generations to truly learn from the past. Im grateful for readers like you who help spread awareness beyond the textbook soundbites. By restacking and discussing these stories, we can challenge the silence and move closer to the honest, inclusive history we all deserve.
An insightful and alarming post, Peter, and a stark reminder to Portlanders like me how its once thriving Japantown got nearly wiped off the map. Now it's starting all over again. Beyond shameful.
I remember a story my (much older) father once told me. As a young man, he had to make a delivery to the temporary assembly center near what is now the Expo Center. This must've been early 1942. From inside the fence, a detainee called out to him — a friend my dad had gone to high school with.
He begged my dad to do something, anything, to help, but my dad could do nothing. And my dad was so scared too. His voice broke when he told me the story some fifty years later. Such was the shame, and the fear.
Our original sins never stop repeating themselves, and harming us all once again.
Such a tough memory for your dad to carry. And so much worse for his friend in the camp. In my Japantown book there's a parallel story.
"I had repressed all of these hurts and you know, humiliation actually, of having those [Caucasian] friends visit me there. Because they couldn't come in and so they would stand outside the barbed wire fence and I would be inside and I'd be talking to them. And you know, it was so humiliating. You know, it was like you were a prisoner, and here you hadn't done anything, but here you were a prisoner." ~ Chiye Tomihiro was 17 when she and her family were incarcerated at the Portland Assembly Center
Some background: The Portland Assembly Center was really the Pacific International Livestock Exposition Pavilion. Plywood construction and rough partitions could not cloak the smell of manure, or deter the swarms of black flies.
For four months, over 3,500 evacuees made do in this roughshod temporary housing with minimal plumbing and little privacy. No information was given on how long they would be at the assembly center or where they would go next.
Lessons learned? Um, none? But do look for my soon to be published pocket guide with many useful tools like How to Spot a MAGA. It can be tricky without the hat and truck.
Reading this made me sick to my stomach and overwhelmingly sad. We are watching history repeat itself. The administration is so very arrogant with its America First agenda that makes me embarrassed. We are the richest country in the world and we're forgetting that our country was founded on immigrants. How sad and disgusting it is to hear Stephen Miller spout lies to everyone just because he feels better than everyone else. Just sickening.
It’s hard not to feel heartbreak and frustration when we see echoes of past injustices reemerge. Your emotions are justified—no one should have to witness a country founded by immigrants denying its very roots. (Including all 4 of my grandparents)
We’re in a moment where strong voices are needed to counter the arrogance and misinformation you’re describing. Sharing your reaction, speaking out, and holding leaders accountable are powerful ways to insist on truth and compassion. Thank you for being brave enough to name what’s happening—recognizing it is the first step to ensuring history doesn’t repeat itself.
The propaganda campaign to malign Japanese was so affective that my mother continued to fear Japanese people for many decades. She was a high school student in California during the war and had powerful memories implanted by the anti-Japanese sentiments of the time. Over 50 years after the war ended, I shared with her my interest in applying to work/teach English in Japan and she was quite worried and tried to talk me out of it. Her pleas for me to not go were shocking as she was otherwise a very kind and compassionate person.
I think the lesson here is, YES! it is very important that we speak up against the actions and messaging of the current administration. Not only might this help those detained illegally but it may also help counteract the unnecessary/unjustified fear and prejudice influenced by the government’s actions.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Barb. It’s such a powerful reminder of how deeply propaganda can take root - not just in policies, but in hearts and minds, even among people who are otherwise kind and caring. That generational echo of fear you describe is exactly why these conversations matter so much today. History shows us how easily governments can weaponize fear, and how long the damage can last if it goes unchallenged. I really appreciate you drawing that line so clearly between then and now.
Yes! The test with 100% accuracy.
We’re seeing this happen all over again. A once proud nation has been brought low by FEAR; just like Dec. 8, 1942. The excuses were flimsy then. There is no excuse now. Sickening to watch.
SPW, I hear you loud and clear. We’re about the same age, and it’s gut-wrenching to see the same fear-based logic resurface—just like it did in December 1942. Back then, the excuses were flimsy; today, there’s no excuse at all. It’s heartbreaking to watch our country lean into the same mistakes. Thank you for speaking out—I’m with you in hoping we can stop this cycle before it’s too late.
Hi Peter –
Chiming in here to say there's a truly wonderful exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in DC right now thru Aug 17th. It's entitled "Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo" and displays many examples of midcentury American art by these three distinguished masters from San Francisco. One section in particular is outstanding, revealing drawings and paintings done in captivity. And there is a standout exhibit devoted to Miné Okubo's work on a graphic memoir of her experience of the internment process, drawings made almost every day throughout the incarceration, from being rounded up with almost no notice, shipped to the race track in San Bruno CA, 'housed' in shacks, and eventually transported to Topaz, Utah. "Citizen 13660" is really an amazing document.
Lucky you for seeing that. Hope it travels. Sounds fascinating. Thanks. I always learn from you.
My gosh – I just read your book about the Japanese American experience in 20th century Portland. Respect (and a little nostalgia – my mom grew up there in the 30's/40's).
Guess she saw it all.
One of the many past crimes to humanity during the “evolution” of the united states. And unfortunately, it continues today
It’s painful to acknowledge the injustices woven into our countrys history—and even more painful to see similar patterns repeated today. Recognizing these past crimes and their present-day echoes is an essential step toward real change. Thank you for voicing this truth. By remembering and facing these difficult chapters, we stand a better chance of preventing them from happening again.
Thank you for such a detailed piece about another shameful moment in our nation's history. This, too, is not taught in history classes and MANY Americans only hear tidbits about George Takei's experience as a five-year-old in an internment camp. I am restacking, and I hope everyone who reads this does as well.
Thank you so much for reading and sharing, Jude. Shedding light on these difficult chapters is vital if we want future generations to truly learn from the past. Im grateful for readers like you who help spread awareness beyond the textbook soundbites. By restacking and discussing these stories, we can challenge the silence and move closer to the honest, inclusive history we all deserve.
An insightful and alarming post, Peter, and a stark reminder to Portlanders like me how its once thriving Japantown got nearly wiped off the map. Now it's starting all over again. Beyond shameful.
I remember a story my (much older) father once told me. As a young man, he had to make a delivery to the temporary assembly center near what is now the Expo Center. This must've been early 1942. From inside the fence, a detainee called out to him — a friend my dad had gone to high school with.
He begged my dad to do something, anything, to help, but my dad could do nothing. And my dad was so scared too. His voice broke when he told me the story some fifty years later. Such was the shame, and the fear.
Our original sins never stop repeating themselves, and harming us all once again.
Such a tough memory for your dad to carry. And so much worse for his friend in the camp. In my Japantown book there's a parallel story.
"I had repressed all of these hurts and you know, humiliation actually, of having those [Caucasian] friends visit me there. Because they couldn't come in and so they would stand outside the barbed wire fence and I would be inside and I'd be talking to them. And you know, it was so humiliating. You know, it was like you were a prisoner, and here you hadn't done anything, but here you were a prisoner." ~ Chiye Tomihiro was 17 when she and her family were incarcerated at the Portland Assembly Center
Some background: The Portland Assembly Center was really the Pacific International Livestock Exposition Pavilion. Plywood construction and rough partitions could not cloak the smell of manure, or deter the swarms of black flies.
For four months, over 3,500 evacuees made do in this roughshod temporary housing with minimal plumbing and little privacy. No information was given on how long they would be at the assembly center or where they would go next.
Wow, great quote. Thanks for that background too.
Lessons learned? Um, none? But do look for my soon to be published pocket guide with many useful tools like How to Spot a MAGA. It can be tricky without the hat and truck.
You could always ask who won 2020 election