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AI: Well, more recently, of course, we had September 11, 2001, and I just wanted to ask you about that day. Some folks I've talked to had said that when the terrorist attacks happened that day, that it reminded them of the past.

MN: I don't know whether it reminded me of the past, but I was glued to the TV all day watching the whole thing, and it was frightening that something like that could happen.

AI: And then, of course, after that, there was so much, so much media coverage and the commentary, and some of the commentators started comparing it to Pearl Harbor. Did you happen to hear that or did...

MN: No, I didn't hear that, no.

AI: Did you think there was any comparison?

MN: No, but I think it was worse than Pearl Harbor, 'cause it took a lot more people, innocent people.

AI: And then, of course, after that there was quite a backlash against people who appeared to be Middle Eastern or Muslim.

MN: Yeah, I thought that was real unfair, because none of them had committed any crime, but just because they looked different like we looked different during the '40s that we were prosecuted. So I don't think it was fair to them that they would get the same treatment that we got. But I could remember one of 'em said that they were taken, hauled in, and they were taken to the immigration office on Dearborn Street. Well, that's where my father was, that was sixty years ago. And I go, "What have we learned? The same thing is happening again." And just Saturday I was at a workshop, teachers' workshop, and I was amazed at how the Arabs and the Muslims are still being prosecuted. She said, "It never ends." So I don't know whether we learned anything from our experiences. But I didn't realize how bad it was still.

AI: And so when people say, "Well, what happened to Japanese Americans can never happen again," what are you thinking about that now?

MN: It could happen again, but I think there's enough people that will protest against it, that chances of happening again would be very slim.

AI: But it is disturbing to see what kind of treatment people are getting now.

MN: When they even talk about putting 'em in camp, that was distressing, this day and age. So what have they learned since World War II?

AI: Well, is, is there anything else that you'd like to mention, or anything else you'd like to tell?

MN: Not really, but it's been a good life. Learned a lot, and as long as I'm healthy and able to speak, I think I'll speak out because our story has to be told.

AI: Well, thanks very much for telling it to us today.

MN: Well, my pleasure.

<End Segment 34> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.