<Begin Segment 29>

TI: Well, and one last question. Just because you knew the man who essentially built the World Trade towers, what was your thoughts on September 11, 2001, when you saw those towers come down? What were some of the things that, that came to your mind? I'm sure a lot of different things.

MH: Yeah, that's a hard question to answer. Of course, initially shock, but I thought, "Oh, my God, Min's, Min's" -- I used to call him Tinky -- "Tinky's building's gone. All those people." And I thought of the people in the thing, but I also thought about their families. That must have been horrible for them. And when you see those people rushing out of there for their dear lives, it was horrible.

TI: And did you ever think about the ramifications of that event and what would happen in our country? I mean, some people have likened that to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in terms of a, sort of a, sort of a national sort of act of war against our nation. And I'm wondering if you thought that this, what happened to Japanese Americans might have been repeated, or would be repeated against Arab Americans or Muslim Americans.

MH: The first thing I did was I went to the, the... what do they call it? Their temple.

TI: The mosque?

MH: Yeah, in north end, in Lake City, and I spoke to the people, talked with the people, and I gave a donation. That was my first reaction, was to go and see those people and tell them that I was with them.

TI: So why was that your first reaction? What were you thinking, what were you feeling?

MH: Oh, because I thought after Pearl Harbor how hard it was for us, after a thing like that, how hard it would be for alien-looking people, especially... what are they? What would you call that whole group?

TI: So Muslim Americans?

MH: Muslims.

TI: Arab Americans.

MH: Arab Americans, all those people. How awful to live in fear and to be suspected. And those are the times that you really need to know your rights, know your strengths and use them. Use them. I believe in every person doing everything he can to make this a better place. Use your power, use your creative talent.

TI: Well, on that note, I'm going to end the interview. Thank you so much, this was a wonderful...

MH: Thank you for having me. It's been wonderful just meeting you, and being able to tell you some of these things that have been so meaningful to me.

<End Segment 29> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.