<Begin Segment 31>

LH: So at that point, when you're a dental student, you, you felt uncomfortable when people said or thought that you were Japanese before they, knowing you as a person.

FK: I don't know if I'd specifically say that. I was still into a lot of stuff. I mean I was like, I was in the SAIYUK Leadership Society at the dorms and I was actually elected president of our, of our dorms. So, so I was still into a lot of stuff and doing a lot of things and...

LH: In some way did you, did you feel that being Japanese was less than being Caucasian?

FK: Than being Caucasian... I, I assume I did. Otherwise I wouldn't had this struggle to try to be someone else than I really was. The problem with, the problem with... my, and not that long ago I went to a... I was, we were real fortunate to be able to have Gerald Jampolsky, who's a medical physician that works with kids who have AIDS and gives free clinics for kids that have AIDS, gave us a course. And he said, "You know what the opposite of hate is?" And of course, since I know all the answers, I said... I mean, I'm sorry, "what the opposite of love is?" And of course, since I knew all the answers, I said, "Well, the opposite of love is hate." And he said, "No, that really isn't what it is, it's really fear." He said that when we're afraid of what's going to happen to us, or afraid for ourselves, we can't love someone else because we're too busy either protecting ourselves or building an, building an image that you want other people to see. So, and that's, that's kind of when you look at it, why certain things happen. Maybe even why we were put in concentration camp. Because the fear was so great at that time, of people who felt like they had to do something with us because they were afraid.

And, and I can see where, where it, I certainly wasn't free to care or love for someone else if I was spending all my time trying to be somebody who I really wasn't and, and maybe I... I was also real fortunate that there were some real significant, leaders in the church that I was associated with, as far as with the youth groups. I mean, they were really neat, youth group ministers and lab teachers and so forth, who were, who were very... sensitive as far as, what ever it meant to care for someone else and so forth. But it isn't particularly because they were religious, it was just stuff that really made sense to me. So, and, and I still have problems with, with people who have a, a certain specific definition of Christianity as far as doing good and doing that kind of stuff because I, I don't think that's where it's really at. I really feel it's more a chance to feel... free and know who you are, and be able to help other people. And maybe it's kind of a Buddhist definition of Christianity. Which it seems kind of funny, but... but 'cause, 'cause, the more I become aware of what Buddhism is, I'm thinking that's probably closer to my roots. But at that same time, there's an aspect of Christianity that really fits in as far as, as far as, that type of stuff too.

LH: So this was an influence on you...

FK: Yes.

LH: At that time when you were going to the University of Washington.

FK: To the UW. That I really fell into... I'd, I'd gone to the Congregational Church on the Island and, and I'd worked with some youth groups and stuff, and I just kind of fell into... and I'd gone to summer camps for, I was an advisor there. So I kind of fell into knowing some of the people at the UW, and they were looking for youth group leaders and stuff, so I just happened to fall into that. That obviously had a greater influence on me than I probably had on them, as far as, making me feel like I could be okay just by being who I was. So, and in that sense... that was helpful to me. I spent a lot of time in churches and youth groups, and in the last few years -- I shouldn't say the last few years, I should maybe the last twenty years -- I haven't gone at all. So, [Laughs] so, and I, I don't know what that means. Maybe I, I decided that I had to take what I got in church and then start using it, rather than just going to church. I don't know what it is, but I haven't, so... but I still have that strong feeling of how it really helped me.

LH: I see, I see.

<End Segment 31> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.