<Begin Segment 34>

MN: Now, for people like yourself, Tak, who did not go to camp, were you eligible for redress during, after Ronald Reagan signed the 1988 reparation bill?

TY: Yes.

MN: What did you think about that?

TY: Well, I thought we deserved something because they uprooted the American citizens, so I figured the government owed us something at that time. And then I wasn't really worried about it, but I'm sure they would've came through with something. And then, and then I thought it was a good thing that we Japanese people fought for our rights, and we shouldn't have really had to fight for our rights, but we did and we got it, which was a plus. And I was happy with twenty thousand, but I kind of think that wasn't enough, but I guess at that time it was okay. I would say that I wasn't really happy about it, but it was okay.

MN: Now, in retrospect, would it have been easier for your family to have gone into camp?

TY: Well, I don't, I can't really say that. I think they, it was better that we went outside.

MN: Why is that so?

TY: We had freedom, and then we didn't... well, the biggest, biggest thing was we had freedom, okay, and we could do anything we want and we weren't cooped up, you see, and we could go anywhere we want. If we want to go a hundred miles today we can get on the car and go a hundred miles, see? And I thought that was a plus, 'cause then they couldn't done that to a hundred twenty thousand people, you see? And so it was tough on us, but it was tougher on the people that went into camp, is the way I look at it, because they were cooped up, right? And so only thing they could do was talk to people, good or bad. And we had the freedom to talk to anybody, go see anything, entertainment and see the mountain, the springs, river, going fishing, whatever else. And I kind of thought that was, it was good, but it, everybody can't, couldn't do that.

MN: How do you feel about how history is being written? Seems like a lot of the museums or a lot of books focus on camp. Do you feel, as one of the people who did not go into camp, do you feel like your story is neglected?

TY: Well, I think some, something, I always used to think that something should be written about people like us, and then when I go to a museum I look for books, but I don't see any. So I used to, I used to think that I wish I could write a book, but I never did study poli science or whatever in high school and I don't know the first thing about it. Then I started many times, but I said, no, I don't think I could write a book. But I wanted to, before I die, you know? But I'm glad you're doing this. I am, I really am.

<End Segment 34> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.