Densho Digital Repository - Homer Yasui Interview (Densho ID: ddr-densho-1000-491-17)

<Begin Segment 17>

BY: Okay, so I want to ask you a question totally... well, not totally unrelated, but unrelated to wartime experiences. So you talked in your first interview about how your father would always stress to you and your brothers and sisters about how important it was to work hard, do your best, be honest, Christian values, you said plus the samurai and Confucian virtues to do good and be good. And Tom's dad also, in his interview, talked about "be good," "be a good example." And also your mom and dad were very, very big on education. And so all of these traits have been bundled into this term called the "model minority," you've probably heard that. Have you heard that term?

HY: Oh, yeah.

BY: And there are those who say that that's a myth, that's just a label. And I'm really curious about what you think about the idea of the "model minority" and do you think it's a myth or do you think it's true?

HY: I don't think it's a myth, I think it's absolutely true, and I think the Issei all did, like Tom's parents, his father, he got the same lesson from his parents that I did. And I'm pretty sure the Issei were like that, all Issei, and I'm pretty sure that most Nisei were like that. And of course there's going to be some aberration, there was going to be crooks and gamblers and pimps and so on. But they are very, very few because that the Nikkei, even today, are indeed a model minority. Look at our educational level, our criminal record level, the work ethic level, it's almost incomprehensible now when you stack it up to today. And I think it's remarkable what the Nikkei have done.

BY: And so do you think there's anything... it sounds like you think it's a positive thing then.

HY: Oh, absolutely, I do.

BY: Do you think there's any downside to that?

HY: Oh, yeah. You don't have as much fun.

BY: [Laughs]

HY: Well, because, you know, it's duty. It's duty, majime na neshin. It's duty. And duty is not always fun.

BY: Okay, all right.

TI: And so is this more genetic or behavioral? Is it like... how does this come about?

HY: No, I think it's behavioral. I think it was passed down from the centuries from our forbearers in the old country and they talked about "majime na," which means "solemn, regular," and "neshin," "persevere." I think all the Nisei -- Nisei now, I don't know about the rest of your generation, but I think all the Niseis' generation heard the same story from the same group of parents. I think that's amazing trait, is what I think.