<Begin Segment 15>

AI: You know, I'd like to ask a little bit more about, as you were raising your kids. Did you tell them much about the war years or the camp experience?

SO: Constantly. All the time.

AI: From a young age?

SO: Oh, yes. Not too young because they wouldn't understand. But certainly when they were school age. Oh, yes.

AI: What kinds of things did you tell them?

SO: How much fun I had. Also the, the fact that being a citizen was not always a hundred percent fool-proof protection from the government. Like the Korean War, I think that's when we, we started seriously discussing with my son -- when my son went to Long Beach State, he took an Asian Studies class. And he did tell me he was the only one who raised his hand when they asked, "How many of you know about evacuation in the camps?"

AI: Is that right?

SO: Uh-huh.

AI: The only one.

SO: But he was, he was pretty knowledgeable because he knew most of the camps, where they were located. Yes. Decidedly so. I think my sisters, too.

AI: And then -- what now, Lisa also, it sounds like she took in quite a bit of the information.

SO: She's very interested in anything to do with family history. So she's constantly asking things. And she tries to sort out chronologically the happenings in the family. She used to talk to my dad a lot, and my mom.

AI: Now, let's see, I think you've mentioned in an earlier conversation about your dad, that when the redress activities were starting up, he had an interest in that?

SO: He just told me, I didn't know it, but he said there were four gentlemen in the Seattle area who were starting it. And that he says, any amount of money should go to them to get it going. And it doesn't matter when or how much, but he said, "We've got something coming." He didn't mention the apology so much, as he just went, "How much?" And he did contribute way back. But he didn't live to get the redress.

AI: That's sad. But it sounds like he was a very firm believer about this.

SO: Oh, he was very much for it. Very much. My dad was also a very loving, affectionate, fun man.

AI: How about yourself, when you finally received your apology and your redress? How, what was your reaction?

SO: Actually, not a whole lot, except $20,000 never hurt, is how I felt. To be really honest, no. 'Cause apologies don't really have that kind of meaning that many years later. Granted, it's overdue. Highly overdue. And the amount is tremendous, when you figure out everybody that was receiving it. But when you think about the losses of the Isseis, it's minuscule. But I'll take it anytime.

<End Segment 15> - Copyright © 1999 Densho. All Rights Reserved.