<Begin Segment 35>

DG: And so, tell me in conclusion again what you want your grandchildren to know about this experience?

SS: I want them to know that they are Americans first and Japanese second. That if they believe in something that's right, that they don't have to knuckle over but they shouldn't fight it to get killed because then they lose the purpose. I want them to be proud of their heritage and proud of us, right?

KS: Right.

SS: And just be good people. And hopefully then, no other, non-white Americans would go through the experience that we have, because for one thing it leaves a person humiliated, bitter and...

DG: How did you get over the bitterness?

SS: I guess when you have kids, you don't want them to be bitter. But you want to teach them... but you want them to be strong.

DG: You couldn't talk about this for a long time.

SS: But I think bits and pieces I have talked to them and I think that helped. And then, when your grandkids come. We're happy now, aren't we?

KS: Oh, oh, very happy.

SS: [Laughs] So, I think that's the main thing and --

DG: But it still upsets you when people talk about renunciation.

SS: Yeah, it upsets me only when they said "no-nos," disloyal people renounced because that's not true. People have family reasons for having done it. And actually, if the government were smarter they wouldn't have given us our renunciations because of the reasons why we had to go.

DG: One of the things that I noticed in particular is that both of you being from Hawaii, you're not afraid to be Japanese whereas those of us stateside try harder to become American.

SS: But why shouldn't we be proud, right? Of our ancestors. Our parents were good parents.

DG: Ken, you were discriminated when you came over here, too because of your...?

SS: Right...

KS: Yeah -- I think we have to remember that America is not for the whites alone. America is for everyone who were born here. I think that's an important thing to remember.

DG: You wouldn't go back and live in Japan would you..?

SS: No.

KS: Not to live, I like to go and visit.

SS: But we only went once after we left Japan, right? After the occupation.

DG: Okay, thank you very much.

<End Segment 35> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.