<Begin Segment 11>

FK: Do you feel that that experience at that period of time affected Japanese Americans psychologically in some way?

SK: Oh, yes. It affected my brother and my sisters, I think. But they... yeah, it affected them and then, of course, they, they didn't get to go get an education that they wanted so badly. And so I think that was, that was very hard for them and they had to, they had to make do with what they had. And... so I really felt for them, because they didn't get to get the dreams, the "American Dream."And so when the war was over, of course, and I finished high school on Bainbridge Island, my family was very determined that I get a college education. And they, everybody pitched in and helped me through. So they were very, very determined that I was able to get something, and I really appreciated that. Because everybody backed me up, in more ways than one. Most of them were very poor at the time, but they, they did what they could to help me. And so I was, like I say, I was very, very fortunate.

FK: What effect, if any, did it, do you feel like it had on you as far as your outlook on life or any of those things?

SK: I didn't... I used to talk about that when I started teaching because I said, you know, I knew that was, that was a real mistake by the government. And I tried talking about it and of course, in those days, people would not talk about that period of time. And so then I remember one teacher, I was talking to her about it and she says, "I don't want to, I don't want you to talk about that." And I said, oh, so I was... after that I was very, very careful of what I said. But she was just, she just, she just thought that was... I don't know why she, but she was an army nurse, so maybe that's why she was affected, I don't know. But I know she was just, she just got mad at me and she said, "I don't want you to talk about that at all," very belligerent about that. And I says, "Okay." [Laughs] But like I say, the family didn't talk too much about that whole period, and think I understand why now, but at the time, I didn't.

FK: Why do you think they didn't talk about that?

SK: What was I thinking at the time?

FK: No, why do you think your family didn't talk about it?

SK: They, I think they were... I don't know. I think they were... I don't know. I think they, my brother was, my brother was very bitter, or not very happy about that whole situation. My sisters, we'd talk about a few things at home, but nothing outside. And I know the, I know my... okay, I know my sister and my brother were called "Japs" by some of their classmates or something, and my brother was so upset he just picked this fellow up and he just dumped him on the floor. [Laughs] He says, "Don't you dare say that again." And my sister, of course, she saw that whole episode and somebody said something to her and she just said, "Okay, you call me a 'Jap,'" she says, "you're a" -- and mentioned some unmentionable words, you know. But she says, "I'll never"... she was not very happy about that individual. But on the most part, people were, they were just, like I say, there's always one or two in the crowd who will do things. But again, I think most of the people on the island were so good, they were wonderful people. And I think that's why when I, like I say, when I graduated I was very happy to be with my classmates again. They were so good to me, and I really appreciated that.

[Interruption]

FK: Well, I was asking how do you pick and choose who you're gonna talk to when there are some people who want to shut you off and so forth?

SK: I think I... when we were asked to pick a topic to write about for our report, I brought those things up. And then over the years, then people started asking questions, and they said, "Oh, you went to camp and you were..." you know. And so then I tell them, and of course I was able to talk about it in, when I was teaching, which I made sure I mentioned it to the kids. And even though I was... let's see, I taught third or fourth grade there for a while, and then I taught, then I ended up in kindergarten. But kindergarten, you just didn't get into a lot of the political things and the things went on. And I just didn't have that opportunity, but I did, I was able to speak out at teachers' groups and things of this sort. But it was, but that was the, like I said, there was only one teacher who was very upset with me because I even brought the subject up. But over the years, and then of course as time went on, the JACL and people started getting into that whole episode and so then people, of course, would start asking questions. And so I'd try to tell them what I knew, but of course, some people would, like I know some of the older folks' friends refused to talk about it only because it was, it was a very hard experience for them. I think a lot of it was because I was a kid and I didn't have the trauma of that, and so to me, as I learned things, I said, "Oh my gosh, this was awful." That as an American, our rights were taken away and so forth, and so I, so I really, every chance I got I got into that topic, of course, when it was appropriate. But like I say, I was very careful of who I spoke to. You kind of learn how to handle different situations as you grow older. [Laughs]

FK: How does that make you feel inside when someone either rejects what you're saying or says it's not true?

SK: Well, I suppose I could call them names and everything else, but I just decided I better keep my mouth shut, and I said, well, that's... okay, so you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. You learn when to say things and when not to say things. Then I, of course, I'm the kind, I'm always told in the family that I'm the one that always opens my mouth first before I think. [Laughs] So anyway, it was, so like I say, I am a little cautious, and I try to bring it up at the appropriate time.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.