<Begin Segment 11>

CO: What was the most intense, scariest experience through the whole...?

MK: Well, I kind of have to think back but I think, I think one scary thing happened to me when I was on the train, volunteering for work out at the camp. And a group of us were on a train and we're going to have lunch. Then on the way, I think we went through a bunch of recruits -- army or navy recruits. And when I was walking with the guys going to, to eat, one young guy jumped up and stuck a knife in my stomach. And it really scared me, I said, "Gee, what's happening here?" I didn't have time to think, because I didn't think anybody attack me. But that's what happened. I think the fellow was just, I don't know what was wrong with him, to tell you the truth. He just didn't like us, I guess. That was one scary incident. And another time, when I was trying to help the farms, my friends and I were walking down the street and some young people started throwing rocks at us. That was kind of scary, too.

[Interruption]

MK: Happy things in my life? I think one of the... one of the happier parts of my life was last year when I received an award from the NCRR group in San Jose that they said that my resistance in the camp was a brave thing to do. And when they stood up and applauded me, that really put a lump in my throat. I said, "Gee, after all these years of being called all kind of names, and finally people are saying that I did the right thing." It made me real happy.

And I'm very happy that the young people today are willing to stand up and fight for their constitutional rights. I think that's something that I believe in myself, and that... well, let me put it this way: when I was young, I think the girls of my generation, the women of my generation, the Nisei girls of my generation, were taught not to speak out or make trouble or be activists. And I'm very happy that today, these young people of today are, the women are, I would say, are the leaders of civil rights and constitutional rights, and we should be proud of them.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 1992, 2003 Densho and Emiko Omori. All Rights Reserved.