<Begin Segment 24>

TI: So I have a, kind of a question, this might be hard to answer. When you watch the Japanese community, you saw it Bellevue in its growth, and now the Twin Cities, what do you think is going to be the future of the Japanese community?

GY: Well, I think it's gonna break up. Unless the Sanseis, Yonseis, Goseis keep it going, I think it's going to be all chop suey society, all mixed up. Because you can't help that. The atmosphere is that way, that marriage between, intermarriage between nationalities and everything is all gung ho. So I think it'll be okay.

TI: And so do you think that's a good thing, that community just, like, it's all mixed up?

GY: Oh, yeah. I think it's a good thing, yeah. At least we get to know each other, you know. 'Cause a lot of Niseis, their offspring, they don't marry within the Japanese circle anymore, they're all out. Even my own brother, they're all married to Caucasians. So that's the going thing.

TI: When you think about what happened during World War II to Japanese and Japanese Americans, is there something that as a country we can learn from that? Going forward in terms of that experience...

GY: I think everybody, whoever knows about it, I think they're advancing forward. All the hatred and stuff is still there, but not against the Orientals as much as it is with the Middle Eastern people. But I think that'll drop off also. I think it's okay.

TI: So you think as long as people can learn and remember that, then it'll get better.

GY: Yeah, I think so.

TI: Good. Well, so George, thank you so much. This was really enjoyable.

GY: So I'm doing okay.

TI: You did okay. So thank you very much.

<End Segment 24> - Copyright ©2009 Densho and the Twin Cities JACL. All Rights Reserved.