Densho Digital Archive - Mary Blocher Smeltzer Interview (denshovh-smary-01-0017)

<Begin Segment 17>

RP: Based on, you know, the pacifism of the Brethren church, what kind of... I imagine they've taken a similar position towards the Iraqi war and the treatment of Muslims in this country.

MS: Yeah.

RP: Has the church been active in promoting social justice for...

MS: We had one couple start to come to our church just because we were opposed to the Iraq war. And I don't know if they had a little... no, I don't know what, they're not Hispanic. They had a kind of strange name, and he isn't well now, so I haven't seen him lately. But they started coming to our church because they knew we opposed the war in Iraq. And you know, there's this church over in Pasadena that's had problems.

RP: Oh, can you tell us about that?

MS: Well, the thing is, we don't have any problems 'cause we're always against war. I mean, they don't ever think anything of the Brethren. But that church, I guess it's... I can't even remember the man's name, you may know it. Oh, no, you're from up north, aren't you? Well, this man preached a sermon, and he got in trouble for it. And they didn't want this church to get, you know, church don't have to pay taxes or something, but I think they finally let him off the hook. But it was a mess for quite a while. And I thought it was kind of strange, but it's because they didn't have a position from a long time back, and we did. So they don't think anything of it, our church. But you know, we don't have many people in our church in this area. This is a little church, actually, and it's the biggest one out here. The Modesto church and our church are the biggest Brethren, Church of the Brethren, on the West Coast. But there's a small one in Pomona, and there's a smaller one in Glendora. There used to be one in Pasadena, but I think it's shut. I don't think it's going anymore. And up in your area -- oh, no, there's nobody over there.

RP: [Laughs]

MS: No, no Brethren. No Brethren over there at all.

RP: Well, we're all brothers, but we're not Brethren.

MS: You're over the hill.

RP: I think Modesto is the closest to our area.

MS: And it's a good church. And then there's one in Empire, and I think there's still one in Lindsay.

RP: Well, when a couple of years ago, you were recognized for your efforts at Manzanar, teaching and also establishing the hostel. The Japanese American National Museum honored you as well as twenty-nine, I think twenty-nine other teachers were there.

MS: Yes, right. Twenty-something.

RP: So what, what kind of feelings does that bring up for you?

MS: Well, I think you get honored because you do something different, that's all. And well, that's why I told 'em us being in Manzanar didn't make much difference. But what we did was helping 'em get out. It was much more important. And they recognized that, too, that that was much more important.