<Begin Segment 17>

LL: One of the things that you mentioned that we didn't touch on as far as, wasn't a paid job, but you mentioned helping your father with his business early on.

MI: Just to interpret for him. I could not understand how he was able to understand all the paperwork, 'cause I didn't understand it. To me, he's always been kind of amazing, because I knew English up and down, but I couldn't explain to him exactly what was being said or learned about at that time, yet he was able to transact business. That always amazed me.

LL: So what was the response from neighbors and people that you knew and met, and did you ever experience any prejudice after the war when you returned home?

MI: Oh, you mean after I got a job and all that? No, it was just life as usual. Just lucky enough to have coworkers that were so great. That meant a lot at that time because they were so supportive.

LL: So you didn't ever feel any discrimination?

MI: No, people talk about that, but I didn't feel any of that.

LL: So how did your parents adjust when they returned?

MI: They adjusted beautifully because they had plenty of work to do, physical work to do. And they just did it, it's amazing.

LL: So how do you think the camp or incarceration experience changed them, or did it?

MI: Basically I don't think it changed their life at all, other than the fact that they appreciated more the fact that they were able to do what they were able to do. Even though they didn't know the language very well, they still were able to get what they wanted. I always thought that was amazing.

LL: How do you think that incarceration experience affected you?

MI: Well, I wish I could answer that real loftily and real smart-like, but I don't have an answer. People have asked me that before, and I don't think it affected me one way or the other, good or bad. It's just one of those things that you had to deal with.

LL: So a little bit more about rebuilding, after coming back to Portland, what were your feelings about participating in Japanese American organizations and activities? You mentioned that was something that was important and that you did a lot of with the community?

MI: It was a supportive move, because then I got involved in JACL and the church and all that. It was a very good move that I made, and, of course, I had friends that were members of those things, and it all seemed to fit in together very well.

LL: So you joined JACL, that was a way to just kind of reconnect?

MI: Uh-huh. It was very nice, 'cause I was able to learn a lot.

[Interruption]

LL: So we were talking about JACL, and what were your thoughts then about... especially coming out of the incarceration experience, about civil rights?

MI: Well, I thought that civil rights was a huge topic that cannot possibly be covered very quickly, because there's just too much attached to it and so many pros and cons on it. But I really thought that we were really in a deep bind as far as civil rights were concerned. I think we went backwards so much. But I don't know, there's not much I can tell you that would ameliorate that, it's just one of those things that comes with the territory, I guess. It kind of bothered me, but I'm not one that can incite activity just by talking about it. I don't know enough about it to want to join in in any particular movement. I just don't feel like I'm smart enough to do that.

LL: How did you feel about the redress? What was your reaction to the redress?

MI: Well, it was... the redress was okay to a point, but I think it was much ado about nothing. Actually, I didn't think the money that we got did anything towards helping the Issei who were the ones that were most affected. They're the ones that suffered the most, and yet they received hardly anything. That's the part that really bothered me, but I knew nothing about, enough about it to do anything practically.

LL: So when you came back, how did that affect your feelings about being Japanese American? Did you feel like you needed to assimilate more into the community?

MI: No, not at all. I never gave that kind of stuff much thought, really.

<End Segment 17> - Copyright © 2013 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.