[twinklesweep]

Originally Posted by twinklesweep

Though this is a different subject, rest assured that there are those who would disagree with you (and me) that the internment camps were morally repugnant and simply outrageous.

And for those who are not familiar with the history, during World War II we were fighting three primary enemies: Germany, Italy, and Japan. Americans of Japanese descent were rounded up, taken from their homes, businesses, jobs, lives, and put into internment camps for the duration of the war. Rest assured that Americans of German and Italian descent were NOT treated this way!

Racism was alive and well during those times, and in my opinion it is still true today. In recent years I have heard more overt racist remarks here in TV than I had in several decades preceding. But as I said, this is a whole other subject....

Originally Posted by TexaninVA

I'm always amused when someone engages in historical revisionism and applies contemporary standards to an earlier era. I don't think it really accomplishes much except to allow some to preen with supposed moral superiority or greater levels of enlightenment etc ... I'm guessing you also opposed the use of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki ... but that's another thread.

Anyway, the person who signed the executive order for internment was FDR. In the context of the times, uncertainty and fear, it was considered a prudent precaution. Unfortunate and regrettable I agree, but that's looking back with the luxury of hindsight, thus I don't criticize him for doing it. Any President at the time probably would have made the same decision.

Originally Posted by twinklesweep

You are wrong. I recognized "the use of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki" as a necessary military decision and supported it, horrible as its effects were on the civilian population. It was the only way to bring about an end to the Pacific War which otherwise would have continued interminably.

And you completely missed the point I was making. I agree with you about "the luxury of hindsight"; however, I was focusing on the difference in treatment of U.S. citizens who were descendants of one enemy in contrast to the treatment of U.S. citizens who were descendants of the other two enemies. This has NOTHING to do with "the luxury of hindsight" and EVERYTHING to do with racism!

Originally Posted by TexaninVA

u

If you want to argue FDR was wrong that's your right

Roger that re your Father-in-law at Hanford ... my Dad was USMC and would have been in Operation Olympic except for Trumans decision

Originally Posted by TexaninVA

Actually, when I was a young naval officer, I visited Nagasaki on shore leave and got a lot of nasty looks. This was circa 1972. If my city had been A-bombed, I probably wouldn't' be too friendly either ... but OTOH, without that, a lot of us would not have been here at all because our Father's would have died on the beaches ... in huge numbers.

Originally Posted by TexaninVA

No, I got your point but you know what ... the racism argument gets really tiresome after a while. Get over your guilt and move on. Stuff happens and sometimes imperfect decisions are made. Besides, the Nisei got over it a long time ago and kicked German butt, and ended up as the most highly decorated outfit in the US military during WWII.

I started out by saying "Though this is a different subject...." If anyone is terribly offended and/or distracted by an unrelated aside during this intense discussion of ebola by another poster (above) and myself, I apologize for my part in it....