Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu
Written Comments
Senate Bill 1228, Senate Draft 1, House Draft 1, Conference Draft 1
Historical Preservation; Japanese Internment Camps in Hawaii
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
I rise in support.
The story of the wrongful and unconstitutional internment of Japanese Americans by the United States government during World War II must never be forgotten. Many of them lost their jobs and property because of their imprisonment for simply having Japanese ancestry. Unfortunately, some died in these internment camps. Many young Japanese American men volunteered for military service and died for their country while their families were imprisoned by the very country they were fighting for. Through this bill, the State of Hawaii supports establishing a process to determine the most appropriate means of memorializing the World War II Japanese American internment camp experience in Hawaii.
Thank you.
JON RIKI KARAMATSU 
On July 11th through July 17th at the ImaginAsian Center in LA an extraordinary documentary will be screened. The title is Passing Poston. It is about the Japanese interment camps during WWII. The Film follows the tales of four former internees and their struggles with their past and their present. Confused to call home, the same place whom called them the enemy.
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