[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2083]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

  (Ms. HIRONO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate February 19, the 
National Day of Remembrance for Japanese American internment.
  During World War II, fear and mistrust clouded judgment and allowed 
brazen racism to take hold. Sixty-six years ago next week, President 
Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which sent 120,000 American 
citizens and legal residents of Japanese descent into internment camps, 
forcing them to lose their homes, jobs and possessions. Some of these 
families were held in internment even while their sons showed great 
patriotism by serving in the Army. In my home State of Hawaii, 10,000 
individuals were investigated and an estimated 1,250 Japanese Americans 
were detained in our islands.
  During trying times such as our Nation once again faces, we must not 
allow prejudice against people based on race, creed or national origin 
to shape public policy. Fear tests our moral fortitude, and this 
National Day of Remembrance reminds us to reflect on our past actions 
in order to make just decisions which uphold our Constitution.

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