Japanese Internment Memorial

During our field trip to the Japanese Internment Memorial, I found one vignette to be especially interesting and memorable.

The vignette featured a man adding placing a Japanese flag and doll into a fire. Gripping onto the man is a little girl, probably crying over her burning doll.

This picture is extremely significant to the memory of the Japanese Internment.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Executive Order 9066 issued all Japanese Americans to be grouped together and sent away to camps.

In an effort to avoid being shot and harassed by soldiers, many Japanese assimilated and got rid of items significant to their culture, such as the Japanese flag.

Many of these efforts were in vain, and only created a deep loss of Japanese connection to their home land and traditions.

The Japanese have a very respectful manner and culture, so to see them disrespected so much is very saddening.

The crying girl could also represent the innocent children who knew nothing of their situation.

Burning his items also represents the distance that the Japanese made from their original country in order to comply with the American way of life.

Ironically, the purpose of America was always to accept people from all over the world and welcome immigration.

War, however, is always quick to raise suspicions and result in tensions, no matter the race.