I just recently purchased a book that I think ties into a lot of what we learned this semester, as well as the RMP Michelle and I did earlier in the year on Japanese Internment. In our RMP, I cited George Takei as one of the many voices of those who were interned. He wrote the graphic memoir, They Called Us Enemy, which is about his experiences being interned.
Throughout the book, we get to see glimpses of what life was like and how his family was treated. Similar to the other books we read regarding Japanese internment, we see situations where they are shielded away from the outside world and are forced to go from horse stalls to camps in the desert. Being a graphic novel, this is a far different experience from just hearing Takei talk about it in his interviews and his Ted talks. Seeing these pictures showing intimate and personal moments from his life during this time forces to reader to reconcile with what happened to him. I encourage everyone to read this book, and if you have read it, let me know what thoughts you had.
The top of the second picture is so powerful. Recently, I listened to School House Rock’s “The Great American Melting Pot” that depicts America as a country of inclusion. The separation by glass is a stark contrast to School House Rock as it shows one of the ultimate methods of exclusion.