Reply #40: Thats fine, and you can disagree....As I said myself in the post.... [View All]

[Robeson]

...you responded to, I have a problem with what he did myself, so I really don't know what you are disagreeing with. I was simply trying to explain sociology at the time, in its historical context. Thats not theory. As I said, I wasn't trying to justify it, but as a Cultural Anthropologist, I was merely trying to explain the mindset of this country 65 years ago. And you are correct, there is still a lot of prejudice in this country, and ignorance. And I stated as much. Now, as I said, multiply that by 10, and there is your picture of America 65 years ago. Not a pretty picture. Whites were rulers, and were the first class citizens. Blacks were second class citizens, and were supposed to know their "station" in America. Others, weren't even considered Americans, irregardless of where they lived, or how long they had been here. On principle, you are correct. But given the barbarity of the times, I guess one would have to walk 10 miles in FDR's shoes, before they could really explain his rationale....And please don't say I'm justifying it, because I never said that. I was simply trying to explain what his possible mindset was.

On Edit: I would like to say, this topic would make one hell of a book, and would help to advise others down the road when they are faced with fork-in-the-road decisions. And perhaps, it would help them avoid some of the mistakes which led to the hardships which were imposed on the Japanese American community. Clearly, you are bothered by this, as am I, but the only way we can prevent it from happening again, is to really diagnose every aspect of it, along with the societal issues were involved....