CALIFORNIA ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS

During a radio call-in program on Feb. 4, Congressman Howard Coble (R-N.C.) defended the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II by stating, "We were at war. They (Japanese-Americans) were an endangered species. For many of these Japanese-Americans, it wasn't safe for them to be on the street. ... (Japanese-Americans) probably were intent on doing harm to us ... just as some of these Arab-Americans are probably intent on doing harm to us."

The Senate's approval of Assembly Joint Resolution 30 follows the action of the Assembly on May 19. The resolution, introduced by the Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus (Assemblymembers Wilma Chan, Carol Liu, George Nakano, Judy Chu, and Leland Yee), is significant in that it passed with bipartisan support in both houses. Thus far, only Congressional Democrats had called for Coble to apologize and resign from his chairmanship.

"I hope that the Senate's action today will serve as a reminder of the importance of tolerance and the terrible things that can happen when we forget this central value of our democracy." Assemblymember Wilma Chan (D-Oakland), Co-Chair of the API Legislative Caucus, said, "We must be vigilant in the protection of our basic civil liberties, and speak out when they are attacked."

Assemblymember George Nakano (D-Torrance) who spent four years in three different internment camps, added, "I applaud my colleagues in the Senate for joining the Assembly in sending a unified message to Congressman Coble; a message that states we will not stand idly when a person in leadership makes inflammatory remarks that misrepresent our nation's history."

A copy of the resolution will now be sent to every member of Congress and every member of North Carolina's Legislature. Asian American community leaders, who have been critical of Coble, hope that the bipartisan voice behind the resolution will encourage the Congressional leadership to rebuke Coble's comments and urge him to step down. Community activists are also looking to possibly sponsoring similar resolutions in other states and local municipalities.