Proud to be American Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islanders – Fred Korematsu

We are so proud that a student found the story of Fred Korematsu’s fight to be recognized as a loyal American. Korematsu’s courage inspires all of us and reminds Asian Americans that our seemingly inalienable rights as Americans can never be taken for granted. Californian Korematsu refused orders to leave his home to join a Japanese Internment Camp during World War II. When he refused, he was arrested, convicted and sent to a far away Internment Camp. In 1944, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled that the denial of civil liberties based on race and national origin was legal. When revisited by SCOTUS in 1983, the conviction itself was overturned but SCOTUS refused to state that discrimination based on race and national origin was no longer legal. Recently in 2018, SCOTUS Chief Justice Roberts disavowed that particular decision while simultaneously upholding executive authority for the so called “Muslim ban.” reminding us that while the targeted groups might change, the otherization of non-White folks still continues to this day. As stated by our young activist: “…, we should not bow down …. but challenge .. and fight back.

Read more at: http://caal-ma.org/proud-to-be-american…/fred-korematsu/

Join us! Submit your artwork, video, picture, or write-up now through May 21. http://caal-ma.org/proud-to-be-american-celebrating-asian..