Rep Coble, on a radio show talk show on February 4th, condoned the internment of Japanese Americans. His so called apology followed, but he doesn’t say he was wrong.
The following comes from Ken Narasaki and I’ve been following it in the Rafu Shimpo. Remember when Trent Lott made those veiled comments supporting segregation? He went all over the place making apologies and said he would not resign his seat as Senate Majority Leader.
OK, here’s a great example of the black test: Rep Coble, on a radio show talk show on February 4th, condoned the internment of Japanese Americans. His so called apology followed, but he doesn’t say he was wrong.
I’m super steamed now because in the Rafu I just got tonight, Sam Chu Lin (our reporter friend) interviewed Rep. Mike Honda who called Cole and tried talking sense into him. Cole informed him that he was the one in charge of opposing the redress bill in ’87! Honda, Reps Robert Matsui and David Wu wrote a letter on Friday asking for a meeting with Cole. Matsui also called Cole.
Cole just responded saying he didn’t have time!
The audacity of this sonuvabitch! Karen Narasaki and John Tateishi, our friend at the JACL, have called for his resignation as head of the committee that decides treatment of Arab Americans vis a vis terrorism.
This guy is hopeless. He’s totally unapologetic (and unlike Lott, he’s not even denying the significance of what he’s saying) and if there’s any balls in the Asian American community, we should raise the same kind of ruckus that got Lott fired. We’ve got to test our mettle. Let’s join with the others and create a movement that keeps on growing so the Republicans take us seriously (notice no one from that party’s criticized Cole’s comments).
There’s a Day of Remembrance program in Little Tokyo this Saturday afternoon put on by my old friends in the Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress (NCRR), with whom I lobbied Congress to pass the redress bill in ’87. I think they should make this part of their program and help this movement.
Please tell me what you think and read the below facts. I’d suggest we call the staff people in the offices of Honda (he was a honorary co-chair of our dinner two years ago and is a super nice guy- San Jose), Matsui (the best public speaker I have ever heard in my life- Sacramento) and Wu (Portland)
Let’s make a real difference, folks.
Narasaki9@aol.com wrote: Coble refuses to apologize (see below)
For those of you interested in saying something, the time to write is now. Coble’s office reports that their email and phone calls are only a little busier than normal…let’s change that. His email address is below:
howard.coble@mail.house.gov
(to contact your own Congressman, go to this website):
http://capwiz.com/jacl/issues/alert/?alertid=1371886&type=CO
Groups call on Coble for apology.
By Nick Maheras, STAFF WRITER February 07, 2003
A storm appears to be brewing over remarks made early this week by U.S. Rep.
Howard Coble, R-6th, about Japanese internment during World War II.