A Wandering, Wondering Jew: Manzanar Revisited..

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Manzanar Revisited..

Back when I was on the fire department, I took on the role of referee. In other words, I often threw out the Yellow BS flag when colleagues stepped across the line. It was a dirty, thankless job but someone had to do it.

When Firefighter X proposed all firefighters don Kevlar vests for protection against physical assaults; I threw out the Yellow Flag. I even called him to state my strong opinion.

“Firefighter X! If you didn’t treat people in such a demeaning, condescending and disrespectful manner, they wouldn’t throw punches at you. Hell! People you work with want to punch you, but don’t want to get fired over it.”

There was no mandatory Kevlar vests issued.

When Firefighter Y wrote a Department wide email proposing placing firearms on all pieces of apparatus; I threw out the Yellow Flag. My Department wide email suggested to Firefighter Y if he wanted to carry guns, the local Police Department had a few openings. Weapons were never placed on the rigs.

When some mean-spirited coworkers “Outted” a Gay Firefighter; it was me who made phone calls to Battalion Chiefs screaming out for justice. “Battalion Chief Z! That’s a hate crime! Those bastards need to be reprimanded. Letters need to be placed in their files. What they did was wrong!”

So...it’s not surprising as of Black Tuesday 2016 (Election Day), I’ve thrown out my fair share of political rants. They are my blogs Yellow BS Flags.

While in Bishop, CA I drove out to Manzanar National Historic Site for another look. I was there in September, 2014. I made this report.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2014/09/manzanar-japanese-american-internment.html

In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, Executive Order 9066 transformed an old apple orchard into a Japanese Internment Camp. Let’s just refer to these prisons as FDR did, “concentration camps.” Over 10,000 people of Japanese ancestry (many of them children and young adults) ended up in the Owens Valley of California. They didn’t have a choice. They were forcibly displaced. They left behind homes, belongings, friendships, memories and livelihoods. In total 120,000 Japanese were incarcerated in many inland camps throughout the the Nation. 70,000 of them were born in the USA citizens.

Alll for the crime of their skin color, last names and the angle of their eyes. Shameful.

FDR, Congress and the Military chose to ignore the 4th Amendment (unreasonable search and seizure) and the 14th Amendment (no person shall be deprived of “life, liberty or property, without due process of the law.”) Two clear violations by people who are supposed to uphold the fine ideals of our Constitution. After Pearl Harbor fear and paranoia took over. Reason exited Stage Right.

We now are in the throes of an Executive who is either unaware or uncaring (or both) of America’s sordid past. President Evil’s leadership style is fear based and divisive.

We are being led to believe a majority of Hispanics are card carrying members of the MS-13 Gang.

A Continent of Nations are all “Shit-Hole” Countries.

It’s OK to create a Travel Ban on predominantly Muslim countries who have no ties to 911.

Women, minorities, religious groups, the handicapped, Gays and transgendered are all fair game in his daily War of Words. In his World, it’s Right to be White. Choose your parents better next time.

As far as the Media goes, if it isn’t Fox Fear Network, it’s all “Fake News.”

His attempt to leverage (blackmail) the DACA program (affecting 800,000 who know no other Nation as Home) for the construction of the Wall of Shame. It’s not everyday a President gets to substitute one Racist themed idea for another.