Speech 2003 - Ruth Beadles

Nisei Camp Survivor Speaks

Ruth (Tamaki Miyano) Beadles

First, I'd like to thank the Manzanar Committee headed by Sue Kunitomi Embrey for all their untiring work in putting this Manzanar Pilgrimage together. I know they and the students from City College of San Francisco worked till late last night getting things ready for today.

I especially loved and appreciated that at this commemoration Manzanar represents and honored all of the 10 Internment camps. The banners presented in the ceremony for each of the camps also included Rohwer Camp where my family was incarcerated. I feel that it honored my parents who were the ones who suffered so much during the war.

I still feel that this is the best nation in the world--yet even in our country with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights written to protect each citizen, an emergency wartime measure, Executive Order 9066 could be issued to imprison over 110,000 Japanese nationals and Japanese American citizens without due process of law.

Then, on Sept. 11, 2001, I’m sure you watched in horror as I did the images on television of that plane crashing into the second World Trade Center, seeing the smoke billowing out of the buildings. It brought to my mind images of December 7, 1941, the ships in Pearl Harbor billowing in black smoke, and I thought, "Oh God, no--it's starting all over again!"

Then when it was established that the terrorists were from the Al Quaeda Muslim followers, some misguided so-called "patriots" were persecuting and attacking those in our community of Arab descent or of the Muslim faith. I heard of a Sikh man in Arizona who was attacked because he was wearing a turban! I pray that our nation will not repeat the mistakes of the past.

It’s so good to see so many of you young people here tonight who are getting involving with such passion in helping to raise awareness and to help make individual civil liberties your cause. I also want to thank the 3rd and 4th generation Japanese Americans who are the ones who organized and fought for redress and reparations.

We, the Issei and Nisei were the ones who went through the camp ordeals, but our reluctance to talk about camps reflected the "shi kata ganai" attitude. That imprisonment was a painful, shameful time of degradation, humiliation and re-living those days was too painful to talk about--that it was better to get on with life, make the best of it, get a good education and make a better life for yourself.

I am grateful to you young people because you are the ambassadors of enlightenment for the future of our country.

Ruth (Tamaki Miyano) Beadles is a Nisei whose family was in Rohwer, Arkansas during WW2. She spoke during the open mic portion of the Manzanar After Dark program on Saturday, April 26, 2003 at the American Legion Hall in Independence. She also attended the Friday night event at the Dow Villa Motel.