Today's Star-Bulletinfeatured a column by Michelle Malkin, a conservative columnist who's no stranger to controversy and who's at the heart of a big firestorm right now with the release of her new book, "In Defense of Internment." And if you haven't heard about it yet, yes, she's saying exactly what it sounds like she's saying.
The issue is especially hot locally, both for the interment experience of our citizens as well as the presence in town of the JACL for its 75th annual conference.
Editorial Page Editor Mary Poole wrote a special introduction to Malkin's piece, as well as an immediate response from JACL member David Forman (who was given the chance to review Malkin's column prior to publication - "a departure from normal Star-Bulletin practice").
Also interestingly, she notes that: "Malkin relied heavily on original research by Star-Bulletin writer Burl Burlingame, both from his book "Advance Force: Pearl Harbor" and a series of articles by Burlingame printed in the Star-Bulletin in 1986 about an Imperial Navy aviator who crashed on Niihau on Dec. 7, 1941. Given the same facts, Malkin came to different conclusions than Burlingame."
Oddly enough, neither of these pieces (or Poole's note) appear to be available online. Anyone know why?
Here's a long excerpt of the Niihau chapter:
Malkin's views are pretty well documented, but I'd love to be able to read and cite some articulate, non-knee jerk responses to what, on the surface, seems to me a simply preposterous position. Being a Japanese American whose family was put in an internment camp (and whose father was born in one), I can hardly be impartial.
The issue is especially hot locally, both for the interment experience of our citizens as well as the presence in town of the JACL for its 75th annual conference.
Editorial Page Editor Mary Poole wrote a special introduction to Malkin's piece, as well as an immediate response from JACL member David Forman (who was given the chance to review Malkin's column prior to publication - "a departure from normal Star-Bulletin practice").
Also interestingly, she notes that: "Malkin relied heavily on original research by Star-Bulletin writer Burl Burlingame, both from his book "Advance Force: Pearl Harbor" and a series of articles by Burlingame printed in the Star-Bulletin in 1986 about an Imperial Navy aviator who crashed on Niihau on Dec. 7, 1941. Given the same facts, Malkin came to different conclusions than Burlingame."
Oddly enough, neither of these pieces (or Poole's note) appear to be available online. Anyone know why?
Here's a long excerpt of the Niihau chapter:
The Haradas were neither radical nationalists nor professional spies. They were ordinary Japanese-Americans who betrayed America by putting their ethnic roots first. How many other Japanese-Americans—especially on the vulnerable West Coast—might be swayed by enemy appeals such as Nishikaichi’s? How many more might be torn between allegiance for their country of birth and kinship with Imperial invaders?
Comment