They Called Us Enemy

Riveting.

I first learned about the Japanese Internment Camps in “Teen Wolf” – before that, all I knew about American history was what movies were made of (“Pearl Harbour”, “Saving Private Ryan”, “Annie”, “Hairspray”, etc.). Clearly, I’m not a history buff. The way George told his story – his father’s story, his mother’s story, the story of all Japanese Americans of the time – was done with sensitivity, nuance and forgiveness.

When you hear about racial prejudice in America, it is always black vs white, though you know that there are many more races in that country of immigrants – we have a diversity of race, culture, religion and gender identities in South Africa which had been colonised centuries ago just as America had, so it stands to reason that they should have diversity, too. Reading George’s story, highlighted not only the atrocities against people based on their race during the Second World War, but also the internment camps and human rights abuses done in the last decade – all of it in the country that shouts the loudest about its democracy and “liberty and justice for all”.

It’s sad to see history repeating itself.

But there’s also the good: the things George (and many others he mentions in the book) has done to improve relationships and understanding between people from different sides, helping others move past the hate and shame of the past, and being proud of who he is and reminding others to do the same.

My favourite quote from the book (found on page 140 in the print edition):
“Most Japanese Americans from my parents’ generation didn’t like to talk about the internment with their children. As with many traumatic experiences, they were anguished by their memories and haunted by shame… for something that wasn’t their fault. Shame is a cruel thing. It should rest on the perpetrators… but they don’t carry it the way victims do.”

Though non-fiction, I found it entertaining as well as informative. A must-read for all humans.

On our family outings to Barnes and Noble, I used to get frustrated that Cole would route directly to the graphic novel section. Not only were they expensive, but I didn’t really consider that “reading.” So, I’d gently nudge back him toward books I thought he should read.

Last month, our youthful librarian chose “They Called Us Enemy” by George Takei–a memoir told in the form of a graphic novel. I’m sorry to say that it took someone completely different than my son to convince me to give it a try. But I’m so glad she did.

The story begins shortly before Pearl Harbor, with George recounting his family’s American Dream with his father (an immigrant) and his mother (second generation immigrant) making a nice life for themselves and their children in California. As you can guess, all was lost when they were forced into Internment Camps, being labeled as the enemy.

George tells the story from his little boy perspective, with sprinklings of his adult observations. The technique is brilliant and it only seems right to be told in what we old-timers call “comic book” style. Through illustrations, sparse dialogue and brief descriptions, we see the situation through the innocent eyes of a child. We also capture the anguish of his parents, who quickly become the heroes of the story. I was completely struck by the resiliency of the Japanese-Americans who were unjustly ripped from their homes and robbed of their possessions. George’s father became a leader of the group, serving as a voice for the imprisoned in an attempt to create a sense of community and normalcy for the families. George’s mother never fashioned herself as a victim, throwing her efforts into making a home out of their tiny barracks. She even sneaks a heavy sewing machine into the compound to ensure she can make clothing. George and his brother, of course, are disappointed that she snuck in such a prosaic appliance. (Takei even manages to find a bit of humor in the dour circumstance.)

The memoir stretches into George’s life beyond the camp, when he becomes a Star Trek star and an amazing social activist. His casting as a respectable, Japanese officer on a sci-fi ship was one of the first groundbreaking moves to dispel the racist and unsavory roles that minorities were typically cast in Hollywood. We eventually see a glimpse of reparation when Ronald Reagan acknowledges past wrongs.

All this, told as a graphic novel.

Cole, my son, the graphic novel aficionado, is now a history education major in college. The book, among many others,(including recently-read Caste by Isabelle Wilkerson), has me thinking much about how history is and will be taught in schools. Anyone who has read books that open our eyes to a completely different aspect of important historical events would not argue that we should revisit how we teach history. A sanitized version doesn’t teach us of past mistakes. And it’s not a matter of “vilifying” or “demonizing” anyone. It’s a matter of telling the truth so that our society evolves more perfectly into the ideals we believe in.

One of the most profound moments in the story is when George’s dad defends the United States. He, more than anyone, understood the wrongs of our country’s past. But he believed in democracy, and he didn’t give up hope.

Here’s the thing about reading. Our concept of literature is always changing, evolving. I read a graphic novel and have an entirely new respect for the genre. It also made me realize that there are many ways to learn and enlighten, as long as our minds remain open.

Very easy to read book for kids to understand an important part of our history that is often overlooked.