Conscience and the Constitution PDF

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Akh i l aKe e r a no o r AAS2 8 3 Conscience and the Constitution Japanese Americans in concentration camps were made to feel guilty solely based on race. They lost all their rights as a result. Japanese Americans were asked to sign a Loyalty oath proving their alliance with the US government. This meant serving for the US. The JACL was a Japanese organization that was in total compliance with the government and urged Japanese Americans to fight. While some felt this was the way to prove their loyalty to the US, other disagreed. Like Mits Koshiyama, some thought since they did nothing wrong, they don’t have to do anything to prove they are good Americans. When men from camps were being drafted, Frank Emi led draft resistors in the form of the organization FPC. These protestors refused to go to physical exams and inductions, though they knew there was 5 years in prison and $10,000 fine. Omura, a Japanese journalist, released an article about the resistance that caught attention and brough attention to the resistance. Min Yasui deliberately violated a military curfew as a way to protest. However, JACL and camp newspapers vilified these resistances. 3 FPC leaders attempted to walk out of the camp without a pass as a form of resistance. When the Okamoto, the chair of FPC appealed to ACLU, ACLU consulted with JACL and in a public letter, they denounced what Okamoto was asking. James Omura challenged JACL’s leadership and he was arrested as a result. Fortunately, he was protected by the first amendment and found not guilty. 63 men from heart mountain stood trial for draft evasion. After a 2-week trial, they were found guilty and sentenced to 2 years in federal penitentiary. These resistors were later pardoned by Truman. FPC was tried as well with the jury also finding them guilty and they were sentenced for 2 to 4 years. In 1945, appeals court threw out the conviction of FPC on the basis that the jury ignored civil disobedience as defense. After camps ended, many resistors struggled financially and were ostracized from their community.

Akh i l aKe e r a no o r AAS2 8 3 If I were in the same position as these people and was called to serve, sitting here right now, I would say no to serving. However, not being in their actual position, it is hard to say what I would have actually done. I have always been strongly against militarism, so I would never want to support and military institution. I would not want to serve just to prove my loyalty to a country that has not earned my loyalty. I would find the whole position of the country hypocritical and would as a result be inclined to not serve. However, I would also take my family into consideration and also do what I believe is best for their well-being. Overall, I would like to say I would be a draft resistor, but if actually in that situation, I am not sure what I would do....