Friday, October 28, 2005
Internment
I just read an interesting interview with George Takei (Sulu from Start Trek) talking about his childhood in the internment camps set up by the Americans for any Japanese-Americans living there during the second world war. It is one of those things that is easily forgotten, America has a strange and dark history. After internment it had the McCarthy hearings, but thankfully, gradually things started to get better with the civil rights movement. George talks about being involved, meeting Martin Luther King, and how he feels a similar movement is now needed to enable him to gain legal equality for his sexuality. It makes me feel humble to think how many battles some people have fought in their life, how far society has progressed. My own partner, as a woman and with Indian parents, may not have been able to make progress in her career to the point where she could set up her own legal practice, perhaps twenty or possibly thirty years go. I just wish amidst all the progress there were no backward steps.
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3 comments :
Thanks for the link, a good article. I agree with you; amazed at some people's lives, and the things they have overcome.
I don't like the expression "overcome" it depicts something non constructive - I would rather describe the whole of Miss D's life as achieving and coming over and forward looking and purposeful and opportunistic.
My own father, the second son in the family was exceptional too, the only one in his village to gain a scholarship to the prestigious Kilmarnock Academy and an offer subsequently to study medicine at Glasgow University. All this from a household of 2 adults, neither working, 4 sons. they lived in poor circumstances. He was not able to take up the scholarship as he had to support the family.
This demonstrates how progress is being made in today's world. However he forged on and made an incredibly brave move by moving his young wife and himself to England where he rose from office boy to MD. The cleverest man I knew with a thirst for knowledge and learning and success to allow him to support his family. I now have married a clever man and had 3 clever sons. I reflect on many things many times.
He has a story that I wish were written down in some detail. It is worth repeating often.
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