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LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND MY FELLOW AMERICANS, IF THIS WERE A POLITICAL CONVENTION, I SIMPLY
SAY I ACCEPT YOUR NOMINATION.
(LAUGHTER) BUT SERIOUSLY, 55 YEARS AGO I LIKE YOU, SAT IN THE AUDIENCE WAITING IMPATIENTLY FOR
MY DEGREE.
AND I STILL CANNOT RECALL THE NAME OF THE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER (LAUGHTER) NOR CAN I RECALL WHAT
HE SPOKE.
BUT I ASSURE YOU THAT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE SPEECH THAT PRESIDENT SIMONE JUST SAID AND
SIGNED.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS DONE IN ANY UNIVERSITY, AND I'VE BEEN TO MANY.
>> I'M DEEPLY HONORED, AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS.
I HOPE THAT MY ACTIONS IN LIFE WILL LIVE UP TO THE HONOR THAT YOU HAVE JUST BESTOWED UPON ME.
ON APRIL 21ST, 1945, 2 1/2 YEARS BEFORE VE DAY, THE END OF WORLD WAR II IN EUROPE, I WAS ENGAGED
IN MY LAST BATTLE AS A COMBAT SOLDIER.
AS A RESULT OF THAT BATTLE, MY DREAMS OF YOUTH WERE SUDDENLY SHATTERED.
YOU SEE, I HAD WANTED TO BE A PHYSICIAN.
WHEN I GOT TO THE HOSPITAL THE DOCTORS MUST HAVE FELT THAT MY SURVIVAL WAS NOT ASSURED.
SO THEY CALLED IN THE HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN TO ADMINISTER MY LAST OATH -- THE LAST VOWS.
WELL, I MADE IT BECAUSE OF 17 WHOLE BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS THAT I RECEIVED.
AS A FOOTNOTE, I SHOULD POINT OUT THAT IN THE ARMY FIELD HOSPITAL IT WAS THE RULE THAT
ALL PATIENTS IF THEY WERE CONSCIOUS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO LOOK AT THE LABEL ON THE BOTTL
BOTTLE.
THAT LABEL WILL SET FORTH THE NAME, THE RANK, AND THE UNIT OF THE DONOR.
THE POLICY WAS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE PATIENT WOULD KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE, A STRANGER,
WHO WAS GIVING HIS PRECIOUS BLOOD SO THAT YOU WILL LIVE.
ALL OF THE 17 WHOLE BLOOD TRANCE FUTIONS CAME FROM ENLISTED MEN FROM THE SAME DIVISION, THE 92
NT DIVISION.
I DON'T IF MANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT THE 92ND DIVISION WAS.
IT WAS AN ARMY DIVISION MADE UP OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
GOOD, SOLID, AFRICAN-AMERICAN BLOOD HELPED ME THROUGH THIS CRISIS.
AND I'VE NEVER FORGOTTEN THAT.
I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL TO THE 17 AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO SHARED WITH ME THEIR PRECIOUS BLOOD,
AND BECAUSE OF THIS PRECIOUS GIFT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I REACHED AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE
IN MY LIFE.
I BECAME A OCTEGARIAN.
(APPLAUSE) DURING THESE EIGHT DECADES I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO SEE AND PARTICIPATE IN MANY
EXCITING EVENTS, AND VERY CHALLENGING MOMENTS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME OF THEM WITH YOU.
WHEN I ENTERED HIGH SCHOOL IN 1939, I NOTED THAT MY PARENTS IN FILLING OUT A SCHOOL FORM HAD
PROVIDED INFORMATION THAT WAS RATHER STUNNING AND SURPRISING.
I NOTED THAT MY FATHER HAD INDICATED THAT HE WAS NOT A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES,
BUT THAT WAS UNDERSTANDABLE BECAUSE HE WAS BORN IN JAPAN, AND CAME TO HAWAII AS A YOUNG
CHILD OF 3.
I NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT MY MOTHER HAD ALSO NOTED THAT SHE WAS NOT A CITIZEN.
I WAS CERTAIN SHE WAS BORN ON THE ISLAND OF MAUI IN HAWAII, AND, THEREFORE, SHE WAS A
CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES.
SO I TOOK THIS FORM TO HER AND I SAID, MOTHER, I BELIEVE YOU'VE MADE A MISTAKE.
AND SHE LOOKED AT ME WITH SAD EYES AND SAID, NO, SHE HAD NOT MADE A MISTAKE.
SHE SAID ACCORDING TO THE LAW AN AMERICAN WHO MARRIES A JAPANESE LOSES HER CITIZENSHIP AND,
THEREFORE, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM.
I LATER LEARNED IN 1924 WHEN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES THAT PASSED A LAW THAT
PROHIBITED IMMIGRATION FROM JAPAN, AND FURTHER IF A U.S.
CITIZEN MARRIED A JAPANESE NATIONAL, HE OR SHE LOST THEIR CITIZENSHIP.
AND WHAT'S MORE, THE ACT ALSO PROHIBITED ANY JAPANESE FROM BECOMING A NATURALIZED CITIZEN.
I WAS HORRIFIED TO LEARN OF THIS LAW, BUT THIS HORROR WAS MAGNIFIED ON DECEMBER THE 7TH,
1941.
SOON THEREAFTER, IN FACT, TWO WEEKS LATER, ALL JAPANESE AND MOST OF THEM CITIZENS WERE
DECLARED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO BE 4-C.
I DON'T SUPPOSE ANY OF YOU HAVE EVER HEARD OF THE 4-C DESIGNATION, BUT IT WAS A
CLASSIFICATION FOR ENEMY I WILL ME -- ENEMY ALIENS.
MY PARENTS WERE NOW CONSIDERED ENEMY ALIENS AND SO WAS I.
TWO MONTHS LATER A EXECUTIVE ORDERWAS ISSUED AUTHORIZING AND ESTABLISHING 10 CONCENTRATION
CAMPS IN DESOLATE AREAS OF THE UNITED STATESTHEY INTERNED THESE JAPANESE.
FOR ECONOMIC REASONS, ONLY A FEW JAPANESE IN HAWAII WERE EVER SENT TO THESE CAMPS.
BUT ON THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES IT WAS WHOLESALE ROUNDUP OF JAPANESE WITHOUT DUE
PROCESS OF LAW.
THERE WERE NO QUESTIONS OF GUILT OR INNOCENCE OR CITIZENSHIP.
AFTER THE WAR, SEVERAL INVESTIGATIONS WERE HELD, OFFICIAL, CONGRESSIONAL
INVESTIGATIONS.
EACH INVESTIGATION CONCLUDED THAT NOT ONE OF THE INTERNES WAS EVER CHARGED WITH OR EVER FOUND
GUILTY OF TREASON OR SABOTAGE.
NONETHELESS, THEY HAD BEEN INTERNED.
MORE THAN 120,000 MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN, RESULTING IN NOT ONLY MASSIVE DISLOCATION OF
FAMILIES, BUT ALSO MASSIVE LOSS OF PROPERTY, PERSONAL AND REAL PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, IN 1942 AS A RESULT OF PETITIONS THAT WERE GENERATED BY YOUNG JAPANESE-AMERICANS ACROSS
THE LAND, A PETITION REQUESTING THAT WE BE GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING IN THE UNIFORM OF OUR
NATION, AN EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS ISSUED STATING THAT AMERICANISM IS A MATTER OF MIND AND HEART.
AMERICANISM IS NOT AND NEVER HAS BEEN A MATTER OF RACE OR ANCESTRY.
AND SO A COMBAT TEAM WAS FORME FORMED, AND AS A RESULT MANY OF US WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SERVE OUR NATION IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF WAR AGAINST NAZI GERMANY.
AND I'M HAPPY TO NOTE THAT WE DID WELL.
OUR REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM WAS DECLARED BY THE PENTAGON TO BE THE MOST DECORATED IN THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
AND IN 1959, NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT 1/3 OF THE POPULOUS IN HAWAII WERE MADE UP OF
JAPANESE-AMERICANS, HAWAII BECAME THE 50TH STATE OF OUR UNION.
AND IN 1988, AN OFFICIAL APOLOGY TO THOSE WHO WERE PLACED IN THE CAMPS WAS ISSUED.
I CITE THIS BECAUSE IT WAS A PROUD MOMENT TO KNOW FOR ME TO KNOW THAT MY COUNTRY WAS STRONG
ENOUGH TO ADMIT HER ERRORS AND APOLOGIZE.
I CANNOT THINK OF ANY OTHER COUNTRY THAT HAS COME FORTH TO MAKE SUCH AN ADMISSION OF WRONG
AND APOLOGIZE.
JUST THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS THE BACKGROUND FROM WHICH I HAVE TRIED TO CONDUCT MYSELF, AND WORK AS A MEMBER OF
THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
AS WE STUDY OUR HISTORY, WE ARE ONLY NOW LEARNING ABOUT THE FULL EXTENT OF SLAVERY, AND FOR SOME
IT MUST BE A PAINFUL THING TO LEARN THAT THE AUTHOR OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
MAINTAINED SLAVES IN THIS LAND OF FREEDOM.
BUT REGRETTABLY OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH NATIVE NATIVE AMERICANS, THE FIRST AMERICANS HAS BEEN
EQUALLY TRAGIC, IF NOT WORSE.
UNTIL I BECAME CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE I KNEW VERY LITTLE
ABOUT THE TREATMENT THAT OUR NATIVE AMERICANS HAD RECEIVED AT THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE
UNITED STATES.
ACCORDING TO ANTHROPOLOGISTS, BEFORE THE FIRST EUROPEAN CONTACT THERE WERE IN THE 48
CONTIGUOUS STATES BETWEEN 30 TO 50 MILLION NATIVE AMERICANS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE INDIAN WARS, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE PERHAPS 300,000 NATIVE
AMERICANS SURVIVING.
AT ONE TIME THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF INDIANS RESIDING WHERE I WORK, IN MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA
AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
THESE WERE BUSTLING COMMUNITIE COMMUNITIES.
THIS WAS THE BIRTHPLACE OF POCAHONTAS.
BUT TODAY DO WE SEE ANY OF THESE PROUD PEOPLE IN THEIR NATIVE LANDS IN MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA?
WE DO NOT BECAUSE IT WAS A POLICY OF OUR COUNTRY TO CLEAR THAT AREA OF INDIANS, AND WE
METHODICALLY SEND THEM OFF TO OKLAHOMA.
OKLAHOMA WAS THE DUMPING GROUND FOR OUR FIRST AMERICANS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE CHEROKEE ORIGINALLY NATIVE IN THE CAROLINAS WERE FORCED TO WALK TO
OKLAHOMA IN THE WINTER.
NOT SURPRISINGLY ONLY 15% OF THEM SURVIVED.
AND THE PATHS THEY WALKED ARE NOW REFERRED TO AS THE TRAIL OF TEARS.
I ALSO LEARNED THAT IN THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION OUR NATIONAL MUSEUM THERE'S A
COLLECTION OF HUMAN REMAINS, PARTICULARLY THE SKULLS OF 14,000 NATIVE AMERICANS.
THEY WERE PRIMARILY COLLECTED BY A VERY AMBITIOUS ARMY SURGEON GENERAL BECAUSE IN THOSE DAYS IT
WAS FELT THAT THE CRANIAL CAPACITY OF A HUMAN BEING WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO HIS
INTELLECT.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE LARGER THE HEAD THE SMARTER YOU ARE.
THIS PARTICULAR SURGEON GENERAL WANTED TO TEST THE THEORY ON NATIVE AMERICANS, SO HE
REQUESTED THE ASSISTANCE OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY AND COLLECTING REMAINS, AND THE
TROOPS WERE MOST ACCOMMODATING.
THEY DUG UP BURIAL GROUNDS AND COLLECTED FROM BATTLEGROUNDS AND 14,000 WERE COLLECTED.
BUT BECAUSE MOST OF THESE REMAINS AND SKULLS WERE DELIVE DELIVERED WITHOUT LABEL OR
DOCUMENTATION, NO ONE HAS ANY IDEA WHICH TRIBE OR NATION THEIR REMAINS ORIGINALLY CAME FROM.
THEREFORE, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 13,000 UNIDENTIFIED INDIVIDUALS AT REST
AT THE SMITHSONIAN.
JUST IMAGINE IF ANY MUSEUM IN THE UNITED STATES HAD 13,000 REMAINS OF RUSSIANS OR FRENCH OR
CHINESE.
YOU WOULD NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT.
FROM THE ABOVE EXAMPLES I COULD NOT HELP BUT CONCLUDE THAT OUR NATIONAL INTEREST HISTORY IS AN
EVER-CHANGING SCENARIO.
AND THAT OUR DEMOCRACY IS AN EVER-EVOLVING CONCEPT.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE MINORITY OPINION OF THE SUPREME COURT WILL SOME DAY BECOME THE
MAJORITY OF YOU.
A GOOD EXAMPLE IS SLAVERY AND SEGREGATION.
REMEMBER THESE WERE LEGAL AND APPROVED BY THE SUPREME COURT AT ONE TIME.
BUT THESE LAWS HAVE BEEN REPEA REPEALED AND AMENDED, AND IN THE CASE OF THE JAPANESE INTER
INTERNEES, AN OFFICIAL APOLOGY WAS PRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT AND THE CONGRESS OF THE THELT
UNITED STATES.
DEMOCRACY IS AN IMPER CONCEPT, SLOWLY SEEKING PERFECTION.
HOWEVER, WE AMERICANS HAVE BEEN QUITE IMPATIENT WITH PEOPLE OF OTHER LANDS WHO HAVE NOT
EMBRACED OUR DEMOCRACY.
IN SOME CASES WE HAVE OFFICIALLY CONDEMNED THEM IN VERY HARSH TERMS.
AND IN SOME WE'VE USED MILITARY FORCE.
THE QUESTION WE AMERICANS HAVE DEBATED OVER THE DECADES IS A SIMPLE BUT PROFOUND ONE.
SHOULD WE IMPOSE OUR WILL UPON OTHER LANDS?
OR SHOULD WE ADOPT A MORE PEAC PEACEFUL PATH IN CONVINCING OTHERS OF THE GOODNESS OF OUR
SYSTEM AND PHILOSOPHY?
I SUPPOSE THIS MATTER WILL BE DEBATED FOR A LONG TIME.
AS YOU MAY HAVE SURMISED, MY LIFE HAS BEEN FILLED WITH EXCITEMENT.
IT'S BEEN FILLED WITH CHALLENGES, AND FILLED WITH MUCH JOY.
I'M BLESSED WITH A LOVELY WIFE, AND IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS WE WILL CELEBRATE OUR 57TH WEDDING
ANNIVERSARY.
(APPLAUSE) AND I'M BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL SON WHO LAST YEAR HAD THE GOOD SENSE TO MARRY A
LOVELY IRISH LADY FROM ROCHESTER.
(LAUGHTER) SO PART OF MY HEART IS HERE.
(APPLAUSE) AS THE GOOD BOOK SAID, MY CUP RUNETH OVER.
I PRAY THAT YOUR CUPS WILL ALSO RUNETH OVER.
THANK YOU.