Showing posts with label Nisei. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nisei. Show all posts

Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Sansei Shooter

                                                   The Sansei Shooter

Hordes of malcontents leaving tax-payer supplied resort. That's gratitude for ya!

      While working at the pistol range in Powell Ohio back in the 90s, I would often avail myself of conversation with the various clientele. One interesting fellow comes to mind. The only Japanese redneck I've ever met.

      He worked in the offices of a gravel quarry in southwest Columbus. In his late fifties/early sixties, wearing (Depending on the weather.) a worn blue jacket or a ratty t-shirt, he'd come in once a week smoking one of those big cigars of his, to "shoot the bull".

      We always got a charge out of this guy (Sadly, he's no longer with us. Damn cancer.). He'd regal us with tales of the bad ole days of living in the OSU area during the sixties (The National Guard was called out on various occasions, not because of political "activism" but because THE BUCKEYES! won/lost a game. Nowadays it's just 12th Ave. going up in smoke.), or the drawbacks & merits of the various models of Harley & Triumph bikes.

      Invariably the discussion got to politics, particularly gun control. We of course all agreed it was a matter of putting the second round through the hole the first one made & not the lofty non-solutions as proposed by the starry eyed, self appointed, would be saviors of our souls. One quote of his I'll never forget:

      "They say waiting periods (For gun purchases.) are for cooling you down. Bulls--t! I've been divorced from my ex-wife for over twenty years & I still wanta' kill her!"

      On another occasion, I asked why he owned guns. He gave an answer that's stuck with me to this day:

      "I was born in a concentration camp at Tule Lake in northern California. This was where they sent 'troublemakers'. My mom was there because she wouldn't sign a loyalty oath. She said she was an American & didn't have to sign so they sent her there. I may not remember much of it at all but they 'did it' to me before, they're not going to 'do it' to me again. That's why I own guns."

Hey! It's the gummint wot determines who/what's
American, not you pal. Now that we got THAT straight .....

Enjoying tax-payer funded meals. Darn freeloaders!

      This was in sharp contrast to the reaction I got from a regular customer from Yokohama who was in the U.S. for his company. He was a bit aghast when I stated that any of the internees had the perfect right to shoot anyone taking them to a "relocation center". That "go with the flow" mentality I'll never understand.

      Things are different everywhere.

Article copyright © 3-22-2012 Jay Agan

Makes me PROUD to be an Amurikan. An iffen yew don'
think so mebbe yew awtta go someplace lahk Rooshia!

Propaganda film extolling the benefits of "internment" here. The gummint only had the best of intentions & their welfare in mind.

George "Mr. Sulu" Takei puts to rest any misgivings about "internment" here. He has nothing but praise for it.

Pat Morita talks about "internment"s' joys & wonders here.

Ruth Voorhies talks about her stay in a gummint furnished vacation wonderland here.

Go to Main Page here.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

One For Anime Fans: Go For Broke!


                                      One For Anime Fans: Go For Broke!

                                                                 by

                                                                    Jay Agan

      Hey anime fans! Got a movie for ya. Yes. Movie. Not anime. Not the "c" word (kartune). MOVIE. You know. Real live people, not fantastically drawn characters. Oh yes. You younger ones might want to stop right here & go on to something else as this flick is ..... Ya ready? ..... in black & white!
     
      So it must not be worth a look-see right? Wrong! You just might find it interesting. And so .....

      Go For Broke! (MGM 1951)- A fictionalized account of several officers & men of the 100th Battalion & 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Composed mainly of Nisei (2nd generation Americans of Japanese descent.), the unit was deployed in Italy & France during the Second World War. Eager to prove their loyalty (Even after the shoddy treatment they & their families recieved after Dec. 7, 1941.), the regiment became the most decorated unit in the U.S. Army.

      Van Johnson stars as a less than eager platoon commander, unwilling to lead troops who "look like the enemy". As he continues in his assignment, both he & they come to respect one another as fellow soldiers fighting a two front war against the Axis & hostility from their own side. Other members of the cast (Lane Nakano, George Miki, Akira Fukunaga, Ken Okamoto, Henry Oyasato, Harry Hamada) are combat veterans of the unit.
     
      By the way, Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D Hawaii) is a decorated (Medal of Honor) veteran of the 100th.

      This film is usually found on disc copied from poor condition "public domain" prints. Warner Video sells an excellent example as part of a triple bill (Never So Few & Objective Burma. Two you may not be crazy about. I love em! But then, I'm not as "into anime" as you are.)

      Captured German officer: "These men. What are they? Chinese?"

      Van Johnson: "No! Didn't ya hear? Japan surrendered. Now they're fighting for us!"

                                            Article copyright © 2-10-2011 Jay Agan

Go For Broke movie link to You Tube here.

Go to Main Page here.

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