Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC) recently said that he agreed with the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. During a radio interview on WKZL-FM, Rep. Coble, chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, said, “We were at war. They (Japanese Americans) were an endangered species …. For many of these Japanese Americans, it wasn’t safe for them to be on the street.” Although Rep. Coble disagreed with a caller’s suggestion that Arab Americans should be confined, he agreed that some “of these Arab Americans are probably intent on doing harm to us” and further agreed with the Japanese American internment during World War II.
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) views this as a sad day in our country’s tradition when an elected official and the chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, openly agrees with an unconstitutional and racist policy long believed to be one of the darkest moments of America’s history. ADC calls upon Rep. Coble to provide a public explanation for his remarks.
ADC President Ziad Asali, MD, said, “Arab Americans are experiencing a heightened state of vulnerability and look with trepidation to a possible backlash should hostilities breakout in Iraq. Public officials are responsible for protecting the safety of all Americans. History has and will continue to judge harshly those who call for surrendering the liberties of law abiding persons.”