The bill, AB 1775, would encourage schools across the state of California to teach students about Fred Korematsu's civil rights story. If successful, the first Fred Korematsu Day would be celebrated on January 30, 2011, on Fred's birthday. Here's some more information:
On August 9, the Fred Korematsu Day bill passed on the California Senate Floor with another unanimous vote of 34-0. This follows unanimous votes in the Senate Education Committee in June (8-0), the Assembly Floor (69-0) and the Assembly Education Committee (8-0) in May. It now goes back to the Assembly for concurrence before moving to Governor Schwarzenegger's desk in August or September.Here's a sample letter you can send to Governor Schwarzenegger in support of him signing AB 1775 into law:
We're almost there! We just need to make sure the Governor is aware of the community support behind this bill so that he signs AB1775 into law before September 30. Please take a few seconds to send him a letter TODAY so that he knows you stand behind this effort! We need your help!
The bill, AB 1775, sponsored by Assemblymember Warren Furutani, would encourage schools across the state to teach students about Fred Korematsu's story and its relevance in today's post-9/11 environment. If successful, the first Fred Korematsu Day would be celebrated on January 30, 2011, on Fred's birthday. The Institute plans to roll out relevant curriculum in K-12 schools that week and on all future Korematsu Days!
[DATE]Letters addressed to the Governor can be mailed to the Governor's office address above, or faxed/emailed to Leilani Aguinaldo Yee, Assemblymember Warren Furutani's office, 916.319.2155 or Leilani.yee [at] asm.ca.gov.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 1775 (Furutani)—Request for Signature
Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:
On behalf of [ORGANIZATION], I write in support of your Assembly Bill 1775, which would establish the Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution as a special day of significance.
This special day would help students recognize the importance of preserving civil liberties in the United States via the experience of Fred Korematsu. During World War II, Korematsu refused to comply with Executive Order 9066, which caused the unjust incarceration of thousands of Japanese Americans in detention centers. Although his first appeal in the 1940s was denied by the United States Supreme Court, his conviction was overturned forty years later on November 10, 1983.
The Fifth and the Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution both guarantee a right to due process. During World War II, these rights were violated because of ancestry and color when Americans of Japanese ancestry were denied the fundamental right to notice of any criminal charges, the right to attorneys and the right to a trial when they were ordered to live in internment camps.
The decision to overturn the Supreme Court decision in Korematsu's 1944 conviction is a milestone for modern civil rights. Executive Order 9066 demonstrates a threat to civil liberties in the United States during modern history and serves as a reminder that threats to civil liberties still exist today.
For these reasons, [ORGANIZATION] supports AB 1775. Thank you for considering this significant legislation.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
Can you imagine a future where California schoolchildren learn about Fred Korematsu's civil struggles? How about all American school kids? How awesome would that be? Learn more about the Fred Korematsu Day effort here.
I was recently talking with Ling Woo Liu, Founding Director of the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, and I was surprised to learn about the staggering number of people -- including Asian Americans -- she meets on a day to day basis who have never heard of Fred Korematsu. It's going to take some time, but hopefully, we can change that.