Mark Takano: Courage is Choosing Compassion Over Fear

"What takes wisdom is recognizing that history is now repeating itself."



Many of us are still fairly angry about Roanoke mayor David Bowers' remarks calling for the refusal of assistance for Syrian refugees, citing the incarceration of Japanese American during World War II as model policy and historical precedent. Bowers is a moron who gets his facts dangerously wrong.

Of course, the hammer fell swift and hard, with Bowers getting blasted from all sides. Voices from across the Asian American community, from George Takei to Mike Honda, have spoken out about Mayor Bowers' remarks.

In remarks on the House floor last week, Rep. Mark Takano (D-California) also addressed Bowers' comments and urged fellow lawmakers not to give into fear regarding the resettlement of Syrian refugees, sharing about his own family's experience of forced relocation after the bombing of Pearl Harbor:

Roanoke Mayor apologizes for remarks on Japanese American internment

David Bowers clearly did not understand how the internet works.



On Friday, the mayor of Roanoke, Virginia apologized for his statement about Syrian refugees in which he invoked the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II as model policy.

Roanoke Mayor Apologizes for Japanese Internment Remarks

After basically getting his ass kicked with widespread backlash over what can at best be described as a piss-poor of one of U.S. government's greatest injustices, Mayor David Bowers apologized for his remarks.

"I apologize to all those offended by my remarks," Bowers said at a special meeting of the Roanoke City Council. "No one else is to be blamed but me."

Virginia mayor rejects Syrian refugees, because it worked so well when we locked up Japanese Americans

"It seems to me to be better safe than sorry."



This is troubling on a dozen levels. In Virginia, the mayor of Roanoke joined the growing chorus of intolerance, calling for the suspension of help in relocating Syrian refugees to the area. To make matters worse, he cited the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II as historical precedent for his reasoning. Oh hell no.

Roanoke Mayor David Bowers: No Syrian refugees to Roanoke Valley until security assured

On Wednesday, Mayor David A. Bowers issued an unsolicited statement requesting area governments and nongovernmental agencies to suspend and delay any further Syrian refugee assistance "until normalcy is restored," warning of safety concerns in the wake of the apparent bombing of a Russian airliner, Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris and threats on Washington DC.

"I am convinced that it is presently imprudent to assist in the relocation of Syrian refugees to our part of Virginia," Bowers said his statement, which also vowed to "protect Roanokers from harm and danger from this present scourge upon the earth." Oh, but wait, it gets much worse.