On February 4, 2003, Congressional Representative Howard Coble on a North Carolina talk show suggested that Japanese Americans during World War II were “endangered species” and the internment provided a safe environment for them. Coble also supported FDR’s Executive Order 9066, which placed 110,000 Japanese Americans in internment camps.

When a listener suggested that Arabs in the United States be confined, Coble replied that “[Japanese Americans] probably were intent on doing harm to us, just as some of these Arab Americans are probably intent on doing harm to us.”

The North Carolina representative later issued the following an apology, stating that he “regrets that many Japanese and Arab Americans found my choice of words offensive because that was certainly not my intent.”

Coble suggests that President Roosevelt based his decision on the information that was available to him at that time, and it was best in the interest of national security. He understands that the decision was malicious and that such action should “never be repeated.”

As the head of the House homeland security subcommittee Coble’s lack of understanding the malicious physical, mental, and psychological effect on the Japanese Americans poses a direct threat on the civil rights of Arab Americans, who are frequented profiled as being connected to international terrorist groups. At a time when the strong wartime sentiment is prevalent, such comments encourage racial discrimination. In addition, such racial profiling by an elected official shows the federal government’s insensitivity toward racial relations, especially during this time of militarism and paranoia. The American public deserves a leader that is sensible to these issues and respects human rights.

Ironically, this month also marks the 61st anniversary of the issue of Executive Order 9066. UC Berkeley’s Asian Pacific Council, along with other Asian American organizations on campus created a mock internment camp on February 19, and petitioned to remove Rep. Coble from office and his position as the head of national security subcommittee. One hundred Cal students of different ethnic backgrounds participated in the mock internment in front of Sproul Hall, educating a large crowd of the student body on Executive Order 9066 and the current civil rights infringement.

So many people were unaware of the ignorant and insensitive remarks made by Rep. Coble,” said ASUC Student Advocate Office Chief of Staff, Bryant Yang. “The event did a great deal in educating the campus and the student body about Executive Order 9066 and Rep. Coble’s remarks.”