The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association is asking for the immediate removal of U.S. Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.) as chair of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security because of remarks he made February 4 about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II during a call-in radio program on Greensboro, North Carolina's WKZL-FM.
In a February 14 letter to House Majority Leader Tom Delay, APALA President Gerardo Colmenar said Coble “explicitly supported President Roosevelt’s decision to incarcerate the Japanese-American community during the war.” According to the letter, Coble claimed that the incarceration was for the internees’ own protection and that some of them were intent on doing harm to the nation. The group also criticized “Coble’s callous remarks regarding Arab Americans,” indicating that his words “will only heighten the racial conflict and misunderstandings in our communities.”
Although Rep. Coble has apologized, indicating that he “certainly did not intend to offend anybody,” Colmenar said his views “demonstrate that his understanding of fundamental American values, basic civil liberties, and constitutional rights are far out of step with the U.S. Congress and the people of the United States. He has incorrectly interpreted factual historical information to justify the violation of civil liberties of entire ethnic groups as ‘suspects.’ He is unfit to serve as chairperson of a Congressional subcommittee that is charged with weighing the most consequential civil liberties issues of our time.”
Posted March 10, 2003.