YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY REQUESTED
Sorry to interrupt your 4th of July weekend but I need your help now
and it
can't wait. As you know I've devoted the last 8 years to trying to
bring
recognition, truth and justice to those captured, interned, brutalized,
victimized by Japan in WWII. Two very important bills in the California
State Legislation, S.B. 1245 and AJR 27 address these issues and need
to
pass. They will only pass if we can immediately generate some grass
roots
support from those living in California.Yes, I know some of you don't
live
in California but my guess is you have family or friends in California
and I
want to you contact them for help. People should call their California
legislator asking them to support California Assembly Joint Resolution
27,
the bill recently introduced by Assemblyman Mike Honda and S.B. 1245
introduced by California State Senator Tom Hayden.
AJR 27 +ACI-urges the Japanese Government to formally issue a clear
and
unambiguous apology for the atrocious war crimes committed by the Japanese
military during WWII and to immediately pay reparations to the victims
of
these crimes. This measure would also call upon the United States Congress
to adopt a similar resolution and would urge the President of the United
States to take all appropriate action to bring about a formal apology
and
reparations by the Government of Japan.+ACI- This bill covers POWs,
civilian
internees, next of kin and others harmed by Japan.
S.B. 1245 supports compensation to all slave and forced labor victims
used
by Germany and Japan in WWII. It specifically states, +ACI-This bill
would
authorize any World War II slave labor victim or World War II forced
labor
victim, or heir of the victim, to bring an action in superior court
to
recover compensation for labor performed from any person who received
the
benefit of that labor.+ACI-
Some of you may or may not know that my family and I were interned for
over
3 years at Santo Tomas Japanese Prison Camp in Manila, Philippines
from 1942
to 1945. My father fought on Corregidor where he was captured. He eventually
was shipped to Japan on one of the infamous +ACI-Hell Ships+ACI-. He
survived the
first +ACI-Hell Ship+ACI- which was sunk by a U.S. submarine but was
killed on his
second hel ship, the Arisan Maru.
You have seen a great deal of news media coverage on the plight of the
German Holocaust victims. Germany is doing the honorable and just thing
by
paying compensation and returning stolen assets. Germany has atoned
while
Japan has never apologized or paid compensation to its victims. All
we seek
is fairness. All I ask is that you make one or two phone calls to the
California legislators in support of these two very important measures.
Thanks from the bottom of my heart.
Gil Hair
