Census a reminder of Japanese internment?
I feel that minorities in the United States might have mixed feelings when filling out their census forms come this April [“Census Day important for Latinos,” Opinion, April 4].
These same forms are what the U.S. government used during World War II to locate Japanese-Americans so they could put them internment camps for the duration of the war. These people were told the same thing that minorities are told today; that the information they provide will not come back to hurt them in any way. I can sympathize with these minorities who are reluctant to feel out these forms for fear of history repeating itself.
If the government wants to have a census that all will participate, the government needs to be true to its word and only use the information in the way that it says it will.
— Dan Peck, Pullman
United States not holding ground for the troubled
I find the opinion of Daisy Flores on illegal immigrants [“Unwarm welcome to immigrants unwarranted,” Northwest Voices, April 13] to be part of the current codswallop that is trying to change the United States. She was shocked that the majority of U.S. citizens were against illegal immigration. I am shocked that she is shocked.
First, we have —or had —a legal immigration system, which allows people from around the world to immigrate to and participate in the United States. Illegal immigrants negatively impact the opportunity for legal immigrants to come to this country.
This country cannot take all the unfortunate people in the world. Illegal immigrants need to solve the problems within their own countries as our forefathers did in this country. Our ancestors did not emigrate to another country —they stayed and fought in the Revolutionary War.
Flores follows the typical liberal line of letting an emotional approach outprioritize a fair, common-sense, equitable solution to various problems, both physical and financial.
— Dick Applestone, Bellevue