Norman Mineta, Alan Simpson became lifelong friends at Japanese internment camp

Summary

The story traces the lifelong friendship between Norman Mineta and Alan Simpson, forged in one of the darkest chapters of American history at the Heart Mountain internment camp. In 1942, thousands of Japanese-Americans, including a young Mineta, were forcibly moved to internment camps amidst national security fears during WWII. Amidst the oppressive atmosphere, Mineta formed a unique bond with Simpson whose bright outlook defied prejudice. Over time, both men ventured into politics, where they played significant roles in the civil liberties act of 1988 which sought apologies and reparations for Japanese Americans affected by wartime policies. Their friendship, marked by humor and respect, remains a beacon of hope saying that, irrespective of differences, understanding and compassion can bridge any divide.

Highlights

• Their friendship began under the improbable conditions of a wartime internment camp. 🇺🇸
• Norman Mineta and Alan Simpson built a bond through scouting and mischief at the camp. 😄
• Both went on to lead notable political careers and tackled civil rights issues together. 👥
• They helped pass a landmark bill providing reparations to Japanese-Americans interned during WWII. ⌛
• Each year they visit Heart Mountain to advocate for remembrance and unity. 🔗

Key Takeaways

• Norman Mineta and Alan Simpson met at an internment camp in Wyoming, forging a lifelong friendship. 🤝
• Both men entered politics, despite their different backgrounds and affiliations. 🤔
• Their combined efforts helped pass the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, giving apology and reparations to interned Japanese-Americans. 📜
• Their friendship endured all political debates, symbolizing unity across divides. 🏛️
• They remind others of the value of freedoms and ensure history does not repeat itself. 🌟

Overview

In an era plagued by distrust and wartime paranoia, young Norman Mineta and Alan Simpson found friendship behind the barbed wires of Heart Mountain, an internment camp where thousands of Japanese-Americans, classified as suspected threats, were held against their will. Their association, built on playing pranks and shared mischievous adventures within a scout troop, represented a thawing of prejudice and cemented a bond that would last a lifetime.

Fast forward decades, and their trajectory led them both to significant political roles; Mineta served as a congressman and cabinet secretary under two presidents, while Simpson became an influential senator. They remained friends despite geographical and political distances, bringing their unique bond and shared understanding to their civic duties. Their most notable collaboration was their support for the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 alongside other efforts to correct the injustices imposed on Japanese-Americans during the war.

Today, they exemplify how friendship can thrive beyond barriers of race and politics. Every visit to Heart Mountain becomes a teaching moment about the fragile nature of freedom and the indomitable spirit of human kindness. Despite past adversities and ongoing political differences, Mineta and Simpson's camaraderie sends a timeless message: love, laughter, and mutual respect foster a brighter, more hopeful future.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: The Name and History of Heart Mountain Heart Mountain in Wyoming is named by the Crow Indians, who perceived it as resembling the heart of a buffalo. The mountain rises over 8,000 feet and is frequently enveloped in clouds. Beneath its peak, however, lies a somber part of history that continues to haunt the area. It is a reminder of one of America's darkest periods.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Executive Order and Internment Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt issued an executive order that mandated the relocation of individuals of Japanese descent living on the West Coast. This affected around 120,000 people, most of whom were U.S. citizens. They were rounded up, placed on trains, and sent to internment camps, where they were confined behind barbed wire. The situation was one of tension and chaos, with uncertainty about what would happen next.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Norm Mineta's Family's Uprooting The chapter titled 'Norm Mineta's Family's Uprooting' discusses the experiences of Norm Mineta, who was born and raised in San Jose, California, by Japanese parents. Despite their loyalty and patriotism, Norm and many others faced scrutiny and were uprooted from their homes during a period of heightened suspicion. They found themselves behind barbed wire, effectively treated as non-citizens, while grappling with the uncertainty of their future and destination.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Arrival at Heart Mountain Camp The chapter titled 'Arrival at Heart Mountain Camp' begins with a personal account of leaving for the Heart Mountain Camp while wearing a Cub Scout uniform and carrying a baseball glove and bat. Upon boarding the train, military police confiscated the narrator's baseball bat, which led them to run to their father in tears. The chapter describes Heart Mountain as one of ten camps rapidly built by the government. The Mineta family arrived at Heart Mountain on a windy day in September 1942, carrying only their few belongings into a tar paper barrack.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Life in Internment Camp The chapter titled 'Life in Internment Camp' describes living conditions within internment camps. It portrays a cramped living space measuring 20 by 25 feet that housed an entire family including the narrator's mother, father, two sisters, brother, and the narrator themselves. A significant portion of the internees, nearly 70%, were American citizens. At its height, the camp detained approximately 14,000 individuals, making it, famously, the third largest city in Wyoming at that time, surpassing the population of the nearby town of Cody.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Alan Simpson's Perspective The chapter titled 'Alan Simpson's Perspective' discusses the experiences of a young Alan Simpson living near an area with heightened security measures and anti-Japanese sentiment following World War II. The environment was tense and unfriendly, evident from signs stating 'No Japs Allowed' and memories of American lives lost at Iwo Jima. Simpson lived close to a heavily guarded facility with barbed wire and watch towers, which sparked fear and curiosity for the 12-year-old Simpson, making him aware of the tense and hostile atmosphere around him.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Camp Life and Norm Mineta's Scouting The chapter titled 'Camp Life and Norm Mineta's Scouting' explores the daily life and activities of students interned at Heart Mountain in Wyoming during World War II. Despite the circumstances, the camp operated with some semblance of normalcy, resembling a small city complete with schools, farms, churches, and even elections. In an effort to combat boredom, the war relocation authority permitted various activities, including ice skating, baseball, and scouting. Norm Mineta, a notable internee, was particularly surprised by the allowance of scouting, though he describes his troop as quite lonely.
• 03:30 - 04:00: Friendship with Alan Simpson The chapter titled 'Friendship with Alan Simpson' discusses a significant event involving the local boy scout troop led by Alan Simpson. The transcript reveals that scout leaders attempted to invite surrounding towns to a jamboree, but faced resistance due to misunderstandings. The towns mistakenly believed that the scouts were prisoners of war, not recognizing them as fellow Boy Scouts of America who shared the same uniform and manual. Despite the confusion and reluctance from the other towns, Alan Simpson's boy scout troop was the only one to come in, highlighting his troop's open-mindedness and willingness to engage.
• 04:00 - 04:30: Troublemaking and Friendship In this chapter titled 'Troublemaking and Friendship', Simpson reflects on his time at a camp under the guidance of scoutmaster Glenn Livingston. This experience encapsulates the true essence of the scouts. During this period, Simpson meets a Japanese-American boy who becomes his lifelong friend. Despite being described as a 'pesky little rascal', the boy was a spirited individual, akin to Simpson, and together they found many ways to cause mischief.
• 04:30 - 05:00: Recognition of Injustice The chapter titled 'Recognition of Injustice' recounts an incident involving a playful yet mischievous act during a camping trip. The narrator, along with a friend, shared a tent and took advantage of the weather to play a prank on a bully from another scout troop. By channeling rainwater deliberately, they managed to flood the bully's tent by constructing a moat around it. This led to the tent's collapse, which was described with amusement and a sense of satisfaction over dealing with the bully in a non-confrontational manner. The event is framed as a moment of justice delivered through cleverness and teamwork.
• 05:00 - 05:30: Reunion and Political Careers The chapter discusses a reunion and the unfolding of political careers. It highlights the story of Nelson Mandela observing a transformation in his friend, focusing on the unjust situation of American citizens being held behind barbed wire. Mandela’s reflection on the experience as a 12-year-old and its lasting impact through marriages and family life is emphasized.
• 05:30 - 06:00: Working Together in Politics The chapter 'Working Together in Politics' includes a conversation where individuals reflect on their past connections and current involvement in politics. Despite being apart, there was some communication through letters. There's a mention of a figure becoming the mayor of San Jose and the general pursuit of political careers. The chapter ends with a commentary on public expectations of perfection in laws.
• 06:00 - 06:30: Passing of the Civil Liberties Act The chapter discusses the political careers of influential figures in American politics, highlighting their journey and contributions. It mentions an outspoken senator from Wyoming who served for 18 years, emphasizing the political maneuvers of both major parties, the Democrats and Republicans. The narrative transitions to Normanetta, who, despite starting as a Democrat, ascended from being a mayor to a congressman, and eventually a cabinet secretary, showcasing a successful political trajectory.
• 06:30 - 07:00: Bitterness and Political Differences The chapter explores the reunion of two individuals, who were boy scouts together, under the Capitol dome, many years later. It highlights the journey of one individual becoming the first Asian Pacific American to serve in any president's cabinet, serving under two U.S. presidents. Despite the time passed, their friendship rekindled instantly, reminiscent of their childhood days in a pup tent. The chapter emphasizes themes of enduring friendship amidst political landscapes and the breaking of ethnic and political barriers.
• 07:00 - 07:30: Retirement and Returning to Heart Mountain The chapter highlights a significant moment in 1988 when the Civil Liberties Act was passed with the help of Simpson and Mineta. The act, signed by President Ronald Reagan, was a formal apology to Japanese Americans and provided reparations to those who had been unjustly imprisoned. It also touches upon the notion of forgiveness and lack of bitterness from the affected individuals.
• 07:30 - 08:00: Legacy and Annual Return This chapter highlights a character described as similar to Mandela, emphasizing his lack of bitterness and ability to disagree civilly. Even when disagreements arose, they were never as divisive or personal as current political debates. The term 'politics' is noted to originate from Greek, with 'poly' meaning many and 'ticks' humorously referenced.
• 08:00 - 08:30: Lasting Friendship and Humor This chapter discusses the changing nature of relationships in professional settings, contrasting past practices where colleagues would engage in heated debates yet maintain personal friendships outside of work. The narrative highlights how such camaraderie seems less common today. It features personal anecdotes from retirees Moneta and Simpson, who gather annually at Heart Mountain to educate newer generations on the delicate nature of freedom, reflecting on bygone times of lasting friendships and shared humor despite professional differences.
• 08:30 - 09:00: Reflecting on Dark History with Hope The chapter titled 'Reflecting on Dark History with Hope' centers around an annual event aimed at commemorating a significant somber historical event. The gathering, which grows larger each year, signifies an increasing interest in preventing the recurrence of such history. Amidst the serious nature of the memorial, a pair brings an element of humor, balancing the solemnity by lightheartedly engaging with topics like scout activities and humorous takes on organ recitals.

Norman Mineta, Alan Simpson became lifelong friends at Japanese internment camp Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 as the story goes hard mountain in wyoming got its name from the crow indians who thought it looked like the heart of a buffalo rising more than eight thousand feet it's often shrouded in clouds but far below the dark clouds of history still linger for it is here where the ghosts from one of america's most shameful chapters still roam whole time was
• 00:30 - 01:00 one of tension chaos not knowing what was going to happen next it was shortly after the attack on pearl harbor that an executive order from president roosevelt ordered anyone of japanese descent living along the west coast be relocated as many as 120 000 people most of them u.s citizens were rounded up loaded onto trains and sent to places like this penned in behind barbed wire their
• 01:00 - 01:30 loyalty and their patriotism questioned i remember in grammar school in san jose you know we would all want to fight to be the one to carry the flag when we did the pledge of allegiance so now here we are behind barbed wire thought of as not citizens like so many others norm mineta born and raised in san jose california to japanese parents was uprooted from his home having no idea where his family was headed
• 01:30 - 02:00 or for how long now on that day that we left i was wearing my cub scout uniform baseball baseball glove baseball bat and as i got on the train the mps confiscated my bat they took your back and i went running to my father crying about the mps heart mountain was one of 10 camps the government had hastily constructed the minetas arrived on a windy day in september 1942 moving their few belongings into their tar paper barrack
• 02:00 - 02:30 there was only one light in that 20 by 25 foot room held my mother my dad two sisters my brother and me and out of all the people that were brought here what percentage of them were citizens two-thirds close to 70 at its peak it held some 14 000 internees that technically made it wyoming's third largest city at the time even bigger than the nearby town of cody
• 02:30 - 03:00 the signs would go up no japs allowed you sons of killed my son at iwo jima a young alan simpson lived just down the road were you worried about that as a kid well you would because there was barbed wire all around the damn thing and guard towers with guys with guns and search flights all aimed inside so wouldn't you or is a 12 year old kid think there's something in there i think you would when the school bell rings it's a signal
• 03:00 - 03:30 for these students at heart mountain in wyoming to change classes the camp did operate like a small city there were schools and farms and churches even elections but there was also boredom to keep internees occupied the agency in charge the war relocation authority allowed activities like ice skating baseball and much to moneta's surprise scouting but his was a lonely troop
• 03:30 - 04:00 our scout leaders were right to the scouts and all the towns surrounding come on in for the jamboree and they'd write back and say no no those are prisoners of war and that we're not going in there so they'd ride back and say no no these are boy scouts of america they wear the same uniform you do they read the same manual you do but none of them came in except that is for juan alan simpson's boy scout troop
• 04:00 - 04:30 his forward-thinking scout master glenn livingston fought a visit to the camp embodied what the scouts stood for and soon simpson found himself tying knots across from a japanese-american boy who would become his lifelong friend he always called me pesky pesky little rascal he was a spirited lad which meant what and man he was as ornery as i was and we couldn't figure ways to screw up
• 04:30 - 05:00 anything we could get our hands on they shared a tent and that's where their troublemaking started playing a prank on a fellow scout from simpson's troop there was kind of a bully and it was raining to beat hell and we kind of channeled the water down into this guy's tent on purpose oh yes we built a beautiful moat and the tent came down norm said that i cackled as as that happened did he cackle well i'll tell you it was a lot
• 05:00 - 05:30 of keys and a lot of ha ha as their time together unfolded mandela remembers seeing a change coming over his new friend he realized these are american citizens and now they're behind barbed wire they were american citizens they were american boys even as a 12 year old he thought that was just totally unjust neither forgot their shared experience that day they carried it with them through the decades that followed through marriages and family
• 05:30 - 06:00 but all of it apart from one another did you guys keep in touch a little bit we didn't ever see each other again until i read do you norman weimannetta solemnly swear that he was the mayor of san jose congratulations so i wrote him a note he wrote back saying oh yeah maybe someday we'll see each other or something you know simpson noticed because he too had gotten into politics and it's odd to me that people expect perfection in their laws when they don't
• 06:00 - 06:30 have perfection in their lives he grew up to become wyoming's outspoken senator the same smoke and mirrors has been pulled off by the democrats and the republicans a seat he held for 18 years as a lifelong republican it seems to me we ought to be going the other direction normanetta who became a democrat went from that mayor's seat to congressman and then all the way to cabinet secretary and i am proud to be
• 06:30 - 07:00 chosen by you to be the first asian pacific american to serve in any president's cabinet under not one but two u.s presidents so that is where the two former boy scouts reunited under the capitol dome some 35 years after they first met there we were and we just went and started right over just like that and our friendship went back as if we were still sitting in that pup tent
• 07:00 - 07:30 today i hope that we will reaffirm the precious rights and the freedoms that are guaranteed by our great constitution in 1988 simpson and mineta joined forces to help pass the civil liberties act signed by president ronald reagan which for the very first time formally apologized to japanese americans and granted reparations to those who had been imprisoned are you surprised that he's not bitter about what happened to him that's
• 07:30 - 08:00 the real one uh he's he's a he's a mandela type person he never bitterness never came over him he didn't always agree on everything but party like that barbed wire rarely came between them and even when it did they say it wasn't as pointed or as personal as the debates that dominate politics today the word politics is interesting because it comes from the greek you know that poly meaning many and ticks meaning
• 08:00 - 08:30 blood sucking insects we'd have fights in the subcommittee full committee and yet we'd slap each other on the back say come on let's go have dinner let's go have a drink and they don't do that they just don't have that kind of personal relationship both moneta and simpson are happily retired now and every year return to heart mountain to help remind generations that came after theirs just how fragile freedom can be
• 08:30 - 09:00 one nation under god indivisible with justice for all every year the crowd gets bigger which says something about the growing interest in keeping what happened here from ever happening again but in the midst of this somber memorial this unlikely duo brings some much needed laughter too we don't talk with scouts and tying knots we have organ recitals
• 09:00 - 09:30 how's your heart liver [Laughter] these are called organ recitals i really admire him respect him and love him just a wonderful wonderful individual we see each other and we just begin to to laugh there's no way to describe it it's a love affair i guess that's what you say we just have fun together yes there is a dark history here
• 09:30 - 10:00 but the human spirit is brighter a friendship that reaches back decades has managed to shine the light of hope for generations