Korematsu Versus the United States

In the United States, we are known as a nation with equal rights. However, in our history, public issues arise jeopardizing the difference between the common good and individual rights. The Chinese Exclusion Act was one issue that was very controversial. Many people immigrate to our nation as a new start, a new beginning. In the Western United States, many immigrants were from China. Nativists believed America is for Americans only and no other race. This made many people hostile and discriminate Chinese people. Eventually, the Chinese Exclusion Act was signed by Chester A Arthur barring Chinese people wishing to immigrate to America. This violated their individual rights because they thought it was for the common good, however it violated our constitution. Violating their individual rights, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion act, disabling many chinese people to emigrate back to America which resulted in opposition and hatred, even though America believed it was for the common good. I believe it was unconstitutional as many Chinese people had no power to voice their opinion.

Mindful of the hardships during war times for all Americans, the Court implies that it is the responsibility of citizens to bear this burden, “We uphold the exclusion order …Not unmindful of the hardships…But hardships are part of war,…the burden is always heavier.” (Korematsu, 357). The hardship of one race seemed to outweigh that of another, no mention is made about the fact that the only race ordered to evacuate by reporting to Assembly Centers followed by indeterminate confinement to detention camps were Japanese Americans. The Supreme Court outlines that this case is about an exclusion order and not racial prejudice, “Our task is simply, our duty clear…we are specifically dealing with nothing but an exclusion order. To cast this case into the outlines or racial prejudice…merely confuses the issue.” (Korematsu, 358) Korematsu was a loyal citizen of the U.S., his loyalty was never attested; nevertheless, he faced charges against him because he refused to obey an order which singled him out because of his ancestry. “Guilt is personal and not inheritable” (Korematsu, 364). The military acted to protect the nation against espionage and sabotage, they were acting in the interest of the nation and at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack time was limited, the loyal could not be segregated from the disloyal. During wartimes however the US Government needs to be mindful that this is a country made of vast cultures, races, religions and the US Constitution

The order for the military to put Japanese in imprisonment takes away from their constitutional rights and is discriminating against the Japanese race. The

In the Korematsu v. United States case, Japanese Americans were being removed from their homes by executive order. It was deemed necessary

So, some people say that the internment of the Japanese-Americans was totally constitutional and let me tell you now that is a lie. The reason I say this is specifically in the fourth amendment shows that you can not have your land or property taken by government without a warrant. Also right in the constitution, it says “we the people.” How can this be when you separate a whole race of people away from everyday

On February 19th 1942, Roosevelt signed the executive order 9066. Under the terms of the order, people of Japanese descent were placed in internment camps. The United States’ justification for this abominable action was that the Japanese American’s may spy for their Homeland. Over 62% of the Japanese that were held in these camps were American Citizens. The United States’ internment of the Japanese was a poor and cowardly method of ‘keeping the peace.’ The United States was not justified in stowing away Japanese Americans into almost concentration camps. This act goes against the basic Bill Of Rights granted to all American citizens, the Fifth Amendment's command that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due

The Court ruled that during World War II, the exclusion of Japanese or those of Japanese descent was constitutional. The Court asserted that Korematsu was not excluded because of his race.

Korematsu v. United States (1944) actually began December 7, 1941 with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The attack on Pearl Harbor then began the conquering of Wake, Guam, Philippines, Malaya, Singapore, Dutch East Indies, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Burma. With the attack on Pearl Harbor, racism, which was hardly unfamiliar, became an even greater problem. The Japanese Government's attacks on Americans including; torturing, raping, and murdering was an excuse for Americans aversion towards the Japanese. Public officials began to lock up the Japanese people simply for their own good, for protection against the hate crimes.

The internment of Japanese American's was unconstitutional because the act was against equal rights. In the Constitution the it says “We the People”, the U.S. did not stand by these words during World War II. If they were going to stand by these words they would not have established internment camps. The Internment camps were not constitutional because the U.S. wasn't “We the people” any more it was “just us nobody else”. The U.S. wasn’t united anymore they excluded a whole race of people. The Japanese Americans weren't treated as Americans they were treated as terrorist. Race was the only reason people were put in intern camps.(Howard Doc C) As it can be seen the Internment of Japanese Americans was unjustified because it was

I do not think President Roosevelt was justified when ordering Executive Order 9066 because, most Japanese Americans were law-abiding citizens who loved their country. The government believed Japanese Americans to be a threat to society and that they would do what was necessary to protect the people of the United States. So if it meant locking up all Japanese to protect the American people it was a must.

     For over a century, the United States has been one of the most powerful and influential states on the globe. However, every nation has made mistakes in its past. Throughout our country’s history, certain groups have had to endure horrible injustices: the enslavement of African-Americans, the removal of Native Americans, and discrimination against immigrants, women, homosexuals, and every other minority. During World War II, the government crossed the line between defending the nation and violating human rights, when it chose to relocate Japanese residents to internment camps. The actions taken by the U.S. government against Japanese Americans and Japanese living in the

By Putting all Japanese descent people in internment camps had stripped them from Their rights.In the Declaration of Independence it states that "All men are created equal , that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." So as for the Japanese citizens they were not given the rights that Americans' have.What about the Constitution Stating that They have a right to due process or they need a search warrant before they search and seize.But why can the government take you from

Two months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Executive Order 9066. This forced all Japanese-Americans, regardless of loyalty or citizenship to evacuate to the West Coast. The relocation of Japanese-Americans into internment camps during World War II was one of the most flagrant violations of civil liberties in American history.

The Supreme Court’s decision was supported by three main reasons. In addition to the fact that President Nixon made the restraint order without proper justification, Justices Black, Douglas, Brennan, Stewart, White, and Marshall, the ones who concurred with the official judgement, hesitated to take action without the Congress’s tutelage. They thought that the issues were strictly legislative, so they did not refute the First Amendment (New York Times Co. v. United States; “The Espionage Statutes and Publication of Defense Information”). Also, per US Code -

The Japanese-American placement in internment camps was wrong and unconstitutional. The Japanese-American people had been living in the United States without question until the uprise of racial prejudice brought on by the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Many Japanese-Americans had been born in America and lived an American life, integrated into American schools, speaking with American accents, and enjoying American culture. But, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Japanese were suddenly seen as threats that needed to be controlled. Without any consent, these Japanese-Americans were placed in internment camps with poor conditions and treated as if they were ticking time bombs themselves.