NC congressman Coble defends internment of Japanese American

he has every right to a fair trial before being hung

Asherman, I doubt very much that Robert Honda, a congressman, would react to false accusations. I also doubt that the San Jose Mercury News, a respected newspaper here in Silicon Valley would print falsehoods about anybody. The San Jose Mercury News has won too many awards to be printing something that is questionable on this issue. As a matter of fact, this mornings issue reprinted an Editorial on the same subject. Unless you are able to find what you are defending Coble of, I will trust the San Jose Mercury News and Robert Honda over your defense of this bigot. c.i.

Asherman, If Cobel was misquoted or it was out of context, please show me where. c.i.

Here's the New York Times link for the original remarks:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/06/politics/06INTE.html

Here's the New York Times link for a demand for an apology:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Lawmakers-Remarks.html

Another example of the stupid white guys who haven't qualified as corporate management so they find their way into government.

Asherman, I have decided to opt out of the Western Gathering. I will not feel comfortable sitting at the same table with somebody that's will to defend a bigot. c.i.

C.I.

I completely understand your outrage at the congressman's remarks.

However, I think in your understandable anger you are making a mistake when you say that Asherman defended a bigot.

Take another look at his posts. It seems to me he indicates a belief that Coble probably IS a bigot and probably DID say what was attributed to him.

I think he was simply saying ,let's make sure he said what was attributed to him.

Please C.I., let the dust settle and re-read the posts.

Cicero,

I have not said one word in defense of Congressman Cobel. What I have said is that no one should be condemned on heresay for a single source. If you will review my earlier postings, I think you will find that in each instance I've recognized that Cobel may be everything he's accused of. I've never heard of Cobel before this report and have no reason to blindly support him. Quite the contrary. What I'm defending is the notion that a person is innocent until proven guilty. In this case the proof doesn't even have to be beyond a reasonable doubt, because no law has been broken that can be prosecuted in the courts. The man is probably a boor, a bigot and half a dozen other unsavory things, but maybe not. I try to be tolerant, even when others are not.

If you choose not to attend the Western Gathering, it will be diminished by your absence. I was looking forward to meeting you, and I'm sure others would also be disappointed if you didn't come over.

Asherman, There are times when I will defend GWBush, because I have information which refutes some accusations made by an individual. You are capable of researching any accusation made by any newspaper by doing a simple search. Yes, this is not a 'court of law,' but before you defend somebody in our government that may have been "misquoted or taken out of context," I would expect the same level of fairness from somebody of your capacity. If you wish to defend the idea of "misquoted or taken out of context," then I would expect some basis for that. c.i.

Saddam is not a threat to me, but Coble is. You won't be able to see that if it ran across your face. c.i.

Cicero,

You know me less than you think you do.

Screw Cobel, I'm only saying that folks should not rush to judgement in an emotional way. That is the way lynch mobs get started. I detest mob rule and lynchings. Perhaps some of those lynched are guilty of the crimes that angers the mob, that is no reason to joing into a lynching. You and I and a lot of people are angry that a public official is prejudiced, and bigoted. I won't by that bad example abandon the idea that the rule of impartial law carried out in a dispassionate manner is better.

Do I think you and others advocate the actual lynching of Mr. Cobel? No, but you sure seem to want his hide nailed to the barn door.

Since the initial report, there does seem to be more evidence that the Congressman was not misquoted, nor taken so far out of context as to twist his words beyond what he actually meant. If the Congressman has violated the laws, or the cannons of congressional ethics, then punish the hell out of him and I'll be along with you at the execution.

Asherman, There is no lynching, and there is no law against bigots. Only when bigots take action that are threatening does the law take effect. In this atmosphere of "national security," the likes of Coble threatens our very security, because of his position in our government. His thinking is dangerous to me and anybody that doesn't look like him. He's what I call a "dangerous bigot." I'm not only angry, but emotionally so, because people like him sit in our seat of government. As I said before, I want him to end up like Trent Lott. Not tomorrow, but yesterday. c.i.

Asherman, One last point: I get very passionate about bigotry, because we were put into concentration camps for four years in this country. I come out like a blockbuster, and challenge anything that has a scent of bigotry, because I have absolutely no tolerance for it. It's my passion - whether you like it or not. c.i.

Cicero,

I doubt that you are anymore offend by bigotry than I am. I just try not to let my emotions run away with me. One of the things I was trained in was the law, and I believe that without the Constitution and the law we would have chaos.

The Congress is not filled with statesmen, but with Johnnies who were able to convince a simple majority of the voters to cast their ballots. This fellow Cobel probably comes from a relatively small congressional district and may have won election by a handful of votes. He doesn't represent alot of people, but some of the people did elect him to speak for them. You and I may not like what he apparently thinks and says, but he isn't our representative. He is only one small voice in the larger body. What should be more frightening is that there are a lot of Cobels in Congress. Little men of narrow vision. It has ever been so.

We should be thankful for the Constitution and the laws that stand between us and folks who would use prejudice to harm others. Though we detest the KKK and the Nazis and the Communists, and a multitude of others, we must defend their rights to insure our own. Because a lawyer, or a citizen, defends a racist doesn't make them a racist. It has been pointed out elsewhere that just because left-wing pacifists say outrageous things about the American government does not make them Anti-American. Saying that a person accused of extremely non-PC statements is entitled to a fair hearing, isn't evidence that we agree with their supposed statements. In this case the proof seems great and persuasive that Cobel said some things that are deeply offensive to many. Words are the children of thought, so it is reasonable to assume that Mr. Cobel is indeed prejudiced. Cobel was probably in office before Bush was elected, and was as dangerous then as he is now. Perhaps his remarks will assist someone seeking to displace him. When Cobel is gone from the public scene, that is no guarantee that his replacement won't be just as prejudiced. Alright, what should we do about it?

I don't mind your being passionate about this, or any other subject. In my experience more mistakes are made in the heat of passion than with cold calculation. I tend to be analytical, and you are comfortable being driven by emotion. What's wrong with that?

Asherman, It's easy to be analytical when you have not been put into a concentration camp for four years without being charged with a crime. c.i.

C.I.

I understand NOW where your intense feelings come from.

The Coble remarks were more enfuriating to you because of what you lived through.

I for one would like to learn more about your experience if you are willing to talk about it - now or on a future thread.

On the other hand if you don't wish to talk about it I understand and accept that.
-jjorge

c.i. not withstanding your well deserved sensitivity to the issue at hand, i have to think back to an episode involving some arab medical students traveling to florida and the "overheard" remarks they made and how the entire media and US population were prepared to convict them of anything (including Jeb Bush) an in fact they had done/said nothing. i would venture to say this boobus americanus said what he is reported to have said and that most likely nothing will come of it.

Here is the fixed link pueo gave earlier:

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/the_valley/5122216.htm

Thank you, Craven, for providing the link on the San Jose Mercury News article. c.i.

jjorge, The San Jose Mercury News article link that Craven provided explains why Japanese Americans are so sensitive about bigoted statements from our so-called leaders in Washington. We have lived a life of discrimination with other minorities and women in this country, and sadly, it pokes its ugly head in our face with people like Coble. What makes this incidicent more infuriating is the fact that this guy is in charge of a sub-committee of our federal government on "homeland security." His statement only rubs our faces in mud over again. People like him are dangerous, because they can effect similar treatments of Arab/Muslim Americans and others that may look different. We are talking about Americans. As for our personal experience, our poor mother was the only caretaker of three small children, and all we were able to take to the concentration camps were what we were able to carry. My younger brother was still a one year old infant, and our mother had to worry about milk for him, so most of what we took with us were cans of Carnation milk. Am I angry? You bet. Am I emotional? You bet. Asherman expects me to be "analytical." Sorry, no can do. c.i.