1942 6 5 Letter from Chiz to Kay and Tomi

1942 6 5 Letter from Chiz to Kay and Tomi

Chiz writes a letter on behalf of the entire family incarcerated at Tanforan to Tomi and Kay who have now returned to San Francisco and should be returning to Tanforan. Kay is trying to get a job with the War Relocation Authority in Washington D.C. in order to avoid being incarcerated and support from the outside. Chiz insists that she will not understand what the rest of the family is going through and what the rest of those interned are experiencing having only been incarcerated for the first five days. Chiz writes an impassioned letter, emphasizing the limitations of what Kay will be able to do in terms of advocacy, and urges her to return to Tanforan with the rest of the family.

Chiz Kitow

May 1942

English

Letter

Friday Morning

Dear Kay and Mother,
We had been worried of what might have happened to detain your return as we had receive Do. Giles' carp Tuesday. For two days we stuck around the Grand Stand awaiting your return and then your letter thru Dr. Giles was received about noon. It cleared up the mystery - but of course for presented a problem which we hadn't anticipated. No doubt you heard what our immediate reactions were- but since we have all gotten together last evening to consider the pros and cons for your future activity I have been delegated to do the writing.

First of all, we appreciate the many important contacts of key people you've made who are interested in what is happening and what is being actually done in these assembly centers. Tanforan in particular. We also realize the weight of their influence and position and their encouragement to you in advising that you take this work to be __ on the outside.
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We've digested the two letters which you've written and all the same time being your family have considered it from an angel of real possibilities as to your future. But our reaction is this- if you are going to remain outside as a _ worker in the dept which
you've been working in and planning to do the contact work outside of this responsibility- we suggest you return here- because we feel you can be of most help being on the inside and knowing situation first hand. It is well and important and we
appreciate the sincerity of these important personages- but unless you would be granted a position where you could actually work on the inside of a War Relocation Authority Board- we believe your influence would be very limited on people. You can't be a clerk in state Research Dept. and then take on more than a full-time man problem on the time which is left.
You may feel that you understand our problems and that's with the background of about 5 days here know a little something of our life- but it is considerably deeper
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and very much more complicated now. For one thing- to vicariously appreciate the true inward feeling of hearts and minds- of people who have tom themselves from all normal living- sacrificing their life work, their home and their rights to live as other free people - -and to be placed under circumstances where we are further restricted and whose influences are affecting the lives of our children who are going to have to live in the very society that committed us to this experience- You'll never really understand it unless you live amongst it- because writing about these things- couldn't begin to picture it. Our salvation will depend greatly upon what we a s individual members can do for ourselves- in preserving the right perspectives- Like all things- when we are dependent on external forces too much- we have reasons to be disappointed- We sincerely believe
Kay, that now since you've made these contacts on the outside- if you can keep them