Statement of Gordon Hirabayashi

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STAT"MTNT OF GORDON HIRABAYASHI, member of Seattle Frionds Meeting who mfused to

register for Japanese evacua`ion:

"Over and above any manemade creed or law is the natural law of life=-the

right of human individuals to live snd to ereatively express themselves. No man

was born with the right to limit that lew. Nor, do i believe, ean anyone justifiably

work himself to euch a positions ? | ene

"Down through the ages we have had various individuals doing their bit to

establish more securely these fundemental rightse They have tried to halp sotiety

see the necessity of understanding these fundamental laws; some have suse@eeded to

the extent of having these natural laws recorded. Many have suffered umatural

deaths as a result of their convictions. Yet, today, because of the effort of some

ef these individuals we have recorded in the laws of our nation gerteain rights for.

all men, and certain additional rights for gitigense These fundamental moral rights

and civil liberties are included in the Bill of Sights, Usd Gonstitution, and other

legal recoress They cuarantes that these fundamental rights shall not be denied

without due process of laws ee

| fhe principles or the ideals are the things which give value te a person's

life. They are the qualities which give impetus and purpose toward meaningful

expariencess The violation of hwnan personality is the Violation of the most sacred

thing whieh man ownse 7 7 ;

"hie onier for the mass evacuation of all persons of dapansse deseent denis

them the right to lives It forces thousands of energetic, laweabiding individusls

tc exist in a miserable psychological and horrible physical atmpspherse this order

limite to almost full extent the creative expressions of these subjected. it Kilis

the desire for a higher lifes Hope for the future is exterminated. iuman personal-

ities are poisoned. The very qualities `which are essential to a peageful, creative "

community are being thrown oug and abuseds Over sixty per cent, are American `"

aiticens; yet they are denied on a wholesale scale without due process of law the

givil liberties which are thoirse |

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"Tg I were to register and cooperate wider those cirewnstemces, | would be

giving helpless cons-nt to the denial of practically all of the things whieh give ae

insentive to lives I must maintain my Christian principles. 1 ecisider it my duty

to maintain the democratic standards for which this sation lives. Therefore, 1

mast refuse this omer for evacustion. Let me add, however, that in refusing to

- pegister I am well aware of the exgellent qualities of the army and government

persoanel connected with the prosecution of this exelusioa order. They are meu of

the finest types, and I sinaerely appreciate their sympathetic and honest effo tse :

Wor do i intend to cast any shatlow upon the Japanes" and other Bigsei who have me

registered for evacustions They have faced tragedy admirably. 1 am objecting to the,, :

principle of this order which denies the rights of human beings, including citizens.

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GORDOM K. HIRABAYASHI :

May 15, 1942