ANTIRACISM BOOK STUDY
They Called Us Enemy
graphic memoir by George Takei
June 1, 2022 | 2:30pm PDT
Study Prompts
Please consider the following as you read:
- Pick one “bullet point” – one brief sentence, quote, or assertion from the book that jumped out at you or stuck with you, to share with the group.
- The novel ends with a quote from President Barack Obama:
“Justice grows out of recognition of ourselves in each other. That my liberty depends on you being free, too. That history can’t be a sword to justify injustice, or a shield against progress, but must be a manual for how to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.”
Do you think justice has been achieved for the Japanese American Community? How
does reading this book contribute to justice?
Extras
For a deeper dive, you may also want to look at:
- PBS Video: George Takei on His New Memoir, “They Called Us Enemy”
- Essay: “Words Do Matter: A Note on Inappropriate Terminology and the Incarceration of the Japanese Americans” (by Roger Daniels)
- PDF File: They-Called-Us-Enemy-Reading-Guide (from www.heartmountain.org. Question #2 was taken from this guide)
Read
Before our next meeting on June 1st, please read They Called Us Enemy at least once (more than once if you are able). You may want to take notes in a notebook or journal.
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