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Knowing these appalling facts, we, people of Japanese descent, should thank our lucky stars to be living here in America in direct contact with the democratic way of living. The contrast with the picture of the confusion and chaos abroad should make us appreciate this life here as never before.

If we have been conscious of narrowmindedness and prejudice toward us here in the past, it is at least partly our own fault.

Whether out of the shyness of being a foreigner in this land, or the small feeling of a stranger, or our obvious appearance, there has existed among us a peculiar self-consciousness and awkwardness. Which made so many of the immigrated Japanese in America lean toward segregation and association with only their own race.

They were wrapped up in their own affairs, and when they wanted to learn of the events of the world in general they read Japanese-language newspapers, either published here or sent all the way from their home.