Farewell to Mr. Korematsu

Fred Korematsu, the brave pioneer who challenged the U.S. government internment of Japanese in the United States, died today at the age of 86.

Korematsu, the son of Japanese immigrants, was a 23-year-old welder living in Oakland in 1942 when military officials ordered all Japanese-Americans on the West Coast — including U.S. citizens like Korematsu — to report to internment camps. Korematsu refused. As he explained, "I thought what the military was doing was unconstitutional. I was really upset because I was branded as an enemy alien when I'm an American."He was arrested, convicted of violating the order and sent to an internment camp in Utah. The Supreme Court upheld Korematsu's conviction in December 1944, agreeing with the government that it was justified by the need to combat sabotage and espionage.

Speaking out against the Patriot Act, Korematsu compared the plight of Arab-Americans in America today to Japanese-Americans during World War II.

Mr. Korematsu's heroism serves as a powerful reminder to all Americans who truly respect democracy and human rights of the need to curb government abuses of power, especially in the time of war.