This activity helps students understand the injustice and dangers of scapegoating an entire group of people during a national crisis.
Some lawmakers and members of the media have compared the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the United States to the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor [1] in 1941. Both incidents were egregious violations of U.S. national security that resulted in a heavy loss of life, triggering understandable outrage and anger among the American public.
Prominent lawmakers, however, including former Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, have cautioned citizens to avoid the mistakes of the past when the racism and paranoia that emerged after Pearl Harbor led to the illegal internment of Japanese Americans.
The following articles and activities will help students understand the injustice and dangers of scapegoating an entire group of people during a national crisis.
Links:
[1] http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/town-teacher-and-wartime-tragedy
[2] http://www.tolerance.org/activity/home-was-horse-stall
[3] http://www.pbs.org/americaresponds/tolerance.html