After a Virginia mayor ordered city agencies to stop helping Syrian refugees and compared the current crisis to Japanese internment policies used during World War II, criticism from politicians and celebrities began to flood social media.
Roanoke Mayor David Bowers wrote in a citywide statement Wednesday morning: "I'm reminded that President Franklin D. Roosevelt felt compelled to sequester Japanese foreign nationals after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and it appears that the threat of harm to America from Isis now is just as real and serious as that from our enemies then."
Roanoke mayor cites Japanese internment in letter opposing resettlement of Syrian refugees... pic.twitter.com/lkZcm5WiYl— Kyle Blaine (@kyletblaine) November 18, 2015
Fellow city council members bashed Bowers at a meeting Wednesday, WSLS 10 reported.
“When you hear his statement, think David Bowers, not Roanoke,” Councilman David Trinkle, who is running for mayor in the 2016 race, said.
Bower's statement was also swiftly denounced by the ACLU of Virginia, which called the detainment of more than 100,000 Japanese-Americans during WWII "a dark stain on America’s history." Other Virginian politicians called Bower's comparison "baffling," "offensive and ignorant," and "insensitive xenophobia," The Roanoke Times reported.
ACLU-VA responds to Roanoke mayor's shocking statements invoking Japanese internment. https://t.co/1YbkqgJ4Z5— ACLU of Virginia (@ACLUVA) November 18, 2015
In addition, Bowers was removed from Hillary Clinton's Virginia Leadership Council, a campaign spokesperson who called the mayor's remarks "outrageous" told Buzzfeed.
Many Asian-American politicians, including Japanese internment camp survivor Rep. Mike Honda, a Democrat from California, took to Twitter to condemn Bowers' statement. Several used the hashtag #NeverAgain9066, a reference to Executive Order 9066, which was issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942 and eventually led to the detainment and deportation of Japanese-Americans.
The Lessons of Japanese American Internment Should Not Be Forgotten @Medium #NeverAgain9066 https://t.co/oe2EMbCqLi— Rep. Mike Honda (@RepMikeHonda) November 18, 2015
I am outraged by reports of elected officials calling for Syrian Americans to be rounded up and interned. #NeverAgain9066— Rep. Mike Honda (@RepMikeHonda) November 18, 2015
We cannot allow this to happen again and reverse the progress we have made in the last several decades. #NeverAgain9066— Rep. Mike Honda (@RepMikeHonda) November 18, 2015
We must now say ‘no’ to failed leadership & condemn the statements of Mayor Bowers, TN Chair Casada, & State Senator Morgan #NeverAgain9066— Rep. Mike Honda (@RepMikeHonda) November 18, 2015
Japanese American internee @RepMikeHonda on Roanoke mayor: "The nicest thing I can say about him is he is pretty ignorant"— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) November 18, 2015
Japanese internment was a dark chapter & must be a warning, not a justification for unjust fear based refugee policy https://t.co/OeyXQA19ZL— Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) November 18, 2015
We must end the xenophobic rhetoric around #SyrianRefugees before we regret it again. My statement: #NeverAgain9066 https://t.co/AxdXMKYinc— Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) November 18, 2015
Can’t believe this needs clarifying, but the internment of Japanese-Americans (including my parents) was not a model policy.— Mark Takano (@RepMarkTakano) November 18, 2015
.@RepJudyChu, Asian Pacific American Caucus chair, calls Roanoke mayor's internment comparison "outrageous" pic.twitter.com/YqTmzaCZdv— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) November 18, 2015
Actor George Takei also posted a detailed rebuttal to Bowers' statement on Facebook.
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Bowers' words resonated with others on social media as well, with "Roanoke" trending on Twitter for several hours Thursday evening.