Nearing his 85th birthday, Fred Korematsu remains a tireless advocate for civil rights. Concerned about reports of harassment and possible illegal detentions in the wake of the September 11 tragedy, Fred continues to speak out against the backlash against Arab, Middle Eastern, and Muslim communities that have become the targets of discrimination and violence.
"There are Arab-Americans today who are going through what Japanese Americans experienced years ago, and we can't let that happen again," says Korematsu. "I met someone years ago who had never heard about the roundup of Japanese-Americans. It's been 60 years since this [arrest] happened, and it's happening again, and that's why I continue to talk about what happened to me."
Since the film's POV premiere broadcast, Fred and director Eric Paul Fournier have responded to numerous requests to show the film and speak at high schools, universities and law schools, as well as events and organizations that deal with issues of human rights, civil liberties, and racial profiling throughout the United States, with the goal of widening the discussions of the lessons learned by the WWII incarceration and exclusion of Japanese-Americans and relate them to the events that have unfolded in the wake of the World Trade Center attack and their impact.
In spite of their advanced age, Fred and Kathryn Korematsu have participated at screenings throughout the United States, many including panel discussions attended by Eric Paul Fournier and various members of Fred's legal team.