Check out Part 2 and 3 of my newest short story: Goofy. I originally wrote this story 2013 for a children’s book about the Japanese American World War II experience. I published it on 8Asians in 2014. However, with the recent events and rhetoric surrounding our presidential election, I started becoming worried that the events of this short story could happen again—not to Japanese American but to Muslim and Arab Americans.
I wanted to reimagine these events if they happened today to help make sure it doesn’t happen again. As I tell my four-year-old every day, we as decedents of people who were wrongly incarcerated in camps have a moral responsibility to make sure it never happens again. Here is my way of reminding us of our past so we don’t repeat it again.
Goofy (Part 2 of 3)
By Koji Steven Sakai
Moe’s parents were born in Syria, but he was born in America and was therefore a citizen. Because he had never visited his parent’s homeland and since he could only speak a few word of Arabic, he always felt more American than Syrian.
But when others saw Moe, they saw the enemy. At school, the other kids wouldn’t let him play baseball during recess and the teachers stopped calling on him in class. They all blamed him for what the terrorist had done. It was the first time Moe felt more Syrian than American.
Not everyone stopped being friends with Moe. Julia told him. “Now you have more time for me.”
Goofy barked, which was his way of saying, “Don’t forget about me too!”
Click here to read the rest of part 2
Koji Steven Sakai 