Virginia mayor apologizes for invoking WWII in justifying Syrian refugee ban
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Version 0 of 1. A Virginia mayor apologized Friday for invoking the mass detention of Japanese-Americans during World War II in comments about keeping Syrian refugees out of the region. Roanoke mayor David Bowers called his comments “unwise and inappropriate” and said he plans to continue in office despite calls for him to resign. In his statement on Wednesday, Bowers cited the government’s internment of Japanese-Americans. He said the threat to the United States from the Islamic State group “is just as real and serious as that from our enemies then”. The US government issued a formal apology more than four decades after World War II and paid reparations to former Japanese internees and their heirs. At a special City Council meeting Friday, Bowers said the comparison was “a mistake”. He apologized specifically to Japanese-Americans. “It’s just not in my heart to be racist or bigoted,” Bowers said. “My statement was intended to be respectful, measured and moderate in tone and substance. But it fell short obviously.” City council members criticized Bowers for using his office letterhead to issue Wednesday’s statement. “I think the press release demonstrates a lack of full understanding of some of the things that we have suffered in this country,” Councilman Ray Ferris said at the meeting on Friday, “and certainly the things that were suffered by the Americans of Japanese descent back in World War II.” Two dozen members of the public later spoke at the meeting. Some called for Bowers to resign. Bowers’ comments Wednesday came in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks and were part of his call to suspend relocating Syrian refugees to the area. |