Urge the Mayor of Roanoke to Attend George Takei's Play About Internment Camps!

  • by: Eric Rardin
  • recipient: Mayor David A. Bowers, Roanoke, VA

Mayor David A. Bowers recently released a statement rejecting the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Virginia, and appeared to endorse the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.

Comedian George Takei responded by inviting Mayor Bowers to come see his play "Allegiance," which explores this topic and is inspired by Takei's personal experiences.

Bowers has since apologized, but as a resident of Virginia, I find it appalling that the mayor has endorsed such xenophobic policies during a time when millions are fleeing violence. Please sign my petition to urge Mayor Bowers to attend George Takei's play about Japanese internment camps in the hopes that he will gain understanding and compassion!

Mayor Bowers called on "Roanoke Valley governments...[to] suspend and delay any further Syrian refugee assistance until these serious hostilities and atrocities end."

"I'm reminded that Franklin D. Roosevelt felt compelled to sequester Japanese foreign nationals after the bombing of Pearl Harbor," he continued, "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.” 

Takei responded on Facebook: "The internment (not a "sequester") was not of Japanese "foreign nationals," but of Japanese Americans, two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens. I was one of them, and my family and I spent 4 years in prison camps because we happened to look like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor. It is my life’s mission to never let such a thing happen again in America."

"Mayor Bowers, one of the reasons I am telling our story on Broadway eight times a week in Allegiance is because of people like you," Takei wrote. "You who hold a position of authority and power, but you demonstrably have failed to learn the most basic of American civics or history lessons. So Mayor Bowers, I am officially inviting you to come see our show, as my personal guest. Perhaps you, too, will come away with more compassion and understanding."

Please sign the petition to urge Mayor Bowers to attend George Takei's play about Japanese internment camps.

Sign Petition
Sign Petition
You have JavaScript disabled. Without it, our site might not function properly.

Privacy Policy

By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.

Having problems signing this? Let us know.