Internment by Samira Ahmed
World-building
You're not guilty of anything. But these days, actual guilt is an afterthought. p4
Even worse, although David got booted, too, only my parents and I were called in for a lecture about how I should know my place at school, keep my head down, and be grateful for the privilege of attending classes there. p6
Our military is diverse, but not this shiny, new branch. They're all white, it seems. A victory for nostalgic racists longing for the "good old days" of segregated units and separate bathrooms. p47
One detail that's impossible to miss? Just like in the train station, every person with a gun is white, and not white like maybe they're Bosnian-- the kind of white that thinks internment camps are going to make America great again. p64
I wonder what else they've built. What else can they do to us when America isn't looking? p80
Bystanders vs Upstanders
I thought our little liberal college town would fight it longer, hold out. Some did. But you'd be surprised how quickly armed military personnel and pepper spray shut down the well-meaning protests of liberals in small lefty towns. p2
"I know you've both been too afraid to say anything, to do anything, but your silence isn't shielding us from hatred." p21
For those of us who were born here, America is literally the only home we've ever known. And all those angry mobs on television chanting "Go home," they don't get that this is our home. p68
"But I know that America is built on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. All those things have been ripped away from us, and I believe that every American who came before us, who stood up to oppression, who fought to guarantee our right to religious freedom, is looking down on us to rise up, to speak out, to shout our names to the world. We stand on the shoulders of giants. We are Americans. We make America great. This is our country. And we're taking it back." p355
Shade
The thing is, it's not like half this country suddenly became Islamophobes because of any single event. But the lies, the rhetoric of calling refugees rapists and criminals, the fake news, the false statistics, all gave those well-meaning people who say they're not bigots cover to vote for a man who openly tweeted his hatred of us on a nearly daily basis. p24-25
"'There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.'" p38
Manzanar was a historic site, run by the National Park Service, my mom told me, but a couple of months ago, the Park Service lost its funding and the place was shut down. p62
But we always forget. Forgetting is in the American grain. p65
I don't have a measure for how I should feel or what I should think. But thoughts and prayers weren't enough to save any of those people in any of those places from getting shot. And they're not going to be enough for us now. Prayers can only go so far. I remember something else my nanni used to tell me: Praying is important. but you can't simply pray for what you want. You have to act. p67
"We have no idea how long we're going to be in here, do we? We elected this guy who sees all of us as a threat. He doesn't have to let us out. We're like netted fish, struggling to find water, but we don't realize we're drowning on dry land." p110
"There's never been a wall that people haven't been able to get by." p110
Descriptions
nature and feelings and internment p61-- the whole last paragraph
This place isn't foreign; it's forced. It's poison being shoved down our throats. p89
"The scariest monsters are the ones who seem the most like you." p98
A regular landline dial tone, reaching out from the past like a security blanket, a sign that the world beyond the fence still exists. p127
Even though we are in an open-air camp, we breathe the recycled air of dread and anxiety. like everyone else, I wonder about tomorrow. Hope. Fear. Anticipation. p225
"We've weaponized whiteness in this country. So why not use mine to your advantage now?" p237
???
The government might be able to steal our lives from us, but they can't steal our thoughts. p73
trying to show the camp like a "summer camp" similar to in WWII-- many instances-- one on p222-223 , another p 232
...America is a country where a skinny kid with a funny name can defeat the odds and become president. But America doesn't seem like any of those things anymore. Maybe it never was. p317
We shall bear witness
On the Night of Destiny
As a hush descends,
And a prayer rises.
There is only the listening, then,
To the beating heart of earth,
And flashes of thunderous light in the heavens. p350-351
"It's not a single heartbeat that calls the storm. It's the power of our voices joined together, demanding justice. It's the thunder of our collective feet marching for our freedom." p351
Fear
"I get it. Some fear is good, but not if it makes you draw so much into yourself that you're petrified. That's not good for anyone." p85
"But it's also a reminder that being quiet doesn't always signify weakness. Sometimes it takes great strength to find that silence. Sometimes it takes incredible strength to survive." p143
"You're nothing but a bunch of stupid children playing grown-up. You have no idea how much worse things could get for us." p349
LOL
Footloose-- "Sharia law for Christians." p112
The power of words
p328-- director's monologue
Do NOT skip the Author's Note!
When fascism comes to America, it will come draped in the flag. p377
It also has a good, quick timeline of Japanese immigration/ internment during WWII and before. p378-379
Fascism isn't going to simply appear in America one day. It's here. But so are we. p381
You're not guilty of anything. But these days, actual guilt is an afterthought. p4
Even worse, although David got booted, too, only my parents and I were called in for a lecture about how I should know my place at school, keep my head down, and be grateful for the privilege of attending classes there. p6
Our military is diverse, but not this shiny, new branch. They're all white, it seems. A victory for nostalgic racists longing for the "good old days" of segregated units and separate bathrooms. p47
One detail that's impossible to miss? Just like in the train station, every person with a gun is white, and not white like maybe they're Bosnian-- the kind of white that thinks internment camps are going to make America great again. p64
I wonder what else they've built. What else can they do to us when America isn't looking? p80
Bystanders vs Upstanders
I thought our little liberal college town would fight it longer, hold out. Some did. But you'd be surprised how quickly armed military personnel and pepper spray shut down the well-meaning protests of liberals in small lefty towns. p2
"I know you've both been too afraid to say anything, to do anything, but your silence isn't shielding us from hatred." p21
For those of us who were born here, America is literally the only home we've ever known. And all those angry mobs on television chanting "Go home," they don't get that this is our home. p68
"But I know that America is built on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. All those things have been ripped away from us, and I believe that every American who came before us, who stood up to oppression, who fought to guarantee our right to religious freedom, is looking down on us to rise up, to speak out, to shout our names to the world. We stand on the shoulders of giants. We are Americans. We make America great. This is our country. And we're taking it back." p355
Shade
The thing is, it's not like half this country suddenly became Islamophobes because of any single event. But the lies, the rhetoric of calling refugees rapists and criminals, the fake news, the false statistics, all gave those well-meaning people who say they're not bigots cover to vote for a man who openly tweeted his hatred of us on a nearly daily basis. p24-25
"'There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.'" p38
Manzanar was a historic site, run by the National Park Service, my mom told me, but a couple of months ago, the Park Service lost its funding and the place was shut down. p62
But we always forget. Forgetting is in the American grain. p65
I don't have a measure for how I should feel or what I should think. But thoughts and prayers weren't enough to save any of those people in any of those places from getting shot. And they're not going to be enough for us now. Prayers can only go so far. I remember something else my nanni used to tell me: Praying is important. but you can't simply pray for what you want. You have to act. p67
"We have no idea how long we're going to be in here, do we? We elected this guy who sees all of us as a threat. He doesn't have to let us out. We're like netted fish, struggling to find water, but we don't realize we're drowning on dry land." p110
"There's never been a wall that people haven't been able to get by." p110
Descriptions
nature and feelings and internment p61-- the whole last paragraph
This place isn't foreign; it's forced. It's poison being shoved down our throats. p89
"The scariest monsters are the ones who seem the most like you." p98
A regular landline dial tone, reaching out from the past like a security blanket, a sign that the world beyond the fence still exists. p127
Even though we are in an open-air camp, we breathe the recycled air of dread and anxiety. like everyone else, I wonder about tomorrow. Hope. Fear. Anticipation. p225
"We've weaponized whiteness in this country. So why not use mine to your advantage now?" p237
???
The government might be able to steal our lives from us, but they can't steal our thoughts. p73
trying to show the camp like a "summer camp" similar to in WWII-- many instances-- one on p222-223 , another p 232
...America is a country where a skinny kid with a funny name can defeat the odds and become president. But America doesn't seem like any of those things anymore. Maybe it never was. p317
We shall bear witness
On the Night of Destiny
As a hush descends,
And a prayer rises.
There is only the listening, then,
To the beating heart of earth,
And flashes of thunderous light in the heavens. p350-351
"It's not a single heartbeat that calls the storm. It's the power of our voices joined together, demanding justice. It's the thunder of our collective feet marching for our freedom." p351
Fear
"I get it. Some fear is good, but not if it makes you draw so much into yourself that you're petrified. That's not good for anyone." p85
"But it's also a reminder that being quiet doesn't always signify weakness. Sometimes it takes great strength to find that silence. Sometimes it takes incredible strength to survive." p143
"You're nothing but a bunch of stupid children playing grown-up. You have no idea how much worse things could get for us." p349
LOL
Footloose-- "Sharia law for Christians." p112
The power of words
p328-- director's monologue
Do NOT skip the Author's Note!
When fascism comes to America, it will come draped in the flag. p377
It also has a good, quick timeline of Japanese immigration/ internment during WWII and before. p378-379
Fascism isn't going to simply appear in America one day. It's here. But so are we. p381
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