FROM BULLETS TO BALLOTS (1997)

SYNOPSIS

Japanese American WWII veterans from Hawaii tell why they were willing to risk their lives to help democratize Hawaii.

And John A. Burns said, "Are you a plantation boy?" and I said yes and he said, "Do you feel like a first class citizen?" I told him, "No, I feel like a third class citizen." — Mike Tokunaga, 100th Battalion, Company C

Prior to 1950... if you weren't white you weren't going to get certain jobs. So that really got me you know. So I worked hard with the Democratic Party to uplift all the working people of Hawaii.—Turk Tokita, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Company H

We knew we were expendable, but we knew that we had to pay that price. And we were willing to pay. But once we paid the price, we wanted our place in the sun. Fair enough isn't it?—Senator Daniel K. Inouye, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Company E