As a member of Congress, Mike Honda "makes sure we have a voice for people who historically do not have a voice." At least that is how he explains his job to his mother who, according to Honda, does not quite understand that politics is a profession.
Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) - Charlynn Spencer Pyne
Honda, a third-generation Japanese-American who represents the 15th Congressional District of California, delivered the Library's 2002 Asian Pacific American Heritage month keynote address on May 24. His district, which includes San Jose, contains one of the largest Asian Pacific American populations of any congressional district in the continental United States.
For Honda, the road to Congress began in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. Although he was a native of California, he "had the face of the enemy" and was, therefore, "guilty until proven innocent."
"We were told we were placed in camps for our own safety," said Honda. "But as my father always asked, if this were true, why were the machine guns pointed in, not out?"
The incarceration had a profound effect on him as a young boy.
"Children are affected not only by their immediate environment, but also by historical actions against a particular person or group," said Honda.
For his part, the experience made him self-conscious about his cultural heritage. By way of example, he recalled a painful childhood memory.
"My mother came to my classroom and said, ‘Here is your coat. It's cold. It's snowing.' I told her to speak in English."
Regretful to this day about his actions, Honda asked, "What drove a little boy to be embarrassed by his mother? Japanese was my first language, but it was not nurtured by the school system. We always hear people say, ‘If you want to be an American, speak English.' But then how can we become global competitors?"
For Honda, the unfairness in the classroom led to a life-long interest in education. It would be years before he saw pictures of people he had known in books produced by the War Relocation Authority, and he wondered why he did not learn about the internment camps in school.
"I wanted to learn about other educational systems from beginning to end," he said.
His interest in education was furthered by his experience in the Peace Corps. During the mid-1960s, he built schools and health clinics in rural communities in El Salvador. He later earned bachelor's degrees in biological sciences and Spanish at San Jose State University, and a master's degree in education from the same institution. After conducting educational research at Stanford University, he became a science teacher, then a principal in the San Jose public school system.
Honda's foray into public policy began in 1971, when he was appointed to the San Jose City Planning Commission. Ten years later he was elected to the San Jose Unified School Board, and in 1990 he became the first and only Asian Pacific American to serve on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. He was elected to the California State Assembly in 1996 and re-elected in 1998. In November 2000, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he serves on the Budget, Transportation & Infrastructure, and Science committees.
"The first Asian in Congress was Dalip Singh Saund, a native of India," said Honda proudly. "I learned that from you at the Library of Congress. The Library is a repository of history and information, and a keeper of the facts. When I used the Library I learned that 50 people of Chinese descent served in the Civil War." Honda has been involved in an effort to secure citizenship, albeit posthumously, for these soldiers.
"Even though they are dead and their descendants may be dead, it is important to correct this wrong," said Honda. "After September 11, I think the point has been made that we can criticize without being considered unpatriotic. In fact, it is patriotic to speak up."
Referring to observations about the Library's Asian American employment statistics made in opening remarks by Jacqueline Pak, president of the Library's Asian American Association, Honda said, "You can only make it better if you speak up, but understand that you can move forward, make changes, and make things better. While you must stand up to be heard, you must sit down together to mediate." On the subject of correcting past wrongs, Honda predicted that in the future there will be much "gnashing of teeth" about the issue of reparations for slavery.
"Many people feel they should not suffer for the sins of their fathers," noted Honda. "But the point of it is the debate. The debate is about self exploration, like the process of psychotherapy. We must take the lessons of the past and apply them to the present for the future of our country." Echoing the reason he entered public service, he said, "I will be your servant, your voice. I am dedicated to change. Change is good, it is healthy, and it makes us a much more perfect union."
