Regarding the Aug. 25 Kyodo article "Internment-era parallels seen in today's mind-set": Japanese American Citizens League director Floyd Mori seems to be missing one very important yet simple point: Although the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II will always be a black mark on the nation that produced the greatest constitution in the history of mankind, Japanese Americans as a group were always loyal, law-abiding citizens -- the performance of the 100th Battalion and 442nd RCT proved that beyond any doubt.

Can that be said of the illegal aliens and radical Muslim residents in America today? I don't think so. Last month, a lawbreaking illegal from Mexico who had gotten a job at Chicago O'Hare Airport with the help of a stolen identity stated publicly (with the help of naive civil rights organizations like Mori's) that she had a choice of returning to her country of Mexico or staying to fight and change American immigration laws.

She struggled to get out that message in simple English despite having been in the United States for 10 years. My Japanese wife had no problem with simple conversational English after two years in America, just as I was speaking reasonably good Japanese after two years in Japan. Be that as it may, if one's country is Mexico, why should he or she fight to change U.S. laws?

I have heard little from even moderate Muslims in condemning 9/11 or other terrorist attacks. Instead, I've heard everything from acceptance to arrogant support! Yet, I haven't heard calls for internment -- just enforcement of the laws already on the books and reasonable surveillance of suspicious activity.

With all due respect to Mori and the outrage his family and friends suffered, comparing gross discrimination of loyal citizens to people who have no connection or respect for the U.S. way of life is naive at best and mostly suicidal at worst.

j. bernardi