Japanese Rescue Team

Re “Rejected Rescuers,” Dec. 15:

It makes me sad to read about the treatment these eight Japanese students received from the homeowner and disaster relief agencies. It proves that there is a strong current of protectionism and antagonism existing in this country. It further shows me how hypocritical we really are. We advocate human rights on one hand and on the other we cannot even accept people as they are. If Americans do not break through the boundaries we make that separate us from each other, very soon we will find our country even less attractive and less competitive in this new global environment.

I wonder how that homeowner would feel if he/she was in the students’ position. It would be encouraging to see our schools setting up something like the Japan Emergency Team for our kids. Perhaps we wouldn’t have that many gang problems. We wait for our government to send our military as relief teams and then criticize its actions. Some of us have been indeed self-centered and lack compassion. We are our greatest enemy. Let us all re-examine our beliefs and positions. Open our hearts to people, no matter what and how they look. The world is a lot bigger than our five-digit ZIP code.

KAREN Y. LEUNG-ROACH

San Pedro