Governor Agnew’s remark and the JACL response

Vol. 67, No. 15, October 11, 1968. 6 pages. View this issue

Governor Agnew’s use of a racial slur for a Japanese American reporter, and how people answered it, ran through this six-page issue. JACL President Jerry Enomoto reported how quickly chapters responded, and the Republican National Committee replied that Agnew meant no disrespect. Rep. Spark Matsunaga accepted Agnew’s explanation, while Sen. Dan Inouye said the prospect of Agnew as vice president frightened him. Mike Masaoka, Jeffrey Matsui and George Yasukochi each weighed in from different angles, and telegrams of protest were printed on page 6.

Elsewhere, Enomoto praised the eight-point program of the PSW Ethnic Concern Committee in Southern California. Judge John F. Aiso wrote about the Nisei and Japan. Bill Hosokawa described a return visit to San Diego, and Lily Okura offered notes on the San Jose convention. Patti Dohzen and Roger Nikaido wrote about Sansei and the generation gap, and Kats Kunitsugu recalled Yamato Hall in Little Tokyo.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• PSW Action Program, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. National JACL President Jerry Enomoto praises the PSW Ethnic Concern Committee’s eight-point program for addressing Japanese American discrimination in Southern California. He also highlights rapid JACL chapter response to Governor Agnew’s remark and the committee’s outreach to lonely Issei.
• America, Japan and the Nisei, by John F. Aiso, page 1. Superior Judge John F. Aiso reflects on the Nisei’s experience as Americans of Japanese ancestry during and after World War II. He traces the influence of Japan and America on each other and the Nisei’s role in shaping postwar Japan.
• Washington Newsletter: More on Agnew Incident, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Mike Masaoka reviews national political news and Governor Agnew’s racial references to Japanese Americans and others. He praises JACL chapters’ protests and suggests the controversy may educate the public about the offensiveness of the word ‘Jap.’
• Return Visit, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa describes a return visit to San Diego and meeting Robert G. H. Lie, a former Indonesian-born businessman who found a home there. He also reflects on overly sensitive reactions to ethnic humor, citing actor Arte Johnson’s experience.
• Miyako Hotel, by Lily Okura, page 3. JACL Governor Lily Okura recounts a JACL-Japan Tour reunion at the Miyako Hotel and offers feedback on the San Jose national convention. She suggests procedural improvements including a voting booth and better microphone placement.
• Touch of Madness, by Patti Dohzen, page 4. Patti Dohzen, chairman of the National Youth Council, responds to Roger Nikaido’s column on Sansei and the ghetto experience. She describes a Sansei conference moment of collective spontaneity and shares a story about overcoming prejudice.
• Prejudice Is Ignorance, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A personal essay recounts how the author overcame a dislike of cats after adopting kittens, drawing a parallel to overcoming other prejudices. The lesson is that prejudice often stems from ignorance.
• Alienation of Modern Man, by Roger Nikaido, page 5. Roger Nikaido uses a football metaphor to examine the generational conflict between youthful rebels and middle-aged authoritarians. He argues that young people are rightly challenging hypocritical middle-class values.
• Sounding Board: Agnew Flap, by Jeffrey Matsui, page 5. Jeffrey Matsui responds to a Honolulu Advertiser letter defending local usage of ethnic slurs by comparing it to the word ‘Jap.’ He argues racial epithets contribute to intergroup hostility and should be dropped.
• E’s Day, by P.C. Staff, page 6. An editorial contrasts the new federal relocation guidelines for displaced freeway residents with the wartime relocation of Japanese Americans to camps. It highlights the harsh conditions of the camps and the evolution of JACL’s role.
• Yamato Hall in Little Tokyo Had Colorful History, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 6. Kats Kunitsugu recounts the history of the Yamato and Tokyo gambling clubs on the third floor of Yamato Hall in Little Tokyo. The clubs once provided meals and art purchases during the Depression before declining after 1948.
• Letters from Our Readers: Let’s Be Charitable, by George Yasukochi, page 6. George Yasukochi urges readers to be charitable toward Governor Agnew’s apology and to desensitize themselves to casual ethnic terms. He recounts a friendly exchange with Afrikaner travelers who used the term ‘Jap’ without malice.
• Also: Critical Two Years, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A letter argues that the next two years will be critical for U.S.-Japan relations, with the mutual security treaty up for review in 1970. The writer urges greater Japanese responsibility for Far East stability as U.S. forces withdraw from Vietnam.
• Agnew Flap, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Telegrams sent to the Nixon-Agnew campaign and Governor Agnew protest his racial epithet, with one writer, William M. Marutani, noting Agnew’s own minority background. The telegrams urge sensitivity in leadership.

Community

• Republican National Committee Replies, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Republican National Committee responded to JACL President Jerry Enomoto’s objection to Governor Agnew’s use of ‘fat Jap,’ stating Agnew meant no disrespect. Hawaii Democrats separately asked that Agnew return to the islands before the election.
• Colorado Nisei Republicans Form Nixon Committee, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Former Colorado State Representative Seiji Horiuchi announced a Colorado Nisei for Nixon committee to support Richard Nixon’s presidential campaign. The group is part of a national Nisei committee headed by Ray Kojima of New York.
• Spokane to Host PNW Meet Oct. 27, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Pacific Northwest District Council will meet in Spokane on October 27 with agenda items including the district budget, chapter quotas, and membership fees. Reports will cover national board matters, the History Project, and youth programs.
• Fowler Groups to Host Uchiyama Testimonial, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Fowler JACL and the Central California Judo Black Belt Association will honor Judge Mikio Uchiyama, the first Central California Nisei judge, with a testimonial dinner. Seating is limited to 300 guests.

National

• Matsunaga Accepts Agnew’s Explanation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Spark Matsunaga accepted Agnew’s explanation that the slur was used in jest, though he criticized Agnew’s repeated remarks. Sen. Dan Inouye said he was frightened by the prospect of Agnew as vice president.
• Jerry Appoints National JACL Committeemen, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL President Jerry Enomoto appointed Ross Harano as associate youth commissioner, the first ex-Jr. JACLer named to a national committee post. Most other national committee members were reappointed from the previous biennium.
• Terrorism Shakes Seattle, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Seattle’s Washington Junior High closed for two days after a breakdown of discipline linked to racial lawlessness and Black Panther intimidation. Incidents included fire bombings, arson, and assaults in the Central Area schools.
• Rep. Mink Applauds U.S. Program for Handicapped Pre-Schoolers, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Rep. Patsy T. Mink applauded new federal legislation funding pre-school education for handicapped children, authorizing $1 million this year and rising to $12 million by 1971. She noted that early education can accelerate development.

In-Depth

• Manhattan Echoes, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A personal account of a family stay at Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park along the Hudson River in New York. The author describes the peaceful cabin setting, the evening scene, and nearby historic sites.

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