Vol. 74, No. 8, March 3, 1972. 6 pages. View this issue
Plans for Japan Week in Dayton, Ohio, led this six-page issue. The Dayton JACL, with the Fujin Kai and Jr. JACL, was organizing a week of events from April 30 to May 6, with a JACL dinner where Congressman Sparky Matsunaga would speak. The front page also reported that Tomio Moriguchi became the first Sansei president of the Seattle JACL, and that Patsy Mink told Seattle supporters why she was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. National JACL President Raymond Uno and Jack Ogami set out deadlines for National Council business and award nominations.
On page 2, Harry K. Honda marked the thirtieth anniversary of the wartime forced removal, and Shig Sugiyama wrote on JACL finances. Later pages include Jerry Enomoto on capital punishment, George Takei’s review of the television film Kung Fu, and Senator Alan Cranston’s visit to the Gardena Valley JACL.
What’s in this issue
JACL
- Dayton JACL to Host Japan Week, April 30-May 6, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Dayton JACL, with the Fujin Kai and Jr. JACL, is staging a Japan Week featuring visiting Ambassador Wiai, a JACL dinner with Congressman Sparky Matsunaga as speaker, cultural exhibits, and school programs. The event is described as the biggest community effort ever attempted by the Dayton chapter.
- Deadlines Announced for Submitting Matters for National Council Action, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL President Raymond Uno outlined the schedule and procedures for submitting proposals, budget requests, and amendments ahead of the June 1972 National Council in Washington, D.C. Uno stressed that submissions must be concise, documented, and timely.
- Nominations Requested for ‘Nisei of Biennium’ and ‘JACLer of Biennium’ Awards, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Jack Ogami, chairman of the National JACL recognitions committee, requested chapter and district nominations for the 1970-72 Nisei of the Biennium and JACLer of the Biennium awards. The article details eligibility criteria, scoring, and submission deadlines.
Community
- Seattle JACL Installs First Sansei President, by Eira Nagaoka, page 1. Tomio Moriguchi succeeds Dr. Minoru Matsuda as Seattle JACL president, becoming the first Sansei to lead the chapter. Speakers at the installation addressed youth programs and the persistence of racism and color-based social divisions.
- Cranston Meets with Gardena Valley JACL, by Ken Huthmaker, page 4. Senator Alan Cranston met a capacity crowd at a Gardena Valley JACL event to discuss Japanese American issues, the Vietnam war, drug abuse, and federal funding for Asian programs. Chapter president Thomas Shigekuni introduced the senator and urged members to use federal channels for redress of local problems.
National
- Patsy Mink Tells Seattle Nisei Why She’s Running for U.S. President, by Cherry Kinoshita, page 1. Congresswoman Patsy Mink addressed a Seattle banquet of over 100 supporters, explaining her decision to seek the Democratic presidential nomination amid pressing national problems. She said she hoped her campaign would inspire political engagement, particularly in Oregon.
Incarceration & Redress
- Evacuation Plus Thirty: A Time for Remembering, by Harry K. Honda, page 2. Honda reflects on the significance of the thirtieth anniversary of the wartime evacuation, arguing that the event unites Issei, Nisei, and Sansei and must not be forgotten. He urges young Japanese Americans to attend the national convention to strengthen community bonds.
Commentary
- Let’s Hear More: JACL Finances, Tanaka Plan, by Shig Sugiyama, page 2. Northern California-Western Nevada District Governor Shig Sugiyama responds to the JACL financial report and the Tanaka Federated Plan, clarifying causes of the 1971 deficit and recommending more realistic budgeting. He also comments on the regional structure of staff support.
- The Ethnic Joke, by Lee Ruttle, page 2. Letter writer Lee Ruttle distinguishes between good-natured ethnic humor and malicious ethnic jokes, concluding that a recent column in the Seattle Fire Fighter newsletter was clearly prejudiced. He cites comedians whose self-deprecating humor is accepted within their own communities.
- Illegal Alien Law, by Ralph C. Dills, page 2. State Senator Ralph C. Dills defends California’s new law penalizing employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens, arguing it protects citizen jobs and deters narcotics trafficking. He urges that the law be given a chance to work rather than repealed.
- Capital Punishment, by Jerry Enomoto, page 3. Jerry Enomoto, a prison administrator in Tehachapi, examines the California Supreme Court’s decision abolishing the death penalty and the moral and practical arguments on both sides. He questions whether abolition will affect prison management and personal justice.
Arts & Entertainment
- ‘Kung Fu’ Television Film Criticized for Inaccuracies, by George Takei, page 3. George Takei reviews the ABC movie-of-the-week Kung Fu, praising its visual style and sympathetic portrayal of Chinese railroad laborers. He criticizes its inaccurate depiction of kung fu, which he says resembled karate and judo, and argues the production reflects Hollywood orientalism.
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