Vol. 78, No. 18, May 10, 1974. 6 pages. View this issue
Communication was the thread of this six-page issue. JACL National President Henry Tanaka wrote that meetings from San Francisco to Los Angeles, including the 5th annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, shared one theme: breakdowns in communication within the organization. Gail Nishioka was named National JACL Youth Director, and Helen Kawagoe was nominated for national vice-president for public affairs. Reports on the camp sites followed: a Utah committee led by Frank Yoshimura sought a historical marker at the former Topaz camp, and Seiichi Otow described how much of Tule Lake remained ahead of the May 25-26 pilgrimage.
Page 2 carries a run of columns on intermarriage and racism, by Harriet Sinan, Shig Sugiyama and Kats Kunitsugu, alongside Peggy Nagar’s account of life in Japan as a Sansei. Elsewhere are a proposal for uniform national dues, two reports on Senator Daniel Inouye, and Deirdre Carmody’s profile of photographer W. Eugene Smith.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- Communications Key to JACL’s Mutual Goals, by Henry Tanaka, page 1. JACL National President Henry Tanaka reflects on meetings across the West Coast, finding a common theme of communication breakdowns within the organization. He argues that JACL must balance group unity with respect for individual chapters and that regional offices should play a stronger communication role.
- Living, Working in Japan Unique Life for Sansei, by Peggy Nagar, page 2. A Sansei writer shares observations from living and working in Japan, describing how real cultural understanding comes from lived experience rather than textbooks. She notes the challenges of being seen as a foreigner despite her heritage.
- Racism and JACL, by Harriet Sinan, page 2. A writer reflects on intermarriage, racial identity, and discrimination within Japanese American communities, drawing on family history and wartime experiences. She argues JACL must address discrimination against people of mixed heritage and non-Japanese members.
- Mixed Marriage, by Shig Sugiyama, page 2. JACL President-Elect Shig Sugiyama responds to a member’s concern about treatment of mixed-marriage families and non-Japanese JACL members. He argues discrimination stems from learned responses to difference and calls for conscious effort to recognize similarities.
- On the Margin: Son of Where Did We Go Right?, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 2. Columnist Kats Kunitsugu responds to a reader who objected to a line in an earlier column about her daughter marrying a Japanese man. He explains the remark was a flip comment and reflects on marriage and personal choice.
JACL
- Gail Nishioka Appointed JACL Youth Director, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Gail Nishioka, a former Assistant Washington JACL Representative with a background in Asian American Studies, was named National JACL Youth Director after interviews with three finalists. National Director David Ushio and President Henry Tanaka made the final selection.
- Nationally Uniform Dues Urged: $15-25, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Columbia Basin JACL has proposed uniform national dues of $15 for single and $25 for couple memberships for consideration at the July 1974 National Council meeting. The proposal also suggests revenue sharing among National, district councils, and chapters.
Incarceration & Redress
- Marker at Topaz Contemplated, by Alice Kasai, page 1. A Utah committee led by Frank Yoshimura is seeking to place a historical marker at the former Topaz WRA camp site in Millard County. Officials are working on public access and land acquisition for the plaque.
- Tule Lake Pilgrimage More Remains Than Expected, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Seiichi Otow reports on an exploratory visit to the former Tule Lake camp ahead of the May 25-26 pilgrimage. Much of the camp remains, including barbed wire, barracks and graves moved to Klamath Falls.
National
- UC Asians Force Berkeley to Redo NIMH Proposal, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare had its NIMH grant request rejected after Asian students alleged discrimination in curriculum and hiring. The proposal must be rewritten to address their demands and include Asian American community input.
- Sen. Inouye Would Bar Congressmen as Delegates to Constitutional Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Senator Daniel Inouye told a Maui audience that presidential power has grown too strong and suggested a constitutional convention to redefine the presidency. He also proposed barring congressmen from serving as delegates to avoid conflicts of interest.
- Sen. Inouye Doubts Nixon Will Lose Presidency Even if House Impeaches, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Senator Daniel Inouye told a Maui Lions Club that he doubts Nixon will be removed even if the House impeaches him. He argued the Watergate investigation was more a criminal investigation than a political one.
Community
- Helen Kawagoe Named for National JACL V.P., by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Gardena Valley JACL nominated PSWDC Governor Helen Kawagoe for national vice-president for public affairs. This sets up a possible two-woman race with Grayce Uyeda of Philadelphia.
- Chicago JACL Presidential Classroom Participants Describe Experience, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Several JACL-sponsored high school students describe their week at the Presidential Classroom for Young Americans in Washington, D.C. They reported meeting congressmen, touring government offices, and sharing perspectives with peers from across the nation.
- Sacramento JACL Lists Scholarship Recipients, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Sacramento JACL announced recipients of twelve scholarships for area high school students. Three awards were larger and the remaining nine were $100 each.
- New L.A. Viewer-Backed TV Station Debuts, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A new viewer-backed public television station in Los Angeles began broadcasting with funding from foundations, labor groups, and private donors. It will carry no commercials and plans community programming.
Military & Veterans
- Hawaii Today, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A compilation of Hawaii news items covering local government, business, legal cases, and community events. Topics include fishing, housing fraud charges, and appointments.
- Scientist Warns Army Misapplication of Ethnic Weapons Research, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A neurochemist warned that research in human genetics and lactose intolerance could be misused to develop ethnic weapons targeting Asians or blacks. He urged the scientific community to speak out against such possibilities before they occur.
Sports
- Boxing on the Upbeat, by Ben Kunimoto, page 5. Japanese boxer Shimateu Ishimatsu won a world lightweight title with an eighth-round knockout, the second Japanese world champion win this year. The article also discusses an emerging Japanese heavyweight prospect.
Arts & Entertainment
- W. Eugene Smith: Photographer Seeking to Keep a Crusade in Focus, by Deirdre Carmody, page 6. Photographer W. Eugene Smith and his Nisei wife Aileen have documented the mercury poisoning victims of Minamata, Japan. Smith was beaten by company-hired men in 1972 and is nearly blind as a result, but the couple is completing a book on the tragedy.
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