Planning the 1976 Sacramento convention, and the debate over Hayakawa’s column

Vol. 82, No. 4, January 30, 1976. 4 pages. View this issue

Preparations for the 24th biennial JACL National Convention in Sacramento in June led this four-page issue, with family activities for youngsters and a fundraiser to help cover costs. Commentary ran just as strongly. Dr. Minoru Masuda criticized S.I. Hayakawa’s column on the camps, Mike Masaoka wrote that Executive Order 9066 had never been rescinded, and Esther Herst warned that S.1, the federal criminal code bill, threatened First Amendment freedoms.

Elsewhere, a pretrial hearing opened in the Ann Wong case, and the California Correctional Officers Association sued over the state corrections department’s affirmative action policy under Jerry Enomoto. Chapter news included the Spokane JACL’s sponsorship of a Vietnamese refugee family, written up by Mas Akiyama, and the Gresham-Troutdale JACL’s Japanese garden. A fire destroyed the Monterey Peninsula Buddhist Church in Seaside.

What’s in this issue

Community

• JACL Convention Program Takes Shape in Sacramento, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Planning for the 24th biennial JACL National Convention in Sacramento in June is progressing, with family-oriented activities for youngsters and a fundraiser to defray costs. Chapters were advised that details would follow by mail.
• Fire Destroys Monterey Peninsula Buddhist Church, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Monterey Peninsula Buddhist Church in Seaside was destroyed by fire on Jan. 13, with damage estimated over $250,000. The Monterey Kiwanis Club presented a $500 check toward rebuilding, and contributions are being accepted.
• Sumitomo Bank Reports Year-End Increase, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Sumitomo Bank of California reported an 8.4% year-end increase in net income and higher per-share earnings compared with 1974. Deposits, loans, and assets all grew over the year.
• 16 Asian Americans Among Candidates for L.A. School Board, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sixteen Asian Americans were among 336 candidates submitted for appointment to a Los Angeles Board of Education vacancy. A list of ten finalists will be announced Feb. 5.
• Presidential Classroom Student Program Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL announced an opportunity for students to attend the Presidential Classroom for Young Americans in Washington, D.C., with chapters invited to nominate candidates. Youth director Gail Nishioka reported strong interest.
• Gresham-Troutdale JACL Japanese Garden Nears Completion, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Japanese garden project by the Gresham-Troutdale JACL is nearing completion, with 650 trees and shrubs planted and over 800 volunteer man-hours donated. The garden is about 65% complete.
• Salinas Valley JACL Spirit of Service, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Salinas Valley JACL, largely composed of Issei flower growers from Kagoshima, has been active in community service and membership participation. Its activities include a blood bank drive and cemetery cleanup.
• Spokane JACL Adopts Vietnamese Refugee Family, by Mas Akiyama, page 2. The Spokane JACL sponsored a Vietnamese refugee family, the Lee family, who arrived in January after leaving Camp Chaffee. Chapter members provided housing, clothing, furniture, and food to help them settle.
• Mineta Attendance Record in House, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Rep. Norman Mineta was present for 597 of 612 votes in the first half of the 94th Congress, according to the Clerk of the House. His office said his absences were due to official business.
• Vietnamese Refugee Community Plans in California, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Estimates suggest 40,000 Vietnamese will live in California by June 1976, with refugees widely scattered across the 50 states. Deputy Premier Phan Quang Dan hopes for a Vietnamese community with its own businesses and institutions.

Incarceration & Redress

• Court Hearing Opens in Ann Wong Case, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A pretrial hearing in the case proceeded like a regular trial as defense counsel sought to exclude certain evidence, including photo identifications. Judge Martin Pulich denied the motion to suppress but noted limits on racial characteristic testimony.
• Executive Order 9066 Never Rescinded, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. The author notes Executive Order 9066, which led to the removal of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans, was never rescinded. He discusses a bill before Congress to revoke Section 1383 of Title 18 that would remove its legal basis.

Commentary

• Hayakawa’s Column Denounced by JACL Anti-Defamation Chairman, by Minoru Masuda, page 1. Dr. Minoru Masuda criticizes S.I. Hayakawa’s column on concentration camps as defamatory and an apologia for the wartime evacuation. He argues the Supreme Court’s Korematsu ruling was a grave error and that the ‘model minority’ myth does not hold up.
• Five-Year Commitment to JACL Reflections, by Henry S. Sakai, page 2. Orange County JACL member Henry Sakai reflects on five years of working within JACL, describing it as conservative but describing efforts to make his chapter more progressive. He recounts resistance to a chapter endorsement of Wendy Yoshimura.
• S-1: U.S. Criminal Code Reform Act, by Esther Herst, page 3. Esther Herst, director of the National Committee Against Repressive Legislation, warns that S.1, the recodification of the federal criminal code, expands government power over individuals and threatens First Amendment freedoms. She urges citizens to pressure their senators to defeat the bill.

National

• Enomoto Faces Reverse Discrimination Suit Over Affirmative Action, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The California Correctional Officers Association filed suit alleging the state Department of Corrections’ affirmative action policy under Jerry Enomoto constitutes reverse discrimination. The department says it will oppose the suit and continue its program.

Military & Veterans

• Ainu Theatrical Group to Perform in Paris, by P.C. Staff, page 2. An Ainu theatrical group from Sapporo will perform outside Japan at a cultural festival in Paris. The item notes the group’s participation in an international event.

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