Vol. 83, No. 25, December 17, 1976. 4 pages. View this issue
The Bakke decision ran through this four-page issue. On the front page, Judge Robert M. Takasugi argued that Bakke wounded but did not kill efforts to integrate professional schools, and he questioned how standardized tests such as the MCAT and LSAT measure competence. Inside, Edison Uno urged JACL to file a brief supporting minority admissions programs, and Wayne M. Collins continued the analysis with a call for alliances across groups. The JACL Washington Office also wrote to President-Elect Jimmy Carter in support of Rep. Patsy Mink for HEW Secretary and Rep. Norman Mineta for HUD.
Other pages carry Ben Tong’s review of Pacific Overtures, Lee Ruttle’s trial report in the Wendy Yoshimura case, and a letter from Yuri Akaki about the TV series Mr. T and Tina. Bill Hosokawa’s column described a surprisingly friendly visit to New York. Chapter news covered the Intermountain District Council’s youth budget and William Sakakura’s installation as president of the Fremont JACL chapter.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- Bakke Is Definitely a Blow, But Not a Death Blow, by Judge Robert M. Takasugi, page 1. Judge Takasugi argues that the Bakke decision wounds but does not kill efforts to integrate professional schools and expand minority admissions. He critiques the decision’s narrow view of professional competence and the bias inherent in standardized tests like the MCAT and LSAT.
- The Bakke Decision, by Edison Uno, page 2. Edison Uno argues that the Bakke ruling threatens progress toward equal educational opportunity and urges JACL to file a brief supporting minority admissions programs. He draws parallels to historical discrimination against Nisei in professional schools.
- Mr. T and Tina, by Yuri Akaki, page 2. Yuri Akaki criticizes JACL and the Pacific Citizen for supporting the TV series Mr. T and Tina, which portrays Asian Americans in demeaning stereotypes. The letter argues the Nikkei community in Southern California was right to object.
- The Japanese Character, by Nobuyuki Nakajima, page 2. Nobuyuki Nakajima responds to Prof. Iga’s essay on Japanese national character, disputing the claim that democracy was imposed by the Occupation. He argues Japanese scrutinized US society critically before and after the war.
- From the Frying Pan: New York Changing?, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Bill Hosokawa describes a visit to New York where he found unexpected friendliness from airport staff, a cab driver, and a coffee shop waitress. He reflects on whether the city is changing and recounts dining experiences.
- Bakke Continued: Looking Ahead, by Wayne M. Collins, page 2. The article continues the Bakke analysis, arguing that standardized testing has perverted its original purpose and that a lawyer-to-population gap exists in minority communities. It concludes that real progress requires alliances across groups rather than antagonism between races.
- The Hurt of Discrimination, by Sachi Seko, page 4. Sachi Seko reflects on conversations about the feeling of racial prejudice, including a Vietnam-era objector and a history professor. She argues that conveying the lived experience of discrimination is essential to eliminating it.
JACL
- JACL Supports Mink, Mineta for Cabinet Posts, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL Washington Office wrote to President-Elect Jimmy Carter supporting Rep. Patsy Mink for HEW Secretary and Rep. Norman Mineta for HUD. The letter praised both representatives as highly qualified public officials.
Community
- Intermountain Budget ‘All’ for Youth, by Ted Matsushima, page 1. Eighty-five percent of the National JACL budget allocation for the Intermountain District Council was recommended for its youth program following the biennial convention in Idaho Falls. Chapters also discussed cultural programs, coordinator funding, and a proposed JAYS convention schedule.
- Judge Robert Thornton Cited for U.S.-Japan Relations, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Oregon Court of Appeals Judge Robert Y. Thornton received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class, from the Japanese Consul General in Portland. The honor recognized his decades of work furthering U.S.-Japan friendship, including his MIS service and assistance to Nisei after the war.
- William Sakakura Installed as Fremont JACL President, by P.C. Staff, page 4. William Sakakura, vice-president and Fremont branch manager of Sumitomo Bank of California, was installed as president of the Fremont JACL chapter for 1977. He has a long career with the bank and is active in local civic and martial arts organizations.
Incarceration & Redress
- Fingerprint Experts Called in Wendy Case, by Lee Ruttle, page 1. Trial testimony in the Wendy Yoshimura case continued with explosives expert testimony and fingerprint examiners who found no prints of Wendy on the seized bomb-related items. Defense attorneys objected to evidence handling and the admissibility of weapons evidence.
Arts & Entertainment
- A Last Look at ‘Pacific Overtures’, by Ben Tong, page 1. Ben Tong criticizes the Broadway musical Pacific Overtures, despite its all-Asian-American cast, as racist vaudeville that mocks Japanese people. He argues the play’s satire reinforces white stereotypes of Japanese culture.
Sports
- Pink Lady Bound for Indianapolis, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Art and Midori Sugai of Eastside Restaurant in Ontario, Oregon, show off their car Pink Lady, driven by Nisei Rick Mears’s teammate Sugai in the California 500. The car finished eighth in the race and is headed for the 1977 Indianapolis 500.
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