Vol. 85, No. 7, August 12, 1977. 8 pages. View this issue
The convictions of two Filipino nurses in Detroit led this 8-page issue. Hundreds of Filipino nurses picketed the Federal Building after two VA hospital nurses were found guilty of poisoning patients, and Asian American groups and community leaders questioned the fairness of the trial. Elsewhere in the news, President Carter sent Congress his plan on illegal aliens, Attorney General Griffin Bell announced that the U.S. would take in 15,000 more Indochinese refugees, and Carter commented on the Bakke case. Rep. Norman Mineta’s busy visit to his San Jose district also made page one.
Commentary pages include Jeff Konishi’s two-part account of growing up as the only Asian in a white suburb. Dr. Lester E. Suzuki traced the history of the Young Peoples Christian Conference, and the International Hotel eviction in San Francisco and a close to the Wendy Yoshimura trial fund were reported on page 2.
What’s in this issue
National
- Asians Question Ruling on Filipino Nurses, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hundreds of Filipino nurses picketed a Detroit federal building after two VA hospital nurses were convicted of poisoning patients. Asian American groups and community leaders questioned the fairness of the trial and the media’s ethnic identification of the defendants.
- Carter’s Plan on Illegal Aliens Finally Detailed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Carter sent Congress a plan that fines employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens and grants legal status to some undocumented immigrants. Critics including Rep. Roybal objected that the proposal could create a subclass and lead to job discrimination.
- $2.9-Million OK’d in Accident Case, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Honolulu jury awarded $2.9 million, the largest personal injury award in Hawaii’s history, to the family of Melody Tasaka, a teenager left quadriplegic in an auto accident. Melody continues to make progress in rehabilitation.
- Carter Comments on Bakke Case, by P.C. Staff, page 2. President Carter said he opposes quotas but believes government and private institutions should compensate for past discrimination. He cautioned that any mistake in affirmative approaches should err toward ending discrimination.
- U.S. to Take In More Viet Refugees, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Attorney General Griffin Bell announced that the U.S. will admit 15,000 more Indochinese refugees, including boat escapees from Vietnam and refugees in Thailand from Laos. Nearly half of the 150,000 previously admitted live in California.
Community
- Mineta Keeps Hectic Schedule on Recent Home District Visit, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Norman Mineta spent a busy weekend in his San Jose district meeting constituents, officials, and visiting business groups. He also addressed issues including nuclear energy policy and federal budget balancing.
- Seattle Attorney Files for New King County Judgeship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Attorney Liem Eng Tuai has filed for one of five new King County judgeships in the September primary. The article reviews his past unsuccessful campaigns for mayor, state supreme court, and city council.
- Nisei Heads Toastmistress International, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sacramento native Ai Yokota became president of International Toastmistress Clubs, an organization of 25,000 members in 24 countries. She has been active in the group for several years.
- Group Affinity-100 Flight Fares to Japan Rise 22%, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Civil Aeronautics Board approved a 22% increase in group fares from the West to Japan, raising the JACL fare to $564 roundtrip. The article also outlines 1977 and 1978 group flight availability.
- Police Close Down International Hotel, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sheriff’s deputies and police broke through demonstrators on August 4 to evict elderly tenants from San Francisco’s International Hotel, ending a nine-year struggle. The building was sold to a Hong Kong firm that plans new construction.
- Hot Meals for Fresno Issei Underway, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A hot meals program for elderly Japanese began in Fresno with 35 meals served five days a week and homebound delivery for disabled residents. A similar program also opened in Los Angeles.
- Contra Costa Supervisors Asked to Fund Issei Center, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Contra Costa JACLers urged county supervisors to approve an $8,000 revenue sharing request for the Sakurai Kai senior center serving elderly Japanese. The group provides social services and activities for seniors.
- Monterey Landscapers Get Additional Water, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Landscape gardeners, many of Japanese ancestry, won additional water allotments from the Monterey Peninsula Water Management Agency. Their successful appeal was supported by local officials.
- Young Peoples Christian Conference Foundation Stone for Nisei Leadership, by Dr. Lester E. Suzuki, page 7. Rev. Dr. Lester Suzuki traces the history of the Young Peoples Christian Conference, founded in 1925, which developed Nisei leadership in Northern California. He describes its evolution, key leaders, and the upcoming 50th anniversary reunion.
JACL
- JAYS Tri-District Time Near, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL youth groups from Northern, Central, and Southern California will hold their biennial Tri-District Conference in August. The program includes workshops, an Asian awareness program, a talent show, and outdoor sports.
Incarceration & Redress
- Over $40,000 Acknowledged: Wendy Trial Fund Winds to a Close, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Wendy Yoshimura Fair Trial Committee thanked 1,700 supporters and reported financial results as its central fund closed. Committee members and Yoshimura herself reflected on the injustices exposed by the trial and the ongoing appeal.
Military & Veterans
- Mineta Keeps Hectic Schedule on Recent Home District Visit (continued), by P.C. Staff, page 3. Continuing coverage of Mineta’s district visit, the article notes a Saratoga civics class asked him to vote with constituents rather than his conscience and that the Carter administration is expected to handle the nuclear breeder reactor issue.
Commentary
- Sen. Hayakawa, by Bertha Yonemura Millham, page 4. A reader praises Senator S.I. Hayakawa for speaking out effectively and calls for more positive coverage in the Pacific Citizen. The letter urges the paper to dwell less on negatives.
- A Sansei Awakening, by Jeff Konishi, page 4. A Japanese American student at Bowling Green recounts growing up as the only Asian in a white suburb, facing racial slurs and stereotypes. He describes how college education is helping him embrace his heritage and understand racism.
- Konishi Continued: Reflections on Heritage, by Jeff Konishi, page 4. The Bowling Green student continues his reflections on childhood experiences with racism and how wartime movies shaped his views of Japanese identity. He describes his growing awareness of Asian American issues and the Japanese American incarceration.
In-Depth
- Tacoma Reunion, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Seichi (Bud) Konzo, a University of Illinois engineering professor, recalls his boyhood in Tacoma in written memoirs prepared for a reunion of Japanese Americans from the city. He stresses the importance of recording Nisei history.
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