Vol. 89, No. 67, November 2, 1979. 8 pages. View this issue
Support for the redress commission bills S. 1647 and HR 3499 was a main thread of this 8-page issue. The U.S. Civil Rights Commission’s state advisory committee chairs endorsed them, seven more congressmembers and one senator signed on as co-sponsors, and Ron Ikejiri described how chapters and members had contacted Congress. A fund drive for the lobbying effort and a San Francisco JACL forum rounded out the coverage. Chiye Tomihiro asked whether JACL was ready for what comes after redress, and the National JACL Credit Union reached $4 million in assets.
Also inside: Gov. George Ariyoshi’s remarks on running again in 1982 and on racism and diversity in Hawaii, and tributes to General Jacob Devers, who commanded the 442nd, and to actor Jack Soo. Clifford Uyeda wrote on whaling, and Bill Marutani honored editor Harry Honda. Karen Tei Yamashita received the first Clavell Literary Award.
What’s in this issue
Community
- National JACL Credit Union reaches $4 million in assets, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National JACL Credit Union reached $4 million in assets at the end of June, a milestone attributed to member confidence and favorable loan and dividend terms. Committee work and membership requirements were also noted.
- Merit Savings signs joint low-cost housing venture, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Shanahan Homes and Little Tokyo-based Merit Savings and Loan plan to build up to 3,800 low-cost homes in Riverside and Imperial counties. Initial developments are planned in Mecca, Salton City, and Somerton.
- Dollar per Chapter Member fund drive, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Chapters responded to a fund drive to support redress lobbying and related operations. The article explains the costs involved in the campaign for passage of S. 1647 and HR 3499.
- Mo alder dir trustee at his alma mater, Whittier, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A Whittier College alumnus and former Nixon administration official was named to the college’s board of trustees. The article summarizes his career in government, consulting, and university relations.
- Talent sought for Hito Hata film, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Visual Communications is seeking professional and nonprofessional actors for a two-hour expansion of its Hito Hata film on Issei life. Interested performers should submit resumes.
- Berkeley alumnae seeks fund help, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The UC Berkeley Japanese Women’s Club scholarship fund asks former Nikkei women students to help sustain its two annual awards. An ad hoc committee is updating its list of supporters.
- Pioneer Center to mark 10th year, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Little Tokyo Pioneer Center will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a luncheon on Nov. 10 at New Otani Hotel. Reservation details are provided.
- News Briefs, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Brief items cover California Nikkei population estimates, a San Jose senior service grant, Vietnamese refugee enlistment, a National Institute of Mental Health grant, and a trial venue change in the Seadrift killing.
- Merit Savings joint housing venture earnings, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Merit Savings reported record earnings and assets for the nine-month period ending Sept. 30. The article notes expansion plans and the Irvine branch reconstruction.
National
- Gov. Ariyoshi may run again in ’82 elections, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Hawaii Gov. George Ariyoshi told the New York Times he may seek a third term in 1982 if no successor continues his policies. He also discussed Hawaii’s diversity, tourism, and the Americanization process since statehood.
- U.S. Civil Rights Commission and 7 more co-sponsors for JACL bills, by P.C. Staff, page 1. State advisory committee chairs to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights endorsed the internment commission bills S. 1647 and HR 3499. Seven additional congressmembers and one senator became co-sponsors, bringing totals to 15 senators and 128 representatives.
Arts & Entertainment
- Belated presentation made to first Clavell literary award winner Karen Yamashita, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Karen Tei Yamashita received the first AJNLA Clavell Literary Award for her entry Asaka-No-Miya, a tale about a Japanese family during wartime. Judges praised the work, and the article notes her background and other honorable mentions.
- Group art benefit display for L.A. Japanese Physically Handicapped, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Harmony group art exhibit will raise funds for the JPS Ladies Auxiliary in Los Angeles on Nov. 4. Several artists and ceramists are participating.
Obituaries
- Jack Soo memorabilia accepted by Smithsonian, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Smithsonian Institution accepted personal and professional artifacts of the late actor Jack Soo for its archives and display. The article recounts his career from Oakland-born entertainer to television star.
- Suzuki, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The article continues the life story of actor Jack Soo, including his internment at Topaz and his later career in Cleveland. It also quotes his 1934 JACL oratorical contest speech.
Military & Veterans
- Gen. Devers: 1887-1979, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Gen. Jacob L. Devers, who commanded troops including the 442nd, died Oct. 15 at age 92. The article recalls his support for Nisei veterans and his remarks that the Unknown Soldier of World War II might well be Japanese American.
- Reunion, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Company K of the 442nd RCT veterans will gather in San Francisco, where author Masayo Duus will be honored. The reunion includes a dinner and a tribute to her book on Tokyo Rose.
- Gen. Devers obituary, by P.C. Staff, page 4. General Jacob Devers, who commanded the 442nd, died in 1979 and is remembered for his support of Nisei veterans. The article also mentions his earlier military career.
Incarceration & Redress
- Community forum on Redress set by San Francisco JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 2. San Francisco JACL will host a community forum on redress on Nov. 2 at the Japan Center. Japanese translation will be provided.
Commentary
- President’s Corner: Whaling Update, by Clifford Uyeda, page 4. JACL President Clifford Uyeda reviews major changes in international whaling regulation over the past year, including reduced quotas and banned pelagic whaling. He notes growing Japanese media discussion of the issue.
- Washington Wrap-Up: Clers at Work, by Ron Ikejiri, page 4. Washington JACL staff describe how chapters and members across the country have contacted congressional offices to support the commission bills. Several members of Congress have agreed to co-sponsor the legislation.
- My Father’s One Last Wish, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A writer recalls her difficult relationship with her father, who wished to die in a hospital, and her role supporting the family after the war. She reflects on his tyranny and the family business she was forced to take on.
- Letter: Pilgrimage Handbook and camp site maps, by Victor Tanaka, page 4. A reader asks for camp locations and a reference to a map of former concentration camps. The response lists locations of camps and the USGS maps where they can be found.
- Editor’s Note: Harry Honda honored at Hollywood JACL event, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani reflects on a Hollywood JACL tribute to Pacific Citizen editor Harry Honda, praising his dedication and the paper’s role in uniting JACL members. The column describes the program and slide presentation.
- Nuclear Power / E.O. 9066, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Prof. Chihiro Kikuchi argues that nuclear power is necessary to avoid energy-driven conflict and warns against emotional opposition. He draws parallels to wartime emotional reactions that led to the Japanese American incarceration.
- A Generalist, by John J. Saito, page 6. Pacific Southwest JACL regional director John Saito describes the varied duties of a regional director and his enthusiasm for the job. He links his work to the Operation 80s program.
- Are We Ready?, by Chiye Tomihiro, page 6. Chiye Tomihiro argues JACL is not prepared for the challenges ahead once redress legislation is enacted. She calls for consciousness-raising workshops to help Japanese Americans respond to media questions about the incarceration.
In-Depth
- Ariyoshi interview on racism and diversity, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Gov. Ariyoshi recalled experiencing racism as a young man and described pressures toward assimilation in Hawaii. He argued that the state’s strength lies in preserving its cultural diversity.
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