Official English in Monterey Park and the 1986 immigration bill

Vol. 103, No. 18, October 31, 1986. 12 pages. View this issue

Language and immigration ran through this 12-page issue. On the front page, J.K. Yamamoto reported that the Monterey Park City Council voted 3-2 to rescind its resolution asking Congress to make English the nation’s official language, and that reactions on page 11 ranged from Mayor Monty Manibog’s delight to criticism from activist Frank Arcuri. Yamamoto also covered the immigration bill approved by Congress, where Reps. Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui split in their votes and community leaders worried about discrimination. Page 8 gathers reactions from Ron Wakabayashi and other Asian American leaders, and page 2 reports on Proposition 63.

Elsewhere, the paper reported on the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago endorsing redress, a Bainbridge Island program tied to the rescission of Executive Order 9066, and a push for congressional hearings on anti-Asian violence. Diana Kato outlined the JACL youth program, the 1987 JACL National Scholarship forms became available, and astronaut Ellison Onizuka was promoted posthumously to full colonel. Letters and commentary fill page 5.

What’s in this issue

National

• Monterey Park Council Rescinds Resolution on Language, Aliens, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. The Monterey Park City Council voted 3-2 to rescind a resolution asking Congress to make English the nation’s official language. The rescission marks the latest round in the battle between proponents and opponents of the ‘Official English’ movement in the Los Angeles suburb.
• Mineta, Matsui Split on Immigration Package; Community Leaders Wary, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. The immigration bill approved by Congress has drawn mixed reactions from Asian American leaders, exemplified by the differing votes of Reps. Norman Mineta, who opposed it over employer sanctions concerns, and Robert Matsui, who supported it for its amnesty provisions. Community leaders express worries about potential discrimination against Asian Americans who may be suspected of being undocumented.
• AALDEF Project Congressional Hearings on Violence Sought, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A national committee tied to the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund’s Anti-Asian American Violence Project is calling for congressional hearings on violence against Asian Americans. Committee members cite rising concern that many incidents go unreported and unaddressed by government authorities.
• Senator’s TV Ad Anti-Japan, Opponent Says, page 2. Sen. Slade Gorton’s campaign ad accusing opponent Brock Adams of lobbying for Japanese fishing interests has drawn charges of ‘Japan-bashing.’ Rep. Norman Mineta criticized the ad campaign at a fundraiser for Adams, warning against ethnic-bashing in political debates.
• Proposition 63 ‘Serves No Purpose,’ Professors Say, page 2. English scholars from California institutions signed a letter opposing Proposition 63, the ‘Official English’ ballot measure, saying it serves no purpose and betrays America’s tradition of linguistic openness. Norman Cousins also resigned from the advisory board of U.S. English over the measure’s negative symbolism.
• New Immigration Legislation Draws Mixed Reaction from Asian Groups, by Robert Shimabukuro contributed, page 8. JACL national director Ron Wakabayashi and other Asian American leaders expressed concern over employer sanctions in the new immigration law, warning they could create discrimination against non-white workers. Leaders from Asian Law Caucus, Asian Pacific American Coalition and Organization of Chinese Americans discussed both benefits, like an increased Hong Kong immigration quota, and risks of the legislation.
• A/P Demo Conference: Politicos Stress Coalitions as Key to Success, page 10. Participants at the California Democratic Party’s Asian Pacific Caucus leadership conference in San Francisco agreed that Asian Pacific Americans need political savvy, unity, and coalitions with other groups to achieve equal influence. Speakers including Rep. Norman Mineta, Mike Woo, and Willie Kennedy emphasized overcoming ethnic infighting and building alliances across racial and gender lines.
• JA to Do Research in China, page 11. Dr. Arthur Michio Nonomura was named chief technological advisor for an $861,000 United Nations grant project to develop marine biotechnology in China, aimed at increasing productivity of salt evaporation ponds. Nonomura will lead an international team and shuttle between China and San Diego to oversee the project.
• AALDEF Project Faces Monitoring Challenges Amid Call for Hearings, page 12. A U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report acknowledged the national scope of anti-Asian violence but noted the lack of nationwide data hampers response efforts. AALDEF’s advisory committee, including groups from several cities, hopes congressional hearings will unite community organizations and increase public awareness of the problem.

Community

• Methodist Grants Awarded, page 2. The Asian American Endowment Fund, a project of the National Federation of Asian American Methodists, announced its 1986 grant recipients including clergy and community programs. Application forms for 1987 grants are now available with a March deadline.
• New York JA Group Marks 40th Year, page 6. The Japanese American Association of New York celebrated its 40th anniversary at an October dinner featuring remarks from Sen. Spark Matsunaga and a performance by jazz artist Toshiko Akiyoshi. Matsunaga spoke on the need for Japanese Americans to unite around the redress issue, while JAA leaders reviewed the organization’s history dating back to 1946 relief efforts for postwar Japan.
• Ozaki Picked as Spokesman for Retirees, page 6. Yoji Ozaki has been selected as one of 19 volunteer spokespersons for the American Association of Retired Persons as part of a campaign to inform minority communities about membership benefits. Ozaki plans to moderate a panel discussion of minority leaders in the Chicago area.
• A/P Talent to Be Showcased on Special LP, page 6. The Association of Asian/Pacific American Artists is seeking singers, musicians, composers, producers, arrangers and graphic artists for an upcoming record album. The project aims to showcase Asian Pacific talent and demonstrate commercial viability in the American music industry.
• Weekend Mtn. Plains Meeting, page 7. The Mountain Plains District Council will hold a weekend-long district meeting in Houston beginning Nov. 7 with a shrimp fest and potluck dinner, followed by a business session and screening of the JACL Aging and Retirement movie. A Sunday tour of NASA and Webster, Texas, an area where Issei farmers grew rice, is also planned.
• Watsonville to Show ‘Yankee’ Samurai Documentary, page 7. The documentary ‘Yankee Samurai,’ about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, will be screened Nov. 14 at Watsonville Buddhist Temple with guest speaker Eric Saul. Donations will be accepted to benefit next year’s Smithsonian exhibit on Japanese Americans.
• Carleton College Names Freshman Scholars, page 9. Several Japanese American and Korean American students have been named scholars at Carleton College, including recipients of the Carleton/JACL scholarship and Carleton/Korean American Community Service Center scholarship. The honorees are recent high school graduates from across the country.
• Kagoshima Delegation Tours ‘Grape King’ Territory, page 9. A goodwill delegation led by Kagoshima Prefecture Governor Kaname Kamada visited Santa Rosa, California, retracing the legacy of Kanaye Nagasawa, known as the ‘Grape King of California.’ The tour included stops at the Round Barn and Fountaingrove Country Club, both tributes to Nagasawa.
• PANA Starts New L.A.-Area Affiliate, page 11. Noritoshi Kanai was elected interim president of the Pan American Nikkei Association’s new Southern California affiliate at an October kickoff dinner in Los Angeles. The event included reports on the upcoming 1987 PANA convention in Buenos Aires and the Nikkei International Sports Festival in Mexico City.
• Immigration Video Produced for Community, page 12. A new educational video, ‘Immigration Law — Asserting Your Rights,’ produced by the Asian Law Alliance, is available free for community organizations and ESL classes. The video uses dramatic reenactments to illustrate legal rights in various settings including the workplace and INS detention facilities.
• Health Experts Hold Confab on Ethnic Issues, page 12. The newly established Asian American Health Forum held its first national forum addressing health discrepancies between minorities and whites, with over 75 participants representing Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean and Vietnamese American health expertise. Topics included Hepatitis-B immunization, cultural and language barriers to healthcare access, and service gaps in underserved regions.

Incarceration & Redress

• Chicago Episcopal Diocese Endorses Redress for JAs, page 2. The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago passed a resolution supporting redress for Japanese Americans interned during WW2 at its 149th annual convention. Rev. S. Michael Yasutake introduced the resolution, urging society to accept responsibility for past wrongdoing and support monetary redress legislation.
• Bainbridge Island Nikkei Films and Panel to Mark Anniversary, page 3. Two documentary films, ‘Emi of Bainbridge’ and ‘Visible Target,’ will be screened as part of a program examining the forced relocation of Bainbridge Island’s Japanese Americans, the first group relocated during WW2. A panel discussion on the rescission of Executive Order 9066 featuring JACL and Washington Coalition on Redress representatives will follow a lecture by Seattle Art Museum curator Rod Slemmons on Dorothea Lange’s work.
• Monterey Park Resolution Rescission Draws Praise and Criticism, page 11. Following the council’s 3-2 vote to rescind the ‘Official English’ resolution, supporters and opponents offered sharply differing views, with Mayor Monty Manibog expressing delight and activist Frank Arcuri accusing opponents of being ‘professional minorities.’ Community members on both sides testified about the resolution’s impact on the city’s reputation and diverse population.

Military & Veterans

• Onizuka Gets Promotion to Full Colonel, page 3. A bill posthumously promoting astronaut Ellison Onizuka to full colonel passed the Senate and House in October. The bill was introduced by Sens. Spark Matsunaga and Daniel Inouye, though an effort to increase survivor benefits for his family was not included.
• Theft of WW2 Vet’s Medals Gets Strong Public Response, page 3. George Sakato, a WW2 veteran whose military medals were stolen in a burglary, received an outpouring of public support including offers from congressmen and strangers to help replace the decorations, including his Distinguished Service Cross. Sakato recounted the painful memory behind the medal, earned for actions after his friend Saburo Tanamachi was mortally wounded in France.

Arts & Entertainment

• Film Fest Set for November, page 3. The 1986 Philadelphia Asian American International Film Festival will open Nov. 9 at the International House with a screening of Lisa Hsia’s ‘Made in China.’ The festival will showcase films by and about Asians and Asian Americans.

JACL

• Major Plans for Youth, by Diana Kato, page 4. National Youth Council chair Diana Kato outlines plans for the JACL Youth Program biennium, including a national youth newsletter, educational workshops on leadership and career development, and a marketing strategy to boost youth and student memberships. The council hopes to incorporate Japanese American cultural issues into workshop curricula and support activities at the 1988 National Convention.
• Fourth-Year Pledge Standings Reported, page 4. Approximately $50,000 of fourth-year redress pledges have been received by National JACL, with full participation potentially yielding $64,000 more. The previous administration’s advancement of $75,000 to LEC was halted at $50,000 due to a JACL deficit, with further advancement deferred at the October National Board meeting.
• CCDC Conference Offers Workshops, page 7. The 37th annual Central California District Council conference in Fresno will feature workshops on aging parents, anti-Asian violence, and JACL’s future goals, along with installation of new officers. News anchor Tritia Toyota of KCBS-TV will be the keynote speaker at the installation banquet.
• Scholarship Forms Available, page 7. Applications are now available for the 1987 JACL National Scholarship Program, which will offer over $45,000 in awards to 45 scholars across several categories. Fae Minabe of New York has been appointed chairperson of the National JACL Scholarship Committee.
• Singles: Future Source of New Members, page 9. A survey by the National Singles Concerns Committee found that JACL Nikkei singles are more educated, affluent and employed than the average Asian population, pointing to their potential as a source of new JACL membership. The survey recommends JACL create singles chapters and support groups and provide more social and intellectual programming to retain this demographic.

Commentary

• Letters: Nakasone’s Apology and Remarks Debated, by Mary Tani, John Sato, and others, page 5. Several readers write in with differing views on Prime Minister Nakasone’s controversial remarks about Blacks and Hispanics and his subsequent apology. Writers debate whether the remarks were racist and call for civil rights reforms on both sides of the Pacific.
• Letters: Cartoon Caricature and Informer-Baiting Debated, by Janet Kei Adachi, James Oda, page 5. A reader defends a controversial newspaper cartoon depicting Yasui Ando, arguing it was intended to criticize wartime racism rather than insult Japanese Americans. Another letter responds to a previous writer by defending JACL leaders against accusations of being wartime informers.
• Rose Bird—A Story of Perseverance, by Ernest Iiyama, page 5. The author recounts introducing California Chief Justice Rose Bird at a 1985 Day of Remembrance event, praising her rise from humble beginnings and her defense of constitutional rights, including in Japanese American redress lawsuits. He argues that Bird’s reversals of death sentences were often technical and unanimous, and urges voters to support her confirmation despite opposition campaigns.
• Sacramento Report: Calif. Senior Legislature’s ’86 Proposals, by Mabel Ota, page 5. Mabel Ota, the lone Japanese American among 120 elected senior legislators, reports on the 6th annual session of the California Senior Legislature, which selected 10 state and 4 federal priority proposals on issues affecting seniors. Topics include universal health care, in-home services, rural transportation, and rent subsidies for low-income seniors.

Obituaries

• Chinatown Leader Howard Quon Dies Suddenly During Relay Race, page 10. Howard Quon, 54, president of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance in 1984-85, died of an apparent heart attack while participating in the Bradley Run for California relay race in Chinatown. He was instrumental in forming the Chinatown Public Safety Association and is survived by his wife and four children.
• Hiroshima Survivor and Minister Kiyoshi Tanimoto Dies, page 10. Kiyoshi Tanimoto, an American-educated Methodist minister and central figure in John Hersey’s book ‘Hiroshima,’ died of pneumonia and kidney failure at age 77. He lectured extensively on the atomic bomb’s effects and in 1955 led a group of disfigured ‘Hiroshima maidens’ to the U.S. for surgery.
• Dentist Takashi N. Noda Dies, page 10. Takashi N. Noda, DDS, of College Park, Maryland, died Sept. 24 from a heart attack. He was a member of several dental associations and a past president of the Hawaii State Society, survived by his wife, sons and sister.
• 442nd Veteran Thomas H. Imai Dies, page 10. Thomas H. Imai, an infantry sergeant with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during WW2, died Aug. 25 from cancer in Spokane, Washington. He had a long career as a watchmaker, including years as an instructor at Spokane Community College.

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