Vol. 104, No. 10, March 13, 1987. 8 pages. View this issue
A UC Berkeley report on Asian American admissions led the front page. The university concluded it does not discriminate, but task force members and professor Ron Takaki were not convinced, and J.K. Yamamoto’s story and William Kami’s page 3 breakdown of the point system both pressed on what the report left out. Karen Kai covered the 9th Circuit hearing in Gordon Hirabayashi’s coram nobis case, nearly 45 years after his arrest, and the paper noted that the Supreme Court will hear arguments on April 20 in the class action redress suit.
Inside are columns by Yosh Nakashima on JACL’s proposed personnel manual and Grayce Uyehara on the search for redress bill co-sponsors, Meriko Mori on a national convention for Nikkei singles, and J.K. Yamamoto announcing that Bill Hosokawa’s “From the Frying Pan” column will return. A letter from Merry Masunaga recalls her time at Poston.
What’s in this issue
National
- UC Berkeley Report Fails to Silence Critics on Asian Admissions, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. A UC Berkeley report concluded that the university does not discriminate against Asian American applicants in its admissions process, but Asian American task force members and professors remain skeptical. Critics argue that subjective criteria introduced without adequate notice have led to a leveling off of Asian enrollment despite growing numbers of qualified applicants.
Community
- Mitoma Victorious in Second Campaign for City Council, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. Michael Mitoma won a special election for Carson City Council after losing a race less than a year earlier amid accusations of being a ‘carpetbagger.’ He will serve the remainder of Councilman Walter Egan’s term and must run for reelection in 1988.
- Bay Area JA Running for School Board, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Patricia Hirota, a Berkeley-born Sansei and management analyst, is running for the District 1 seat on the Oakland School Board. Her platform includes multicultural education, decentralized administrative decision-making, and improved fiscal planning.
- Contra Costa JACL Forms 1000 Club, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Contra Costa JACL established a 1000 Club steering committee to promote JACL’s importance and accomplishments. The group will hold a dinner meeting March 21 featuring national director Ron Wakabayashi as guest speaker.
- Professor Studying Effects of WW2 Internment on Sansei, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Dr. Donna Nagata, a Smith College psychology professor, is conducting a survey-based research project examining the indirect and long-term effects of WWII internment on Sansei. She is also conducting interviews with a smaller group to gather in-depth information about their perceptions of the camps.
- Expert on Hawaii JA History to Speak in S.F. Japantown, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Franklin Odo, director of ethnic studies at University of Hawaii at Manoa, will give a lecture on Hawaii’s Issei history in San Francisco on March 22. The event is tied to his co-authored book documenting Japanese immigration to Hawaii from 1885 to 1924.
- Getting Nikkei Singles Together—Nationally, by Meriko Mori, page 5. The National JACL Singles’ Concerns Committee chair describes the growth of Nikkei singles organizations across the country and plans for a third National JACL Singles Convention in San Francisco over Labor Day weekend 1987. The convention, themed ‘Getting It Together,’ will include workshops, sports tournaments, and a banquet.
- PSWDC Discusses New Personnel Manual, by Harry Honda, page 7. Pacific Southwest District Council delegates discussed JACL’s proposed personnel manual update at their quarterly meeting, with Peggy Liggett presenting the draft and seeking wider input from chapters. Other business included Tri-District Conference preparations, ethnic concerns updates, and Trust Fund distribution planning amid diminishing income.
- Five to Receive Awards From Asian Pacific Women’s Network, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Asian Pacific Women’s Network-Los Angeles will honor five individuals at its sixth annual Woman Warrior Awards Banquet, including jazz musician Toshiko Akiyoshi and Philippine President Corazon Aquino. The event recognizes contributions to advancing the status of Asian Pacific women.
Incarceration & Redress
- Supreme Court Hearing for Class Action Suit Scheduled, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on April 20 in the class action redress suit filed by the National Council for Japanese American Redress. Numerous organizations have filed amicus briefs supporting NCJAR’s position against the government’s statute of limitations argument.
- Arguments Heard in Appeal of 1985 Hirabayashi Ruling, by Karen Kai, page 1. Nearly 45 years after his arrest, Gordon Hirabayashi’s coram nobis case was heard by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals regarding his curfew and exclusion order convictions. Government attorney Victor Stone argued for summary vacation of the convictions while conceding the internment was a mistake, drawing disapproval from the courtroom audience.
In-Depth
- UC Finds No Bias in Berkeley Admissions Report, by William Kami, page 3. A detailed breakdown of UC Berkeley’s admissions report explains the point system used for supplemental criteria and concludes no bias exists against Asian applicants. The report is criticized for omitting key data, such as ethnic breakdowns of accepted students who chose not to enroll.
- Turn-of-Century New York Issei to Be Subject of Talk, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Dr. Mitziko Sawada will give a free lecture on early Japanese immigrant experience in New York City from 1890-1918 at the Japanese American National Museum. Her research draws on Japanese Foreign Ministry documents and oral histories to fill a gap in scholarship typically focused on Hawaii and the West Coast.
Commentary
- Are Changes in JACL’s Personnel Manual Needed?, by Yosh Nakashima, page 4. JACL Vice President Yosh Nakashima disputes claims about a proposed personnel manual, arguing it would require National Council approval and bylaw changes. He criticizes the proposed manual as pro-employer and anti-employee, and defends the adequacy of the current manual.
- Seeking Senatorial and House Co-sponsors for Redress Bill, by Grayce Uyehara, page 4. LEC Executive Director Grayce Uyehara details the ongoing campaign to gain Senate and House co-sponsors for redress legislation, with Sen. Spark Matsunaga’s bill nearing the 51 co-sponsor threshold. She highlights grassroots lobbying efforts by individuals like Fred Hirasuna and Susan Kamei who helped secure additional support.
- Attn: Frying Pan Fans, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 5. Bill Hosokawa has agreed to resume his ‘From the Frying Pan’ column after receiving numerous letters from upset readers following its discontinuation. The author lists several readers who wrote in protest, noting only one reader was happy the column had ended.
- Jpn.: Good Abbreviation?, by Ed Suguro, page 5. A letter writer questions whether ‘Jpn.’ is an appropriate official abbreviation for Japan/Japanese, suggesting alternatives like ‘Jpnse’ or ‘Jpse.’ He notes his dissatisfaction with the Rafu Shimpo’s use of ‘Jpnz’ which contains a letter not found in the original word.
- Another Internment?, by Merry Masunaga, page 5. A letter writer recounts a disturbing office conversation suggesting Arab Americans could be interned like Japanese Americans were, prompting her to reflect on her own internment experience at Poston. She urges JACL to make fighting racism and constitutional violations a top priority.
Military & Veterans
- Matsumura Named MIS President, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Jim Matsumura, a former instructor at Camp Savage, Minnesota during WWII, has succeeded Harry Akune as president of the Military Intelligence Service Association of Southern California. The annual meeting featured photographs from the ‘Yankee Samurai’ exhibit and a film on minority leaders including Judge John Aiso.
JACL
- Conference to Promote Sansei Leadership, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Rep. Norman Mineta will keynote a JACL leadership conference titled ‘Making a Difference’ in Los Angeles, focusing on Sansei involvement in issues affecting Asian Americans. The conference will feature six workshops covering communication, ethnic awareness, risk-taking, and community involvement, jointly sponsored by PSW District JACL and LEAP.
Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.