Redress bills advance in Congress; NEA report on Asian students

Vol. 105, No. 1, July 3, 1987. 8 pages. View this issue

The front page carried a National Education Association study, “…And Justice for All,” which challenged the image of Asian and Pacific Islander students as “model students.” NEA committee chair Robert Chase noted that recent immigrants face language barriers and inadequate bilingual programs. The same page followed the redress bills in Congress. H.R. 442 passed the House Judiciary Committee 28-6 on June 17 and reached 143 co-sponsors, while Senate bill S. 1009 awaited a mark-up that was postponed past the July 4 recess. Grayce Uyehara of the LEC and J.K. Yamamoto reported on the effort.

Inside, the JACL National Board took up its draft Personnel Manual, election rules and a $50,000 loan question involving the LEC. Harry Kajihara and Harry K. Honda wrote about JACL and Pacific Citizen finances. Community pages covered Seattle’s new Keiro Nursing Home and filmmaker Steven Okazaki’s award, and scholarship news came from Placer County and Denver.

What’s in this issue

National

• Report Finds Asians Are Not Model Students, page 1. A National Education Association study titled ‘…And Justice for All’ challenges the ‘model student’ stereotype of Asian and Pacific Islander students, citing identity crises, language barriers, and new forms of discrimination at the higher education level. NEA committee chair Robert Chase noted that recent immigrants face psychological scars of war and inadequate bilingual programs, while students increasingly face violence and hostility at school.

JACL

• JACL Board Votes on New Personnel Manual Committee, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. The JACL National Board formed a new committee to address controversial issues in a draft Personnel Manual that critics said was too harsh toward staff, including cutting benefits and allowing termination without cause. The board also approved an out-of-court settlement with Public Information Officer Carole Hayashino for a salary dispute violation of state law.
• JACL Board Continued: Election Procedures, SRS Contract, and Detention Center Debate, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 5. JACL’s ad hoc committee on election rules proposed changes including a three-proxy limit per delegate in response to allegations of bloc voting in the 1986 presidential election, while the board also reviewed a problematic SRS membership solicitation contract. The board debated whether to join a lawsuit involving the detention of eight Arab immigrants under the McCarran-Walter Act, ultimately deferring action pending more facts due to concerns it could jeopardize redress momentum.
• Progress Report, by Harry Kajihara, page 5. National JACL President Harry Kajihara outlines the organization’s $75,000 operating deficit and four priority initiatives: fund development, 1000 Club Life Member recruitment, automated membership renewal, and grant pursuit. He also discusses progress on updating the JACL Personnel Manual with input from staff and an ad hoc committee.
• Placer County Scholarships Awarded, page 7. The Placer County JACL scholarship dinner on May 16 honored four recipients with awards including the JACL Thomas M. Yego Sr. Award and the JACL S/Sgt. Masa Sakamoto Award. Scholarship committee members included chairman Nob Hamasaki and vice-chairman Tad Yamashiro.
• JACL Board: LEC Loan Repayment Motion Defeated, page 8. Secretary-Treasurer Alan Nishi moved to require LEC to repay a $50,000 advance from JACL by the October board meeting, citing concerns about JACL’s continuing deficit. Governor Denny Yasuhara argued against the motion, saying LEC needed the funds for critical redress lobbying, and the motion was defeated 9-3 with 3 abstentions.

Incarceration & Redress

• Democrat, Republican Back House Bill; Total Reaches 143, page 1. Two freshmen congressmen, Rep. Joseph Kennedy II and Rep. Ernest Konnyu, signed on as co-sponsors of redress bill H.R. 442, bringing the total to 143. Konnyu, who was interned in Austria as a Hungarian child during WW2, met with local JA residents before agreeing to support the bill.
• Redress Progressing But Still Needs Help, LEC Officials Say, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. LEC Board members reported remarkable progress on redress legislation, with H.R. 442 passing the House Judiciary Committee by a 28-6 vote on June 17 after language changes helped win Republican support. An amendment to eliminate individual payments was defeated, while the Senate bill S. 1009 also gained a new co-sponsor and awaited committee mark-up.
• Senate Session Is Postponed, page 1. The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee mark-up of redress bill S. 1009 was delayed because a quorum of eight senators could not be formed on June 30. A new mark-up session will be scheduled after the July 4 recess, according to JACL-LEC director Grayce Uyehara.
• LEC Board Report: Senate Bill Progress and Lobbying Strategy, page 5. LEC Vice Chair Grant Ujifusa stressed that redress bill supporters must back the bill as written, including an amendment cutting $200 million from the residual trust fund for educational purposes only. He cautioned against amendments proposed by groups like the National Coalition for Redress/Reparations that could fragment support, while Uyehara reported that Sen. David Pryor became the Senate bill’s 75th co-sponsor.

Arts & Entertainment

• Okazaki Wins Media Award, page 2. Independent filmmaker Steven Okazaki, director of the documentary ‘Unfinished Business’ about Nisei who challenged WW2 internment in court, was named recipient of the 1987 Steven Tatsukawa Memorial Fund Award. He will receive the $1,000 award at a July 11 ceremony at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center.

Community

• JCCCNC Plans Open House, page 2. The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California will hold an Open House on July 19 themed ‘Challenge for the Future,’ featuring dedication of a Wall of Honor for major donors. Over $2.2 million has been raised toward the building program, with $800,000 more needed to complete the Community Hall/Gymnasium.
• Seattle Keiro Nursing Home Opens Doors, page 3. Approximately 2,000 people attended the June 14 dedication of Seattle’s new 150-bed Keiro Nursing Home, attended by Governor Booth Gardner and other officials. The new 3-story facility replaces a 63-bed building and will gradually add residents until reaching full capacity.
• Queens’ Reunion Scheduled, page 3. The 4th Annual Nisei Week Queen’s Reunion Luncheon will be held Aug. 9 at the New Otani Hotel, coinciding with the Nisei Week Parade. Former queens Faith Higurashi Ono and Akemi Tani Sakoda are organizing door prizes, and current queen Jennifer Kusumoto-Ahn will speak about her reign.
• Asian Cable Show Awarded, page 3. The Asian/Pacific American cable show ‘Amerasians: Media and the Arts’ won ‘Best Talk Show’ at the 2nd Annual Gardena Access Producers’ Awards Presentation. Producer/director Stann Nakazono said the award is meant to encourage more people to create quality community programming.
• Sac’to Nursing Home Caters to Asian Elderly, page 6. Sacramento’s Asian Community Nursing Home provides 24-hour care with special Asian cuisine, bilingual staff, and culturally relevant activities for its 99-bed facility. Administrator Jeff Mangum explained that maintaining residents’ cultural heritage through food and programming helps patients of Asian descent feel comfortable.
• Five Added to JACCC Board of Directors, page 7. The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center added five new board members, including Reiko Fukawa, Dr. Masami Kitano, and Leonard Yamasaki for full three-year terms, and Robert M. McIntyre and Richard Sherwood for two-year terms. JACCC president Toshikazu Terasawa praised the new members’ expertise and commitment.
• Forty Denver Grads Receive Scholarships, page 7. Forty high school graduates received gifts and scholarships totaling $28,000 at the 32nd annual Japanese American Community Graduation Program in Denver, started by the Mile-Hi JACL Chapter in memory of Harry Sakata. This year’s event was dedicated to the memory of Minoru Yasui, who died in November 1986, with a new scholarship established in his name.

Commentary

• We Hold These Half-Truths to Be Self-Evident…, page 4. This editorial reflects on the Japanese American community’s long tradition of valuing education, tracing it to Confucian cultural roots brought by the Issei generation who sacrificed for their children’s schooling. The piece notes that this investment paid off as Nisei proved well-qualified once postwar barriers to employment fell, and that this legacy continues with Sansei now funding scholarships for younger generations.
• The Fruits of Our Labor, page 4. This editorial celebrates the progress of redress bills S. 1009 and H.R. 442 in the 100th Congress, noting H.R. 442’s passage by the Judiciary Committee 28-6 with an attempt to cut individual payments defeated. It credits years of grassroots lobbying and the bicentennial of the Constitution for building momentum toward passage.
• LEC Update, by Grayce Uyehara, page 4. LEC Executive Director Grayce Uyehara thanks grassroots lobbyists and highlights the critical role of Nikkei legislators Inouye, Matsunaga, Mineta, Matsui, and Saiki in advancing redress bills, as well as Mike Masaoka’s continued advocacy. She also recognizes community fundraising efforts, including a $23,000 donation from the Pacific Southwest District and individual lobbying successes with Republican representatives.
• Desperately Seeking Donors, by Henry Sakai, page 4. Henry Sakai urges Pacific Southwest JACL members to respond to the JACL-LEC fund drive appeal, noting that only about 25 percent of membership has historically contributed financially to redress efforts. He calls for identifying non-JACL organizations, businesses, and individuals in the broader Japanese American community to expand the donor base before time runs out for the 100th Congress.
• PC Financial Outlook and Publishing Schedule, by Harry K. Honda, page 5. General Manager Harry K. Honda details the Pacific Citizen’s financial struggles, noting income is running behind budget and that skipping five issues this year is intended to close a projected $17,360 budget gap. The piece outlines various options considered by the National Board, including borrowing from LEC or the bank, before settling on the reduced publishing schedule.

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