Vol. 107, No. 9, September 30, 1988. 8 pages. View this issue
The Pacific Citizen reported on two redress stories in this issue. The front page covered a Smithsonian Institution symposium on constitutional rights and powers, held Sept. 23 and 24, 1988, where Gordon Hirabayashi spoke about resisting orders that came from Executive Order 9066. It also reported that Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announced a redress settlement with Japanese Canadians, and that the Department of Justice’s Office of Redress Administration planned a San Francisco office. Bill Hosokawa, Yosh Nakashima and George Johnston wrote the commentary columns.
Elsewhere in the issue, the House passed Rep. Robert Matsui’s bill on counting Asian Americans separately in the 1990 census, and the National JACL Board’s September motions are listed on page 5. The film version of Philip Kan Gotanda’s play The Wash, set in San Jose’s Japantown, was set to premiere in Los Angeles. Readers will also find a Little Tokyo health fair call for volunteers and letters on Mitsuye Endo and Mine Okubo’s Citizen 13660.
What’s in this issue
Incarceration & Redress
- A Delicate Balance of Rights and Powers: Smithsonian Symposium Examines U.S. Constitution, page 1. A two-day symposium held by the Smithsonian Institution on Sept. 23 and 24, 1988, brought together twelve individuals on three panels to discuss constitutional rights and powers in the context of Japanese American incarceration. Gordon Hirabayashi and other panelists discussed the importance of resisting unconstitutional orders and remaining vigilant about civil rights protections.
- Japanese Canadians Get Redress Settlement, page 1. Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announced on Sept. 29 a negotiated redress settlement with 12,000 internees of Canadian WWII camps, following the precedent of the U.S. redress bill. The agreement includes $21,000 individual payments and a $27 million community fund for the National Association of Japanese Canadians.
- ORA Opening San Francisco Office, page 1. The Department of Justice’s Office of Redress Administration (ORA) announced plans to open a San Francisco office around Oct. 11, 1988, to help identify individuals eligible for $20,000 redress payments. JACL-LEC raised concerns about the ORA’s use of the term ‘reparations’ rather than ‘redress’ in its title.
- Smithsonian Symposium: Panelists Address Constitutional Vigilance and Reparations, page 5. Continuing coverage of the Smithsonian symposium describes additional panelists including Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga, Peter Irons, Dale Minami, Rita Takahashi, Joseph Rauh, Setsuko Matsuura Nishi and James Henretta, who addressed topics from government suppression of evidence to analysis of conditions that could lead to a repeat of mass incarceration. The symposium concluded with screenings of four documentary films including Guilty by Reason of Race and Family Gathering.
JACL
- JACL-LEC Committee to Maintain Operations for Two More Years, page 1. The National JACL Board voted at its Sept. 17-18 meeting to continue JACL-LEC operations for at least two more years, staffed by a full-time executive director and secretary in Washington, D.C. The committee will oversee reparations processes including lobbying for redress appropriations, monitoring identification processes, and building a redress coalition.
- National JACL Board Motions from September Meeting, page 5. This article lists numerous motions passed at the National JACL Board meeting held Sept. 17-18, covering topics including redress program implementation, personnel decisions, scholarship testing bias, and support for various civil rights initiatives. The motions also address staffing, budget approvals, and recognition of veteran groups.
National
- House Passes Bill Forcing Accurate Count of APAs, page 1. The House of Representatives approved legislation on Sept. 26 introduced by Rep. Robert Matsui to prevent the Census Bureau from lumping all Asian Americans into one category on the 1990 census form. The bill now requires Senate approval, with Sen. Spark Matsunaga sponsoring a companion measure.
Community
- Go Board Nets $30,000 for Community Groups, page 1. A go board used in the first official Japanese go championship match held in Los Angeles in January 1987 was sold by owner Dr. Fred Sakurai for $30,000. Proceeds were donated equally to the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, the Japanese Retirement Home, and Shin’en Kan at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
- Committee Seeks Volunteers to Work at Health Fair, page 3. The Little Tokyo Community Health Fair Committee is seeking volunteers for this year’s health fair on Oct. 29 at Union Church in Little Tokyo, which provides free health screenings for those limited by income or language. Organizers say volunteers do not need medical backgrounds or bilingual skills.
Arts & Entertainment
- ‘The Wash’ to Make Film Premiere in L.A., page 2. The film version of Philip Kan Gotanda’s play The Wash will premiere in Los Angeles on Oct. 7 at the Music Hall Theatre. Set in San Jose’s Japantown, the film stars Mako, Nobu McCarthy, Sab Shimono, Patti Yasutake and Marion Yue and depicts a couple navigating separation after 40 years of marriage.
Commentary
- Japanese Canadian Redress, page 4. This editorial reflects on the historical significance of both the U.S. and Canadian governments acknowledging wartime injustices against people of Japanese ancestry through redress legislation. It praises the JACL and National Association of Japanese Canadians for their roles in achieving these settlements and calls for continued efforts toward broader civil rights reforms.
- The Way I See It, by Yosh Nakashima, page 4. The author reflects on the decades-long effort to achieve redress, crediting early leaders like Edison Uno, Clifford Uyeda, John Tateishi and Minoru Yasui. He urges continued vigilance in protecting constitutional rights and encourages active JACL participation in civic affairs.
- From the Frying Pan: Sounds Kind of Familiar, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa recounts the story of Bill Eger, a WWII Navy veteran with German ancestry who was mysteriously reassigned from the European to Pacific theater, suggesting ethnic suspicion extended beyond Japanese Americans during the war. The column also describes the 1800 Engineer General Service Battalion, made up of soldiers of German, Italian and Japanese descent under military surveillance.
- Hiroiro: What’s Hapa-ning in Hawaii, by George Johnston, page 4. Johnston discusses a newly formed Hapa Club at the University of Hawaii that aims to support Amerasian students from Asia, exploring the term ‘hapa’ used to describe mixed-race individuals, particularly in Hawaii. He reflects on his own experience growing up hapa and considers the challenges faced by Amerasians in Asia compared to more accepting environments like Hawaii and Japan.
- Letters to the Editor: Grandma Moses Reference on Mitsuye Endo, by EJ Suyama, page 5. The letter writer argues that the ex parte Endo Supreme Court decision did not actually declare incarceration unconstitutional, contrary to common belief among Japanese Americans. The author suggests Mitsuye Endo should be remembered for her resistance and courage in remaining in detention to pursue the legal truth.
- Letters to the Editor: Save Citizen 13660, by James Oda, page 5. The letter expresses concern that the University of Washington Press may discontinue publication of Mine Okubo’s acclaimed book Citizen 13660. The author urges support to keep this important historical work in print.
- Letters to the Editor: Healing Our Internal Schism, by Yuzuru J. Takeshita, page 5. The author reflects on the divisions among Japanese Americans created by the wartime loyalty questions, including his own choice to answer ‘no-no’ at age 17. He calls for healing among those who made different choices during that painful period, noting they were all victims of the same injustice.
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