Redress progress, a museum benefit and 37 JACL scholarships

Vol. 107, No. 15, November 11, 1988. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress was the thread running through this issue. Bob Bratt, executive director of the Office of Redress Administration, briefed community leaders in Los Angeles on how eligible recipients were being identified, with regulations expected between January and March and payments possibly starting in summer 1989. An editorial noted that the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the Hohri case ended the road for redress through litigation. On the front page, George Johnston reported on the Japanese American National Museum’s “Community in Bloom” fundraiser, which honored Japanese American contributions to the floral industry.

Also on the front page, the National JACL announced 37 scholarships for 1989-90, with an April 1, 1989 deadline. Inside are a report on the earnings gap between Asian and white men, George Johnston’s review of the film The Wash, columns by Bill Marutani and Bill Hosokawa, and Harry K. Honda’s call for support of the 1988 Holiday Issue.

What’s in this issue

Community

  • Nikkei Contributions to Floral Industry Recognized by JANM, by George Johnston, page 1. The Japanese American National Museum held its annual fundraiser, ‘Community in Bloom,’ recognizing Japanese American contributions to the floricultural industry, attracting over 800 guests and netting an estimated $125,000. Industry leaders Eiichi Yoshida and Henry Sasajima were honored, along with updates from museum president Bruce Kaji on the museum’s planned 1990 opening and future expansion.
  • ‘Big Game Nite’ Set for Nov. 19, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The California Japanese Alumni Association will host its biennial ‘Big Game Nite’ dinner-dance on Nov. 19 at the Cathedral Hill Hotel in San Francisco, coinciding with the California-Stanford football game. The evening will feature dinner, dancing to 1940s music, and recognition of distinguished alumni and CJAA scholarship recipients.
  • AA Roundtable to Discuss Research Addressing Community Issues, by P.C. Staff, page 5. UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center will host the first Asian American Community Research Roundtable on Nov. 17, linking research topics with pressing community needs. The event will feature panel discussions and six simultaneous roundtables on topics including housing, mental health, education and labor.

JACL

  • National JACL Announces Program Offering 37 Scholarships for 1989-90, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National JACL announced its 1989-90 Scholarship Program, offering 37 scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 for graduating high school seniors, undergraduates and graduate students. The program includes numerous named memorial scholarships as well as special awards, with an application deadline of April 1, 1989.
  • JACL Applauds Census Bureau Move to Tab Asian-Pacifics, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The U.S. Census Bureau held meetings of its Census Advisory Committee on minority populations, with JACL’s Rita Takahashi applauding the bureau’s decision to tabulate the Asian and Pacific Islander population while urging increased minority representation on bureau staff. The meetings also addressed upcoming hiring for the 1990 census, with about 400,000 jobs opening nationwide.
  • All-Out Support for 1988 Holiday Issue Sought, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. The Pacific Citizen appeals to JACL chapters and members for support of the 1988 Holiday Issue through advertising and contributions, noting changes in ad pricing and formats for this year. The deadline for submissions and the JACL-Holiday Issue project contribution is Dec. 7 and Nov. 15 respectively.

Incarceration & Redress

  • ORA Director Updates Redress Progress, by George Johnston, page 1. Bob Bratt, executive director of the Office of Redress Administration, briefed Nikkei community leaders in Los Angeles on eligibility and payment progress for redress under Public Law 100-383. Bratt described efforts to identify eligible recipients through WRA rosters, computerized cross-referencing with Social Security and IRS data, and said regulations should be published between January and March with payments possibly beginning in summer 1989.
  • ORA Progress, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This continuation article details ORA Director Bob Bratt’s update that writing to the National Archives is unnecessary, as the ORA has a backlog of 11,000 letters to process into its master list. The oldest survivors will receive the $20,000 redress payments first, pending completion of regulations and the appropriations process, with payments possibly beginning in summer 1989.

National

  • Agreement to Allow Japan Travel Without Visas, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Japanese Foreign Ministry and U.S. Embassy announced that Americans and Japanese will no longer need visas for trips between their countries beginning Dec. 15, provided they hold transit or return-trip tickets and their stay is under 90 days. Previously, Americans arriving in Japan could receive only a 72-hour non-renewable pass limited to the metropolitan area of entry.
  • Matsunaga Votes for Reform of Welfare System, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sen. Spark Matsunaga voted for legislation to reform the nation’s welfare system by providing work, training and education programs to help recipients become self-sufficient. Matsunaga, an original co-sponsor of the bill, called it a compromise holding much promise for families relying on AFDC.
  • Report Finds Earnings Gap Decreased Between Asian and White Men in U.S., by P.C. Staff, page 2. A U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report found that the earnings gap between Asian and non-Hispanic white men decreased dramatically between 1960 and 1980, though some Asian groups still earned less than expected given their education levels. The report examined possible discrimination at top job levels and explored explanations for Asian immigrant economic success, noting that recent immigrants’ education levels have fallen compared to earlier waves.
  • AAJA Joins Effort to ‘Diversify’ Newsrooms, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Asian American Journalists Association joined three other minority journalism associations in a united effort to diversify the nation’s newsrooms, following a historic joint meeting in Baltimore. The groups formed an executive leadership council to coordinate joint projects, including a potential joint national convention.

Arts & Entertainment

  • Film Entries Being Accepted for AA Film Fest, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Entries are being accepted for the Fourth Annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific American International Film Festival, to be held spring 1989 at UCLA’s Melnitz Hall. The festival, sponsored by Visual Communications and the UCLA Film and Television Archive, seeks features, documentaries, experimental works and animation with a Jan. 31, 1989 deadline and no entry fee.
  • Gotanda’s New Film ‘The Wash’ is Worth Watching, by George Johnston, page 5. This movie review examines ‘The Wash,’ written by Philip Kan Gotanda and directed by Michael Uno, starring Mako and Nobu McCarthy as a separated Nisei couple navigating divorce, new love, and family tension in San Jose. The reviewer praises the film as a milestone for portraying a Japanese American family with universal problems, highlighting strong performances by the cast.
  • AA Artists Exhibit at RSC Gallery, by P.C. Staff, page 5. An exhibit titled ‘Junctures, Disjunctures and Fusions: Asian American Artists’ featuring Chinese, Korean, Japanese and other Asian American artists is on view at the Rancho Santiago College Art Gallery through Nov. 22. Featured artists include Judy Chan, See Lee, Mary Noguchi, Hanh Thi Pham and May Sun.

Military & Veterans

  • DLI Kicks Off 47th Anniversary with Banquet, Building Dedications, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Military Intelligence Service/Defense Language Institute celebrated its 47th anniversary with a banquet attended by about 300 people, including families of Col. Kai Rasmussen and the late John Aiso. Rasmussen Hall and the Aiso Library were dedicated in honor of the two WWII leaders during a ceremony witnessed by nearly 3,000 DLI staff, faculty, students and veterans.

Commentary

  • NCJAR: End of the Road, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This editorial discusses the Supreme Court’s Oct. 31 decision not to hear the Hohri et al. v. U.S. case, a class action suit by the National Council for Japanese American Redress seeking $27 billion in damages. The editorial notes this ends the possibility of redress through litigation, removing reservations about accepting the restitution provided under H.R. 442.
  • Thanks from Florida, page 4. A letter to the editor thanks the Pacific Citizen for its coverage and criticizes a political figure’s reversal on the redress and reparations bill, suggesting it was politically motivated. The letter argues the figure’s opposition to redress and civil rights legislation reflects poorly on his character despite his claimed ‘respect for principle.’
  • Sushi and Bank Presidents, by Bill Marutani, page 4. In this East Wind column, the author recounts taking a bank president friend to lunch at a Japanese restaurant and discovering the man knew almost nothing about the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans. The column reflects on bitterness, loyalty to country, and the service of the 442nd despite families being incarcerated.
  • A Return to Distant Roots, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. In this From the Frying Pan column, Hosokawa describes his son Pete’s trip to Japan, where he explored Tokyo’s streets and eventually traveled to Hiroshima to find his great-grandfather’s grave with the help of a cousin. The visit to the small, isolated cemetery became the most moving part of the young Sansei’s journey, giving him a sense of his roots.
  • For the Record, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A correction notes a typographical error in the Nov. 4, 1988 issue’s ‘Uyeda Responds’ letter, where a date was incorrectly listed as 1941 instead of 1942 regarding Tolan Committee hearings. The Pacific Citizen regrets the mistake.

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