The 1991 New Year edition: JACL on scholarships, redress and community

Vol. 112, No. 1, January 4, 1991. 24 pages. View this issue

The JACL’s statement on the Bush Administration’s minority scholarship policy led the 1991 New Year edition. The statement said the Department of Education and the White House had sent mixed messages, and it questioned the administration’s commitment to civil rights. Mike Masaoka’s account of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 followed, and readers sent letters reacting to a Pacific Citizen editorial titled “Redress for Others.” Bill Hosokawa compared the Soviet Union with the United States, and Bill Marutani continued his column on Japanese cars. Other stories covered anti-Asian feeling after Japan’s purchase of MCA, and Robert Koyama’s election as a Big Horn County commissioner in Montana.

The 24 pages also hold testimonies from Nisei in Sumner, Washington, about the farm removals and their time at Tule Lake, plus Aki Konoshima’s prize-winning short story “Sister.” Chapter news, installation dinners and a Jimmie Awards announcement fill the middle pages. Three pages carry holiday greetings.

What’s in this issue

National

• JACL Statement: Bush Administration Sends Mixed Messages on Minority Scholarship Policy, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL expressed concern over conflicting signals from the Department of Education and White House regarding minority scholarship programs at federally funded colleges. The statement criticized Assistant Secretary Michael Williams’ announcement prohibiting race-based scholarships and questioned the Bush Administration’s commitment to civil rights and educational opportunity.
• Anti-Japanese Hysteria Over MCA Deal Hits Other Asian Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Following Japan’s $6.1 billion purchase of MCA, media hype and radio commentary comparing MCA executives to the Rosenbergs fueled anti-Japanese sentiment that spilled over onto other Asian Americans in New York. Chinese, Korean and other Asian Americans reported being targeted with racial slurs and violence amid rising anti-Asian bias crimes in the city.
• Southeast Asians in Dallas Feel ‘Uneasy’ Amid Rising Anti-Asian Violence, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dallas’s rapidly growing Asian American population, estimated at up to 140,000 in the metro area, faces increasing tension including a councilman’s remark telling a Vietnamese leader to ‘go back home.’ Black-Asian tensions and stereotypes of Asians as a ‘model minority’ have masked the struggles of Southeast Asian refugees needing social services.

Community

• Robert Koyama Elected First Japanese and Asian American Officeholder in Big Horn County, Montana, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Robert Koyama, a Democrat, was sworn in as Big Horn County commissioner in Hardin, Montana, becoming the first Japanese and Asian American to hold the office. He won the November election by a 3 to 1 margin over Republican Henry Seder.
• Cressey Nakagawa to Speak at Joint Monterey Peninsula-Salinas Valley Dinner, by Fred K. Oshima, page 1. National JACL President Cressey Nakagawa will be the featured speaker at the joint chapter installation dinner in Fort Ord on January 18. Nakagawa, a San Francisco attorney and Sansei native of Chicago, is serving his second consecutive term as JACL national president.
• Dr. Eiji Yanagisawa Wins International Honors for Medical Videotaping Innovation, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Dr. Eiji Yanagisawa, an ear, nose and throat surgeon at Yale, pioneered the use of videography in medical examinations, reducing the need for repeat patient visits. His home has become filled with videocassettes as colleagues nationwide seek to learn about his techniques.
• Jeff Itami Named to Head Asian Association Executive Board, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Jeff Itami of JACL was elected chairman of an Asian American umbrella association’s executive board for 1991-1993, succeeding Clara Miyazaki. The organization also presented AAU Valuable Service Awards at its annual banquet.
• Japanese Studies Degree Program Begins at Historic Black University in Louisiana, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dillard University in New Orleans launched the first undergraduate Japanese studies degree program among historically black colleges, a joint initiative of President Samuel DuBois Cook and Kwansei Gakuin University’s Makoto Fujita. The program reflects Dillard’s effort to broaden its curriculum beyond a Western focus and includes visiting faculty and lecture exchanges between the two institutions.
• Mt. Olympus JACL Installs Reid Tateoka as President, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Reid Tateoka succeeded Floyd Mori as president of the Mt. Olympus JACL chapter in Salt Lake City at an installation dinner featuring Judge Raymond Uno as speaker. Mori, a onetime national JACL president, recently announced his retirement plans.
• MIS Commemorative Booklet in Second Draft Stage for 1991 Release, by P.C. Staff, page 14. A second draft of the MIS 50th Anniversary commemorative booklet is under review by coeditors Clifford Uyeda and Barry Saiki, covering the diverse roles of MIS soldiers during World War II and the Occupation of Japan and Korea. Sponsorship contributions of $25 or more are being sought before the booklet goes to publishers in June.
• Selanoco JACL Marks 25th Anniversary with Installation Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 14. Jerry Enomoto, past National JACL president, will speak at Selanoco JACL’s 25th anniversary installation dinner in Buena Park, marking his own personal milestone since he spoke at the chapter’s first installation in 1966. The dinner is scheduled for January 19 at the Buena Park Hotel.
• Placer County JACL Installs Officers at Roseville Restaurant, by P.C. Staff, page 14. The Placer County JACL elected new officers for 1991, including Taye Craig as president, to be installed at Wong’s Garden in Roseville by regional director George Kondo. The installation dinner is set for January 19.
• Seattle JACL Endowment Fund Started in 1986 by Shea Aoki Donation, by P.C. Staff, page 14. A generous donation from Shea Aoki in memory of her husband Jiro launched an endowment fund for the Seattle JACL office in 1986. Donors of $1,000 or more receive individual plaques, and the fund supports the chapter’s long-term community commitment.
• Call for Entries: 1991 Asian Pacific Film Festival, by P.C. Staff, page 14. The Association of Asian Pacific American Artists is accepting entries until January 31 for the annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific American International Film Festival to be held in May. No entry fee is required and works in various film formats are accepted.
• Jimmie Awards Gala Set for March 18 at Beverly Hilton, by P.C. Staff, page 14. The Association of Asian Pacific American Artists announced its Seventh Annual Jimmie Awards black-tie gala honoring realistic and balanced depictions of the Asian Pacific community in media. The event will be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
• South Bay JACL to Hear Dr. Steve Kobayashi on Japanese American Psychology, by P.C. Staff, page 14. Clinical psychologist Dr. Steve Kobayashi will speak at a South Bay JACL Sunday brunch about the conditioning of the Japanese American personality and predominant character traits. The event is scheduled for January 27 at the Velvet Turtle restaurant in Torrance.
• Radio Li’l Tokyo Celebrates Matao Uwate’s 38th Year of Broadcasting, by P.C. Staff, page 14. Nearly 400 friends of Radio Li’l Tokyo gathered at New Won Kok restaurant in Los Angeles to celebrate Matao Uwate’s 38th anniversary as a broadcaster. Yu-Ai Kai’s senior services campaign also announced it had surpassed the halfway mark toward its $3 million fundraising goal.
• Gilroy JACL Installation Set for January 19, by P.C. Staff, page 14. The annual Gilroy JACL installation dinner will be held January 19 at a local lodge, featuring a guest speaker addressing Japanese American community topics. New chapter officers will be installed at the event.
• Alaska’s Japanese Pioneers Research Project Gets Underway, by P.C. Staff, page 21. The Alaska Historical Society launched a research project to document the untold history of Japanese pioneers in Alaska, funded partly by the Alaska Humanities Forum and National Endowment for the Humanities. The project team, including Kazumi Heshiki, Carol Hoshiko and Ronald Inouye, is collecting oral histories and seeking information from the public.
• Sequoia JACLers Meet with Author Ronald Takaki, by P.C. Staff, page 21. Members of the Sequoia JACL attended a book review event with UC Berkeley professor Dr. Ronald Takaki discussing his book ‘Strangers From a Different Shore.’ Takaki addressed the dynamics of Asian history and rising hate crimes during the discussion period.

Commentary

• P.C. Policy on Editorials, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Pacific Citizen explains that its editorials represent the newspaper’s own opinion and not necessarily the official position of the JACL, which owns and sponsors the paper. The piece describes the P.C. Board’s structure and its commitment to editorial independence under the First Amendment.
• ‘USA’ and ‘USSR’ Today, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa draws a comparison between the Soviet Union’s struggle to hold together its republics and America’s own experiment in uniting diverse peoples under one national identity. He argues that Americans share enough common ideals and traditions to avoid the fragmentation seen in the USSR, hoping the American ideal of unity does not fail.
• Kuruma: Part II, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Marutani continues a light-hearted column about Japanese automobiles (kuruma), observing the prevalence of certain car brands like Mercedes-Benz and speculating about taxicabs and chauffeurs in Japan. He muses on the fate of luxury cars once they reach the ‘clunker stage.’
• Letters to the Editor: Readers React to JACL Redress Editorial, by Various, page 6. Multiple readers wrote in strong disagreement with a Pacific Citizen editorial titled ‘Redress for Others,’ accusing the paper of being apologetic and dismissive of African American reparations efforts. Letters also discussed MIS history, Crystal City internment, and the Bush Administration’s civil rights policies.

JACL

• 1000 Club Notes: Back to Basics – The Order of the Tie and Garter, by Dr. Frank Sakamoto, page 6. Sakamoto, the new National 1000 Club chairman, calls for renewed membership efforts and strong leadership, citing input from past chairs Tad Hirota and Aki Ohno. He hopes to leverage experienced members to help meet 1000 Club goals ahead of the 1992 Denver convention.
• JACL/Blue Shield Health Plan Marks 25th Year with Local Support Cited, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The JACL-California Blue Shield health plan celebrated its 25th anniversary, having grown from a few hundred subscribers in 1965 to over 5,000 today. The article credits the dedicated board of trustees and staff, including Frances Morioka and Doris Sasaki, for the plan’s longevity.

Incarceration & Redress

• Testimonies: Sumner, Wash. Nisei Recall Prewar Farm Life and Camp Removal, by P.C. Staff, page 7. John Kanda and other Nisei from Sumner, Washington recount their family farms being seized and their forced removal to Pinedale Assembly Center and then Tule Lake, describing harsh camp conditions, wages of $8 per month, and inadequate schooling. Kanda later served in the U.S. Army and became a physician after the war.
• Testimonies Before the CWRIC: Wartime Hysteria and Naval Realities on the West Coast, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Testimonies collected before the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians describe how prewar hysteria, fueled by mayors and columnists, painted Japanese Americans as untrustworthy despite their loyalty. Naval historian Dean C. Allard’s account details actual and largely minor Japanese submarine actions off the West Coast, contrasted with the exaggerated ‘Battle of Los Angeles’ panic.

In-Depth

• They Call Me Moses Masaoka: Addenda on Redress Legislation, by Mike Masaoka, page 8. Masaoka’s addendum details the passage of H.R. 442, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, including the legislative process, President Reagan’s signing ceremony remarks, and the eventual conversion of the redress program into an entitlement under President Bush. He credits key legislators including Senators Inouye and Matsunaga and Representatives Mineta and Matsui, as well as advocates like Grant Ujifusa and the late Min Yasui, for the campaign’s success.

Military & Veterans

• Morimitsu: Wartime JACL Leaders Faced Criticism Over ‘No-No Boys’ and Veterans Support, by Art Morimitsu, page 15. Morimitsu, an MIS veteran and Chicago Shimpo editor, argues that veterans organizations like the VFW and American Legion could have derailed the redress campaign had they opposed it, crediting their support as crucial. He also addresses lingering controversy over the treatment of ‘No-No Boys’ and allegations against wartime JACL leadership.

Arts & Entertainment

• James Clavell Prize Winner (1990): ‘Sister’ by Aki Konoshima, by Aki Konoshima, page 16. This award-winning short story follows Jo, a young Nisei man reuniting with his family after their wartime incarceration, as he travels to see his parents and younger sister Kimi in Michigan. The story explores themes of dislocation, racism symbolized by an anti-Japanese propaganda poster, and Kimi’s struggle with her identity while trying to fit into her new community.

Obituaries

• Obituary Notices: Community Losses Reported, by P.C. Staff, page 22. The issue reports on the passing of several community members including a Nisei businessman from Los Angeles and mentions of Judge Edwin Honda’s retirement due to illness. Tributes note their contributions to community and civic life.

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