Vol. 112, No. 11, March 22, 1991. 8 pages. View this issue
JACL National Director Bill Yoshino announced at the national board meeting that he will step down in July. He said he had found great satisfaction in being part of changes and refocusing within the organization, including office automation and long-range planning. Also on the front page, Steven J. Johnson was convicted of a hate crime in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, and the paper polled readers for their Oscar picks. Steven Okazaki’s documentary on Estelle Peck Ishigo was nominated for Best Documentary Short.
Inside, an editorial argued that the videotaped beating of Rodney King by LAPD officers reflected police attitudes, not just procedure. Bill Marutani wrote about maquiladora factories along the Mexican border. Ruth Hagiya Yoshioka’s letter sought former students of a teacher at Poston II, Arizona. Roger Obata, a Japanese Canadian redress leader, was named to receive the Order of Canada, and Stewart Kwoh was honored by Public Counsel. Chicago’s Lunar New Year celebration drew about 1,300 people.
What’s in this issue
National
- JACL’s Yoshino Resigns Position, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL National Director Bill Yoshino announced he will step down from his position on July, as revealed at the national JACL board meeting. Yoshino expressed satisfaction with changes and refocusing within the organization during his tenure, including office automation and long-range planning initiatives.
- Wisconsin Man Convicted of Hate Crime, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Steven J. Johnson, 20, who severely beat a man he thought was gay, was convicted of a hate crime in La Crosse County Circuit Court in a case reported by the La Crosse Tribune. Johnson faces a battery charge and the judge determined the encounter and Johnson’s slur usage were connected.
- Roger Obata to Receive Order of Canada, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Roger Obata, 75, a Japanese Canadian redress leader and human rights activist, will receive Canada’s highest civilian award, the Order of Canada, in a ceremony at Ottawa’s Government House. Obata served in Canadian military intelligence during WWII and later became the first president of the Japanese Canadian Citizens Association, which achieved redress compensation in 1988.
- Stewart Kwoh Honored by Public Counsel, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Stewart Kwoh, executive director of the Asian Pacific American Legal Center in Los Angeles, is being honored with the Individual Award at Public Counsel’s 15th annual William O. Douglas award dinner. The Center serves thousands of clients spanning various ethnic and national origins and has been involved in police monitoring efforts alongside the Asian Pacific Legal Consortium.
Arts & Entertainment
- Few Asians Up for Academy Awards, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Bay Area filmmaker Steven Okazaki has a strong chance at the Oscars with his documentary about Estelle Peck Ishigo, one of the few Caucasians interned with Japanese Americans during WWII. The film is nominated in the Best Documentary Short category, one of the few Asian American-related nominations this year.
- Actors Tell Their Oscar Picks, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Pacific Citizen polled people around the country for their Oscar predictions, with ‘Dances With Wolves’ emerging as the favorite for Best Picture after leading with 12 nominations. Individuals interviewed included Priscilla Ouchida and others who shared their picks for various acting and directing categories.
Sports
- Yamaguchi Wins World Skate Title, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A brief item noting that a skater named Yamaguchi has won the world figure skating title. Further details were not elaborated in the visible text.
In-Depth
- Looking for Teacher From the Past, by Ruth Hagiya Yoshioka, page 2. A letter writer describes receiving a request from Marion Risser of Minnesota to help locate students who had teacher Susan Thompson Evans at Poston II, Arizona during WWII incarceration. The writer hopes publishing the teacher’s photo in the Pacific Citizen will help identify former students who could respond to Mrs. Risser.
Community
- Lunar New Year Celebration Draws 1,300 in Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 3. About 1,300 people attended the 8th Annual Lunar New Year celebration, the largest Pan-Asian event of the year, held at Chicago’s Hyatt O’Hare. Illinois Governor Jim Edgar and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley were among those who attended and greeted the community.
- Asian TV Show Goes National, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Chicago-based television news program ‘Asia Today’ plans to go national by September 1991, according to producer Dodson. The show will be hosted by Gene Honda, announcer for the Chicago White Sox, and Christina Adachi, and will debut in the Chicago area in June before syndication in the fall.
- Benefit for Bone Marrow Patients, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The East West Players in Hollywood will present a benefit performance of the musical ‘Canton Jazz Club’ to raise funds for the Nick Susuki Bone Marrow Donor Fund. Nick Susuki and 100 other Asian American patients are searching for marrow donors through the National Marrow Donor Program.
- Personally Speaking, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This roundup column reports on various individual achievements and news items, including race car drivers Tom Takeda and Hiro Uemura competing at Willow Springs Raceway, and Maui onion grower Takeo Miyaguchi expecting his most profitable season since 1987. It also mentions Greg Higashi running a grocery store in Nome, Alaska, and other community member updates.
JACL
- JACL Chapter Agenda Roundup, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Multiple JACL chapters including Snake River, Las Vegas, and Arizona reported on upcoming events including festivals, casino nights, banquets, scholarship applications, and board meetings. The Las Vegas chapter is also working on establishing a scholarship fund and a Japanese translation program along with a student exchange program with Japan.
Commentary
- Blame Police Attitude—Not Procedure, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This editorial discusses the videotaped beating of Rodney King by LAPD officers, arguing the incident reflects deep-seated racial attitudes rather than simply inadequate training or procedure. The piece criticizes Police Chief Daryl Gates for calling the incident an ‘aberration’ and notes the city has previously paid millions in damages for similar police brutality incidents.
- Our Community of Memories, page 4. This column reflects on how Japanese Americans, dispersed nationwide after WWII incarceration, remain connected through shared experiences, camp history, and family networks despite geographic separation. It notes that the Nisei generation’s unique bonds are unlikely to be replicated by the Sansei, and that this ‘ethnic village’ feeling will fade within decades as the Nisei generation passes.
- Maquiladora, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Bill Marutani writes about maquiladora factories along the Mexican border producing goods like semiconductors and toys, discussing the low wages paid to workers, particularly young women. The column references AFSC studies on labor conditions and considers the economic pressures driving companies to seek the lowest-cost labor markets.
Obituaries
- Obituaries, by P.C. Staff, page 7. This section lists several individuals who have passed away along with their surviving family members across multiple California and other communities. The listings include names, ages, locations, and lists of survivors including spouses, children, and grandchildren.
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