Vol. 113, No. 15, November 8, 1991. 8 pages. View this issue
The Civil Rights Bill passed with a Wards Cove exemption, and Asian Pacific American organizations answered with both relief and outrage. The exemption leaves the workforce of an Alaskan native fishing company outside the bill’s protection. JACL national director Dennis Hayashi called the compromise insufficient given persistent employment discrimination, and groups described the result as a hollow victory. Also on the front page, community leaders from JACL, the Chinese American Citizens Alliance and other groups met county officials about the Phoenix murders, and Harry Honda reported on the 50th anniversary of the Military Intelligence Service Language School in San Francisco.
Honey’s column looks at a library flier that used kanji to promote a talk on the World War II incarceration (often called internment), then turns to sexual harassment in Japan. Inside are scholarship news from USC and the California Japanese American Alumni Association, a fund in memory of Minoru Yasui, a student essay contest from the Little Tokyo Community Coalition, and an honor for actress Nobu McCarthy.
What’s in this issue
National
- Civil Rights Bill: Relief and Outrage, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The passage of the Civil Rights Bill with a Wards Cove exemption sparked mixed reactions from Asian Pacific American organizations, who called it a hollow victory. The exemption excludes an Alaskan native fishing company’s workforce from protection, and JACL national director Dennis Hayashi criticized the compromise as insufficient given persistent employment discrimination.
- Asian American Leaders Meet to Discuss Phoenix Murders, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Asian American community leaders met to discuss a lawsuit and civil rights concerns stemming from murders in Phoenix, meeting with county officials including the sheriff and county attorney. The delegation included representatives from JACL, the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, and other organizations concerned about racial justice in the case.
Military & Veterans
- Nikkei Gather in San Francisco for 50th Year MIS Anniversary, by Harry Honda, page 1. Nisei veterans and community members gathered in San Francisco to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS), honoring the graduates who served during World War II and the Occupation of Japan. Events included a dedication ceremony, a model unveiling, a walking tour of named buildings at the Defense Language Institute, and a screening of Loni Ding’s documentary Color of Honor.
Community
- JACL Chapter Leader Henry Taketa Dies, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Henry Taketa, a longtime leader of the Sacramento JACL chapter, died October 20 of a stroke at Sutter County. He was honored in past years with awards for his decades of meritorious service to the organization and community.
- Student Essay Contest on Internment Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Little Tokyo Community Coalition is sponsoring an essay contest for students to commemorate the 50-year remembrance of the Japanese American internment. Students are asked to write about the internment experience of a friend or family member, with cash prizes awarded for the top three entries.
Arts & Entertainment
- Actress McCarthy Honored with Achievement Award, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Nobu McCarthy, artistic director of the East-West Players, received the first annual career achievement award from On Screen: Celebrating Women’s Work at a San Francisco festival. McCarthy has appeared in films including Farewell to Manzanar, Karate Kid, and Pacific Heights, and teaches at CSULA’s Asian American Studies program.
JACL
- N.Y. Chapter Announces 1992 Playwright Award, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The New York chapter of JACL is accepting applications for the 1992 Ruby Yoshino Schaar Biennium Playwright Award, established in 1984 to encourage young Japanese American and Japanese Canadian playwrights. Applicants must be sponsored by an active JACL member or chapter and have had at least one play previously presented in a public forum.
- USC Students Receive Asian Pacific American Support Group Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Seventeen University of Southern California students were honored at a reception for receiving 1991-92 Asian Pacific American Support Group Scholarships. The endowment fund also supports several other named scholarships including the Aratani, Fukui, Han, Shon, and Tamaki memorial scholarships.
- California Group Awards Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The California Japanese American Alumni Association (CJAAA) announced scholarship winners at a recent event in San Francisco, including undergraduate and graduate students from UC Berkeley and UC Davis. Winners from other campuses will be honored at separate regional dinners, and the group also heard remarks from UC Berkeley professor Michael Omi on diversity and multicultural curriculum.
- Contributions Sought for Yasui Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Donations are being sought for the Minoru Yasui Memorial Scholarship Fund, honoring the civil rights attorney who challenged the WWII curfew and internment orders and was imprisoned for his resistance. The fund, organized by the Mile-Hi JACL Chapter and community organizations, will award a 1992 JACL national scholarship to a deserving student.
Commentary
- Error of Evacuation / ‘Sick Stomach’, by Harry Honda, page 4. The columnist criticizes a library flier that used Japanese kanji characters to promote a talk about the WWII internment, arguing this perpetuates the historical error of conflating Japanese Americans with Japan, since most internees were American citizens. The piece transitions into a discussion of ‘sekuhara’ (sexual harassment) in Japan, noting how workplace sexism remains deeply embedded in Japanese corporate culture despite growing legal awareness.
Obituaries
- Kaida, Isamu, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Isamu Kaida, 87, of Gardena, died Oct. 9. Fukushima-born, he is survived by sons Jim and Akira and two granddaughters.
- Kaneshiro, a Bonsai Pioneer in Hawaii, by P.C. Staff, page 8. An Okinawan-born bonsai fancier who pioneered the use of tropical Hawaiian plants like ironwood and ohia in bonsai after picking up the art in Hilo following WWII, died at 84 in Honolulu on Sept. 23. A 31-inch Japanese black pine he had grown since 1950 had been selected as an exemplary specimen from Hawaii.
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