Vol. 115, No. 14, October 30, 1992. 8 pages. View this issue
A Florida jury’s verdict led this eight-page issue. After four hours of deliberation, jurors found Bradley Mills guilty of second-degree murder in the death of pre-med student Luyen Phan Nguyen, a Vietnamese American who was chased and beaten outside an apartment building. Six other defendants were still to be tried. The same page covered a protest by the Media Action Network for Asian Americans over the cartoon character Fuji, and the first meeting of the new JACL national board under President Lillian Kimura, with reports by Gwen Muranaka.
Elsewhere, JACL asked Louisiana officials to investigate the shooting of Japanese exchange student Yoshihiro Hattori. Lillian Kimura wrote about visiting the Arizona Chapter, which was working to nominate the Gila River Relocation Center as a National Historic Site. Gwen Muranaka’s columns looked at the 1992 election. Also inside: a Placer County Chapter dinner honoring its redress committee, and a Davis High School Nikkei reunion in Salt Lake City.
What’s in this issue
National
- Second-Degree Murder Verdict Found in Death of Vietnamese American Student, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Broward County jury found Bradley Mills guilty of second-degree murder in the racially motivated killing of pre-med student Luyen Phan Nguyen, who was chased, beaten and kicked to death by a mob outside a Florida apartment building. Six other defendants are scheduled to be tried separately for their roles in the attack.
- Group Protests TV Cartoon Character, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) complained to Fox Broadcasting and producer DIC about the character ‘Fuji’ on the ‘Super Dave’ cartoon show, calling it a culturally offensive stereotype with exaggerated features. The group compared the depiction to blackface caricatures and said it is harmful to how children perceive Asian Americans.
- JACL Seeks Investigation into Murder of Japanese Exchange Student, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL wrote to Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards and a local sheriff urging investigation into possible racial motivation in the shooting death of Japanese exchange student Yoshihiro Hattori, who was killed by homeowner Rodney Peairs after mistakenly approaching his house for a Halloween party. National Director Dennis Hayashi noted conflicting accounts but said reports indicate Hattori was unarmed and posed no threat.
JACL
- Kimura Administration Begins to Shape Course of Organization, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. The new JACL national board held its first meeting on Oct. 24 following the national convention, with President Lillian Kimura leading brainstorming sessions on civil rights, membership growth, and leadership development. Karen Narasaki and Dennis Hayashi gave assessments of the political and social landscape facing Japanese Americans in the coming biennium.
- Committees: Who’s in Charge, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL national board approved committee chair assignments including Legal Counsel, Legacy Fund Committee, Organization Structure, and others. Several committee assignments, including Redress and Civil Rights, remain unconfirmed.
- Board Highlights, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Highlights from the JACL national board meeting include Bill Kaneko’s plans for public affairs training seminars, Alan Nishi’s report on the automated membership program, and Hisami Yoshida’s update on a rally following the murder of a Thai American in Seattle. The board also discussed a youth membership brochure, a planned youth column in the Pacific Citizen, and funding for the Salt Lake City convention committee.
Community
- West L.A. Chapter Hosts Candidates Night, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The West Los Angeles JACL Chapter hosted a candidates’ night on Oct. 19, featuring representatives and candidates for various local and state offices discussing jobs, education, and health care. Because of redistricting, all candidates were running in newly redrawn districts they had not previously represented.
- Good Work, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Placer County Chapter, JACL, held its 52nd annual Goodwill Dinner honoring the redress committee for its dedicated efforts, with plaques presented to Aster Kondo, Ellen Kubo, and Mike Yego. Sacramento TV personality Gordon Tokumatsu served as guest speaker, with Robert Takemoto as general chairman.
- Back to School, by P.C. Staff, page 5. More than 260 graduates and friends of Davis High School, Kaysville, Utah, attended an Oct. 10 Nikkei alumni reunion at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City. Taxi Okawa, class of ’42, served as general chairman, with speeches from George Tashima and Dr. Elsie Shiramizu among the event’s highlights.
- Chapter Alert, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A brief notice reminds JACL chapters to prepare their Holiday Issue greetings and submissions promptly. Chapters are encouraged to solicit member participation for inclusion in the special issue.
Commentary
- Small Kid Time, by Gwen Muranaka, page 4. A short commentary piece reflecting on childhood memories, presented in a light, personal tone. The piece touches on nostalgia and family recollections.
- Credit Those Onions, page 6. A columnist recounts efforts by Ontario, Ore. community members to build the Western Treasure Valley Cultural Center honoring Japanese American contributions to the region’s onion industry, funded through a surprising $4 million federal appropriation secured by Sen. Mark Hatfield. The project has evolved to include broader regional history, reflecting concerns from Japanese Americans that other ethnic groups’ contributions should also be recognized.
- Down Arizona Way, by Lillian C. Kimura, page 6. JACL National President Lillian Kimura recounts her visit to the Arizona Chapter, describing a bento supper attended by over 50 members, including many longtime Arizona Nikkei families. She highlights the chapter’s efforts to nominate the Gila River Relocation Center as a National Historic Site and its involvement in America Japan Week.
- The Sport of Politics, by Gwen Muranaka, page 6. Muranaka reflects on the 1992 presidential election through the lens of sports metaphors, arguing that politics remains dominated by macho posturing despite growing involvement of women. She imagines how a woman-led presidency might change the tone and substance of American politics.
Incarceration & Redress
- For the Record, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A correction clarifies details about the videotape ‘A Question of Loyalty’ related to the Poston dedication reunion, noting the documentary by Chizu and Emiko Omori is still in production. A second correction identifies Allan Hida, not Edward Hida, as the current Midwest District JACL governor.
Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.