Gays in the military, and racial remarks by officials

Vol. 116, No. 10, March 12, 1993. 8 pages. View this issue

The question of gays in the military ran through this eight-page issue. Lt. Col. Thomas Mukai of the U.S. Army answered the paper’s earlier coverage with an opposing view, and the paper cited Sen. John McCain and Gen. Colin Powell on the other side of the ban. A letter from Chizu Iiyama praised that coverage and tied it to JACL’s civil rights mission. The front page also followed racial remarks by Spokane Democratic Party officials and by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, with a response from JACL National Director Dennis Hayashi.

Bill Hosokawa wrote about Gordon Hirabayashi’s visit to the University of Colorado at Boulder, and Lillian C. Kimura wrote about participation. Inside are details of the 24th annual Manzanar pilgrimage, set for April 24, and a meeting between Arizona JACLers and the Gila River Indian Community about a monument. Conference and national board dates are also listed.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Nikkei Officer Responds to Gays in the Military, by Lt. Col. Thomas Mukai, U.S. Army, page 1. An Army officer offers an opposing viewpoint to the Pacific Citizen’s earlier coverage on lifting the ban on gays in the military, arguing that the military has its own unique traditions and standards that differ from civilian society. He cautions JACL against focusing too much on the gay rights issue at the expense of its core mission for Japanese Americans.
• Sen. John McCain and Gen. Colin Powell Offer Opposing Views on Gays in the Military, page 1. The Pacific Citizen follows up on its Feb. 5, 1993 story about reaction to President Clinton’s order to lift the ban on gays in the military by presenting opposing views. Sen. John McCain and Gen. Colin Powell are cited as opposing the lifting of the ban, emphasizing the unique nature of military service recognized by the Supreme Court.
• A Case of Secondhand Smoke Victim: Mary, Six Years Old, Pneumonia, page 3. This piece highlights the dangers of secondhand smoke to children, describing how a young girl named Mary suffers from breathing difficulty, coughing and fever due to exposure to her parents’ smoking. It cites statistics that 300,000 cases of respiratory illness in children annually are caused by secondhand smoke exposure.
• A Story That Needs Retelling, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Hosokawa reflects on Gordon Hirabayashi’s visit to the University of Colorado at Boulder, recounting how Hirabayashi, along with Min Yasui and Fred Korematsu, challenged the constitutionality of WWII incarceration orders before the Supreme Court. He notes Hirabayashi’s discomfort with being cast as a hero, and highlights a related campus discussion on Executive Order 9066 and racism in the American West featuring historians Patricia Limerick and Vine Deloria Jr.
• Participation Key to Solving Problems, by Lillian C. Kimura, page 6. JACL National President Lillian Kimura reflects on the 25th anniversary of the Kerner Commission report on civil disorders, noting that America still faces challenges of racial inequality and rising tensions. She calls on JACL to be proactive, work with other groups on shared concerns, and participate in the political process to support job creation and training.
• Praise for Coverage of Gays in the Military, by Chizu Iiyama, page 6. A letter writer congratulates the Pacific Citizen for its in-depth coverage of the gay rights issue in the military, drawing parallels to historical discrimination against Asian Americans and African Americans in the armed forces. The writer argues that supporting continued discrimination against gays would be inconsistent with JACL’s civil rights mission.
• Says JACL Scholarship Criterion Is Not Fair, by Peter Parris, page 6. A letter writer criticizes JACL’s scholarship eligibility requirement limiting applicants to Japanese Americans as discriminatory based on race and national origin. The writer describes an alternative approach adopted by their local chapter that bases eligibility on organizational membership rather than race.
• Another Who Enjoys Hosokawa Columns, by Wray Sasaki, page 6. A letter writer pushes back against a previous letter criticizing Bill Hosokawa’s columns as ‘family trivia,’ arguing that most readers enjoy learning about Nisei families and their descendants. The writer frames this appreciation within the context of the year’s theme of ‘family values.’
• Says Cartoon Portrays Sexual Harassment, by Carole K. Hasegawa, page 6. A letter writer expresses anger over a Pete Hironaka cartoon published in the Jan. 22 Pacific Citizen depicting women obsessed with credit cards, calling it blatant sexual harassment. The writer urges the paper to be more careful about content it publishes.

National

• Clinton Sees Japan as Ally, Author Says, by Gwen Muranaka, Assistant Editor, page 1. Author Daniel Burstein, discussing his new book ‘Turning the Tables: A Machiavellian Plan for Dealing with Japan,’ said the Clinton administration has done little to engage its Pacific Rim allies. He suggests now is the ideal time for Japan to move forward with proactive policies on trade and the environment while Japan remains on Washington’s backburner.
• Maryland Congressman Makes Racial Remark, page 1. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) said at a Capitol Hill press conference that people with Asian and Indian surnames do not have ‘American names’ and do not represent ‘the normal American.’ He reportedly also made comments questioning when he had last seen an ‘Oriental’ as a member of Congress.
• Chinese Graduate Student Attacked, Suffers Broken Bones, page 1. Lang-Sheng Yun, a 29-year-old industrial engineering graduate student from Shanxi Province, China, suffered a broken nose, cheekbones and deep cuts in an apparent attack. Details of the incident are described as part of ongoing coverage of violence against Asians.
• Author Burstein Discusses U.S.-Japan Relations Further, page 4. Continuing coverage of Daniel Burstein’s book tour, the article notes Japan gave $13 billion to the Gulf War effort despite disagreeing with the cause, illustrating a pattern of reluctant cooperation. Burstein argues Japan should not be seen as a ‘problem’ but as a potential partner on domestic issues like rebuilding America’s manufacturing base.

JACL

• JACL: Spokane Democratic Party Officials Should Quit, by Staff reports, page 1. JACL joined the Organization of Chinese Americans and the Chinese American Civil Rights Alliance in calling for the resignations of Spokane Democratic Party officials Marge Davis, John Workland and Betty Drumheller over racial slurs against Asian Locals. JACL Pacific Northwest regional director Karen Yoshitomi said the officials failed to acknowledge the impact of their actions on the Asian Pacific American community.
• JACL Responds to Bartlett Comment, page 1. JACL National Director Dennis Hayashi responded to Rep. Bartlett’s remarks, saying it has been nearly 125 years since the first Japanese immigrants came to the United States yet Asian Americans still face being labeled foreigners. Hayashi called the statement distressing, especially since other congressional members did not raise concerns about it.
• MDC, EDC, and MPC Conference Set for August in Cleveland, page 4. A biennial conference of the Midwest, Eastern, and Mountain Plains district councils will be held Aug. 19-22 at the Sheraton Cleveland City Centre Hotel, expecting about 200 participants from 20 chapters. Featured speakers include Irene Natividad, former chairwoman of the National Women’s Political Caucus, and JACL National President Lillian Kimura.
• Tri-Districts Conference Set for April 2-4, page 5. The PSW, CC, and NCWNP district councils will hold a joint conference April 2-4 at the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel, featuring Doris Matsui, deputy public liaison for President Clinton, as the featured speaker. The event will also include an appearance by an actor known for his role in Star Trek as emcee.
• National Board to Meet March 19-21, page 5. The JACL national board will meet March 19-21 in Washington, D.C., to discuss an amended Program for Action covering topics such as relations with other civil rights groups, dealing with media, the glass ceiling for Japanese Americans in corporate settings, and hate crimes. The meeting will also address finances, including creating a legacy fund, and women’s issues.
• JACL National President to Meet with JACLers’ Offspring in Raleigh, page 6. JACL National President Lillian Kimura, on a YWCA assignment in Raleigh, N.C. from April 16-18, would like to meet with the offspring of JACLers in the area for a possible organizing effort. JACLers who know of anyone in the area are asked to submit names to Kimura.

Community

• To Our Readers: Explaining Pacific Citizen Circulation Procedures, by Frances Okuno, Circulation Manager, page 3. The Pacific Citizen’s circulation manager explains how subscriptions and JACL memberships are processed, detailing both the Centralized Membership Program and chapter-based handling. She notes that database changes take four to six weeks to take effect and asks for readers’ patience with any delivery issues.
• Spokane Officials Offer Apologies, But Not to Asian Community Directly, page 4. Following calls for resignation over racial slurs, Spokane Democratic Party officials Marge Davis and Betty Drumheller issued apologies, but critics say the apologies were insufficient and misdirected. JACL Chapter member Denny Yasuhara said the apologies reflected a lack of awareness, as no direct apology was given to Asian American groups.
• Arizona JACLers Meet with Gila River Indian Community on Monument Project, page 5. Five members of the Arizona Chapter JACL met with Gila River Indian Community manager Urban Giff to discuss dedicating a monument at the former internment camp units on tribal land. The chapter requested permission to visit the two units for possible monument placement, with GRIC members to be involved in future planning phases.
• Spokane Democratic Officials Face Continued Criticism Over Apologies, page 5. Spokane Democratic Party officials’ apologies for racial incidents have been criticized as insufficient, with OCA executive director Daphne Kwok calling local officials’ inaction ‘abhorrent.’ Local Democratic leaders reportedly balked at broader calls for apology, arguing individual comments do not reflect the party as a whole.

Incarceration & Redress

• 24th Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage Set for April 24, page 4. The 24th annual Manzanar Pilgrimage is scheduled for Saturday, April 24, with buses departing from Los Angeles and arriving at the site around noon. Attendees are asked to bring potluck dishes, wear comfortable clothing for dust and wind, and participate in an interfaith service and the traditional Tanko Bushi dance.

Military & Veterans

• Sasakawa Foundation Aids Chicago JASC, page 5. The Japanese American Service Committee in Chicago received a $1 million funding grant from the Sasakawa Foundation in 1992 to help open its JASC-Nikkei Home. JASC president Arthur T. Morimitsu announced the foundation, one of the largest in the world, has also supported other Japanese American projects including the Smithsonian exhibit facilitated by the late Mike Masaoka.

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