Vol. 116, No. 24, June 18, 1993. 12 pages. View this issue
The fight over a racial slur on a road sign in Beaumont, Texas, led the June 18, 1993 issue. Gwen Muranaka reported that the group defending the Jap Road name planned a June 18 meeting, while Nikkei residents such as Tanamachi Nakata said they felt threatened and harassed after speaking out. Muranaka also covered Jean Ishibashi’s wrongful termination suit against the American Friends Service Committee, set for trial June 28, and a rift in the Spokane Democratic Party over racist remarks against Asian Americans. Karen Narasaki, JACL’s Washington representative, welcomed a Supreme Court ruling that upheld enhanced sentences for bias-motivated crimes.
In this 12-page issue, Harry K. Honda wrote about Michi Weglyn’s honorary doctorate at Cal Poly Pomona and a talk by Dr. Harry H.L. Kitano on intermarriage. Daisy Uyeda Satoda described a Topaz reunion of some 400 people, and a notice announced the Manzanar all-camp reunion on Aug. 21. Bill Hosokawa and Bill Marutani wrote columns, and chapter scholarship winners are listed on page 10.
What’s in this issue
Community
- Jap Road Issue Heats Up, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The controversy over Jap Road in Beaumont, Texas, flared up as the group defending the name, which they say honors Japanese farmers who lived there, planned a June 18 meeting. Nikkei residents including Tanamachi Nakata felt threatened and harassed after speaking out against the road name.
- Asian Americans Targeted by Colleagues in Spokane Democratic Party Rift, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. Precinct committee officers Susan Strauss and Terri Anderson described ongoing entrenchment, intimidation and harassment within the Spokane Democratic Party after speaking up against racist remarks and gestures made against Asian Americans. JACL leaders discussed whether the organization should intervene in the dispute involving longtime party allies.
- Diffusion of J.A. Community Seen by 2050, by Harry K. Honda, page 4. Sociologist Dr. Harry H.L. Kitano told a Los Angeles audience that rising intermarriage rates mean the Japanese American community as it exists today will essentially disappear by 2050. He presented detailed outmarriage statistics from Los Angeles County and Hawaii spanning decades to illustrate the trend.
- Recognition: Shimizu Honored With JACL Sapphire Pin, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Hitoshi ‘Mike’ Shimizu received the JACL sapphire pin at a Venice Culver JACL dinner meeting for 35 years of service to the chapter. Other members were also recognized for helping rejuvenate the chapter.
- Furutani to Speak at 4th Annual Manzanar All-Camp Reunion Aug. 21, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Former L.A. school board president Warren Furutani will be keynote speaker at the fourth and final all-Manzanar camp reunion dinner-dance on Aug. 21 at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel. The event will feature a photo exhibit of camp scenes by Toyo Miyatake.
- Kaneko Gets Hawaii ACLU Award, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Bill Kaneko, JACL national vice president for public affairs, will receive the Hawaii ACLU’s Allan Saunders Award for outstanding achievement in civil liberties. Kaneko was cited for his efforts against discriminatory legislation, his advocacy during the Pearl Harbor 50th anniversary, and his work on Native Hawaiian sovereignty issues.
- Business, Medicine, Community and Education Notes, by P.C. Staff, page 7. A roundup of achievements among Nikkei professionals including honors for San Mateo Chapter JACL members Geo and Aileen Ikuta, Dr. Joe Yamamoto’s Asian/Asian American Award from the American Psychiatric Association, and preservation awards for the Japanese American National Museum building. Also noted are appointments and honors involving Scott Oki at the University of Washington and student activism at the University of Colorado.
- Chapter Scholarship Awards Announced Across the Country, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Multiple JACL chapters including Marysville, Sacramento, Eden Township, Fresno, Placer County, San Gabriel Valley, San Jose, Gardena Valley, San Mateo, and Stockton announced their 1993 scholarship recipients at award ceremonies and dinners. Recipients were honored for academic achievement, community involvement, and leadership.
- Spokane Democratic Rift Continues to Escalate, by Gwen Muranaka, page 11. Further details emerge on the Spokane Democratic Party dispute, including allegations that Susan Strauss and Terri Anderson faced ostracism and vote tampering after complaining about racist remarks against Asian Americans. Chris Marr described the situation as a test of whether JACL is willing to risk political capital to defend civil rights for all people of color.
- Jap Road Controversy: Threats and Editorial Support for Change, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Tanamachi Nakata reported being called a racial slur and threatened after opposing the Jap Road name in Beaumont, Texas, while Betty Waki considered attending a related meeting in her place for safety concerns. The local Enterprise newspaper editorialized in favor of changing the road’s name, citing its association with racism and division.
National
- Date Set for Nikkei’s Suit Against AFSC, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. Jean Ishibashi’s wrongful termination lawsuit against the American Friends Service Committee is scheduled for trial June 28 in San Francisco Superior Court, alleging sexual harassment and racial discrimination led to her constructive discharge. AFSC maintains she was let go due to budget cuts, a claim her attorneys dispute.
- JACL Applauds Upholding of Hate Crime Laws, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Wisconsin v. Mitchell that enhanced sentencing for bias-motivated crimes does not violate the First Amendment. JACL Washington representative Karen Narasaki, who co-authored an amicus brief, praised the decision as important for combating anti-Asian violence.
- Fox Network to Change Cartoon Stereotype, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Fox cartoon featuring insufficient or offensive stereotyping has been canceled for the fall season following community objections. Advocacy groups vowed to remain vigilant regarding portrayals on the network.
- Mondale Nominated as Ambassador to Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 3. President Clinton nominated former Vice President Walter Mondale to become the next U.S. ambassador to Japan, calling the bilateral relationship the world’s most important. Mondale expressed hope that economic tensions between the two nations could be resolved through a new framework agreed upon by Clinton and Prime Minister Miyazawa.
- World Conference on Human Rights Opens in Vienna, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The UN-convened World Conference on Human Rights opened June 14 in Vienna with hopes it would elevate human rights issues as the 1992 Rio conference did for the environment. The Clinton administration urged the Senate to ratify four long-stalled human rights treaties signed by President Carter.
JACL
- Weglyns Honored With Academic Chair at Cal Poly Pomona, by Harry K. Honda, page 4. Michi Weglyn received an honorary doctorate and delivered the commencement address at Cal Poly Pomona, where a $1 million campaign launched an Endowed Chair for Multicultural Studies in her and husband Walter’s names. In her speech, Weglyn recounted the WWII ordeal of Japanese Peruvians and urged students to extend compassion to all humanity.
Arts & Entertainment
- ‘Donuts’ Shows Tragic Effect of Internment, by Richard Suenaga, page 5. Janice Tanaka’s documentary ‘Who’s Going to Pay for These Donuts, Anyway?’ traces her father Jack Koto Tanaka’s descent into mental illness after fighting internment and FBI investigation. The film explores themes of lost identity, family, and the undermining of the American Dream through Tanaka’s reunion with her institutionalized father.
- Whereabouts: Reader Search for Lost Contacts, by P.C. Staff, page 9. The Whereabouts column carried reader requests seeking to reconnect with prewar friends and acquaintances, including former Marysville and Manzanar residents. Also included is a poignant note from a woman who tends the grave of a stranger buried near her late fiance.
Incarceration & Redress
- Topaz Reunion Draws 400 Nikkei to Remember Camp Days, by Daisy Uyeda Satoda, page 6. Some 400 Nikkei traveled from the San Francisco area over Memorial Day weekend to the former Topaz internment camp site in Utah to reunite and remember their experiences. The gathering included speeches, an intergenerational discussion, and recognition of the oldest attendees and the first baby born at Topaz.
Commentary
- Clay Art on Display, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Hosokawa recounts the history of Arita porcelain in Japan, tracing it back to 16th century Korean master Ri Sampei, and describes collector Akihiko Shibata’s generous donations of over 3,000 pieces to the Kyushu Ceramic Museum. He and his wife attended the dedication of a new display hall as stand-in representatives for the Shibata family.
- Letters: JACL Redress and Other Issues, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A letter writer argues against the Office of Redress Administration’s denial of eligibility to ‘voluntary’ residents of camps and their camp-born offspring, citing documents from Public Proclamations No. 8 and WD-1 that show such residents were confined as a result of Executive Order 9066. The writer contends the ORA has no legal support for its denial theory.
- Courage and Reconciliation, by Karen Narasaki, page 9. Narasaki reflects on the 25th anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination and draws parallels to the withdrawal of Lani Guinier’s nomination for assistant attorney general for civil rights. She criticizes President Clinton for abandoning Guinier under political pressure despite acknowledgment of her qualifications.
- Unraveling the Secret of ‘Magic Cables’, by Harry K. Honda, page 9. James Oda’s new book ‘Secret in the Magic’ examines the role of Sanzo Nosaka, a Japanese Communist leader, and disputes David Lowman’s characterizations of decoded prewar diplomatic ‘Magic’ cables used against Japanese American redress claims. The book also explores the Kibei perspective and Nisei MIS contributions during WWII.
- Letters: Justice, Louisiana Shooting, and Women in Japan, by Multiple Letter Writers, page 11. Several letters address topics including a retired colonel’s views on military policy toward gays, a reader’s frustration over the acquittal in a Louisiana shooting of a Japanese exchange student, and a call for the U.S. to petition Japan to ban geisha houses as demeaning to women. The letters reflect varied reader perspectives on justice and social issues.
Military & Veterans
- April 5, 1945, by Bill Marutani, page 8. Marutani describes the dedication of the 311th Support Command’s headquarters as ‘Sadao S. Munemori Hall,’ honoring the Medal of Honor recipient who threw himself on a grenade to save two comrades during WWII fighting in Italy. The ceremony included remarks from Jimi Oda, whose life was saved by Munemori, and Major General James Mukoyama, the highest-ranking Nikkei in the U.S. Army.
- East Wind: Remembering Munemori’s Sacrifice, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The continuation of Bill Marutani’s column emphasizes the Japanese concept of ‘on,’ or debt owed to previous generations, as expressed by Major General James Mukoyama at the Munemori Hall dedication. The piece calls on Japanese Americans to remember with gratitude and demonstrate that gratitude through civic contribution.
In-Depth
- Books in Brief, by Harry K. Honda, page 9. A roundup of new book releases including reissued diary entries from Charles Kikuchi documenting Tanforan and Gila River camp life, an art catalogue on internment camp art, and Naoshi Koriyama’s tribute to benefactor Kenichi Masai. Also mentioned are Nikkei Heritage magazine issues and Hiro Nishimura’s memoir of an MIS veteran.
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