A firebombed chapter office and a fight over Pacific Citizen’s independence

Vol. 117, No. 12, October 8, 1993. 8 pages. View this issue

The firebombing of the Sacramento Chapter JACL office on Oct. 2 led the news, with Gwen Muranaka reporting on the attack and Lillian C. Kimura calling it a deliberate act of evil. Randy Senzaki was named JACL national director, and the Office of Redress Administration said it expected to send 4,000 more redress payments, bringing recipients to nearly 80,000.

Much of this issue’s commentary page space went to the Sept. 25-26 National Board meeting and the removal of Paul Shinkawa as PC board chair. Bill Hosokawa, Richard Suenaga, Mei Nakano, Bob Allman, Karen K. Narasaki and Randolph Shibata each wrote about editorial independence, from different sides. Also inside are Trisha Murakawa on three new national programs, a state-by-state redress breakdown, and Chic Tashiro in defense of the American Friends Service Committee.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Randy Senzaki Named JACL National Director, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Randy Senzaki, director of the Educational Opportunity Program at San Francisco State University, was appointed JACL’s new national director at the Sept. 25 national board meeting in San Francisco. Senzaki, a 50-year-old Sansei, spoke of serving as a steward to preserve Japanese American culture and empower the community.
• Motions Made at Board Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A detailed summary of motions passed at the Sept. 25-26 JACL National Board meeting in San Francisco covers approval of minutes, financial statements, investment guidelines, contributions, and committee appointments. Additional actions addressed the Legacy Fund Wall, organizational restructuring referendum, and convention awards.
• Board Motions Continued, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Additional board motions from the Sept. 25-26 meeting included ratifying Lucy Kishiue as interim PC Board Chair and supporting Lillian Kimura’s decision to request Paul Shinkawa’s resignation from that position. Other motions approved student organizer concepts, a leadership development program, and a new Georgia Chapter charter.

Incarceration & Redress

• ORA to Send 4,000 Redress Payments, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Office of Redress Administration anticipates disbursing 4,000 redress payments in early October for fiscal year 1994, bringing the total number of recipients to nearly 80,000. Included in this round are children who were born in camp or repatriated to Japan whose eligibility had previously been disputed, now resolved after meetings with JACL/LEC representatives.
• ORA Schedules Redress Payments, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Office of Redress Administration detailed the status of various appeal cases, including Peruvian internees and expatriated minor children, and released a state-by-state breakdown of total redress disbursements. California led with over $1 billion in payments, followed by Washington state.

National

• Sacramento Chapter Office Firebombed, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. A Molotov cocktail thrown through the front window destroyed the Sacramento Chapter JACL offices on Oct. 2, in what appears to be the third racially motivated bombing in the Sacramento area, following attacks on the NAACP and a synagogue. A group calling itself the Aryan Liberation Front claimed responsibility, and federal agents joined local police in the investigation while officials and JACL leaders condemned the attack.

Commentary

• Attack on Chapter Is Reprehensible, by Lillian C. Kimura, page 3. JACL National President Lillian Kimura condemns the firebombing of the Sacramento Chapter office as a deliberate act of evil that demands a vigorous response rather than retreat. She calls for JACL to network with organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center and to support the Sacramento Chapter going forward.
• An Assault on Pacific Citizen, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa argues that the National Board attempted to undermine Pacific Citizen’s editorial independence during the Sept. 25-26 meeting, when President Lillian Kimura ordered PC not to publish details of the proceedings and then forced board chair Paul Shinkawa’s resignation for refusing to comply. He calls this an unprecedented and troubling assault on a free press within JACL.
• Leadership Lost, by Richard Suenaga, page 5. Suenaga criticizes the conduct of JACL leaders at the national board meeting, describing personal attacks and a lack of statesmanship that led to Paul Shinkawa’s firing as PC board chair. He contrasts this with Shinkawa’s calm and principled behavior throughout the ordeal.
• Arizona Chapter Supports PC Role, by Bob Allman, page 5. Bob Allman, president of the Arizona Chapter JACL, writes in support of Pacific Citizen’s editorial independence and criticizes those who take constructive criticism as a personal vendetta. He urges the organization to move forward and focus on building a stronger JACL.
• JACL Member Criticizes PC Coverage, page 5. A letter writer criticizes the Oct. 1-7 issue of Pacific Citizen as one-sided, arguing the headline ‘Kimura Fires PC Board Chair’ misrepresented events since Shinkawa was asked to resign and served at the pleasure of the National President. The writer contends the coverage lacked balance from National Board or staff perspectives.
• The Power of the Media, by Karen K. Narasaki, page 6. Narasaki, JACL’s Washington D.C. representative, argues that Pacific Citizen has obligations to JACL as its official publication that must be balanced against editorial independence. She cites the Rising Sun film coverage as an example where PC’s actions created public confusion and damaged JACL’s coalition relationships.
• A Cutting Blow, by Mei Nakano, page 6. Nakano recounts the firing of Paul Shinkawa as PC board chair for upholding constitutional principles regarding editorial independence, comparing it to the historical beheading of Sir Thomas More for standing on principle. She warns that further muzzling of Pacific Citizen would damage JACL and its talented editorial staff.
• Wrong Action Taken at National Board Meeting, page 6. A letter writer states that the National Board’s decision to oust Paul Shinkawa despite legal counsel’s opinion supporting PC’s editorial independence was a rash and damaging action. The writer questions why Kimura sidestepped counsel Allen Kato’s opinion and calls for an independent inquiry into the matter.
• New National Programs, by Trisha Murakawa, page 7. JACL National VP Trisha Murakawa outlines three new national programs approved by the board: a Leadership Training Institute, a Student Organizers pilot project, and a Chapter President’s Handbook. Each program aims to strengthen JACL chapters and attract younger members to the organization.
• PC Board Controls Policy, by Randolph Shibata, page 7. Shibata, a past MPDC governor, reflects on his earlier support for placing Pacific Citizen under National Board control before ultimately concluding this was incorrect given the membership’s consistent backing of editorial independence. He warns that the board’s actions against Shinkawa went too far and calls for restored peace between the National Board, PC Board, and PC editor.
• In Defense of the American Friends Service Committee, by Chic Tashiro, page 7. A longtime volunteer defends the American Friends Service Committee against criticism related to the Jean Ishibashi case, describing the organization’s efforts at diversity hiring and noting that Ishibashi’s program was eliminated for budget reasons affecting every region. The writer urges readers not to abandon an organization that supported Japanese Americans during WWII incarceration.

Community

• Sacramento Chapter Vows to Rebuild After Fire, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Following the firebombing, Sacramento Chapter president Randy Imai said chapter functions and events would continue despite the destruction of the office. Board member Mike Sawamura expressed optimism that the chapter would emerge stronger, while a press conference was planned with police, city council, and human rights groups.

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