Resignations from the JACL board and the affirmative action debate

Vol. 121, No. 4, August 18, 1995. 12 pages. View this issue

Three resignations from the JACL board led the August 18, 1995 issue. Trisha Murakawa, Ruth Mizobe and Craig Minami submitted their letters to the National Board, citing the Dec. 3, 1994, decision to downsize national staff. Gwen Muranaka reported on how the Pacific Southwest District meeting went on after the departures, and Anne T. Omura covered a lively debate on affirmative action at the Northern California-Western Nevada-Pacific meeting. Another front-page story reported that a court ruling extended Civil Liberties Act redress eligibility to evacuees who left the West Coast voluntarily in 1942.

Elsewhere, Bill Hosokawa asked whether those behind the wartime incarceration (often called internment) ever doubted their decisions. Ike Hatchimonji and Chizu Iiyama took opposing sides on whether the United States should apologize for the atomic bombings. Harry Honda reported on highway signs honoring the 100th Battalion and the 442nd, and a page of book reviews covers Amache, Gila River, Jerome, Minidoka and Topaz.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• PSW: Making the Leadership Transition, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. The Pacific Southwest District meeting on Aug. 13 proceeded despite the recent resignations of Ruth Mizobe, Trisha Murakawa and Craig Minami. Karen-Liane Shiba was named interim district governor as the district worked to move forward amid the controversy.
• NCWNP Tackles Affirmative Action Controversies, by Anne T. Omura, page 1. The Aug. 13 Northern California-Western Nevada-Pacific District meeting featured a lively and emotional debate on affirmative action. UC Regent Stephen Nakashima and panelist Izumi spoke in favor of ending affirmative action while Valora Harvey and others defended it, illustrating a split within the Japanese American community.
• VP Murakawa, Gov. Mizobe, VP Minami Resign from JACL Board, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Trisha Murakawa, Ruth Mizobe and Craig Minami submitted resignations to the National Board after months of concerns about the organization’s direction. All three cited the Dec. 3, 1994, National Board decision to downsize national staff as a primary reason for their departure.
• PSW District Meeting Covers Resignations, Affirmative Action, Bylaws and More, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The PSW district passed a resolution of appreciation for Mizobe, Murakawa and Minami, and heard from Assemblywoman Debra Bowen about local politics. The district also created a search committee for a regional director, discussed bylaw changes, and set its next meeting for Oct. 28 in Las Vegas.
• Plenty of Social Activities Complement 7th Annual JACL Singles Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The 7th National JACL Singles Convention, set for Sept. 1-3 in Costa Mesa, Calif., features a western-style mixer, dinner dance emceed by Trisha Takasugi, and a performance by actress Amy Hill. The event includes music from Gerald Ishibashi’s band and various icebreaker activities for attendees.
• Lots of Food, Games Planned for Singles, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The 7th National JACL Singles Convention offers numerous meals and social games including a computer dating game, musical seating at lunch, a tennis tournament, golf tournament, and a Sunday picnic with various games. The final registration deadline was Aug. 26.
• Resign, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This continuation article details the resignation letters of Murakawa, Mizobe and Minami, citing the National Board’s handling of staff terminations, severance disputes, and alleged conflicts of interest. President Denny Yasuhara expressed regret over the departures while defending the board’s actions.

National

• Pocatello, Idaho, JA on Trial for Allegedly Stabbing Stepdaughter, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Troy Shiozawa of Pocatello, Idaho, faces trial beginning Aug. 22 for allegedly stabbing his 2-year-old stepdaughter during an argument with his wife. Local JACL members and his attorney claim his bail was set unconstitutionally high due to racial discrimination.
• Judge Ito: Solidarity in a Time of Anti-Asian Sentiment, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. Judge Lance Ito, presiding over the O.J. Simpson trial, spoke about the importance of Asian Americans sticking together amid increased bias, referencing racist parodies including a bestseller and comments by Sen. Alfonse D’Amato. JACL had joined other groups in defending Ito against the incidents.
• Anti-Asian American Violence Increases in ’94, Report Says, by P.C. Staff, page 3. An annual audit from the Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium found 452 anti-Asian incidents in 1994, a 35 percent increase over the previous year, with 90 percent confirmed as racially motivated. The report made several recommendations including improved hate crime data collection and stronger law enforcement training.
• Ito, by P.C. Staff, page 12. This continuation article details Judge Lance Ito’s remarks thanking supporters for standing by him amid racist attacks, including from Sen. Alfonse D’Amato and a published book of racist caricatures. Ito was awarded the George M. Ban Award for community involvement by the Los Angeles County Asian American Employees Association.
• Trial, by P.C. Staff, page 12. This continuation article details further developments in the Troy Shiozawa case, including disputed testimony about a bail violation and support from JACL’s National Board and Intermountain District Council for his right to a fair trial. His attorney alleged racial bias in the prosecution’s handling of the case.
• Justice Dept. Positions Open for APA Law Students, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The U.S. Department of Justice is recruiting Asian Pacific American law students for entry-level attorney and summer law intern positions, with an application deadline of Sept. 26. Interested students should contact their law school career services office for application materials.

Incarceration & Redress

• Voluntary Evacuees Now Eligible for Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in the Ishida case extends redress eligibility to evacuees who voluntarily left the West Coast in 1942. The decision reaffirms the original intent of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 to compensate all people affected by the evacuation.
• Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 12. This continuation article explains how the Ishida and Consolo court decisions affect redress eligibility for children of internees who were voluntary evacuees or born to parents released early from camps. The Department of Justice will not seek reconsideration and will cooperate in reopening affected claims.

Military & Veterans

• Signs of the Times: Highways Honor Vets, by Harry Honda, page 1. Ceremonies were held Aug. 4 at Stockton and Simi Valley to dedicate California highway memorial signs honoring the 100th Battalion, 442nd RCT and MIS veterans of World War II. Col. Christopher Keegan and Col. Young O. Kim spoke at dedication events recounting the units’ wartime heroics.
• Fresno Dedication Honors 100th, 442nd, MIS Veterans, by Harry Honda, page 5. A dinner in Fresno chaired by Dr. Frank Nishio honored the 100th Infantry, 442nd RCT and MIS with speeches by Col. Young O. Kim and Cressey Nakagawa. Four veterans of the 100th unveiled a highway marker, and Kim reflected on how generals perceived Nisei soldiers during the war.

Community

• Sakamoto Memorial Planned Sept. 10, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A dedication ceremony for the Finnie Sakamoto memorial is scheduled for Sept. 10 at the Keiro Nursing Home in Seattle, capping a two-year drive to honor one of JACL’s original founders. The memorial was funded solely by participants in the old Japanese American Courier sports leagues.
• Personally Speaking, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This roundup column highlights achievements of various Japanese Americans including Dave Tsubota’s appointment to Ontario’s provincial government, Alan Mikuni’s new post at USGS, and honors for Judge Kathryn Doi Todd, Howard Maetani, Dr. Mitch Wakasa and others. It also covers media, business, law, and athletics figures making news in their fields.
• Roy Abbey, 90, Honored with Volunteer Award, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Roy Abbey was honored as the Kay Okamoto Volunteer Award recipient at the 39th anniversary celebration at San Francisco’s Hamilton Senior Center. The 90-year-old volunteer, a former Topaz internee, has led the ceramics program at Kimochi for more than 20 years and donated his $1,000 award back to the organization.
• South Bay JACL Honors Scholars, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Three high school graduates and a college freshman were recognized at the South Bay Chapter JACL scholarship reception held June 25 in Gardena. The Kiichi Egashira Memorial Scholarships and other awards were presented to students planning pre-med studies.
• Nisei Fund Awards Scholarships to Fresno-Area Refugee Students, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund awarded 24 scholarships of $500 each to Southeast Asian refugee students who graduated from high schools in the Fresno-Tulare counties. The fund was founded in 1980 by Nisei who were helped during WWII to relocate from internment camps to colleges.
• $25,000 Endowment for Optometric College, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Asian American Optometric Society fulfilled its pledge to create a $25,000 endowment providing two $500 awards annually to a graduating Asian American student at Southern California College of Optometry. The awards are based on academic excellence, extracurricular activities and financial need.
• Watsonville JACL Honors Three Graduates, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Three recipients of the Watsonville Chapter JACL’s Kee Kitayama Memorial scholarships wrote essays on the Day of Remembrance as part of their applications. Winners Eric Hamako, Joseph Kain and Tadashi Kaneko each received $500 and reflected on the legacy of Japanese American internment.

Commentary

• Updates, by Karyl Matsumoto, page 3. JACL Interim National Director Karyl Matsumoto provides updates on membership, finances, programs and other organizational matters. She reports progress on the audit, budget, scholarship program and thanks members for their patience during the transition.
• Would They Have Apologized?, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Bill Hosokawa reflects on Robert McNamara’s admission of error regarding Vietnam and draws a parallel to the WWII Japanese American evacuation, questioning whether officials like Bendetsen and McCloy privately doubted their decisions. He notes that unlike McNamara, those responsible for the internment never expressed remorse during Redress hearings.
• The Douglas MacArthur Memorial, by Bill Marutani, page 8. Bill Marutani recounts his experience being asked to be an appointments officer for a general in post-war Japan, which he declined, and later speaking at the 1988 dedication of the ‘Yankee Samurai’ exhibit at the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk. He shares a warm encounter with Mrs. Jean MacArthur at the event.
• Applauds JACL Efforts to Help Korean Victim, by Letter from National Association of Korean Americans, page 8. A letter writer praises JACL’s Boise Valley Chapter for helping a Korean beating victim, comparing the case to the Vincent Chin case in Detroit. The writer suggests pursuing federal prosecution and crime victims compensation, and commends the JA-Korean American solidarity shown.
• Seaman Has Comment on Sgt. Matsumoto Story, by Gunnar Olsborg, page 8. A longtime seafarer comments on a previous Pacific Citizen story about Sgt. John Matsumoto, contrasting it with the treatment of Japanese Americans in Hawaii who were not interned. He notes that no Hawaii longshoremen or ships were ever implicated in sabotage.
• Says JACL Is Not Spending Its Money Wisely, by Buki Kashiwagi, page 8. A letter writer criticizes National President Denny Yasuhara for lobbying on immigration and affirmative action issues while JACL faces budget problems, arguing affirmative action has hurt Nikkei students in university admissions. The writer threatens to stop supporting JACL unless spending priorities change.
• A-Bomb Apology Unnecessary, by Ike Hatchimonji, page 9. Ike Hatchimonji argues that while the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were devastating and likely unnecessary, an official U.S. apology should not be expected given similar mass civilian casualties caused by other nations in WWII. He contends that no country can claim moral high ground in modern warfare, though nuclear war must be avoided in the future.
• It Should Never Happen Again, by Chizu Iiyama, page 9. Chizu Iiyama supports an apology for the atomic bombings, describing her work on an NJAHS exhibit examining Hiroshima and Nagasaki’s legacy and criticizing the Smithsonian’s alteration of the Enola Gay exhibit. She recounts personally apologizing to Japanese conference delegates in 1987 for the bombings’ horrors.
• Marutani, by Bill Marutani, page 12. This continuation of Bill Marutani’s column recounts additional details of his encounter with Mrs. Jean MacArthur at the 1988 dedication ceremony in Norfolk, Virginia. He reflects on the charm and warmth she displayed during their brief conversation.
• Honda, by Harry K. Honda, page 12. This continuation of Harry Honda’s column discusses the Washington, D.C. Chapter’s plan to distribute copies of ‘JACL in Quest of Justice’ to congressional members as part of its 50th anniversary celebration. He suggests other Golden Jubilee chapters consider similar gestures to educate new generations about JACL’s history.

In-Depth

• 10 JACL Chapters to Celebrate 50th Anniversary, by Harry K. Honda, page 9. Ten JACL chapters, including Wisconsin, Detroit, Cleveland and others, are set to celebrate their 50th anniversaries in the coming year, reflecting postwar Japanese American community building efforts. The article recalls the roles of Mas Satow and Mike Masaoka in establishing these chapters and suggests ways for chapters to commemorate their milestones.

Arts & Entertainment

• Novel Mixes Mystery with JA Internment, by Leigh-Ann Miyasato, page 10. David Guterson’s novel ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’ tells the story of a Nisei fisherman on trial for murder on a Puget Sound island, weaving in themes of Japanese American internment and the 442nd. The review praises the book’s technical and emotional authenticity, noting it won the 1995 PEN/Faulkner award.
• Evacuation and Camps Photo Book Reviewed, by Harry K. Honda, page 10. Stone Ishimaru’s final volume of photographs from the National Archives covers the Amache, Gila River, Jerome, Minidoka and Topaz internment camps. The review notes previous volumes covered other camps and assembly centers, and laments the WRA’s failure to caption most photographed individuals by name.
• A Sweet Taste of Farming, by Harry K. Honda, page 10. David Mas Masumoto’s book ‘Epitaph for a Peach’ chronicles four seasons on his family farm as he works to save heirloom Sun Crest peaches from obsolescence. The review reflects nostalgically on Nisei farming traditions and the produce shared at JACL gatherings.
• Days at West Point, by Harry K. Honda, page 10. Gus Lee’s book ‘Honor and Duty’ follows his experiences as the only American-born member of a Shanghai family attending West Point in the mid-1960s. The review notes his subsequent career as a lawyer and writer.
• The Indonesia Revolution, by Harry K. Honda, page 10. Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s novel ‘Footsteps,’ translated by Max Lane, is reviewed as the third in a quartet exploring the cultural whirlpool of the Dutch East Indies and Indonesia’s independence movement. The author was imprisoned for decades for his political activities.
• War Against Japan, by Harry K. Honda, page 10. David Westheimer’s novel ‘Death is Lighter Than a Feather’ imagines what might have happened had the U.S. not dropped atomic bombs, including a planned invasion of Japan. The review highlights a Nisei combat interrogator character, Sgt. George Ebata, and other details reflecting Westheimer’s extensive research.
• San Francisco Chapter Hosts Premiere of New Okazaki Film, ‘American Sons’, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The San Francisco Chapter JACL will host the world premiere of Steven Okazaki’s film ‘American Sons,’ which examines rising anti-Asian sentiment and violence through interviews with more than 100 Asian Americans. Proceeds will benefit the Asian American Theater Company and fund distribution of the film to Bay Area schools.
• Documentary, ‘Something Strong Within,’ Film a Triple Winner in Competition, by P.C. Staff, page 10. UCLA professor Robert Nakamura’s documentary about Japanese American internment, ‘Something Strong Within,’ has won multiple national and international awards including recognition at the Houston International Film Festival. The film features never-before-shown home movies from internees and is being shown at the Japanese American National Museum through Oct. 15.

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