JACL’s Program for Action and the push for redress stories

Vol. 125, No. 4, August 15, 1997. 12 pages. View this issue

JACL’s direction at mid-term was the main subject. National JACL President Helen Kawagoe reviewed the Program for Action after her first year in office, and the National Board in San Francisco backed a JACL-Legislative Education Committee project to document JACL’s role in redress. Redress also reached Japanese Latin Americans: JACL, NCRR and the ACLU held a press conference in Little Tokyo demanding compensation under the Civil Liberties Act. At San Francisco State, grantees met at a Curriculum Summit to plan how to teach the World War II incarceration (often called internment) beyond the life of the Fund.

Elsewhere, Bill Hosokawa reviewed a book on Chinese miners in Idaho, and Harry K. Honda covered the JACL 1000 Club’s 50th anniversary and reviewed three books. A Bainbridge Island stream was renamed Issei Creek, a vigil marked 100 days since the police shooting of Kuan Chung Kao, and the film 442: For the Future was set to screen at Paramount Studios.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Mid-Biennium Threshold: JACL President Reflects on Program for Action, by Helen Kawagoe, page 1. National JACL President Helen Kawagoe marks her first year in office by reviewing the Program for Action adopted at the 1996 San Jose convention. She highlights JACL’s work on civil rights, political empowerment, and cultural preservation.
• JACL-LEC to Tell Story of JACL’s Redress Effort, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National JACL Board met in San Francisco and passed 19 motions, including a JACL-Legislative Education Committee project to document JACL’s role in the redress campaign. The proposal includes interviews, historical cataloguing, and a website, projected to cost $266,050.
• JACL Not a ‘West Coast Thing,’ Avers Tri-District, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Over 80 JACL members gathered in Chicago for the Tri-District conference to emphasize JACL’s national scope beyond the West Coast. Speakers and delegates discussed political empowerment, youth outreach, and the importance of Midwest, Eastern, and Mountain Plains districts to national legislative influence.
• Celebrate ‘JACL Pride’ at Sept. 20 Banquet, by Al Muratsuchi, page 3. The JACL Pacific Southwest District Awards Dinner on Sept. 20 will honor Dr. Roy and Alice Nishikawa and civil rights advocate Stewart Kwoh. Proceeds from the dinner will support JACL youth programs and recruitment efforts.
• 1000 Clubbers to Frolic at Jackpot for Its Festive 50th, by Harry K. Honda, page 7. The JACL 1000 Club celebrates its 50th anniversary Oct. 9-12 at Cactus Pete’s in Jackpot, Nevada, with golf tournaments, a banquet, and recognition of founding members from 1947. The article traces the club’s history from its founding at the Idaho Falls IDC convention to its growth and evolving traditions.
• Motions & Actions from National Board Meeting in San Francisco, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The National JACL Board passed numerous motions covering redress strategy, the Kao killing investigation, CLPEF proposals, scholarships, planned giving, and membership initiatives. A Redress Strategy Committee was established to address outstanding redress issues including Japanese Latin Americans and excluded workers.
• Cincinnati JACLer Wins Distinguished Alumna Award, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Cincinnati JACL chapter president Marie Matsunami received the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing and Health Distinguished Alumna Award for her contributions to nursing and community service. She has volunteered extensively with organizations including the Red Cross and Hillebrand Nursing Center.

National

• Calif. Prop. 209 Going National, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Representative Charles Canady and Senator Mitch McConnell introduced HR 1909, a bill to eliminate affirmative action in federal programs. NAPALC’s Karen Narasaki testified against the bill, calling it a threat to equal opportunity for minorities and women.
• The Killing of Kuan Chung Kao: What Really Happened on April 29, 1997, by Asian Law Caucus of San Francisco, page 5. This detailed account describes the events leading to the fatal police shooting of Kuan Chung Kao by Rohnert Park officers after he was racially taunted and became intoxicated and distressed. The piece raises questions about police conduct and prior misconduct records within the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department.
• Fujimori and the ‘Hostage Watch’ (4), by Harry K. Honda, page 6. This installment chronicles the Toronto summit between Peru’s President Fujimori and Japan’s Prime Minister Hashimoto during the Lima hostage crisis, including their joint statement and subsequent meetings with President Clinton in Washington. Fujimori pledged restraint from using force while ruling out release of jailed rebels as a condition for ending the standoff.

Incarceration & Redress

• Over 50 Grantees Gather at CLPEF Curriculum Summit, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Fifty curriculum grant recipients and educators gathered at San Francisco State University for a Curriculum Summit co-sponsored by the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund. Participants worked to develop strategies for teaching lessons from the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans beyond the life of the Fund.
• Redress Pleas Voiced for Japanese Latin Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL, NCRR, and ACLU held a press conference in Little Tokyo demanding redress for Japanese Latin Americans who were interned during WWII and denied compensation under the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. PSW Regional Director Albert Muratsuchi emphasized the ongoing struggle for justice for those excluded from redress.
• CLPEF Summit Fosters New Collaborations Among Educators, by P.C. Staff, page 3. CLPEF Board Chair Dale Minami praised participants for committing to continue educational efforts on Japanese American internment beyond the Fund’s sunset date. The Fund has awarded $3.7 million in grants to date for projects including curriculum development and oral history transcription.
• Redress for Railroad Nikkei, by Michi N. Weglyn, page 9. Michi Weglyn presents historical documents showing that wartime policymakers, including Stimson, McCloy, and Bendetson, deliberately orchestrated the mass exclusion and internment of Japanese Americans based on racial animus. She argues that railroad workers and others excluded from West Coast areas deserve redress consideration.

Community

• A Memorable Bi-District Meeting Plus Nostalgia, by Yas Tokita, page 3. The Intermountain and Pacific Northwest District Councils held a joint Bi-District meeting in Seattle, filled with nostalgic reunions and cultural events including the Seattle Buddhist Church Obon. The writer reflects on reconnecting with old friends and memories of his upbringing in Seattle.
• Bainbridge Island Stream Renamed ‘Issei Creek’, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Washington’s state Board on Geographic Names approved renaming a Bainbridge Island stream ‘Issei Creek’ in honor of Japanese immigrant pioneers from the 1910s-1920s. A nearby peak was also named for pioneer settlers Victor and Alice Monahan.
• Candlelight Vigil Commemorates 100th Day of Kao Killing, by P.C. Staff, page 5. More than 30 community and civil rights groups held a candlelight vigil in San Francisco’s Chinatown marking 100 days since Kuan Chung Kao’s death. Advocates called for federal investigation into the shooting, drawing parallels to the killing of Vincent Chin.
• Chile Accepts Challenge to Host 1999 PANA Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Takeshi Asahi and Anei Takeda of Santiago, Chile accepted the responsibility of hosting the 1999 PANA Convention. The photo caption describes ‘El Testimonio,’ a frame with flags carried into space by astronaut Ellison Onizuka.
• University of Washington Ethnic Studies Draws Student Protest, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Students protested the University of Washington Board of Regents’ confirmation of Ana Mari Cauce as Ethnic Studies chair, demanding instead the appointment of Johnnella Butler and additional faculty hires. The protests highlighted tensions within the department including faculty departures and unmet demands.
• Fujioka New President of Pacific Vascular, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Keith Fujioka became president and CEO of Pacific Vascular in July, having previously served as technical director. The company operates diagnostic ultrasound laboratories in 15 Puget Sound area hospitals and clinics.
• Utah J.A. Centennial Forum Photographic Art Show Ready, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Salt Lake JACL will unveil a photographic art show and host a panel on ‘Japanese Americans of Utah’ on Sept. 6 at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. The project was funded through a Salt Lake County Centennial Grant and features 70 photos never before publicly shown.
• Soka Workshop on Papermaking Slated, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Artist Sei Hidaka will lead a workshop on papermaking with recyclables at Soka University’s Botanical Research Center on Sept. 20. Participants will learn to create paper and decorate postcards using recycled materials and native plant fibers.
• Japan Entertainers to Appear in Utah, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Nonta Drama Performers from Japan will present a dramatic play at Ogden’s Egyptian Theater on Aug. 22, co-sponsored by Wasatch Front North JACL and the Ogden Buddhist Temple. The program also includes classical dance and samisen performances.
• Bronze Statue for Issei Farmers in Gardena Planned, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Hayes Enterprise is planning a 12-foot bronze statue honoring Issei pioneer farmers to be placed at Gardena Civic Center. The monument, sculpted by Herb Mignery, will depict an Issei farmer, his wife, and their child.
• West Valley JACL’s Daruma Festival Marking Its 20th Anniversary, by Pam Yoshida, page 12. The West Valley JACL’s Daruma Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary on Aug. 16 at the Saratoga Lanes Bowling Center parking lot in San Jose. The festival features Japanese food, cultural performances, and children’s activities, with proceeds benefiting WVJACL programs.
• An Asian Sojourn Includes Visit of Beit Shalom in Kyoto, by Donald Harrison, page 12. The Japan Christian Friends of Israel operates Beit Shalom hostels in six Japanese cities, founded by Rev. Takeji Otsuki after a 1938 vision calling for prayer for Israel’s independence. The organization also runs a Holocaust Education Center and supports Israeli-Japanese cultural exchange.
• Sansei Education Professor Heads UC Berkeley Alumni Association, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Child development specialist Irene Miura became the first Asian American president of the 85,000-member California Alumni Association at UC Berkeley. A Sansei whose family was interned at Poston during WWII, she chairs the San Jose State child development department and researches cognitive differences in mathematics performance.
• Sequoia JACL Holds Scholarship Awards, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Sequoia JACL presented four scholarship awards on June 10 at Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, recognizing students for academic achievement and community involvement. Recipients included students pursuing engineering, social work, and environmental science degrees.
• Obon Festival Reveals Buddhist Temple Website, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The West Covina Buddhist Temple’s Obon Festival highlighted the temple’s new website, created by younger members to reach a broader online Buddhist community. Temple leader Rev. Motohiro Kiyota expressed hope the site and festival would attract newcomers of diverse backgrounds.

Commentary

• Table Manners and Noodle Slurping: A Reflection on Etiquette, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Bill Marutani reminisces about strict Japanese table manners instilled by his Issei mother and contrasts them with his discovery that Japanese people do, in fact, slurp noodles. He also recalls learning Western etiquette while working as a houseboy in Seattle.
• The Bottom Line: JACL Updates and Legislative Alerts, by Helen Kawagoe, page 4. National JACL President Helen Kawagoe provides updates on legislative issues including Propositions 198, 209, and 208, plus JACL membership and fundraising news. She highlights new leadership, chapter achievements, and upcoming conventions.
• Very Truly Yours: Almost McCarthy, Not Quite Manzanar, by Harry Honda, page 8. Harry Honda highlights a Downtown News column comparing current political investigations of Asian American fundraiser attendees to McCarthy-era tactics and wartime internment. He also discusses controversy over a rejected sculpture image for a Los Angeles city hall publication.
• Letters: Kung Kao Case, Strawberry Farm Issue, and More, by Carl Kawase and others, page 8. Multiple letters address topics including support for reviewing the Kao police shooting case, concerns about Nikkei strawberry farmers and labor disputes, discrimination within the Japanese American community, and objections to using the term ‘Jap’ on a proposed Nisei monument. A personal appeal from a leukemia patient seeking a bone marrow donor is also included.
• Growing Up as the Community’s ‘Star’: A Sansei Perspective, by Akemi Kayleng, page 9. The author reflects on the burden of being seen as a prodigy and de facto representative for the Nisei generation’s unresolved trauma from discrimination and internment. She discusses the importance of allowing younger generations, like Yonsei, to develop their own identities rather than carrying the community’s expectations.

In-Depth

• A Book Named ‘A Chinaman’s Chance’, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa reviews Liping Zhu’s book about Chinese miners in Idaho’s Boise Basin who, unlike many American gold-seekers, settled permanently in the region. The book explores their relationships with European immigrants and challenges the common narrative of Chinese victimization in the American West.

Arts & Entertainment

• Seattle Nikkei Opera’s Artist of Year, by P.C. Staff, page 5. California countertenor Brian Asawa was named Seattle Opera’s Artist of the Year for his acclaimed performance in Handel’s ‘Xerxes.’ The announcement was made in June.
• Traveling with the Jim Houstons in Ring of Fire, by Harry K. Honda, page 10. James D. Houston’s travel book ‘In the Ring of Fire’ explores the Pacific Rim including Fukuoka, Hawaii, Okinawa, and Iwojima with vivid, evocative prose. The reviewer highlights Houston’s connection to sumo culture and his wife Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston of ‘Farewell to Manzanar’ fame.
• Addendum Enriches ‘JA in Utah’ Original, by Harry K. Honda, page 10. A 30-page addendum to ‘Japanese Americans in Utah: 100 Years’ features photos from the 1996 JA Centennial Celebration and additional pioneer Issei stories. The book documents JA contributions to education, sports, government, business, and the arts in Utah.
• What the Activists Say About Hawai’i, by Harry K. Honda, page 10. ‘Autobiography of Protest in Hawai’i’ by Robert H. Mast and Anne B. Mast compiles oral histories of 35 Hawaiian activists, including several AJAs, discussing land, human rights, labor, and sovereignty issues. The authors speculate that Hawaii’s future may be shaped significantly by the sovereignty movement.
• ‘Beyond Barbed Wire’ to Screen at Santa Monica, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The acclaimed documentary ‘Beyond Barbed Wire,’ featuring Nisei veterans’ WWII experiences with the 100th, 442nd, and MIS, will have a special two-day showing at Laemmle’s Santa Monica Theater on Sept. 6-7. Executive producer Yukio Sumida announced the screening.

Military & Veterans

• 442nd Docu-Drama Premieres at Paramount, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The film ‘442: For the Future’ will screen at Paramount Studios on Aug. 23 as part of Nisei Week celebrations, keynoted by Assistant Secretary of Defense Frederick Pang. CBS-TV news anchor Tritia Toyota will emcee the event co-sponsored by several Japanese American organizations.
• If You’ve Missed This: Sadao Munemori Memorial Interchange, by P.C. Staff, page 11. A photo caption notes the little-known Sadao S. Munemori Memorial Interchange where the Century Freeway crosses the San Diego Freeway near LAX. The marker honors the Medal of Honor recipient alongside state highway markers for the 100th Battalion, 442nd RCT, and MIS.

Obituaries

• Death Notice: Edna Nagano Teshima, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Edna Nagano Teshima, 85, of Oakland passed away Aug. 5, survived by her husband Charles and four children. A memorial service was held at Lake Park United Methodist Church in Oakland.
• Death Notice: Shu Honda, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Shu Monji Honda, 100, of Los Angeles passed away July 21 at Keiro Nursing Home, having immigrated to America in 1918 and lived through WWII incarceration at Santa Anita and Rohwer. She is survived by two children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
• Death Notice: Hatsuo Morita, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Hatsuo Morita, 79, of El Centro died in an accident on July 25 in Woodland, California. A lifelong Imperial Valley resident and farmer, he was a member of JACL and the Imperial County Historical Society, survived by his wife Shiz and extended family.
• Death Notice: Mickey Kashino, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Mickey Kashino, a 442nd RCT veteran and recipient of the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and six Purple Hearts, passed away June 11, 1997, in Seattle. He is survived by his wife Louise, three daughters, grandchildren, and other family members.

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