California’s Proposition 22 debate and the 2000 primary campaign

Vol. 130, No. 7, February 18, 2000. 8 pages. View this issue

Proposition 22, the California initiative on the March 7 ballot to recognize only marriages between a man and a woman, led the news. Tracy Uba reported on a debate that some framed as a question of civil rights, and P.C. Staff covered the church discipline faced by sixty-eight United Methodist pastors over a same-sex ceremony and a panel discussion on the measure. Martha Nakagawa followed the primary campaign, from Al Gore and Bill Bradley at the state Democratic convention to Mike Honda and Carole Hayashino, two Asian Pacific American candidates.

History ran through the rest of the issue. Nakagawa traced the roots of Day of Remembrance back to Seattle, and an exhibit of Heart Mountain photographs was set to open on the anniversary of Executive Order 9066. Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, co-author of Farewell to Manzanar, spoke at a joint JACL installation dinner. Columns and letters debated the National Japanese American Memorial, and the Washington State House passed a civil liberties education bill.

What’s in this issue

National

• Prop. 22: Initiative to Ban Same-Sex Marriage Prompts Debate, by Tracy Uba, page 1. As California’s March 7 primary approaches, Proposition 22 has become a divisive issue, proposing that only marriage between a man and a woman be valid or recognized in the state. The measure follows a Vermont Supreme Court ruling on gay rights, and opponents argue it discriminates against gays, lesbians and transgendered people while proponents say it safeguards traditional marriage.
• Year 2000 Democratic Presidential Contenders Woo California Voters, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Vice President Al Gore and former Senator Bill Bradley presented their visions for America at the California Democratic Party Convention in San Jose, with Gore emerging as the clear crowd favorite. Gore positioned himself as a fighter who stayed in politics after 1996 losses, while Bradley campaigned as a reform candidate against politics as usual.
• APA Candidates Honda and Hayashino Garner Support at Democratic State Convention, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Asian Pacific Americans had a notable presence at the California Democratic Party’s State Convention, including Assemblyman Mike Honda who is running for the 15th Congressional District seat. Honda touted a platform of inclusion and diversity despite trailing his opponent Bill Peacock in fundraising.
• State House Passes Civil Liberties Education Program Bill, by Associated Press, page 1. The Washington State House unanimously passed House Bill 1572, which would help ensure the WWII internment of Japanese Americans is not forgotten in state education curriculum. Rep. Kip Tokuda and Sharon Tomiko Santos, both descendants of internees, gave emotional testimony during the floor debate.
• Pastors Face Church Discipline Over Same-Sex Union Ceremony, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sixty-eight United Methodist pastors, including Rev. Don Fado of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Sacramento, faced charges for co-officiating a same-sex Holy Union ceremony attended by 1,500 guests. Rev. Nobuaki felt the church committee’s decision not to proceed to trial was appropriate given contradictions within the church’s Book of Discipline.
• Candidates: Honda and Hayashino Discuss APA Political Engagement, by Martha Nakagawa, page 3. Continuing coverage of Carole Hayashino’s run for a state Assembly seat and discussion of APA political concerns including the Wen Ho Lee espionage case. Hayashino stressed that suspicion of Asian American loyalty has no place in the Democratic party.

In-Depth

• Revisiting the Roots of Day of Remembrance, by Martha Nakagawa, page 3. Day of Remembrance traces its roots to Seattle 22 years ago, where playwright Frank Chin organized the first event at the former Puyallup Assembly Center. Interviews with Chin, Henry Miyatake, Clifford Uyeda and others reveal the behind-the-scenes organizing, internal community battles over redress, and the emotional first gathering that drew thousands of participants.

Commentary

• Speaker Remembers a ’54 P.C. Column by Masaoka at Riverside JACL Installation, by Harry K. Honda, page 4. Kaz Oshiki spoke at the Riverside JACL installation about Mike Masaoka’s 1954 column proposing a memorial in Washington D.C. for Japanese American WWII soldiers, and described his own work as a lobbyist in 1991-92 to secure federal land and approval for the Go For Broke memorial. The article details the memorial’s history, controversy over Masaoka’s Japanese American Creed, and the ultimate fundraising and dedication timeline.
• A Letter From Hawaii Veterans of the 100th Battalion to the National Parks Service, page 4. A letter from Club 100 representative Matsuda to the National Park Service objects to the inscription of Masaoka’s name on the National Japanese American Memorial. The letter argues the 100th Battalion was a draftee unit, not volunteer, and that veterans felt snubbed at the groundbreaking ceremony.
• Recognizing the Contributions of Nisei Pioneers, page 7. A letter to the editor responds to Jerry Enomoto’s earlier letter and Harry Honda’s column, agreeing that criticism of those who built the National Japanese American Memorial is unwarranted. The writer questions why some people express such negativity toward the accomplishments of Nisei pioneers.
• Need to Consider Intent in Ethical Correctness of Speech, by Alan Dash, page 7. Responding to Bill Marutani’s column on ethnic slurs, the writer argues that context, speaker intent, and audience matter when judging offensive language, citing examples like ‘nigger,’ ‘Jap,’ and ‘JAP.’ He notes that self-deprecating use of slurs within a group can inadvertently legitimize the terms when heard by outsiders.
• Prop. 22 Panel Discussion Explores Community Perspectives, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A panel discussion on Proposition 22 included voices from Omusubi, a lesbian Japanese American organization, and various religious leaders including Rev. Lloyd Wake, offering diverse community perspectives on the same-sex marriage ban initiative. Panelists debated whether the measure was fundamentally about preserving state rights or discriminating against LGBTQ individuals.

Community

• Planning for Your Parents’ Personal and Financial Independence Workshops to be Held, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Japanese American Service Committee will present educational workshops on March 12 and April 16 to help adult children plan for elderly parents’ care needs. The free workshops cover long-term health care insurance, estate planning, and legal documents for financial and lifestyle decisions.
• Five JACL Chapters’ Installation Dinner, by Mas Hashimoto, page 5. Five California Central Coast JACL chapters held a joint installation dinner on Jan. 28 near Hollister, featuring guest speaker Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, co-author of ‘Farewell to Manzanar.’ Houston spoke on her personal journey from internment to the new millennium, and Santa Clara County Judge Joseph Biafore installed the officers.
• Social Justice is Focus at Seattle JACL’s 78th Installation Banquet, by Louise Watanabe, page 5. Seattle JACL’s 78th annual installation banquet featured speakers discussing the theme ‘Achieving Social Justice’ and the impact of Initiative 200, an anti-affirmative action measure. Keynote speaker Martha Choe and Governor Gary Locke both addressed the need to overcome historical prejudices facing Asian Americans.
• San Francisco/Bay Area Nikkei Singles Awards Scholarship at Annual Installation Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The San Francisco/Bay Area Nikkei Singles group held its annual installation dinner at the Fort Mason Officers Club on Jan. 22. New officers including Vice Presidents Ron Sugiyama and Fumi Nihei were installed at the event.
• East Bay Nikkei Singles Offers Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 8. East Bay Nikkei Singles is offering a $500 scholarship open to Asian students from single-parent households graduating high school in 2000. The application deadline is April 15, 2000, with forms available from Eleanore Toi in Fremont, California.

Arts & Entertainment

• Exhibit to Feature WWII Internment Camp Photo Collection, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center will host ‘The Heart Mountain Story,’ a traveling exhibit of over 30 photographs taken in 1943 by Life magazine photographers Hansel Mieth and Otto Hagel that went unpublished until 1995. The exhibit opens Feb. 19, coinciding with the anniversary of Executive Order 9066, and runs through May 20.

Obituaries

• Obituaries, by P.C. Staff, page 7. This week’s obituary listings include tributes to several members of the Japanese American community with details of survivors and services. Individuals noted include those from Los Altos, Los Angeles, and El Cerrito among other California communities.

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