JACL condemns McCain’s slur; Day of Remembrance and Prop 22

Vol. 130, No. 8, February 25, 2000. 8 pages. View this issue

National JACL and other Asian Pacific American groups spoke out against Senator John McCain for using a racial slur for his Vietnamese captors during his presidential campaign. Helen Kawagoe and John Tateishi said the word is tied to hate crimes and asked for a public apology. Day of Remembrance 2000 events also drew coverage, including NCRR’s honors for Carmen Mochizuki, Alice Nishimoto and Fred Okrand for their Japanese Latin American redress work, reported by Tracy Uba.

Also inside: the unveiling of the AJA WWII Memorial Alliance monument in Little Tokyo, a two-part look by Tracy Uba and others at how religious leaders view Proposition 22 and same-sex marriage, and a report on the JACL national board meeting. Christina Shigemura wrote about California’s crowded schools and Executive Order 9066. Notices cover a Gila River reunion in Las Vegas, the Gates Millennium Scholarship, and a new JACL youth director, Jaclyn Kuwada.

What’s in this issue

National

• JACL, APA Groups Angered at McCain’s Use of Term ‘Gook’, page 1. National JACL and Asian Pacific American groups condemned Senator John McCain for using the racial slur ‘gook’ to refer to his Vietnamese captors during his campaign. JACL leaders Helen Kawagoe and John Tateishi said the term is linked to hate crimes against Asian Americans and demanded a public apology from McCain.
• Religious Communities Differ in Perspective on Same-Sex Marriage Issue, by Tracy Uba, page 1. As Proposition 22 sparks debate over same-sex marriage, faith leaders including Rev. Lloyd Wake and Catholic Archdiocese representative Lyford share differing religious perspectives on homosexuality and marriage. Some advocate inclusivity while others maintain traditional scriptural definitions of marriage between a man and a woman.
• Gov. Davis Supports U.S. Postage Stamp Recognizing National Day of Remembrance, page 3. California Governor Gray Davis sent a letter to the U.S. Postal Service supporting a commemorative stamp for the National Day of Remembrance, at the request of Assemblyman Mike Honda. The letter emphasized the importance of remembering the internment of over 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.
• Cal Poly Pomona President Selected to Attorney-General’s Commission on Hate Crimes, page 3. Cal Poly Pomona President Bob H. Suzuki was selected by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer to serve on the California Civil Rights Commission addressing hate crimes. Suzuki said hate crime is an issue he has long been concerned about and is honored to serve on the commission.
• Wen Ho Lee Trial Set to Begin November 6, page 3. The trial of former Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee on charges of security breaches will begin Nov. 6, nearly a year after his arrest, a federal judge ruled. Lee faces 59 counts related to downloading classified nuclear information but is not charged with espionage.
• Vice President Gore Commits to 80-20’s Declaration, page 3. Vice President Al Gore wrote to commit his support for 80-20’s ‘Declaration on Presidential Election of 2000,’ meeting the group’s Feb. 15 deadline. The declaration seeks commitments from candidates on issues important to Asian Pacific Americans.
• Marriage Debate Continues Among Religious Leaders, page 7. Continuing the discussion on Proposition 22, religious leaders debate how Scripture should inform views on same-sex marriage, with some like Lyford emphasizing a conservative interpretation and others like Wake arguing that Prop 22 supporters may selectively use biblical texts. The debate touches on fundamental questions about the definition of marriage and family in religious contexts.

Community

• AJA WWII Memorial Alliance Unveils Monument, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. The Americans of Japanese Ancestry World War II Memorial Alliance unveiled its monument in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo on Feb. 19, drawing over 600 attendees including Rev. Major George Aki, a former chaplain who located the graves of fallen Nisei soldiers in Italy. The event honored Nisei soldiers killed in action during World War II.
• Day of Remembrance 2000: Michi Weglyn Remembered; Carmen Mochizuki, Alice Nishimoto and Fred Okrand Honored for JLA Redress Efforts, by Tracy Uba, page 1. NCRR’s Day of Remembrance 2000 honored the late Michi Weglyn and presented the Fighting Spirit Award to Carmen Mochizuki, Alice Nishimoto, and Fred Okrand for their efforts on behalf of Japanese Latin American redress. The event highlighted the ongoing fight for justice for internees and their descendants.
• Proposition 12 Helps Save Angel Island Immigration Station, page 3. California’s Proposition 12 allocates $15 million to help restore the deteriorating Angel Island Immigration Station, which processed hundreds of thousands of immigrants including Japanese, Chinese, and other Asian groups from 1910 to 1940. Felicia Lowe of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation called it a culturally significant site in need of preservation.
• Tateishi Keynoter at Salinas DOR, by Fred Oshima, page 5. JACL National Director John Tateishi will be the keynote speaker at the annual Day of Remembrance on Feb. 27 at the Salinas Community Center, sponsored by five area JACL chapters. The event commemorates the signing of Executive Order 9066 and the forced removal of Japanese Americans during World War II.
• South Bay JACL Hosts Teacher Training Workshop, page 5. Mitch Maki, author and UCLA assistant professor, spoke about the history of the redress movement at PSWD’s Day of Remembrance event on Feb. 19, held at the Japanese American National Museum. Maki emphasized the importance of remembering both the internment and the redress movement in Japanese American history.
• Gila River Millennium Reunion Planned for Las Vegas, page 6. West Coast Japanese Americans who were interned at Gila River, Arizona during World War II will gather for their Millennium Reunion June 2-3 in Las Vegas at Jackie Gaughan’s Plaza. The reunion will include a golf tournament, sightseeing bus tour, banquet, and karaoke.
• Salinas JACL’s New Board of Directors, page 6. Salinas JACL announced its new board of directors including Bob Shintaku as president, Linda Iwamoto as secretary, and other officers. The announcement included a photo of the new board members.
• APAs Encouraged to Apply for Gates Millennium Scholarship Program, page 6. The Gates Millennium Scholars program, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will select 1,000 scholars in its first year and 1,000 each year for the next 20 years. Asian Pacific Americans are encouraged to apply, with eligibility requirements available through a toll-free number or website.
• Marysville Chapter Donates $5,000 to NJAMF, page 6. The Marysville JACL chapter donated $5,000 to the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation. The donation supports the ongoing memorial project in Washington, D.C.
• Day of Remembrance Continued: Mochizuki and Nishimoto’s Fight for JLA Redress, page 8. Carmen Mochizuki and Alice Nishimoto, plaintiffs in the Mochizuki v. U.S. lawsuit, were honored for their fight for redress equity on behalf of Japanese Latin Americans who were excluded from full compensation under the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Fred Okrand, former ACLU legal director, was also honored for his decades of legal support for Japanese American and Japanese Latin American civil rights.

JACL

• Prop 22, Resisters of Conscience and Vision 2000+ Among Issues Discussed at Recent National Board Meeting, page 4. The JACL national board meeting covered numerous topics including a discussion with Disney executives about the film’s portrayal of Japanese characters, the Gates Millennium Scholarship Fund, and the 1999 budget which showed a Pacific Citizen deficit of $43,958.52. The board also discussed the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Sacramento Advocacy Day, the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation controversy, and a Mt. Diablo School District discrimination lawsuit filed by chapter members.
• UPS and Northwest Airlines to Sponsor 2000 Min Yasui Oratorical Competition, page 5. The JACL will hold the 2000 Min Yasui Oratorical Competition during the national convention in Monterey, with UPS and Northwest Airlines sponsoring the event. UPS donated $10,000 to cover regional and national competition costs, while Northwest Airlines will provide round-trip ticket prizes to winners.
• National JACL Welcomes New Youth Director Jaclyn Kuwada, page 5. Jaclyn Kuwada has joined national JACL as the new youth director, responsible for developing and maintaining JACL’s youth and student programs. Kuwada previously worked on JACL’s education program and teacher training workshops introducing the Nikkei experience into school curricula.

Commentary

• It Ain’t Always Easy, by Christina Shigemura, page 6. A teacher describes the overcrowded conditions in California public schools, noting the lack of resources and comparing state spending on prisons versus education. She draws a parallel between the state’s poor priorities and the historical injustice of Executive Order 9066, calling for readers to stand up for what is right regarding schools and civil rights.

Arts & Entertainment

• JANM Premiers Sports Films, page 6. The Japanese American National Museum premiered ‘Crossover,’ a film directed by Justin Lin exploring the 70-year history of Japanese American basketball leagues on the West Coast. The film examines the social, generational, and ethnicity issues tied to the beloved sport within the JA community.

Obituaries

• Obituaries, page 6. This week’s obituary listings include several individuals from California and other states, including a Vacaville-born interpreter for WWII Occupation forces in Yokohama and a prominent Northwest figure from Vancouver, Washington. Survivors and family details are listed for each individual.

In-Depth

• AJA WWII Memorial Alliance Unveils Monument (Continued), page 7. The article details the split between the AJA WWII Memorial Alliance and the 100th/442nd/MIS WWII Foundation over whether to list all Nisei soldiers who served or only those killed in action, a controversy that divided the Nikkei community during the 1990s. With both monuments now complete, supporters like Machida believe there is room for multiple memorials honoring different aspects of Nisei military service.

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