The Masaoka quote and the Japanese American Creed on the national memorial

Vol. 130, No. 5, February 4, 2000. 8 pages. View this issue

Whether Mike Masaoka’s Japanese American Creed belonged on the national memorial was the main argument in this issue. Letters and commentary took both sides. Frank Nekoba defended the inscription, Grace Kubota argued that Masaoka was not a worthy representative of the community, and another writer urged everyone to move on and celebrate the dedication. Harry Honda looked back at Saburo Kido’s 1943 year-end report as JACL national president. The front page covered baseball’s suspension of John Rocker over his remarks, and the challenge by Wen Ho Lee’s attorneys to a secrets law.

The community pages announced the 31st Manzanar pilgrimage, set for April 29, and a dedication on Feb. 19 for the Americans of Japanese Ancestry World War II Memorial Alliance memorial in Little Tokyo. Also inside: a reunion notice for former Jerome internees, an EEOC report from Vice Chair Paul Igasaki, and the film ‘Rabbit in the Moon’ winning an award.

What’s in this issue

National

• Baseball Commissioner Suspends John Rocker Over Slurs, by P.C. Staff, page 1. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig suspended Atlanta Braves relief pitcher John Rocker for 73 days and fined him $20,000 after he made disparaging remarks about various groups in a Sports Illustrated interview. The players’ union announced plans to file a grievance challenging the suspension as a public relations move.
• Wen Ho Lee Defense Attorneys Challenge Secrets Law, by Associated Press, page 1. Attorneys for former Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee filed a motion to void parts of the Classified Information Procedures Act, arguing it unconstitutionally burdens his defense rights by requiring disclosure of secrets before trial. Lee, 60, faces life in prison if convicted of mishandling nuclear weapons data and is being held without bail.
• 80-20 Initiative Endorses Bill Bradley, Pushes for APA Bloc-Vote, by Tracy Uba, page 1. The 80-20 Initiative, a national non-partisan APA political group, is attempting to mobilize at least 80 percent of Asian Pacific American voters behind one presidential candidate to increase political clout. The group has grown to about 120,000 supporters and has endorsed Democratic candidate Bill Bradley after other candidates failed to respond to its calls for support.
• 37 Million Asia-Pacific Kids Get No Education, Says U.N., by P.C. Staff, page 3. A decade after a landmark U.N. education conference, 37 million children in the Asia-Pacific region still do not attend school, according to a senior U.N. official. Officials noted progress in kindergarten enrollment and primary schooling but said rural areas have benefited less than urban communities.
• China Tightens Control on Internet, by P.C. Staff, page 3. China is ordering companies to register encryption software used for sensitive data transmissions and threatening punishment for leaks of government secrets online. The regulations could hinder e-commerce while reflecting the government’s ambivalence about exploiting the Internet for business while restricting information seen as politically threatening.
• A Report to the Community from EEOC Vice Chair Paul Igasaki, by P.C. Staff, page 3. EEOC Vice Chair Paul Igasaki released an update detailing the agency’s efforts on behalf of Asian Pacific Americans, including settlements for Vietnamese fishermen, Filipina nurses, and language discrimination cases. He thanked APAs for supporting his confirmation and the agency’s budget increase.
• Exiled Tibetans Embrace Arrival of Young Karmapa, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A 14-year-old Tibetan monk believed to be the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa fled China and made an arduous trek across the Himalayas to join the Dalai Lama in India. Some hope the young Karmapa could eventually take up the mantle of Tibetan political resistance.
• Scientists Breed First Recloned Cow, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Japanese scientists announced they had successfully bred the world’s first recloned cow as part of ongoing cloning research. The brief report noted this as a scientific milestone in Japan’s biotechnology efforts.
• EEOC Vice Chair Briefs Congressional APA Caucus on Job Bias, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Paul Igasaki briefed the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus on employment discrimination issues, including disability bias affecting APAs, in conjunction with the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. He also met with officials in Japan regarding U.S. employment discrimination law and cases such as the Mitsubishi Motors settlement.

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘Rabbit in the Moon’ Awarded AHA O’Connor Film Award, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Emiko Omori’s film ‘Rabbit in the Moon’ received the American Historical Association’s seventh John E. O’Connor Award for 1999 for its treatment of the Japanese American internment during World War II. AHA President-elect Eric Foner praised the film for its empathetic exploration of memory and the divisions within families caused by internment.

Obituaries

• Centenarian Kin Twins Sister Passes Away, by P.C. Staff, page 3. One of Japan’s famous centenarian twin sisters, known as Kin, died of heart failure at age 107. She and her sister had gained national fame for their positive outlook and had celebrated their 107th birthday in Northern Japan just months before her death.
• Jim Miyazaki, Former JACL National Board Member, Passes Away, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Jim Miyazaki, a former JACL national board member who served four terms as chapter president, has passed away. He is survived by his wife Lucille, children, and other family members, and was active in his community and church.

Commentary

• Omit Masaoka Quote From Memorial, page 4. A rejoinder to Gerald Yamada’s letter to the Commission of Fine Arts disputes claims made about the author’s dissertation regarding JACL’s wartime conduct, arguing Yamada distorted and misrepresented the dissertation’s findings. The writer defends the complexity of JACL’s wartime record and objects to blanket claims of ‘collusion.’
• Opposition to Masaoka Inscription Small-minded, by Frank Nekoba, page 5. Retired USAF Col. Frank Nekoba wrote to the Fine Arts Commission defending the inclusion of Mike Masaoka’s Japanese American Creed on the national memorial, criticizing opponents for lacking historical perspective. He argued that despite wartime injustices, Japanese Americans demonstrated loyalty and that the memorial’s inscriptions were properly approved by the foundation’s board.
• JA Creed Does Not Belong on JA National Memorial, page 5. A letter to Fine Arts Commission officials argues against including the Japanese American Creed on the national memorial, citing JACL’s original opposition to the 1979 reparations bill and other historical grievances. The writer requests more public input and time before finalizing the memorial’s inscriptions.
• A Quick Look at Kido’s Year-end 1943 ‘Report to the Nisei’, by Harry Honda, page 6. Harry Honda revisits Saburo Kido’s 1943 year-end report as JACL national president, which addressed charges leveled against JACL including causing the Evacuation, informing on community members, and profiting from the internment. Honda provides historical context and excerpts from Kido’s defense of JACL’s wartime actions and decisions.
• JA Creed Should Not Be Our Paradigm, page 7. A letter writer disputes Congressman Matsui’s claim that the Japanese American Creed helped persuade Congress to pass Redress, arguing instead that credit belongs to Matsui and the Nikkei congressional caucus. The writer criticizes the creed’s tone as underscoring servility rather than reflecting true American values.
• Time to Move on and Celebrate the Memorial, page 7. A letter writer states that the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation Board has made its decision to include a portion of the Japanese American Creed on the memorial panel. The writer urges the community to move forward and celebrate the memorial’s dedication.
• Masaoka Not a Worthy Representative For JA Community, by Grace Kubota, page 7. Grace Kubota, daughter of a Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee leader, argues that Mike Masaoka collaborated with government agencies and was never interned himself, making him an unworthy figure to represent Japanese Americans on the memorial. She insists that if his quote is included, it should be made clear it reflects JACL’s wishes rather than the broader JA community’s.
• Masaoka’s Words Belong on Memorial, page 7. A writer reflects on personal friendship and respect for Mike Masaoka, defending his legacy and contributions to JACL and the Japanese American community. The writer argues the Japanese American Creed was an excellent statement of loyalty during a difficult era and that Masaoka’s words rightfully belong on the memorial.

Community

• 31st Manzanar Pilgrimage to Honor Amache, Tule Lake Camp Internees, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The 31st annual Manzanar pilgrimage, set for April 29, will honor internees held at the Amache and Tule Lake War Relocation Centers during World War II. The Manzanar Committee also announced that longtime Superintendent Ross Hopkins plans to retire on April 1 after 38 years of National Park Service work.
• AJA WWII Memorial Alliance Dedication Set for Feb. 19, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Americans of Japanese Ancestry World War II Memorial Alliance will dedicate a new memorial honoring JAs killed in action during WWII at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Little Tokyo. The weekend will include a golf tournament, banquet, and exhibit, with keynote speaker Rev. George Aki and other WWII veterans participating in the ceremony.
• Roosevelt High Reunion to be Held on Sept. 24, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Former California legislator Paul T. Bannai, a Roosevelt High School alumnus, is organizing the 63rd class reunion to be held September 24 at the Montebello Country Club. The event will feature a luncheon with music and dancing, recalling the school’s diverse 1930s student body that included many Japanese Americans.
• Okura Foundation Announces ‘Week in Washington’ Internship Program, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Okura Mental Health Leadership Foundation is seeking young Asian Pacific American leaders for a one-week leadership seminar in Washington, D.C., scheduled for April 16-22. The program covers all expenses and includes meetings with national leaders, government officials, and APA congressional representatives.
• Fifth Jerome Reunion Scheduled for October in Los Angeles, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The fifth reunion for former Jerome Relocation Center internees will be held at the New Otani Hotel in Los Angeles on October 13 and 14, 2000. Jerome, located in Arkansas, was the last WRA center to open and the first to close during World War II.

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