Norman Mineta joins the Cabinet, and Jamie Storr of the L.A. Kings

Vol. 131, No. 6, July 28, 2000. 8 pages. View this issue

Norman Mineta was confirmed unanimously by the Senate and sworn in as U.S. secretary of commerce. The Pacific Citizen reported that JACL leaders praised the appointment, noting his decades of civil rights work, including redress legislation and the Vincent Chin case. Also on the front page, Lyndsey Shinoda profiled Jamie Ishio Storr, the Hapa goaltender for the L.A. Kings, who wears his Japanese heritage on his goalie mask. Inside, JACL joined UnitedAgainstHate.org in urging the House to pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and the Senate approved $4 million for Manzanar.

Columns by Bill Marutani on the Japanese American Creed, William Yoshino on hate group leader Matt Hale, and Ryan Chin on JACL communication fill the commentary pages. News from Little Tokyo covers the search for a community gym site. Chapter reports describe the Chicago teacher workshop and scholarship luncheons in Fremont and Diablo Valley, and Grayce K. Uyehara and Denny Yasuhara received the JACL Ruby Pin.

What’s in this issue

Sports

• L.A. Kings’ Jamie Storr Makes His Mark on the Ice, by Lyndsey Shinoda, page 1. Jamie Ishio Storr, a Hapa goaltender for the L.A. Kings, grew up in Brampton, Ontario and was drafted into the NHL in 1994 as the Kings’ first-round pick. The article details his career achievements, his family background including his late Japanese mother, and his pride in displaying his Japanese heritage on his goalie mask.

National

• Norman Mineta Confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Commerce, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 1. Norman Mineta was confirmed unanimously by the Senate and sworn in as U.S. secretary of commerce, becoming the first Asian American to serve in a president’s Cabinet. JACL leaders praised his appointment, noting his decades of civil rights work including redress legislation and the Vincent Chin case.
• Judge Dismisses Denny’s Lawsuit Filed by AA Students, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 1. A federal judge dismissed a race discrimination lawsuit brought by Asian American and African American students who claimed they were thrown out of a Syracuse Denny’s and assaulted while security watched. Lawyers for the plaintiffs plan to appeal, arguing disputed facts should have gone to a jury.
• Gov. Davis Signs Bill Allowing Filipino WWII Veterans Returning Home to Receive Benefits, page 1. California Gov. Gray Davis signed AB 1978, allowing Filipino World War II veterans who served the U.S. to return to their homeland without losing state benefit payments. Davis praised the veterans’ sacrifice at a signing ceremony at the War Memorial in Sacramento’s Capitol Park.
• Asian Pacific Americans to Take Part in GOP National Convention, by Pacific Citizen Contributors and Associated Press, page 3. Elaine Chao and other Asian Pacific Americans will play visible roles at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia. The Japanese American Republican club and National Asian Pacific American Republican Assembly are actively working to support Bush’s campaign and raise funds.
• Senate Approves $4 Million for Manzanar Historic Site, page 3. The Manzanar National Historical Site in Inyo County will receive $4.179 million to construct an interpretive center and headquarters after Sen. Barbara Boxer’s bill passed the Senate 97-2. Boxer has previously helped secure funding for the site’s development.
• Gov. Locke May Be on Short List for Gore’s Running Mate, by Associated Press, page 6. Washington Gov. Gary Locke, the nation’s first Chinese American governor, has been named as a potential running mate for Al Gore among five Democratic governors under consideration. Political analysts say Locke is unlikely to be chosen but note the mention boosts his profile as he focuses on re-election.

JACL

• JACL, Together With UnitedAgainstHate.org, Pushes House to Approve Hate Crimes Legislation, page 3. JACL joined over 175 national organizations in urging the House to pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act already approved by the Senate. JACL leaders emphasized the need for federal authority to assist local law enforcement in prosecuting hate crimes and expanding protected groups to include gender, sexual orientation and disability.
• Uyehara and Yasuhara Honored with Ruby Pins, page 4. Grayce K. Uyehara and Denny Yasuhara received JACL’s highest honor, the Ruby Pin, at the 36th biennial national convention in Monterey. Both have decades of JACL service, with Uyehara known for redress advocacy and Yasuhara for restoring the organization’s financial footing as national president.
• Diablo Valley Awards Scholarships, page 8. The Diablo Valley JACL chapter held its annual scholarship luncheon, awarding the Dr. Yoshiye Togasaki Scholarship to nursing graduate Laurie Lee Warren and the chapter scholarship to Nicholas Chan. Both recipients were recognized for academic excellence and community service.

Commentary

• No Excuses, by Ryan Chin, page 3. JACL National VP of Public Affairs Ryan Chin discusses his efforts to build clear communication channels within JACL through email and fax lists for members. He argues members deserve timely information and urges two-way communication between leadership and membership.
• The Last Hurrah: Part II, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Bill Marutani continues his discussion of the Japanese American Creed authored by Mike Masaoka and its planned inclusion on the National Japanese American Memorial. He recalls meetings in Washington, D.C. where Masaoka described his vision of the memorial depicting a Nisei soldier bidding farewell to his mother through a barbed-wire fence.
• The Face of Hate, by William Yoshino, page 5. William Yoshino describes witnessing hate group leader Matt Hale testify at an Illinois Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes hearing, a year after a WCOTC-inspired shooting spree killed Won Joon Yoon and Ricky Byrdsong. He also discusses ongoing community efforts to catch a serial rapist targeting Asian women in Chicago.
• A Chilling Revelation, by Beth Au, page 5. Beth Au criticizes Icebox, Inc.’s online animation series ‘Mr. Wong,’ which depicts a stereotypical, submissive Asian houseboy character with offensive racial caricatures. She urges readers to write letters of protest demanding the series’ removal for its racist and insensitive content.
• A Bridge Across the Pacific: Women and Leadership, by Emily Moto Murase, page 6. Emily Moto Murase reports on the Asian Pacific American Women’s Leadership Institute’s (APAWLI) leadership workshop in San Francisco, featuring keynote speaker Helen Zia. The event included multiple skill-building workshops on personal empowerment, financial literacy, and cultural navigation for APA women leaders.
• Headlines from the Edge: Stranger Than Fiction, by Christina Shigemura, page 6. Christina Shigemura criticizes LAUSD administrators for giving themselves 30 percent raises while teachers’ contracts remain unresolved and students suffer from overcrowded schools and inadequate resources. She highlights the wasted Belmont High School construction project and urges readers to contact school board members about the district’s misplaced priorities.
• Re: Apology to Resisters, by Nakata, page 7. A letter writer objects to JACL’s Resolution #3 apologizing to WWII draft resisters, arguing that Nisei who served in the military despite having their rights violated deserve more recognition. The writer also questions the selection of Mike Honda as a JA of the Biennium awardee over his resolution condemning Japan’s wartime atrocities.
• Re: NJAMF Monument, page 7. The 442nd Veterans Club of Honolulu voted 27-1 to request removal of personal quotations and names, except those of Presidents Truman and Reagan, from the National Japanese American Memorial. The letter cites concerns about Mike Masaoka’s inscription given controversial research about his role during internment.
• We Must Remember, page 7. A letter writer responds to a previous column, arguing that the injustice of Japanese American evacuation during WWII should never be forgotten. The writer cites Chief Justice Rehnquist’s writings on civil liberties in wartime as a warning that such violations could happen again.
• Re: Vote Count, by Stan Kimura, page 7. A letter from the 2000 Nominating Committee chair clarifies vote-counting details from the JACL national convention, explaining the math behind the required majority for candidates. The writer also praises the Pacific Citizen’s convention coverage.
• A Message From the Credit Union, by Nat’l JACL Credit Union, page 7. The National JACL Credit Union is seeking to contact members with unclaimed share account balances before the funds are escheated. A list of names including Donna Ikeda and George J. Minami is provided for readers who may know these individuals.

Community

• Community Gym Group Seeks Contested Site in Little Tokyo, page 3. Proponents of a community gymnasium in Little Tokyo were forced to resume their search for a site after the city awarded a coveted parcel of land to the Children’s Museum instead. Led by Bill Watanabe of the Little Tokyo Service Center, organizers appealed to city officials amid ongoing location disputes dating back to the 1970s.
• Chicago JACL Hosts Teacher Training Workshop, by Jody Koizumi, page 4. The Chicago JACL chapter sponsored an all-day teacher training workshop at Northeastern Illinois University featuring firsthand accounts from internment camp survivors Mollie Ozaki, Sam Ozaki, and Yoji Ozaki. Participants also examined archival materials from the 1981 redress commission hearing held in Chicago.
• Fremont JACL Hosts Graduation/Scholarship Luncheon, page 4. Fremont JACL held its annual graduation/scholarship luncheon at Sushi Yoshi’s Restaurant in Newark, honoring five scholarship recipients including Austin Ozawa and Kevin Futagaki. Guest speaker Marshall Hattori, owner of Kozo Productions, addressed the graduates.

Obituaries

• Togo, Former President of Toyota, Passes at 75, page 7. Togo, former president of Toyota Motor Sales operations who later led Toyota Canada, passed away at age 75. Under his leadership, the company made significant charitable donations, including a $1 million grant shared among several Torrance, Calif. institutions.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.