Wen Ho Lee’s bail, the 80/20 endorsement and a wartime labor suit

Vol. 131, No. 11, September 1, 2000. 8 pages. View this issue

Politics and civil rights ran through this eight-page issue. The 80/20 Initiative endorsed Al Gore at a meeting in Universal City, with delegates voting 26-7. Wen Ho Lee was granted bail under house-arrest conditions, and Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press reports covered the ruling and how legal experts read it. Martha Nakagawa reported on a class action suit against Mitsui and Mitsubishi on behalf of Chinese people allegedly used as slave laborers during World War II. Kenneth K. Inouye was named editorial board chairperson.

Elsewhere, Harry Honda gathered words from Nisei graduation speeches of the 1930s, and Brian Niiya wrote about who plays AJA basketball in Hawaii. Tracy Uba reviewed Godzilla 2000. Ryan Chin profiled Kelly Yamada, one of JACL’s earliest members. Letters took up the Medal of Honor awards to Asian American veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regiment, and the place of Mike Masaoka’s name.

What’s in this issue

National

• 80/20 Initiative Endorses Gore, by Associated Press, page 1. The 80/20 Initiative, a bipartisan national movement seeking to unite Asian Pacific Americans in a bloc vote, endorsed Democratic Vice President Al Gore at a meeting in Universal City, Calif. Delegates voted 26-7 to support Gore after DNC staffer Courtni Sunjoo Pugh promised Gore would appoint AAs to his administration and combat workplace discrimination.
• Lawsuit Accuses Mitsui and Mitsubishi of Using Slave Laborers During WWII, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. A coalition of lawyers filed a class action suit against Mitsui and Mitsubishi in Los Angeles County Superior Court on behalf of Chinese people allegedly used as slave laborers during WWII. Lead attorney Barry Fisher argued that the 1951 peace treaty between Japan and Allied Forces did not bar individuals from suing Japanese companies directly.
• Judge Grants Lee Bail Under House-arrest Conditions, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 1. U.S. District Judge James Parker ruled that fired Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee should be freed on $1 million bail under house-arrest conditions, barring a government appeal. Civil rights groups and JACL president Floyd Mori praised the decision as a step toward due process after Lee spent months in solitary confinement.
• Civil Rights Groups Join ‘Virtual Convention’, page 3. Over 180 organizations joined a coalition behind the first online ‘Virtual Convention’ aimed at garnering support for Congress to pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The UnitedAgainstHate.org campaign represents the first coordinated grassroots online advocacy effort by civil rights, women’s, religious and labor organizations.
• Experts Wrangle Over Judge’s Bail Decision on Wen Ho Lee, by Associated Press, page 3. Legal experts offered differing interpretations of Judge Parker’s ruling granting bail to Wen Ho Lee, with some saying it indicates weakened confidence in the prosecution’s case. An FBI agent’s acknowledged inaccuracies and defense scientists’ testimony that much of the nuclear information was not classified secret contributed to doubts about the government’s case.
• Hate Crimes in Los Angeles County Second Highest in 20 Years, page 3. The Los Angeles Commission on Human Relations reported 859 hate crimes in the county for 1999, an increase from 769 the previous year and the second highest total in 20 years. The report showed increases across race, sexual orientation and religion categories, with anti-Semitic crimes tied to the North Valley Jewish Community shooting, and a dramatic rise in hate crimes on school campuses.
• INS Officials Under Fire for Detaining Chinese Businesswoman, by Associated Press, page 3. Federal inspectors in Oregon faced scrutiny after detaining a Chinese businesswoman, sparking a furor over the incident. The story continues with details on the investigation into INS conduct.
• Lawsuit Details Backlash Concerns and Plaintiff Testimonies, page 8. The continuation of the Mitsui/Mitsubishi slave labor lawsuit article details the specific torture and forced labor experienced by plaintiffs Zhang Chang Chao, Ou Zong Xuan, and Huang Boshi. Attorney Barry Fisher and spokesman Ignatius Ding also addressed concerns about potential backlash against Japanese Americans, comparing fears to those raised during the 1988 redress movement.
• Lee Continued: Prosecution and Defense Clash Over Bail Terms, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 8. The continuation of the Wen Ho Lee story details arguments from both prosecution and defense regarding the classification of materials Lee allegedly mishandled and the risk he poses if released. Diane Chin of Chinese for Affirmative Action called the bail decision a victory but said the fight for fair treatment continues ahead of Lee’s November trial.

JACL

• Inouye Named P.C. Editorial Board Chairperson, page 1. Kenneth K. Inouye, former PSW governor, was named Pacific Citizen editorial board chairperson by JACL national president Floyd Mori, succeeding Richard Uno. Inouye has extensive JACL and community involvement, including leadership roles in Orange County human relations organizations and the 100th/442nd MIS Memorial Foundation.
• Legacy: Kelly Yamada, by Ryan Chin, V.P. Public Affairs, page 4. Kelly Yamada, one of JACL’s earliest members, helped organize the group photo at the first 1930 Seattle convention despite being too young to join, and later helped found the Oakland JACL chapter. Yamada went on to serve in numerous leadership roles including Oakland and Seattle chapter president, NCWNP and Pacific Northwest governor, and was honored with a sapphire pin for his decades of service.
• Lessons in Democracy – The National JACL Education Web Site, page 5. The National JACL received CCLPEP funding to create a website examining how Asian Americans and others are impacted by historical and current civil liberties violations, centered on the WWII incarceration experience. The site will feature a lesson plan center, resource center, and the JACL curriculum guide for teachers and students.

Community

• 60th Wedding Anniversary: Alice and Roy Nishikawa Feted by Family, Friends, by Harry K. Honda, page 4. Family and JACL friends honored Alice and Dr. Roy M. Nishikawa at their 60th wedding anniversary celebration at a Chinese seafood restaurant. Roy’s decades of JACL leadership included serving as PSWDC chair, national JACL treasurer, and national president, while Alice supported his work throughout their 110 combined years of JACL involvement.
• Elaine Ikeda to Lead California Campus Compact of SFSU, page 4. Elaine Ikeda was named to lead the California Campus Compact, based at San Francisco State University, bringing experience in service learning and student development. She replaces Elson Nash and will be responsible for promoting community service learning among more than 55 member institutions.
• APAWLI Names Eleven Fellows for 2000, page 5. The Denver-based Asian Pacific American Women’s Leadership Institute awarded fellowships to 11 accomplished women for its 2000 leadership program, according to CEO Martha Lee. Fellows will attend training sessions throughout the year and are required to develop a project benefiting at least 25 APA women in their communities.

Arts & Entertainment

• Old School, Low-tech and Larger than Life, by Tracy Uba, page 5. The review covers ‘Godzilla 2000,’ the first traditional Godzilla film to reach American theaters in 15 years, praising its return to campy, low-tech charm after Hollywood’s disappointing 1998 digitized version. The plot follows a reporter and scientists tracking Godzilla while a government agency battles the monster, alongside a mysterious alien vessel that eventually transforms into the creature Orga for a climactic showdown.

Commentary

• Very Truly Yours: Eloquence of Nisei Teenagers in the 1930s, by Harry Honda, page 6. Harry Honda compiles excerpts from graduation speeches and yearbook quotes written by Nisei teenagers in the 1930s, highlighting their eloquence and patriotism years before WWII internment. The piece includes dozens of quotes from students across California high schools reflecting on citizenship, education, and hope for the future.
• Troubled in Paradise: Who Plays AJA Basketball?, by Brian Niiya, page 6. Niiya responds to a Los Angeles Times article about Japanese American basketball leagues in Hawaii, discussing the historical role of AJA leagues in maintaining ethnic community connections. He argues that while race-based eligibility rules are outdated, the leagues still serve an important cultural purpose and should evolve with changing times rather than disappear.
• The Dark Side of the Congressional Medal of Honor Awards, page 7. A letter to the editor cites a magazine article by NCCM C.R. Johnson criticizing President Clinton’s June 2000 awarding of 22 Congressional Medals of Honor to Asian American WWII veterans as politically motivated. The letter writer responds by defending the honorees, detailing the combat heroism of the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regiment despite discriminatory treatment during the war.
• Keep Masaoka’s Name, page 7. A letter defends Mike Masaoka and the JACL against criticism in a forthcoming Holocaust book that claims they failed to stop Japanese American internment during WWII. The writer argues Masaoka’s founding role in the Go For Broke National Veterans Association and his authorship of the JACL Creed justify recognizing him positively in connection with the WWII memorial to patriotism.

Obituaries

• Obituaries, page 7. This section lists recent deaths in the Japanese American community including Yoshio Domoto, Sei Dyo, Sawaye Fujino, George Shigeru Ikemiya, Kirk Ishizuka, and Dorothy Asako Kaiso, with details on survivors and hometowns. Entries include biographical details such as birthplaces and family members.

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