Medals of Honor for Asian American soldiers, and the 2000 ballot fights

Vol. 131, No. 18, November 3, 2000. 12 pages. View this issue

A Beverly Hills gala honoring Asian American soldiers whose World War II Medals of Honor were upgraded led the issue. More than 600 people gathered to pay tribute to 22 honorees, including seven living recipients, and Martha Nakagawa wrote the front-page story, with a second article on page 10 carrying reflections from Sen. Daniel Inouye, Rudolph Davila and George Sakato. The front page also ran Nakagawa’s interview with Mary Miyashita, a California Democratic organizer, along with stories on Utah’s English-only Initiative A and Caroline Aoyagi’s report on Oregon’s Ballot Measure 9.

Inside are JACL’s letter on the Portland INS, the recall of two offensive Utah license plates, and the dedication of the national Japanese American Memorial on Nov. 9. Three commentaries took up California’s Proposition 38, and others covered a Little Tokyo recreation center rally and a $500,000 grant for the Heart Mountain center. Harry Honda, Brian Niiya and Emily Moto Murase also wrote columns.

What’s in this issue

National

• Medal of Honor Recipients Honored at Beverly Hills Gala, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. More than 600 people gathered at the Beverly Hilton to honor 22 Asian American WWII soldiers who received upgraded Medals of Honor, including seven living recipients like Barney Hajiro who recounted his heroics in France. The event followed a White House ceremony in June and included tributes to posthumous honorees represented by family members.’
• Utah to Vote on English-only Initiative, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Utah’s Initiative A, sponsored by Rep. Tammy Rowan, seeks to make English the state’s official language and would bar government agencies from conducting business in other languages, drawing opposition from civil rights groups including JACL and NAPALC. Opponents call the measure discriminatory and unconstitutional, while supporters argue it promotes unity and civic responsibility.
• Oregon’s Ballot Measure 9 — Student Protection Act or Anti-gay Measure?, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Oregon’s Ballot Measure 9, dubbed the ‘Student Protection Act’ by its authors, would prohibit public schools from promoting homosexuality and could cost schools funding, sparking fierce debate over whether it targets gay students unfairly. JACL and various civil rights and education groups oppose the measure, while OCA chairman Lon Mabon defends it as necessary to stop existing school policy.
• APAs Denounce Sacramento GOP’s Parody of Gore, by Roger Minami, page 3. CAPITAL, a Sacramento-based coalition of over 75 Asian Pacific Islander groups, criticized the Sacramento County Republican Party for selling phony $1 bills at the California State Fair depicting Al Gore in a Chinese-style hat with derogatory captions. The California State Fair demanded a written apology after determining the GOP breached its booth contract.
• NRCC Mails Misleading Flier About Democrat Honda, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A bipartisan coalition criticized a National Republican Congressional Committee mailer that depicted candidate Mike Honda behind bars with a misleading headline about his ‘criminal record,’ referencing his family’s wartime internment. Congresswomen Zoe Lofgren and Anna Eshoo condemned the mailer as offensive and misleading to voters.
• JACL Criticizes State Voucher Initiatives As Constitutional Concern, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL raised concerns over California’s Proposition 38 school voucher initiative, citing worries about separation of church and state given many voucher schools’ religious affiliations. The organization noted particular concern for Japanese Americans and Asian Americans who are largely non-Christian, having passed resolutions on the issue at past national conventions.
• National JA Memorial to be Dedicated Despite Construction Delays, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The dedication ceremony for the national Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism will take place Nov. 9 in Washington, D.C., timed so the maximum number of WWII-era veterans can attend. More information on events is available through NJAMF.
• National Center for the Preservation of Democracy to be Established at JANM, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Japanese American National Museum received $20 million in federal funding to establish the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, examining civil rights through the lens of Japanese American history. Sen. Daniel Inouye and JANM Executive Director Irene Hirano praised the center’s mission to serve as an educational resource on democracy and civil rights.
• House Passes Bill to Name Seattle Courthouse After Nakamura, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The House passed a bill designating a federal courthouse in Seattle as the William Kenzo Nakamura United States Courthouse, honoring the WWII Medal of Honor recipient who died in combat in Italy in 1944. Rep. Jim McDermott and other lawmakers praised the swift legislative action honoring Nakamura’s heroism.
• Korean War Veterans Begin Fund Drive for Monument in Korea, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Japanese American Korean War Veterans began a fund drive to raise money for a memorial monument in South Korea honoring 247 Americans of Japanese ancestry killed in the Korean War, plus a KIA/MIA booklet. The monument, erected near the DMZ, nearly disrupted the 2000 North-South Korea summit after being mistaken for a provocation.
• Documentary Released on JA Soldiers, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A new one-hour documentary titled ‘The Silent Glory’ chronicles the heroic World War II record of Japanese American soldiers in the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Produced by Zed Merrill, the film covers their battles in Europe and famous rescue of the Lost Battalion, and can be ordered directly from the producer.
• Heart Mountain Interpretive Center to Receive $500,000 Federal Grant, by Associated Press, page 5. The Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center in Wyoming is expected to receive a $500,000 federal grant to help build a center telling the story of Japanese Americans interned at the camp during WWII. Foundation President Dave Reetz said the center aims to personalize internees’ stories rather than serve as a typical museum.
• Law Professor to Publish Book on Nisei Draft Resisters, by P.C. Staff, page 5. University of North Carolina law professor Eric L. Muller will publish ‘Loyal Protest,’ a book examining the experiences of Japanese American draft resisters during WWII, including lesser-known resisters from Minidoka and Tule Lake. The book, funded partly by a CCLPEP grant, will be published by University of Chicago Press in 2001.
• Medal of Honor Recipients Reflect on Recognition, by Martha Nakagawa, page 10. Continuing coverage of the Medal of Honor ceremony includes reflections from Sen. Daniel Inouye and other recipients like Rudolph Davila and George Sakato about the decades-long delay in recognition and the review process initiated by Sen. Daniel Akaka. Family members of posthumous honorees like Robert Wai also shared their thoughts on the honor bestowed on their fallen relatives.
• Ballot Measure 9 Debate Continues Over Anti-gay Provisions, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Continuing coverage of Oregon’s Measure 9 details opposition from groups like the Oregon Education Association and threats of legal challenges if the measure passes, alongside support from conservative groups like the Oregon Christian Coalition. The full text of the measure is included, outlining its restrictions on discussing sexual orientation in public schools and community colleges.

Community

• An Interview With Democratic Stalwart Mary Miyashita, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Mary Miyashita, 79, has been a behind-the-scenes force in California Democratic politics for over 50 years despite being an Asian Pacific American in a field that rarely recognized APAs. The article traces her political awakening after internment at Gila River, her activism in civil rights and anti-war movements, and her ongoing influence with top Democratic officials.
• JACL Questions Portland INS, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL sent a letter to INS Commissioner Doris Meisner raising concerns about discriminatory conduct at the Portland INS station after an Asian woman, Guo Liming, was detained and strip-searched over a loose passport photo. The Portland JACL chapter and other groups called for the firing of district director David Beebe following the incident.
• Utah DMV Recalls Racially Offensive License Plates, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Utah Department of Motor Vehicles recalled two racially offensive license plates reading ‘JAPHOG’ and ‘MR. NIP’ after national JACL demanded their removal. DMV director Viola Bodrero assured JACL that steps would be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
• Little Tokyo Recreation Center Rally, by Martha Nakagawa, page 5. An estimated 500 people marched in Los Angeles on Oct. 28 calling for the creation of a recreation center in Little Tokyo, with the proposal receiving more than 90 endorsements from organizations and labor unions. California Assemblyman Gil Cedillo publicly supported the recreation center at the rally.
• Orange County Agricultural and Nikkei Heritage Museum Fund-raiser, by P.C. Staff, page 6. An Oct. 24 fund-raising dinner at the Disneyland Pacific Hotel attracted more than 150 supporters for the proposed Orange County Agricultural and Nikkei Heritage Museum in Fullerton. Union Bank of California donated $10,000 and additional funds were raised toward the museum’s $750,000 cost.
• Southern California JA Community Holds Fund-raising Event for Nakanishi, by Roger Minami, page 7. The Japanese American Republican club held a dinner in Gardena to support Dr. Alan Nakanishi’s state senate candidacy, which would make him the first JA to serve in that chamber. Community leaders including Dr. John Kashiwabara and former Assemblyman Nao Takasugi voiced support for Nakanishi’s candidacy amid a tight race.
• ‘Get Out of Camp’ Exhibit on Display at NJAHS Gallery, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The National Japanese American Historical Society’s exhibit ‘Get Out of Camp’ offers an experiential overview of WWII internment through a partial barrack replica, a self-guided board game based on oral histories, and other artifacts. The exhibit runs through July 31 at the NJAHS Gallery in San Francisco and is free to the public.

JACL

• Lowe’s Donates $10,000 for JACL Web Site, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Lowe’s donated $10,000 to support JACL’s website initiatives, presented by district manager John Alston and fairness programs manager Herminio Vargas Jr. The donation supports JACL’s ongoing outreach and communication efforts.
• JACL to Honor Nisei Farmers League Founder Harry Kubo, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Central California District Council of JACL will honor Parlier farmer Harry Kubo, founder of the Nisei Farmers League, at its 51st annual installation banquet for his decades of advocacy for JA agricultural workers and growers. The event will also feature keynote speaker David Mas Masumoto and honor Masumoto with the Next Generation Award.
• The Quarter in Review, by Ryan Chin, page 6. JACL’s VP of Public Affairs summarizes the organization’s quarterly activities across issues including racial profiling (Wen Ho Lee, Portland INS), anti-defamation efforts, hate crimes legislation, APA heritage advocacy, and various discrimination cases nationwide. The report covers JACL’s engagement on topics from Utah’s English-only initiative to Native Hawaiian sovereignty and police accountability incidents.

Commentary

• Supporting Machado, by Carole Hayashino, page 7. The author urges support for Assemblymember Mike Machado in the 5th California Senate District race over his JA Republican opponent, citing Machado’s record supporting JA community issues including CCLPEF and stopping the sale of the Japantown YWCA. She argues the choice should be based on record of commitment rather than ethnicity or party.
• Prop. 38: Wrong for Our Kids, by Dale Shimasaki, page 7. The author argues California’s Proposition 38 school voucher initiative would harm Asian and minority families because voucher schools could reject students for various reasons and are not required to serve English learners. He warns the measure would divert $3 billion from already underfunded public schools without proper oversight or teacher qualification requirements.
• Prop. 39 Exemplifies APA Commitment to Education, by Curtis Namba, page 7. The president of the Asian American Voter Education Fund urges Californians to vote yes on Proposition 39, which would lower the voter threshold for passing school bonds and add financial accountability requirements. He frames the measure as a way to fix crowded schools and improve spending oversight.
• The San Francisco City Mouse Meets the Daisen Country Mouse, by Emily Moto Murase, page 8. The author recounts visiting her Japanese cousins Michiko and Lisa on their organic farm near Mt. Daisen in Tottori Prefecture, describing their unconventional rural lifestyle and the challenges they faced from suspicious locals when they moved from urban life. The visit included farm work, fetching water from a stream, and a trip to a natural hot spring resort.
• The OUCH! in School Vouchers, by Christina Shigemura, page 8. A sixth-grade teacher argues against Proposition 38, California’s school voucher initiative, contending it undermines public education’s core democratic value of educating all children regardless of ability or background. She contrasts public school teacher credentialing and accountability requirements with the lack of oversight for private voucher schools.
• In Support of Masaoka, by Clarence Nishizu, page 9. A longtime JACL member and 1000 Club member defends Mike Masaoka’s legacy and wartime leadership of JACL, describing his own experiences with discrimination and Masaoka’s role in securing naturalization rights for Issei through the McCarran-Walter bill. He argues Masaoka should be honored on the National Japanese American Memorial Monument.
• Creating a Mailing List, by Harry Honda, page 9. The column recounts a chapter from ‘The Toronto Story’ describing how Japanese Canadian Redress activist Joy Kogawa and volunteers built a mailing list of about 5,000 names in 1985 using phone directories, since postwar dispersal policies had eliminated centralized Japanese Canadian communities. The labor-intensive process helped spread awareness of the Redress movement despite some resistance from rival community factions.
• Troubled in Paradise, by Brian Niiya, page 9. The columnist reflects on why younger Asian Americans seem less excited about AA representation in popular music compared to his own generation, discussing artists from Pizzicato Five to Big Head Todd collaborator Vanessa-Mae. He suggests that as Asian representation becomes more common, the novelty and attention it once generated is fading for younger generations.

In-Depth

• Utah to Vote on English-only Initiative (continued), by P.C. Staff, page 11. Extended coverage details arguments for and against Utah’s Initiative A, including comments from US English director Schultz and ACLU of Utah director Carol Gnade about the measure’s constitutionality and practical impact. The piece notes contradictions in the initiative’s exceptions and references a similar Arizona law recently struck down as unconstitutional.

Obituaries

• Community Obituaries, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This week’s obituary listings include tributes to several community members including Minoru Aoyama, Fumiyo Hisaoka, Tsuyoshi Hitomi, and others, detailing their birthplaces, survivors, and community ties. Many were longtime residents of California, Washington, and Hawaii with deep roots in Japanese American history.

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