After Sept. 11: eyewitness accounts and fears of backlash

Vol. 133, No. 6, September 21, 2001. 8 pages. View this issue

The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 filled this eight-page issue. Martha Nakagawa gathered accounts from Japanese Americans in New York and Washington, D.C., including Ron Uba, Scott Ito and Clyde Nishimura, who described the dust, chaos and fear. A second story covered the rise in hate crimes against people of Middle Eastern descent, with JACL leaders calling for restraint and drawing comparisons to the treatment of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor. Eric L. Muller asked whether Arab Americans could face a repeat of the World War II incarceration (often called internment), and the JACL districts reported on the response in their regions.

Elsewhere, the Senate voted not to oppose POW lawsuits against Japanese firms, and San Jose’s council voted to name its airport after Norman Mineta. An Idaho peak was renamed “Chinese Peak.” The JACL national board set a February 2002 ceremony for resisters of conscience, and Christina Shigemura wrote about a delegation to Cuba.

What’s in this issue

National

• Eyewitness Accounts Highlight Horror of Terrorist Attacks, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Several Japanese Americans in New York and Washington, D.C. recount their harrowing experiences during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, including Ron Uba, Scott Ito, and Clyde Nishimura. Their accounts describe the chaos, dust, destruction, and fear that followed the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
• Misplaced Anger: Proliferation of Anti-Arab American Hate Crimes, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Following the Sept. 11 attacks, hate crimes against people of Middle Eastern descent surged across the U.S., including fatal shootings in Arizona. JACL leaders and other organizations called for restraint and tolerance, drawing comparisons to the wrongful internment of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor.
• Senate Won’t Oppose POW Lawsuits Against Japanese Firms, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Senate passed an amendment preventing opposition to lawsuits filed by former American POWs against Japanese corporations that enslaved them during WWII. The vote came despite Secretary of State Colin Powell’s assertion that the Peace Treaty barred such reparations claims.
• Nakano’s API Anti-Hate Crime Bill Approved, by P.C. Staff, page 3. AB 1312, authored by Assemblyman George Nakano, establishes the Asian Pacific Islander Anti-Hate Crime Program and was approved by the California Legislature. The bill provides $250,000 to educate API communities about hate crimes and how to report them.
• Council Votes to Name San Jose’s Airport After Mineta, by Associated Press, page 3. San Jose City Council members voted unanimously to name the city’s international airport after U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, former mayor of San Jose. Mineta was the first Asian American to serve in the U.S. Cabinet.
• Idaho Mountain Officially Renamed ‘Chinese Peak’, by P.C. Staff, page 3. After a three-year effort by Japanese American organizations, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names approved changing an Idaho mountain’s name from the derogatory ‘Chinks Peak’ to ‘Chinese Peak.’ The change was supported by local officials despite some opposition citing precedent concerns.
• U.S. and Japan Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Peace Treaty, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 5. Dignitaries in San Francisco and Tokyo marked the 50th anniversary of the peace treaty ending WWII, with JACL President Floyd Mori honored in Tokyo for Japanese Americans’ contributions to Japan’s postwar recovery. The ceremony included Secretary of State Colin Powell and Japanese Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, though protests occurred over lack of Japanese reparations to WWII victims.
• Eyewitness Continued: Aoyama Tribute, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Additional details emerge about David Aoyama’s memorial service, where his children gave tearful eulogies and friends recalled his life. Aoyama, born in Hokkaido, worked for Soka Gakkai International since 1983 and was returning from Boston when his plane was hijacked.
• Hate Crimes Response Continued, by P.C. Staff, page 8. JACL district leaders across the country responded to a wave of hate crimes following 9/11, including monitoring hate messages, participating in unity events, and coordinating safety checks for members. Organizations like AALDEF reported hate incidents targeting South Asians, while officials in Los Angeles and Orange County documented dozens of hate crime reports within days of the attacks.

Community

• Soka Gakkai Mourns Passing of Aoyama, Passenger on Hijacked Airplane, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Soka Gakkai members worldwide held memorial services for David Seima Aoyama, a passenger on American Airlines Flight 11 that hit the World Trade Center. A scholarship was established in his memory and $10,000 was donated to the American Red Cross for relief efforts.
• Livingston-Merced Chapter Builds Ties with Southeast Asian Community, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Livingston-Merced JACL chapter received a $2,000 Legacy Fund Grant to continue its mentor program connecting JACL members with Southeast Asian students. The program helps students meet UC admission requirements through guidance and support until high school graduation.
• San Francisco Presents Kay Okamoto Volunteer Award, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Ikebana teacher and taiko player Susumu Saiki received the 2001 Kay Okamoto Volunteer Award from San Francisco JACL for his decades of community service. Saiki has served over 50 years on the board of the Buddhist Church of San Francisco and donated his award money to local organizations.
• Over 300 Attend National JACL Singles Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 5. More than 300 people attended the ninth annual National JACL Singles Convention held over Labor Day weekend in Torrance, California. The event featured speakers including Warren Furutani and Gardena Mayor Terry Terauchi.
• Placer County to Recognize Vets and Former Internees With Diplomas, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Placer County Superintendent of Schools announced ‘Operation Recognition,’ a program to award high school diplomas to WWII and Korean War veterans and Japanese Americans who couldn’t complete their education due to military service or internment. Eligible applicants or family members must provide documentation of service or internment during specified periods.

Commentary

• An Arab-American Internment?, by Eric L. Muller, page 1. The author draws parallels between the aftermath of Pearl Harbor and the current post-9/11 climate, questioning whether Arab Americans could face internment similar to Japanese Americans in WWII. He examines differences in economic, geographic, political and legal circumstances that may prevent a repeat of history.
• Let Our Voices Be Heard, by Mark, Fullerton, Calif., page 2. A letter writer calls on Japanese Americans, who remember the hatred their families faced during WWII, to stand up for tolerance toward Muslims and Middle Easterners today. The writer urges the community to prevent repeating past injustices by supporting the Islamic community during this crisis.
• Americans Must Come Together, page 2. A statement urges Americans to unite in support of the nation’s leaders following the terrorist attacks, remembering victims, families and emergency workers. The piece provides resources for donating to relief efforts including the Red Cross and Salvation Army.
• Renaming of Airport, by via e-mail, page 2. A letter writer supports renaming San Jose International Airport after Norman Y. Mineta, San Jose’s most prominent public servant. The writer compares this to other airports named after notable figures like Reagan and Dulles.
• Sacramento VFW Proposes to Rescind JACL’s Apology to Resisters of Conscience, by Sacramento Nisei VFW Post 8985 Resolution Committee, page 3. Sacramento Nisei VFW Post 8985 developed a resolution opposing JACL’s 2000 apology to WWII draft resisters, arguing it would betray Nisei veterans killed in action. The resolution details the wartime tensions between resisters and JACL leaders who advocated military service.
• Muller: Historical Comparison Continued, by Eric L. Muller, page 7. Muller continues his analysis comparing the WWII Japanese American internment to potential threats facing Arab Americans post-9/11, noting differences in economic concentration, geographic dispersal, and political representation. He concludes that while risks of prejudice remain, legal precedents and diversity within Arab American communities may help prevent a repeat of historical injustice.

JACL

• JACL National Board Sets Date for Resisters Ceremony, Looks at Florida and Opposes Charitable Choice Legislation, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The JACL national board met in San Francisco to discuss various initiatives including a February 2002 ceremony honoring WWII resisters of conscience, new youth programs, and opposition to federal funding of faith-based organizations. The board also addressed membership numbers, chapter liability insurance, and efforts to establish a Florida chapter.
• Nisei Vets Honor Former Army Secretary Caldera, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Former Secretary of the Army Louis Caldera was honored at an appreciation luncheon hosted by Nikkei veterans organizations. Speakers recounted Caldera’s support for creating the Go For Broke Monument and his work with Nisei veterans during his tenure as Army Secretary.

In-Depth

• Visit to Cuba, by Christina Shigemura, page 6. An 18-member NCRR-sponsored delegation traveled to Cuba to commemorate the wrongful internment of Cuban Nikkei men during WWII and participate in Obon celebrations on the Isle of Youth. The delegation visited an organic farm, met with Cuban Nikkei families, and taught Obon dance traditions that had been lost in Cuba.

Obituaries

• Nikkei Community Obituaries, by P.C. Staff, page 7. This section lists detailed obituaries for numerous members of the Japanese American community who passed away in July and August 2001, including WWII veterans, internment camp survivors, and their surviving family members. Individuals featured include Tommy Arita, Teruyuki Fujii, Ayako Fujimoto, and many others from across the country.

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