After Sept. 11: hate crimes, civil liberties and the JA memory of 1942

Vol. 133, No. 7, October 5, 2001. 8 pages. View this issue

The Sept. 11 attacks shaped nearly every page of this eight-page issue. Martha Nakagawa reported on a wave of hate crimes against Arab American and Muslim American communities, and on how the nature of war had shifted toward intelligence gathering, with civil liberties at stake. About 200 people rallied at the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism in Washington, D.C., where Karen Narasaki drew parallels to the World War II incarceration (often called internment). Andy Noguchi and Brian Niiya wrote columns urging Japanese Americans to speak out.

Elsewhere, the JACL Pacific Southwest District held its awards dinner on Sept. 22, with Norman Mineta absent because of his duties in Washington. Harry Honda wrote about the Military Intelligence Service Nisei, and a JACL roundup covered how national and chapter leaders responded to the attacks. Also inside are letters to the editor, a report on a Seattle jaywalking ticket dismissed after profiling claims, and a story on an Alaskan printer whose shop was vandalized.

What’s in this issue

National

• Mineta Absent, But Support Strong at 2001 PSWD Awards Dinner, by Tracy Uba, page 1. The JACL Pacific Southwest District held its annual awards dinner on Sept. 22 despite the absence of keynote speaker Norman Mineta, who was occupied with duties in Washington following the Sept. 11 attacks. About 350 attendees observed a moment of silence for terrorism victims and honored several individuals and an organization for their contributions to the Japanese American and Asian American community.
• Arab American Community Faces Wave of Hate Crimes, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Arab American and Muslim American communities across the country experienced a surge of hate crimes and hate incidents similar to what Japanese Americans faced after Pearl Harbor. Representatives from organizations like ACCESS, CAIR, and ADC reported ongoing incidents including harassment, vandalism, and even killings, while noting some positive support from the broader community.
• Recent Terrorist Attacks Highlight Changing Face of War, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Former and current federal employees discussed how the nature of warfare has shifted to an ‘intelligence war’ following the Sept. 11 attacks, emphasizing the importance of accurate and timely intelligence to combat elusive terrorist threats like Osama bin Laden. Sources noted the U.S. may increasingly rely on foreign intelligence and could reconsider policies against assassinations and hiring informants with human rights violations.
• 200 Rally at JA Memorial to End Hate Violence After Terrorist Attack, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Two hundred people representing over 40 ethnic and human rights organizations gathered at the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism in Washington, D.C. to call for solidarity and an end to hate-motivated violence following the Sept. 11 attacks. Speakers including Karen Narasaki drew parallels to the WWII internment of Japanese Americans and urged the public not to repeat historical mistakes.
• National Newsbytes, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 2. A Seattle judge dismissed a jaywalking ticket issued to a 17-year-old who claimed she and her friends were racially profiled by police due to being Asian American. Separately, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge allowed a Korean American man’s forced labor claims against a Japanese cement company to proceed, in a case that could set precedent for other wartime laborers.
• Judge Dismisses Jaywalking Ticket, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 2. A Seattle Municipal Judge dismissed a $38 jaywalking ticket given to a 17-year-old Asian American girl after finding insufficient evidence that she was involved in the alleged jaywalking, following claims that the group had been racially profiled by police. The police department’s legal advisor denied the profiling allegations while the family considered filing a formal claim.
• University Examines 1942 Decision to Admit JA Students, by Associated Press, page 5. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln explored the history of its 1942 decision to admit over 100 Japanese American students despite the state’s history of hostility toward the minority population. Presenters included Bill Hosokawa, former editorial page editor of the Denver Post, and Columbia University professor Gary Okihiro.
• Face of War: Intelligence Gathering and Civil Liberties Concerns, by Martha Nakagawa, page 7. Continuing coverage discusses concerns about assassination policy, tracking terrorist finances through overseas banks, and the difficulty of stopping low-tech terrorist attacks like the Oklahoma City bombing or the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack. Sources including Jack Herzig and Clyde Nishimura warn that Americans may lose civil liberties in the aftermath of Sept. 11 and stress that JACL is well-positioned to advocate against violations of constitutional rights.

Commentary

• Letters to the Editor, page 2. Several readers wrote in on topics including a Seattle racial profiling case involving Japanese American attorneys who helped youths fight a jaywalking ticket, and an open letter addressing a Nisei VFW post’s stance on draft resisters of conscience. Another letter expressed disappointment with JACL National President Floyd Mori’s stance on the Boy Scouts of America’s exclusionary practices.
• Japanese Americans, It’s Time to Stand Up and Speak Out!, by Andy Noguchi, page 2. Florin JACL President Andy Noguchi draws parallels between the post-Sept. 11 backlash against Arab, Muslim and Sikh Americans and the scapegoating Japanese Americans experienced after Pearl Harbor. He urges Japanese Americans to speak out against the hatred and discrimination facing these communities, citing historical patterns of blame during Middle East conflicts.
• Inouye Criticizes Bush Comment, by Associated Press, page 6. Sen. Daniel Inouye stated that President Bush’s combative rhetoric following the Sept. 11 attacks was causing unnecessary fear among Americans and contributing to economic slowdown. Inouye suggested the administration should instead give the public confidence rather than instilling more fear.
• Beating Our Swords on Special Roles, by Brian Niiya, page 6. Brian Niiya reflects on the notable absence of calls for mass internment of Arab Americans after Sept. 11, crediting this in part to the historical education and awareness generated by the Japanese American redress movement. He argues that Japanese Americans have a special duty to speak out against hate crimes and civil rights violations given their own history of wartime internment.

JACL

• JACL Response to Sept. 11 Attacks, by P.C. Staff, page 2. National JACL and various chapters including Arizona, Berkeley, Portland, Puyallup Valley/Seattle, and Watsonville-Santa Cruz issued statements and took action in response to the Sept. 11 attacks, condemning terrorism while urging against scapegoating Arab Americans and Muslims. Chapters engaged in outreach to local Muslim and Arab American communities and participated in unity events and task forces.
• Ken Inouye to be Honored at CSLA Gala, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Kenneth Inouye, a CPA and Pacific Citizen editorial chair, will be honored among ten recipients at California State University, Los Angeles’ 28th annual awards gala on Oct. 18. Inouye is a managing partner at an accounting firm and serves on several community boards including the Orange County Human Relations Commission.
• CCDC Banquet to Honor Local Asian American Judges, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Central California District Council will honor past and present Asian American judicial appointees at its 52nd annual installation banquet on Oct. 27 in Fresno, including former judge Mikio Uchiyama and federal judge Anthony Ishii. JACL National President Floyd S. Mori will serve as the evening’s keynote speaker.

Community

• Public Asked to Aid Alaskan Victim of Hate Crime, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Bridge Builders and the Alaska JACL chapter are seeking public assistance for Mike Maad, a Syrian-born American whose printing business in Anchorage was vandalized and destroyed by people who spray-painted ‘We Hate Arabs’ on the wall, causing an estimated $500,000 in damages. Maad had previously distributed free American flag decals and posters to the community, and a fund called ‘Not in Our Town’ has been established to help him recover and to reward information leading to the vandals’ arrest.

In-Depth

• America’s Secret Weapon: The MIS Nisei of WWII, by Harry Honda, page 6. Harry Honda highlights the video documentary ‘Uncommon Courage: Patriotism and Civil Rights,’ which chronicles the accomplishments of Japanese American soldiers in the Military Intelligence Service during WWII and the Occupation of Japan. The column shares numerous personal anecdotes of individual MIS veterans and their contributions to the war effort, often unrecognized for decades.

Obituaries

• Obituaries, by P.C. Staff, page 7. This issue’s obituary listings include tributes to several members of the Japanese American community who passed away, including WWII veterans and longtime residents of California cities. Survivors and family details are listed for each individual, including Midori Iwata, Shigeo Minabe, and Minoru Uyeda among others.
• Sylvia Sato Garvin Death Notice, page 7. Sylvia Sato Garvin, 91, of Bay Shore, New York, passed away Sept. 6, survived by her husband Lawrence and other family members. She was a longtime member of the New York chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League and in her later years suffered from Alzheimer’s, with calligraphy becoming her primary means of expression.
• Mary Haruko Kadoyama Death Notice, page 7. Mary Haruko Kadoyama of Chicago, beloved wife of the late George Kadoyama, passed away and was remembered by her sons Eugene and Ken and grandchildren Larry and Jennifer. Funeral services were held Sept. 22.
• Dr. Raymond Tatsuno Death Notice, page 7. Dr. Raymond Tatsuno, 82, of Santa Maria, California, passed away July 9 after a career as an optometrist following his graduation from UC Berkeley. He enjoyed family vacations, camping, fishing and photography, and is survived by his wife June and several children and grandchildren.

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