Vol. 135, No. 1, July 5, 2002. 12 pages. View this issue
The national convention in Las Vegas, June 25-30, filled this 12-page issue. Caroline Aoyagi reported on civil rights attorney Morris Dees, who keynoted the sayonara banquet and received the Edison Uno Civil Rights Award. Martha Nakagawa covered the council floor: resolutions, the Program for Action, constitution and bylaws changes, the 2003-2004 budget, and the first meeting of the new national board under President Floyd Mori. A tribute dinner honored George Inagaki, Saburo Kido and Mike Masaoka for their leadership during the World War II incarceration (often called internment).
Also inside: the election results, an awards luncheon where Harry Honda was recognized for 50 years with JACL and the Pacific Citizen, and a youth luncheon with anti-tobacco activist Patrick Reynolds. Workshops on hate crimes, leadership and media advocacy are summarized, and the Japanese American of the Biennium winners are named. Letters on page 2 take up eBay’s use of a slur and the Vincent Chin case.
What’s in this issue
JACL
- Civil Rights Attorney Morris Dees Keynotes JACL Sayonara Banquet, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Morris Dees, founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center, keynoted the JACL sayonara banquet at the national convention in Las Vegas and received the Edison Uno Civil Rights Award. He praised JACL’s support for Arab and Muslim Americans after 9-11 and spoke about the community’s history of civil rights struggle.
- Council Votes on Resolutions, Updates Program for Action, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. The 2002 JACL national convention resolutions session ran smoothly compared to the controversial 2000 Monterey convention. Delegates debated resolutions including one relating to the Boy Scouts of America’s discrimination policies, with amendments proposed regarding sexual orientation and gender identity.
- JACL Honors Wartime Leaders, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. JACL held a tribute dinner during its national convention honoring three wartime leaders: George Inagaki, Saburo Kido, and Mike Masaoka, who guided the Japanese American community through WWII internment. Speakers including Rep. Mike Honda and National President Floyd Mori praised their courage and vision despite ongoing controversy over their cooperation with the government.
- JACL National Council Updates Constitution/Bylaws, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. At the national convention, the constitution and bylaws committee, chaired by Paul Uyehara, reinstated a two-step voting process for amendments requiring both council approval and ratification. A counting discrepancy involving extra ballots was addressed and did not affect the outcome of any amendments.
- Newly Elected National Board Holds First Meeting, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. The newly elected 2003-2004 JACL national board met for the first time on June 30, with President Floyd Mori emphasizing membership growth as a major focus. The board also thanked the Las Vegas chapter and discussed plans including a partnership with the JACL Credit Union.
- Election Results, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The article lists the vote totals for newly elected JACL national board positions from the 2002 convention, including Floyd Mori for president and other officers. Results are given for vice president positions, national youth council chair, and national youth representative.
- JACL Sets Budget for 2003-2004 Biennium, by Martha Nakagawa, page 6. The 2003-2004 JACL budget presented by National Secretary/Treasurer Art Koga was adopted with little opposition, including an amendment increasing funding for youth programs. Delegates debated fund allocations after youth representatives pushed for a bylaws amendment addressing youth program funding, which ultimately did not pass but influenced budget discussions.
- Hate Crimes, Leadership and Media Advocacy Highlight Convention Workshops, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The JACL national convention featured numerous workshops covering topics such as Asian Pacific American entrepreneurship, leadership development, hate crimes response strategies, Census data, long-term care, planned giving, Social Security, and bicultural marriages. Presenters included community leaders, government officials, and professionals from various fields.
- JACL Honors Members and Chapters at Awards Luncheon, by P.C. Staff, page 7. At the national convention awards luncheon, the Arizona chapter won the George Inagaki Chapter Citizenship Award for its community activities, while Carol Kawamoto and Andy Noguchi were named JACLers of the Biennium. Harry Honda received a special recognition award for 50 years of dedication to JACL and the Pacific Citizen.
- Resolutions Session Addresses Emergency Resolutions and Program for Action, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The convention resolutions committee considered several emergency resolutions including recognition of Japanese American WWII veterans, eliminating offensive team mascots, and a proposed recreation center at Little Tokyo’s First Street North block, the latter proving contentious. The Program for Action for 2003-2004 was also adopted with several amendments regarding public affairs, finance, and planning sections.
- JACL Sayonara Banquet Honors Japanese American of the Biennium Winners, by P.C. Staff, page 12. At the sayonara banquet, astronaut Daniel M. Tani, WNBA player Lindsey Yamasaki, and businessman Wayne Nakamura were honored as Japanese American of the Biennium in their respective categories. The award, JACL’s highest public honor, recognized their achievements in science, sports, and business, with acceptance messages sent via video from Tani and Yamasaki who could not attend.
Commentary
- Highlights From the Las Vegas National Convention, page 2. A letter writer reflects on the impressive public speaking abilities of younger JACL members at the Las Vegas convention and expresses confidence in the organization’s future leadership. The writer also highlights the hate crimes workshop and Morris Dees’ keynote as important convention moments.
- eBay’s Use of ‘Jap’, by Tanabe, page 2. A letter writer argues that eBay should stop allowing the use of the word ‘Jap’ on its platform, citing Webster’s dictionary definition of the term as a disparaging slur. The writer considers the dictionary an authoritative source that should compel eBay to act.
- Re: Vincent Chin, page 2. A letter responds to a previous article about the murder of Vincent Chin, disputing characterizations of the killers and discussing whether the crime was racially motivated against Chinese versus Japanese Americans. The writer cites New York Times and Detroit News reporting about the killers’ use of racial slurs and the judge’s controversial sentencing.
Arts & Entertainment
- Anti-tobacco Activist Patrick Reynolds Keynotes National Youth Luncheon, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 7. Patrick Reynolds, grandson of tobacco company founder R.J. Reynolds, keynoted the JACL youth luncheon and praised the organization for refusing Philip Morris funding. He discussed the dangers of smoking among Asian American youth and his work with the Foundation for a Smokefree America.
In-Depth
- Salute Dinner Honors Inagaki, Kido and Masaoka’s Wartime Leadership, by P.C. Staff, page 9. The salute dinner, sponsored by the Sacramento JACL in memory of Toko Fujii, honored George Inagaki, Saburo Kido, and Mike Masaoka for their leadership during the difficult WWII internment years. Speakers including Patrick Okura, Jerry Enomoto, and Sen. Daniel Inouye via videotape praised the three men’s courage despite facing criticism for their controversial wartime decisions.
Obituaries
- Toshio Ike, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Toshio Ike, 74, of Gardena passed away June 16, survived by daughters Marcia Tofukuji and Heidi Gee, sons Jesse and Darrin Ike, and several grandchildren. He was Isleton-born and is remembered by his extended family.
- Hisashi Saiki, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Hisashi Saiki, 81, passed away June 11 at his residence after a short illness; born in San Francisco in 1921, he was a professional gardener in the East Bay for his entire life. A longtime member of the Berkeley JACL chapter known as ‘Sunshine,’ he spent time at the Topaz internment camp with his father and is survived by his sister and other relatives.
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.