Rep. Howard Coble’s internment remarks and the JACL board meeting

Vol. 136, No. 4, March 7, 2003. 12 pages. View this issue

Rep. Howard Coble’s remarks defending the World War II incarceration (often called internment) ran through this 12-page issue. The Democratic National Committee called for his resignation as a subcommittee chair, JACL joined two dozen groups asking to meet him, and Hawaii’s House Judiciary Committee approved a resolution on the subject. Caroline Aoyagi reported on the JACL national board meeting, where the board voted to explore a legal challenge to the U.S. PATRIOTS Act and worked to close a projected $420,000 revenue shortfall. Martha Nakagawa profiled scholar Hiroshi Kadoike and his search for Kibei Nisei who served in the Japanese military.

Bill Marutani’s East Wind column looked at the Mitsuye Endo case, and Bill Yoshino wrote about Coble from the Midwest. Floyd Mori sent an open letter to the membership, and Gil Asakawa was named the new Pacific Citizen editorial board chairperson. Tracy Uba covered the film Better Luck Tomorrow, and the sports page followed Yao Ming, Michelle Wie and the Vancouver Asahi.

What’s in this issue

National

• JACL to Challenge U.S. PATRIOTS Act, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. At its March 1-2 national board meeting, JACL voted unanimously to explore a legal challenge to the U.S. PATRIOTS Act, citing concerns over civil liberties violations. Officials pointed to the case of Osama Awadallah as an example of the Act’s far-reaching powers, and noted a possible PATRIOTS Act II with even more sweeping provisions.
• Trend of Declining Revenues and Trimming Expenses Continues for 2003, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. The JACL national board worked to address a projected $420,000 revenue shortfall for 2003 by cutting vacant staff positions and adjusting revenue projections while preserving current staffing levels. Officials emphasized the need for members to support fundraising efforts to avoid further cuts.
• Democratic Chair Calls for Resignation, JACL Joins Groups Requesting Meeting With Rep. Coble, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 1. The Democratic National Committee called on Rep. Howard Coble to resign his subcommittee chairmanship after his remarks defending WWII Japanese American internment, while JACL joined two dozen organizations requesting a meeting with Coble. The groups delivered a letter and petitions demanding Coble step down as chair of the House Homeland Security subcommittee.
• Japanese Scholar Continues Search for Kibei Nisei Who Served in Japanese Military, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Nagoya-based scholar Hiroshi Kadoike has interviewed 16 of 20 Kibei Nisei draftees who served in the Japanese military during WWII, with plans to travel to Texas and Denver for more interviews. Kadoike is researching archival records and estimates that 500 to 1,000 Kibei men were drafted into Japan’s military before the war.
• National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 3. Michigan’s Senate unanimously approved Teresa Takai as the first woman and Asian American director of the state’s Department of Information Technology. Separately, Assemblywoman Judy Chu met with Shaquille O’Neal and Lakers executives to discuss increasing cultural sensitivity toward Asian Americans following O’Neal’s remarks about Yao Ming.
• Committee Approves Resolution on Rep. Coble’s Remarks, page 3. Hawaii’s House Judiciary Committee approved a resolution asking House Speaker Dennis Hastert to educate members about Japanese American WWII internment following Coble’s controversial remarks. Rep. Barbara Marumoto, a former internee, urged Coble to reassure minority groups that such actions would never be repeated.
• PATRIOTS Act, CAPPS II, and Other Issues Addressed at JACL Board Meeting, page 5. JACL’s national board addressed multiple civil rights concerns including the proposed PATRIOTS Act II, the CAPPS II airline passenger screening system, and continued pressure for Rep. Coble’s removal. The board also passed resolutions supporting removal of ‘under God’ from the Pledge of Allegiance, opposing the Total Information Awareness System, and supporting Title IX.
• Kadoike’s Research Reveals Details on Kibei Nisei in Japanese Military, by Martha Nakagawa, page 8. Continuing coverage of Hiroshi Kadoike’s research details his examination of Ministry of Defense and Foreign Affairs archives showing government surveillance of Kibei Nisei beginning in the 1930s. Kadoike, who has funded his research largely out of pocket, has been invited to teach a special course on JA WWII experiences at a Japanese high school.

Arts & Entertainment

• Film ‘Better Luck Tomorrow’ Wants Mainstream Success for AAs, by Tracy Uba, page 1. Justin Lin’s independent film ‘Better Luck Tomorrow,’ the first Asian American film to gain distribution after screening at Sundance, is set for limited release in major U.S. cities in April 2003. Cast members and critics discuss the film’s significance in portraying Asian Americans as complex characters rather than stereotypes.
• ‘Better Luck Tomorrow’ Draws Praise and Controversy Over AA Representation, by Tracy Uba, page 9. Continuing coverage of ‘Better Luck Tomorrow’ details its journey from Sundance to nationwide release, including strong reviews from critics like Roger Ebert who praised its complex portrayal of Asian American characters. Director Justin Lin and cast members defend the film’s unflinching depiction of teenage life against criticism that it presents a negative image of the community.

Commentary

• Mori Memo: An Open Letter to the JACL Membership, by Floyd Mori, page 1. JACL National President Floyd Mori writes an open letter urging members to help recruit new members and support the organization financially amid dues increases. He shares a letter he wrote to a former member explaining JACL’s continued relevance, ongoing programs, and financial challenges.
• Response to ‘Whither National JACL? To Live or Die Out?’, by Barbara Takei, page 2. A reader responds to a previous commentary criticizing the Hapa generation, arguing that JACL’s declining membership stems from its failure to embrace multiracial families rather than from out-marriage itself. She describes her own chapter’s efforts to attract multiracial members and challenges other chapters to do the same.
• Religious Freedom for All, by Laurence Swan, page 2. The director of the Interfaith Freedom Foundation expresses alarm over Rep. Howard Coble’s endorsement of Japanese American internment, warning it could legitimize similar treatment of Muslim Americans today. He calls for solidarity with the JA community in defending civil rights and liberties.
• A Story Worth Reporting, by Lee H.W. Frosadr, page 2. A reader highlights the story of Nelson Akagi, a Nisei veteran of the 100th/442nd, as a positive counterpoint to a previous article about a renunciant. The letter recounts the sacrifices of Nisei soldiers that helped pave the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1952 and later redress legislation.
• Pledge of Allegiance, by Stacey I., page 2. A reader provides historical context on the origins of the Pledge of Allegiance, noting that author Francis Bellamy intended it as a unifying, non-religious statement. The letter supports the Ninth Circuit’s ruling that ‘under God’ is unconstitutional, arguing it restores the pledge’s original inclusive intent.
• East Wind: The Fourth Case, by Bill Marutani, page 8. Columnist Bill Marutani examines the Mitsuye Endo Supreme Court case, which differed from the Hirabayashi, Yasui, and Korematsu cases as a habeas corpus challenge to internment. The piece details the legal reasoning of the justices and background on Endo’s attorney and JACL’s role in supporting her case.
• From the Midwest: Rep. Howard Coble and the Price of Dignity, by Bill Yoshino, page 8. Midwest Regional Director Bill Yoshino compares Rep. Howard Coble’s internment remarks to Trent Lott’s segregationist comments, questioning why Coble has faced less public outrage. He argues that APA marginalization in media and politics, along with community reluctance to confront racism publicly, allows such offensive statements to go unpunished.

JACL

• Asakawa Named New P.C. Chair, page 3. Gil Asakawa, a veteran writer and editor with experience at the Denver Post and Rolling Stone, was named the new Pacific Citizen editorial board chairperson. He is also a past president of the Mile-Hi JACL chapter and author of several books on Japanese American history and culture.
• Financial Oversight Committee and Resolutions Approved at National Board Meeting, page 4. The JACL national board approved a Financial Oversight Committee to monitor financial processes and recommended several reforms including revising the personnel manual and establishing an audit committee. The board also passed resolutions on endowment spending policy, investment management with Morgan Stanley, and other financial matters.
• JACL Sets Membership and Fundraising Goals for 2003, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 6. JACL announced a goal of recruiting 2,000 new members in 2003, with specific targets set for each district, alongside plans for a national gala dinner and golf tournament fundraisers. District governors reported on various fundraising challenges and strategies, including gift membership programs and direct mail campaigns.

Community

• UC Riverside Student Newspaper Apologizes for Offensive Cartoon, page 3. The Highlander, UC Riverside’s student newspaper, apologized after publishing a xenophobic cartoon depicting an Asian teaching assistant speaking broken English. Students and faculty condemned the cartoon as racist, prompting the paper to implement new editorial review policies for cartoons.
• APAs in the News, page 3. Several Asian Pacific Americans are recognized for achievements: physicist Michio Kaku will receive an award for public understanding of science, Bill Seki was installed as president of the Japanese American Bar Association, and Herb Watanabe was named Coalinga’s Citizen of the Year. Additionally, a UCLA scholarship was posthumously named after 442nd veteran Hitoshi ‘Moe’ Yonemura.
• Kokoro Kai Receives $5,000 From Behnke, page 6. The Kokoro Kai Adult Day Program received a $5,000 grant from the Behnke Foundation to support its Nutrition Program serving Nikkei seniors in Seattle’s International District. The program provides culturally appropriate meals and social activities three days a week to help seniors maintain independence and wellness.
• Production Company Seeks JAs for ‘Antiques Roadshow’ Special, page 7. Robin/Tani Media Factory is seeking Japanese American participants for a Japanese TV special similar to ‘Antiques Roadshow,’ where people have treasures appraised on camera. The segment, part of the popular Japanese program ‘Nandemo Kanteidan,’ is scheduled to air in April.

Sports

• Sporting News Names Yao in NBA’s Top 25, by Pacific Citizen and Associated Press, page 7. The Sporting News ranked Houston Rockets center Yao Ming 23rd on its list of the NBA’s top 25 players, with Shaquille O’Neal topping the list. Separately, Yao narrowly missed China’s ‘Sportsman of the Year’ award, which went to gymnast Li Xiaopeng.
• Wie Gets Invited to Another LPGA Event, page 7. 13-year-old golf prodigy Michelle Wie received sponsor exemptions to play in three LPGA Tour events in 2003, including the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship. Despite her young age, Wie has already competed against top male golfers and continues to build a strong competitive record.
• Vancouver Asahi Team Elected Into Hall of Fame, page 7. The Vancouver Asahi, a champion baseball team of Japanese Canadians from before WWII, was elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Pete Rose was not selected for the Hall due to failing to meet the required vote threshold.
• Suzuki, Sasaki Look Forward to Opener in Japan, page 7. The Seattle Mariners will open the 2003 season in Tokyo with a two-game series against the Oakland Athletics, marking a homecoming for Japanese stars Ichiro Suzuki and Kazuhiro Sasaki. The Yankees are reportedly also considering opening a future season in Japan following their signing of Hideki Matsui.

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