The beating of Rashid Alam and the call to remove Rep. Howard Coble

Vol. 136, No. 5, March 21, 2003. 12 pages. View this issue

The beating of Rashid Alam, an 18-year-old Lebanese American attacked in Yorba Linda, California, led this 12-page issue. Martha Nakagawa reported on the case, and JACL joined a dozen or more civil rights and religious groups in calling for a full investigation. JACL also kept up its demand that Rep. Howard Coble resign as chairperson of the homeland security subcommittee after his pro-internment comments. Tracy Uba profiled former pro skateboarder Peggy Oki, and Gil Asakawa opened the annual Spring Campaign appeal.

Chapters in Idaho, Utah and Northern California marked the Day of Remembrance, including a proclamation at the Idaho State Capitol. A bill in California would let former internees receive high school diplomas, and the National Archives put War Relocation Authority records online. Dale Minami was named for the American Bar Association’s Thurgood Marshall Award. Sports pages covered Ichiro Suzuki and the Vancouver Asahi baseball team, and book reviews included Tule Lake.

What’s in this issue

Sports

  • Former Pro Skateboarder Peggy Oki Talks Art, Environmentalism and ‘Dogtown’ Fame, by Tracy Uba, page 1. Peggy Oki, one of the original female members of the legendary Zephyr skateboard team featured in ‘Dogtown and Z-Boys,’ is profiled as she continues skating, surfing, and rock climbing today. Now a fine artist and environmental activist, Oki discusses how her art reflects her passion for protecting dolphins, whales, and the environment.
  • Mariners Manager Must Keep Ichiro Rested, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 7. New Seattle Mariners manager Bob Melvin plans to carefully manage playing time for star right fielder Ichiro Suzuki after he wore down in the final month of last season. Melvin praised Suzuki’s work ethic and mental approach to the game while outlining plans to give him occasional rest days.
  • Bellflower Yonsei to Lead Varsity Team, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Jason Hamada, a senior at Bellflower High School, was named head captain of the varsity baseball team after three years as a starter. Hamada has earned All-League recognition and academic honors while maintaining contact with several college baseball recruitment programs.
  • Fans Who Fought Over Bonds’ 73rd Ball Call It a Tie, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 7. Alex Popov and Patrick Hayashi, who fought over Barry Bonds’ record-setting 73rd home run ball, agreed to sell the souvenir through a St. Louis firm and split the proceeds. The two men reconciled after a judge’s December ruling ordered them to share the sale proceeds, and they now plan a celebration party together.
  • Reds Sign Agbayani to Minor Leagues, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Cincinnati Reds signed outfielder Benny Agbayani to a minor league contract after he was released by the Boston Red Sox. Agbayani will report to the Reds’ major league camp after a mixed spring training performance.
  • Sacramento Asian Sports Foundation to Celebrate 10th Anniversary Tourney, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Sacramento Asian Sports Foundation’s Annual New Year Classic Invitational Basketball Tournament celebrates its 10th anniversary featuring over 180 teams and a cultural exchange with two basketball teams from Matsuyama, Japan. The Japanese teams will also tour Sacramento as part of the sister city cultural exchange program.
  • Redskins Make Offer to Jets’ Morton, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Washington Redskins made a five-year, $8 million offer to Hapa kick returner Chad Morton of the New York Jets as part of their active free agency approach. Morton, who wants more playing time at running back, was told he would get that opportunity with the Redskins.
  • Legendary Asahi Elected to Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, by Michael Hoshiko, page 8. The prewar Vancouver Asahi Baseball Team was elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, with induction ceremonies scheduled for June 2003. The author reminisces about the team’s legendary players and their significance to the Japanese Canadian community before internment scattered the team during World War II.

Commentary

  • The P.C. — The Newspaper That Gives You a Voice, by Gil Asakawa, page 1. P.C. Editorial Board Chair Gil Asakawa announces the Annual P.C. Spring Campaign, explaining that the Pacific Citizen is the only national news source consistently covering Japanese American and Asian Pacific American issues. He appeals to readers for donations to help sustain the newspaper’s operations amid rising costs and limited funding from JACL.
  • Reader Agrees With PSW Council Vote on ‘Under God’, by Hero Shiosaki, page 2. A reader responds to a prior letter debate about removing ‘under God’ from the Pledge of Allegiance, defending George Shiozawa against accusations of religious intolerance. The writer shares a personal story about a Mormon church allowing a Buddhist memorial service for a fallen Nisei soldier as evidence of interfaith respect.
  • Rex Walters Ties to Japanese American Community, by Tom Cakidaré, page 2. A reader adds context to a previous article about former NBA player Rex Walters, noting his deep ties to the Japanese American community through youth basketball leagues in San Jose. Walters played for Nikkei Youth Basketball League and the San Jose Zebras Asian tournament team growing up.
  • An Ongoing Debate, by Tuma, page 2. A reader from Marina Del Rey adds to the ongoing debate about JACL national leadership sparked by earlier letters from George Kodama and Takasumi Kojima. The writer expresses skepticism that the issue will be resolved before the next national convention in Honolulu.
  • A Potpourri Ushered by Nineteen, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Harry Honda reflects on Little Tokyo’s buried 1984 time capsule set to be reopened in 2084, then discusses a PANA-USA New Year’s party featuring South American entertainment and details on the upcoming COPANI XII convention in Bolivia and Peru. He closes with a history lesson on Christianity’s introduction and suppression in Japan.
  • ‘The Greatest Country in the History of the World’, by Ken Inouye, V.P. Public Affairs, page 8. JACL’s Ken Inouye expresses concern that Patriot Act-era detentions of legal residents echo the injustices of WWII Japanese American incarceration, despite his earlier optimism following Redress legislation. He urges JACL members to contact Congress to reinstate due process protections and civil liberties safeguards.

National

  • Arab American Teenager Falls Victim to Brutal Hate Crime Beating, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Rashid Alam, an 18-year-old Lebanese American, was brutally beaten by a mob of attackers yelling racial slurs in Yorba Linda, California, leaving him with skull fractures and a stab wound. Witnesses describe the attack as racially motivated, with police investigating it as a hate crime amid growing community frustration over law enforcement’s handling of such cases.
  • JACL Joins Others in Denouncing Hate Crime Beating of Teen, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. The JACL joined more than a dozen civil rights, ethnic and religious organizations to condemn the beating of Arab American teenager Rashid Alam and called for a thorough investigation. Brea police are leading the investigation while community leaders express frustration over perceived unequal treatment of hate crimes against Muslim and Arab Americans.
  • JACL Continues to Press for Coble Resignation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Nearly two months after Rep. Howard Coble made pro-internment comments, JACL continues demanding his resignation as chairperson of the homeland security subcommittee. Numerous organizations, including congressional caucuses and presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards, have joined in criticizing Coble’s remarks endorsing Japanese American internment.
  • JACL Criticizes Rep. Moran for Anti-Jewish Remark, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 1. JACL joined critics condemning Rep. Jim Moran’s anti-Jewish remarks made at an antiwar event, calling them reprehensible and racist stereotyping. Moran later apologized but refused to resign despite calls from the Jewish community, while JACL drew parallels to Rep. Coble’s unaddressed internment comments.
  • AAs Far From United on Issue of Affirmative Action, by Associated Press, page 3. Asian Americans are divided over affirmative action, as illustrated by two UC Irvine roommates with differing views shaped by their family backgrounds. The debate intensifies ahead of Supreme Court arguments on University of Michigan admissions policies, with Asian advocacy groups filing briefs on both sides.
  • Legislation Would Allow Former JA Internees to Receive H.S. Diplomas, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 3. California Assembly Bill 781, sponsored by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, would allow former Japanese American internees whose education was interrupted by WWII incarceration to finally receive high school diplomas. The bill aims to expand on existing programs like Santa Clara County’s Operation Graduate statewide.
  • WRA Files on JA WWII Internees Now Available on NARA Database, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The National Archives and Records Administration has created an online database containing War Relocation Authority records on Japanese American internees from World War II. The records include personal information such as names, birthplaces, occupations, and camp assignments for internees at the ten relocation centers.
  • Sikh Man Charges NYPD With Discrimination, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. Amric Singh Rathour filed a lawsuit against the NYPD claiming he was fired for wearing a turban and beard, both signs of his Sikh faith. His attorney argues this violates his civil rights, noting that Sikhs have been permitted to serve in other law enforcement agencies internationally.
  • Mineta Back at Desk After Long Absence, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta returned to public duties after a three-month hospital stay for back surgery complications. He made his first public appearance speaking to the American Public Transportation Association after being released from Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
  • Minami to Receive Bar Association Award, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. San Francisco civil rights attorney Dale Minami will receive the American Bar Association’s 2003 Thurgood Marshall Award for his work vacating Fred Korematsu’s wartime conviction and co-founding the Asian Law Caucus. The award will be presented in August at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
  • Immigrant APIs Rally Against Budget Cuts, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. Around 2,000 Asian Pacific Islander immigrants and refugees rallied at the Washington state capital protesting Gov. Gary Locke’s proposed budget cuts to health and social services. Protesters argued cuts to interpreter and mental health services would disproportionately harm immigrant communities.
  • Bankrupt Kmart Courts Asian Shoppers, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. Bankrupt retailer Kmart launched an Asian-language newspaper called Tea Leaf to attract Asian shoppers, though it may have missed its target market in Fresno where most Asians are Hmong rather than Chinese. The publication debuted in several California cities and is part of Kmart’s broader strategy targeting ethnic consumers.
  • Inouye on Homeland Security Budget Panel, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. Sen. Daniel Inouye was appointed to a new Senate Appropriations subcommittee that will determine federal spending for the Department of Homeland Security. Inouye serves as the second-ranking Democratic member on the panel.
  • Japanese Court Throws Out Chinese Forced Labor Suit, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. A Tokyo court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Chinese plaintiffs seeking compensation for being used as forced laborers by Japan during World War II, ruling the government and companies were not liable for individual damages. The plaintiffs’ lawyer said he would appeal the decision to the Tokyo High Court.
  • JACL Presses for Investigation into Alam Beating, by P.C. Staff, page 6. JACL’s Ken Inouye called for an immediate and complete investigation into the beating of Rashid Alam, while Brea police defended their handling of the case citing the complexity of interviewing nearly 50 witnesses. Community leaders including Ron Wakabayashi and Elizabeth Schroeder weighed in on law enforcement accountability for hate crimes.
  • Coble Faces Mounting Pressure Amid Refusal to Resign, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Sen. John Edwards criticized Rep. Howard Coble’s pro-internment remarks as ‘divisive and ill-informed’ and called for his resignation, while Rep. Richard Burr defended Coble against the criticism. JACL continued urging House leadership to force Coble’s resignation from the homeland security subcommittee chairmanship.
  • Rashid Alam Beating Part of Wider Pattern of Attacks, by Martha Nakagawa, page 9. Additional witness accounts detail the brutal attack on Rashid Alam, while CAIR reports similar hate crimes against Muslims in New Jersey and California around the same time. Rashid’s father expresses fear and confusion about his family’s place in America despite living the ‘American dream’ before the attack.
  • Moran Faces Backlash Over Anti-Jewish Remarks, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Rep. Jim Moran faced widespread criticism from the White House, Senate leaders, and Jewish community leaders after suggesting Jewish support was driving the push for war with Iraq. JACL compared the incident to Rep. Coble’s unaddressed internment comments, noting Moran apologized while Coble has not.

Community

  • APAs in the News: Awards, Appointments, Announcements, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Several Asian Pacific Americans received notable appointments and awards, including Donald Chu’s reappointment to the Physical Therapy Board of California and Judge Robert Takasugi’s Judicial Courage Award. Assemblywoman Judy Chu and David Wong were also appointed to state commissions.
  • Boise Valley Chapter Marks Day of Remembrance, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Approximately 40 internees, veterans, and families witnessed Idaho’s second Day of Remembrance Proclamation at the State Capitol, with Gov. Dirk Kempthorne signing the proclamation. Speakers included 442nd veteran Hero Shiosaki and representatives from the Idaho Human Rights Education Center and Minidoka Internment National Monument.
  • Eden Township Chapter Installs 2003 Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Eden Township JACL installed its 2003 officers at a dinner attended by more than 70 members, with KTVU reporter John Sasaki giving the keynote address. George and Jean Nomura received National JACL Silver Pins and Certificates of Appreciation for their years of dedicated community service.
  • Five Chapters Hold 1st Annual Northern California Time of Remembrance, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Five JACL chapters joined forces for the first annual Northern California Time of Remembrance program, drawing over 500 attendees including Muslim, Sikh, and Arab American community members. The event featured panel discussions, an internment exhibit, and dramatic performances by actor Lane Nishikawa.
  • Utah Chapters Honor Medal of Honor Recipient at Day of Remembrance, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Approximately 300 people attended the 2003 Day of Remembrance at Cottonwood High School sponsored by three Utah JACL chapters, honoring Medal of Honor recipient George T. Sakato. Historian Eric Saul delivered the keynote address on the Japanese American WWII experience.
  • Riverside Chapter Holds Installation Luncheon, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Riverside JACL held its installation luncheon featuring remarks on civil rights issues and updates on the Harada House historical landmark from Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge. Re-elected president Michiko Yoshimura and other 2003 officers were sworn in by PSW JACL youth coordinator Gerald Kato.
  • South Bay Chapter Announces Scholarship Applications, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The South Bay JACL announced that applications are open for the Kiichi Egashira Memorial Scholarship and Joseph Hiraoka Memorial Scholarship for students from South Bay area high schools. Applications are due April 4 and JACL membership is required to apply.

JACL

  • Nat’l JACL Youth Confab Set for June 20-22 in St. Louis, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The JACL National Youth/Student Council announced its biennial youth conference for June 20-22 at Washington University in St. Louis, expecting approximately 200 Asian Pacific American youths to attend. The conference will feature workshops, a mentorship luncheon, and a Vision Award banquet honoring an APA who has broken stereotypes.

Arts & Entertainment

  • Author of ‘Farewell to Manzanar’ to Speak at Teacher Training Workshop, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, author of ‘Farewell to Manzanar,’ will speak at a free teacher training workshop at the Japanese American National Museum to help educators incorporate Japanese American WWII history into classroom instruction. California recently distributed 10,000 video kits based on her book to schools and libraries statewide.
  • Book Reviews: Tule Lake, When the Emperor was Divine, and More, by P.C. Staff, page 12. This roundup reviews several new books including Edward Miyakawa’s reissued novel ‘Tule Lake’ about a Kibei law resister, Julie Otsuka’s debut novel ‘When the Emperor was Divine’ about a Berkeley family’s internment, and Frank Chin’s oral history ‘Born in the USA.’ Also featured are essay collections on the Heart Mountain draft resistance movement and a book on Yoshitoshi’s woodblock prints.

Obituaries

  • Community Obituaries, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This issue’s obituary listings include tributes to numerous Japanese American community members who passed away, including WWII veterans, internment camp survivors, and longtime community leaders. Notable entries include Joe H. Norikane, a WWII Resister of Conscience, and Liem Eng Tuai, a former Seattle Superior Court judge and City Council president.
  • Peter Mutsumi Sugawara Death Notice, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Peter M. Sugawara, a 442nd Regimental Combat Team veteran and longtime nurseryman, passed away on March 10 at his home. He was active in numerous horticultural and bonsai organizations and is survived by his sister, four children, and five grandchildren.
  • Kyoko ‘Kay’ Kojima Imamura Death Notice, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Kyoko ‘Kay’ Kojima Imamura, 86, passed away peacefully in Bellingham, Washington, after a life that included internment at Poston, Arizona, with her late husband Shigeo. She was a longtime member of Nichi Bei Fujin Kai and worked at a card shop and later for Nakamichi before retiring in 1981.

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.

More from Issue archive