Racial slurs, Day of Remembrance and a 2004 election push

Vol. 138, No. 3, February 20, 2004. 12 pages. View this issue

A racial slur in national advertising led this issue. AT&T Wireless and Channel Guide Magazine used “Jap” as the abbreviation for Japan, drew criticism from JACL and other Asian American groups, and promised to correct it. Caroline Aoyagi also spoke with journalist Frank Moritsugu about the forced internment of 23,000 Japanese Canadians and the redress campaign that followed. Deborah Kong reported on Asian American groups, JACL among them, releasing a joint platform for the 2004 election.

The House Judiciary Committee approved Rep. Mike Honda’s resolution recognizing the Day of Remembrance, and Reverend John Oda wrote about Executive Order 9066 and the National Day of Solidarity. Three college freshmen, Brigham Walker, Nikiko Masumoto and Emily Teruya, wrote about youth and JACL. The sports pages followed Hideki Matsui, Paul Kariya and Michelle Wie.

What’s in this issue

National

• AT&T Wireless and ‘Channel Guide Magazine’ Criticized for Use of ‘Jap’, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. AT&T Wireless and Channel Guide Magazine faced criticism from JACL and Asian American groups for using the racial slur ‘Jap’ as an abbreviation for Japan in national ads and program listings. Both organizations quickly apologized and promised to correct the abbreviation to ‘Jpn’ and prevent future errors.
• Feeling Overlooked, Asian Americans Try to Raise Political Profile, by Deborah Kong, AP Minority Issues Writer, page 1. Asian American activists are working to raise their political profile in the 2004 presidential election, releasing a joint platform of priorities from 18 groups including JACL. The effort aims to combat the perception that Asian Americans are being overlooked by candidates despite their significant voting power in key states.
• National Meeting of JA and Japanese Leaders Held to Discuss U.S.-Japan Relations, by P.C. Staff, page 3. An historic meeting in Washington D.C. brought together Japanese American leaders, Japanese Consuls General, and government representatives to strengthen U.S.-Japan relations, led by Ambassador Ryozo Kato and Sen. Daniel Inouye. The meeting included discussion of a continuing program sending Sansei/Yonsei delegations to Japan, with the next trip planned for March 2004.
• OCA Passes Resolution in Protest of ‘Chink’s Steaks’ Restaurant, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Organization of Chinese Americans passed a resolution supporting the renaming of a Philadelphia cheesesteak restaurant called ‘Chink’s Steaks,’ named after its late owner’s childhood nickname. OCA leaders called the name extremely offensive and part of a broader campaign, joined by JACL, to eliminate racist commercial branding.
• House Judiciary Committee Approves Honda’s Day of Remembrance Resolution, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The House Judiciary Committee approved Rep. Mike Honda’s resolution recognizing Feb. 19 as a Day of Remembrance for Americans wrongfully incarcerated during WWII due to their ancestry. The resolution also addresses injustices suffered by German and Italian American communities and will next go to the full House for consideration.
• National Newsbytes, by Associated Press and Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. This roundup covers several national stories: a petition protesting Dodge’s use of the Hawaiian word ‘Kahuna’ for a concept car, Jackson Mississippi’s potential move against the Patriot Act, a federal judge ruling Florida’s race-based contract program unconstitutional, University of Colorado College Republicans backing down from a race-based bake sale protest, and Muslim voter registration efforts nationwide.
• Applications Down Under University of Michigan’s New Undergraduate Formula, by Sarah Freeman, Associated Press Writer, page 4. Following the Supreme Court’s decision striking down the University of Michigan’s race-based admissions point system, applications from black, Hispanic and American Indian students dropped 23 percent. Officials say it’s too early to draw firm conclusions as the university continues reviewing applications under its new policy.
• Feeling Overlooked, Asian Americans Try to Raise Political Profile (continued), by Deborah Kong, AP Minority Issues Writer, page 11. The continuation details the 75-page agenda released by Asian American groups addressing poverty, affirmative action, hate crimes, and immigration reform. It also describes the separate 80-20 initiative seeking to unify 80 percent of Asian American votes behind a single presidential candidate.

Obituaries

• Community Mourns Passing of Jeanne Honda, Wife of California Congressman, and Fred Hirasuna, JACL Leader, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Jeanne Honda, wife of U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, passed away at 61 after being diagnosed with a rare cancer; she survived the Hiroshima atomic bombing as a child and became a teacher. Longtime JACL leader Fred Hirasuna also passed away at 96 in Fresno after a fall, having been a founding member representing the Fresno chapter at JACL’s first national convention in 1930.

In-Depth

• Japanese Canadians Recall WWII Experience, Lessons For Today, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Journalist Frank Moritsugu recounts the forced internment of 23,000 Japanese Canadians during WWII, noting how Canadian policy split families apart and was in some ways harsher than the Japanese American experience. He discusses the eventual redress campaign and draws parallels to the treatment of Muslim and Arab Americans today.

Commentary

• Hate Finally Hits Home, by Andrea K. Parker, page 1. The author describes her shock upon learning of a hate crime near her University of Iowa campus, where an Asian female student and her Caucasian boyfriend were attacked with racial slurs. She reflects on statistics showing hate crimes were rare in Iowa City and describes her involvement with the Asian American Coalition’s response to the incident.
• National Day of Solidarity, by Reverend John Oda, page 2. A letter writer draws parallels between the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans under Executive Order 9066 and the current scapegoating of Muslim, Arab, and South Asian immigrants. He calls on readers to participate in the third National Day of Solidarity on Feb. 20 to resist discrimination against these communities.
• JACL Must Focus on JAs, page 2. An 81-year-old Nisei letter writer criticizes JACL for becoming too politically partisan and too closely aligned with the ACLU’s broader civil rights agenda. He argues JACL should refocus on Japanese American-specific issues, similar to how the NAACP focuses on black causes, or risk losing relevance and membership.
• Japanese Americans on the Fringe, by Brigham Walker, page 5. A biracial college freshman reflects on his complicated relationship to Japanese American identity, noting that he grew up knowing his family’s history without living the cultural experience firsthand. He suggests JACL could better engage young families by directly reaching out to children with culturally-oriented activities and events.
• Trust in the Youth, by Nikiko Masumoto, page 5. A UC Berkeley freshman argues that JACL must genuinely engage youth as autonomous leaders rather than treating them paternalistically if the organization wants to survive. She calls for open dialogue about issues important to younger generations, including sexuality, identity and stereotypes, alongside continued education about internment history.
• What’s at Stake?, by Emily Teruya, page 5. The author describes discovering that UC Berkeley’s library had only one book about Pearl Harbor written by someone with a Japanese surname, prompting reflection on the importance of diverse representation in scholarship about the JA experience. She argues that each person’s story adds necessary perspective to a comprehensive understanding of history that shouldn’t be dominated by a single narrative.
• Words Americans of Japanese Ancestry Live By, by Mas Hashimoto, page 8. The author reflects on core Japanese values passed down by Issei parents, including concepts like giri, on, gaman, and shikata ga nai, alongside deep reverence for the U.S. Constitution despite the WWII incarceration experience. He honors the sacrifices of Nisei soldiers who fought for the country that had imprisoned their families.
• Did Allegations of ‘Black Dragon’ Ties Spur FBI to Round Up Issei Leaders in WWII?, by Hugh Burleson, page 8. The author examines historical records suggesting the FBI’s wartime roundup of Issei community leaders may have stemmed from exaggerated and inaccurate claims about the influence of the Japanese ultranationalist Black Dragon Society in the United States. Research into original Kokuryukai sources reveals the group’s focus was on continental Asian expansion, not organizing Japanese American communities.

Sports

• NASCAR Will Not Penalize Driver Jimmy Spencer For Anti-Japanese Remarks, by Associated Press and Pacific Citizen Staff, page 3. NASCAR declined to penalize driver Jimmy Spencer after he made disparaging comments referencing Pearl Harbor while criticizing Toyota’s entry into truck racing. Toyota representatives defended the company’s American investment and commitment to the sport despite Spencer’s remarks.
• Kariya Starting to Find Rhythm With Avalanche, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Colorado Avalanche forward Paul Kariya is regaining his shooting touch after returning from a 31-game absence due to a sprained wrist. Kariya credits playing alongside Joe Sakic for easing pressure on him while the team continues working toward consistency in the playoff race.
• Wie Youngest Ever on a Youthful U.S. Team, by P.C. Staff, page 7. 14-year-old Michelle Wie of Hawaii was selected to the U.S. Curtis Cup team, making her the youngest player in the competition’s 72-year history. Wie has already made headlines by competing against professionals on both the LPGA and PGA Tours.
• American Sumo Wrestler Sentoryu Retires, by P.C. Staff, page 7. American sumo wrestler Sentoryu, born Henry Armstrong Miller in St. Louis, formally retired in a traditional ceremony in Tokyo attended by former wrestlers Akebono and Konishiki. He plans to pursue a career in K-1 combat sports, following the path of fellow American Akebono.
• Arizona JACLer Wins Gold in Power Lifting, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Teri Ishimatsu, a member of the Arizona JACL chapter, won an individual gold medal at the AAU World Power Lifting Championship in Laughlin, Nevada. She set new World and American records in the Push/Pull event for her age and weight division.
• Yao Ming Replaces Bryant as McDonald’s Spokesman, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Houston Rockets star Yao Ming became McDonald’s new global spokesman after the company let Kobe Bryant’s contract expire following his sexual assault charges. McDonald’s cited Yao’s international appeal and character as reasons for the multiyear sponsorship deal.
• Matsui Leaves Japan for Second Major League Season, by P.C. Staff, page 7. New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui departed Japan to begin preparations for his second major league season after a successful rookie campaign that included a trip to the World Series. He will return to Japan in late March for season-opening games in Tokyo against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
• Four Japanese Networks to Televise Major League Games, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Four Japanese television networks acquired rights to broadcast Major League Baseball games this year, continuing coverage that has grown alongside Japanese players in MLB. The season opens with games between the Yankees and Devil Rays in Tokyo on March 30-31.
• Matsui Arrives at Mets Spring Training Camp, by P.C. Staff, page 7. New York Mets infielder Kaz Matsui arrived at spring training in Florida after signing a three-year, $20.1 million contract. He described his familiarity with the training schedule, noting similarities to Japan’s spring training timeline.

Community

• Paul Osaki Appointed to Asian Pacific Islander Affairs Commission, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Paul Osaki, executive director of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center in Northern California, was appointed to California’s Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs Commission. Assemblymember George Nakano praised Osaki as a valuable representative for the Japanese American community and Northern California.
• APAs in the News, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This roundup covers recent achievements including Assemblymember Judy Chu’s appointment as chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, Oscar Solis becoming the nation’s first Filipino American Roman Catholic bishop, and Assemblyman George Nakano’s reappointment as chair of the California Democratic State Assembly Caucus.
• NCWNP District Fundraiser to Honor 20 JACLers, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The NCWNP district will hold a fundraiser dinner on March 27 honoring 20 ‘Unsung Heroes’ from various JACL chapters with Legacy Awards, celebrating JACL’s 75th anniversary. Actor George Takei will serve as keynote speaker and broadcast journalist Jan Yanehiro will emcee the event at the Blackhawk Auto Museum.
• NCWNP District Hosts Mochi Making and Film Screening to Promote JACL Youth, by Katie Soe, page 6. JACL youth from the NCWNP district gathered at Penryn Buddhist Church for a mochi-making event and a screening of the documentary ‘A Most Unlikely Hero,’ about a Japanese American’s civil rights victory against the U.S. Marine Corps. The event included discussion about youth’s role in fighting discrimination today.
• Japanese American Korean War Vets Honor Fred Hoshiyama with Roast and Tribute, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Fred Hoshiyama, a YMCA Hall of Fame inductee and longtime Japanese American community fixture, was honored at the Japanese American Korean War Veterans’ eighth annual installation banquet. Over 140 attendees participated in the roast and tribute, and new officers for 2004 were also announced at the event.

JACL

• JACL Announces April 1st Deadline for Masaoka Fellowship Applications, by P.C. Staff, page 6. JACL is accepting applications for its Mike M. Masaoka Fellowship, which places students in Congressional offices for hands-on public policy experience with an $8,500 stipend. The fellowship honors Masaoka’s legacy of public service and prioritizes candidates committed to Asian Pacific American issues.

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.