Same-sex marriage, slurs and a Texas road: October 2004

Vol. 139, No. 8, October 15, 2004. 12 pages. View this issue

Same-sex marriage and Asian Pacific American families led this 12-page issue. Lynda Lin’s cover feature followed LGBT couples who faced discrimination over both race and sexual identity, while Caroline Aoyagi reported that JACL signed on as amicus curiae to an ACLU lawsuit before the Oregon Supreme Court, a decision that kept stirring debate among members. Racial slurs ran through the news as well: Fort Bend County, Texas voted to rename “Jap Road,” and MANAA criticized author Seymour Hersh for using the slur “nips” in a radio interview.

Elsewhere, Stewart David Ikeda wrote about civil liberties and the 2004 election, and Harry Honda covered a conference in Little Rock where more than 1,400 people visited the former Jerome and Rohwer camp sites. The Military Intelligence Service received an American Courage Award. Sports pages covered Ichiro Suzuki’s 262 hits, and a JACL golf tournament for youth. Lynda Lin also interviewed director Zhang Yimou.

What’s in this issue

National

• Family Portraits: LGBT APAs Define Their Own Meaning of Love and Family, by Lynda Lin, page 1. The article explores the experiences of LGBT Asian Pacific American couples who must navigate both racial and sexual identity discrimination, often feeling excluded from both mainstream LGBT communities and their own ethnic communities. It profiles several couples including Vega Subramaniam and Mala Nagarajan, Lance and Stuart Chen-Hayes, and Angeline Acain and Susan Eisenberg as they build families and fight for legal recognition.
• With Little Debate, Fort Bend County, Texas Quickly Votes to Rename ‘Jap Road’, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Fort Bend County, Texas commissioners unanimously voted to rename ‘Jap Road’ to ‘Moore Ranch Road’ after activist Sandra Tanamachi alerted them to the offensive name. The swift decision contrasts with the more than decade-long battle Tanamachi fought to rename a similar road in Jefferson County.
• MANAA Blasts Racial Slurs by Pulitzer Prize Winning Author, by P.C. Staff, page 3. MANAA criticized journalist Seymour Hersh for repeatedly using the slur ‘nips’ during an NPR interview about his book on the Abu Ghraib scandal. MANAA’s Guy Aoki demanded a public clarification, noting the term’s role in dehumanizing Japanese Americans during WWII internment, but Hersh has not responded.
• Gov. Signs Kenny’s Law, Legislation That Provides New Hate Crime Protections, by P.C. Staff, page 3. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 2428, known as Kenny’s Law, providing automatic protective orders for hate crime victims once perpetrators are released. The law is named for Kenneth Chiu, a Taiwanese American teen murdered in a hate crime, whose killer was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
• APAs Are Concerned About Congressional Action on the 9/11 Commission Recommendations, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Asian Pacific American advocacy groups expressed concern that HR 10, meant to implement 9/11 Commission recommendations, includes unrelated provisions harmful to immigrants, including restrictions on habeas corpus review. Rep. Mike Honda and NAPALC’s Karen Narasaki warned the bill conflicts with the Commission’s calls to protect civil liberties.
• University of Michigan’s Admissions Policy Still an Issue in Upcoming Elections, by James Prichard, page 3. More than a year after the Supreme Court struck down the University of Michigan’s points-based admissions formula, the issue remains central to races for the university’s Board of Regents. Candidates are divided over affirmative action, with incumbent Democrats defending diversity efforts and Republican challengers calling for a public vote on admissions policy.
• Matsunaka Fears Voter Backlash After Ads Attack Opponent, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. Democrat Stan Matsunaka, challenging Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, fears backlash from negative ads attacking his opponent that he denies any connection to. The ads, from group Colorado Families First, accuse Musgrave of voting to cut veterans’ benefits.
• California’s Quintessential White Suburbia Now Has Minority Majority, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. New census data shows minorities now make up a majority of residents in Orange County, California, once known as a bastion of white conservatism. Garden Grove exemplifies the shift, now hosting Korean, Tet, and Arab festivals.
• Fargo Mosque Vandalized, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. The Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling for increased police protection at mosques after vandalism incidents, including one in Fargo, North Dakota where feces and tobacco juice were smeared on a mosque door. Similar vandalism has been reported at Islamic centers in Minnesota, Texas, Arizona, New York, Virginia, New Jersey, and Washington D.C.
• NAPALC Presents American Courage Award to MIS, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. The National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium awarded its American Courage Award to the Military Intelligence Service, honoring the 6,000 Japanese American veterans who served during WWII and the Occupation of Japan. Rep. Mike Honda presented the award to Colonel Harry K. Fukuhara at NAPALC’s annual dinner.
• Inouye Challenger Cavasso Faces Big Task, by B.J. Reyes, page 4. Republican Cam Cavasso is mounting a long-shot challenge against seven-term Democratic Senator Daniel Inouye in Hawaii, despite being vastly outspent. Cavasso points to Governor Linda Lingle’s 2002 upset victory as evidence that change is possible in the traditionally Democratic state.
• Texas Road: Orange County’s ‘Jap Lane’ Remains Unchanged, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Following the renaming of ‘Jap Road’ in both Fort Bend and Jefferson Counties, only ‘Jap Lane’ in Orange County, Texas remains, with residents and county commissioners resisting a name change. Attorney Scott Newar, who helped force the Jefferson County change, remains hopeful that Orange County will eventually follow suit.

JACL

• JACL Solidifies Stance Supporting Same-sex Marriage, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. JACL has signed on as amicus curiae to an ACLU lawsuit supporting same-sex marriage before the Oregon Supreme Court, a bold move that continues to spark internal debate. Executive Director John Tateishi defended the decision as consistent with JACL’s civil rights principles despite discomfort among some members.
• Last Chance to Purchase Tickets to Honor the Generations, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Pacific Southwest District is holding a fundraising dinner Oct. 23 celebrating JACL’s 75th anniversary, honoring four generations of Japanese Americans with speakers including Akemi Kikumura-Yano, Warren Furutani, Alayne Yonemoto, and Eric Nakano. Proceeds will benefit the district’s youth programs.
• JACL Lawsuit: Amicus Brief Supports Same-sex Marriage in Oregon, page 6. JACL’s amicus brief in Li vs. Oregon argues that marriage is a fundamental human right that should not be denied to same-sex couples, as the case heads to the Oregon Supreme Court with oral arguments scheduled for Nov. 17. Former JACL president Floyd Mori voiced opposition to the decision, calling the issue divisive, while current leaders defended the stance as consistent with the organization’s civil rights mission.

Community

• Buddhists and Local Residents at Odds Over Proposed Temple, by Lynda Lin, page 1. The California Yuan Yung Buddhist Temple’s plan to build larger facilities in Rowland Heights has sparked fierce opposition from residents citing traffic and safety concerns, despite the county planning commission approving the project. Temple members say the fears are exaggerated and that they only want a quiet place to worship, while opponents plan to appeal to the Board of Supervisors.
• UC Berkeley Names Residence Hall in Honor of Yori Wada, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. UC Berkeley named a residence hall the Yori Wada Apartments in honor of the late civil rights advocate and former UC regent, who died in 1997. Wada was known for his dedication to the Asian Pacific American community in the Bay Area.
• Murase Named New Dept. Director, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom appointed Emily Murase as director for the Department on the Status of Women. Murase previously served as director for International Economic Affairs under the Clinton Administration, preparing policy recommendations on Japan and China.
• Citigroup Hires Miyamoto to Head FX Products, Services Unit, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. Arnold Miyamoto was named the new global head of Citigroup’s New York-based FX business. He previously led Bank of America’s risk management group.
• Chinese Historical Society of America Receives National Trust National Preservation Honor Award, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Chinese Historical Society of America’s museum in San Francisco, housed in a restored 1932 Julia Morgan-designed building, received the National Trust’s Preservation Honor Award. The $1.4 million community-funded renovation preserved the historic YWCA structure while creating a modern museum and learning center.

Commentary

• A Referendum on American Liberty, by Stewart David Ikeda, page 2. Ikeda reflects on a Wisconsin political rally for Senator Russ Feingold and argues that Japanese Americans, given their history of internment, have a special obligation to defend civil liberties threatened by the Patriot Act. He calls the 2004 election a referendum on American liberty and urges Nisei to use their vote to ensure lessons of the past are not forgotten.
• Local Elections — Make Your Vote Count, by Michael Watsuda, page 2. A letter writer argues that local elections deserve as much attention as the presidential race since local officials directly affect daily life through schools, permits, and services. He praises Ken Inouye as a model of bridge-building leadership and urges Japanese Americans to remain engaged voters at the local level.
• Remembering Congressman Horton, by Gerald H., page 2. A letter writer pays tribute to former Congressman Frank Horton, who died at 84, noting his overlooked role as lead sponsor of the resolution creating the first National Asian Pacific American Heritage Week. The writer credits Horton’s connection to the 442nd RCT as inspiration for his advocacy and mourns that this contribution went unmentioned in his obituary.

Sports

• Suzuki Finishes With 262 Hits as Mariners Lose Finale, by Tim Korte, page 7. Ichiro Suzuki closed out his record-breaking season with two more hits, finishing with 262 hits and breaking George Sisler’s 1920 record, though the Mariners lost 3-0 to the Rangers. The game also marked the retirement finale for longtime Mariners DH Edgar Martinez.
• Ishimatsu to Represent U.S. at 2004 Junior World Diving Championships in Brazil, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Tory Ishimatsu, a Los Alamitos High School sophomore, was named to the U.S. Junior National Diving Team after a strong performance at the Speedo Junior National Diving Championships. She will compete at the FINA Junior World Diving Championships in Belem, Brazil after switching from gymnastics to diving following an elbow injury.
• JACL Holds 1st Golf For Youth Tournament, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The first annual JACL Golf For Youth Tournament was held Oct. 9 at Strawberry Farms Golf Club in Irvine, California, drawing JACL leaders including John Tateishi and Ken Inouye. Sho Haga won the tournament’s overall low gross score with a round of 72.
• Yokozuna Musashimaru Honored in Retirement Ceremony, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Former sumo grand champion Musashimaru, born Fiamalu Penitani in Hawaii, was honored in a traditional topknot-cutting retirement ceremony at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan. The Samoan-born wrestler won 12 Emperor’s Cups over his career and was part of a Hawaiian wave that dominated sumo in the 1990s.

In-Depth

• ‘Greatest’ Return of Nisei to Arkansas, by Harry Honda, page 8. Over 1,400 Nisei, Sansei, and Yonsei gathered in Little Rock, Arkansas for a four-day conference organized by the University of Arkansas and the Japanese American National Museum, visiting the former Jerome and Rohwer internment camp sites. The conference featured breakout sessions with scholars and camp survivors discussing topics from MIS linguists to postwar Black-Nikkei relations and the redress movement.

Arts & Entertainment

• Zhang Yimou: China’s Acclaimed Director Talks Love, Sacrifice and ‘House of Flying Daggers’, by Lynda Lin, page 9. Chinese director Zhang Yimou discusses his new film ‘House of Flying Daggers,’ starring Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Andy Lau, which follows his hit film ‘Hero’ with a story emphasizing individual sacrifice for love. Yimou reflects on the pressures of Hollywood-style filmmaking compared to his early career in China’s Fifth Generation film movement.
• Browsing the Bookstores, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 12. This book review column covers three titles: Gil Asakawa’s ‘Being Japanese American,’ a sourcebook on JA identity and culture; Cynthia Kadohata’s young adult novel ‘Kira-Kira’ about a Japanese American family in 1950s Georgia; and ‘Building a Community,’ a history of Japanese Americans in San Mateo County. Each book is summarized for its contribution to understanding Japanese American history and identity.

Obituaries

• Helene Matsunaga, Wife of Late Hawaii Senator, Died at 79, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 11. Helene Hatsumi Matsunaga, widow of the late U.S. Senator Spark Matsunaga of Hawaii, died Sept. 25 from complications of Parkinson’s disease surrounded by family. Her son recalled that she devoted her life to supporting her husband’s political career while holding the family together.
• Benjamin Chuyo Tsutsumoto, page 11. Benjamin Chuyo Tsutsumoto, 75, of Mt. Rainier, Washington, passed away Sept. 8 while hunting for matsutake mushrooms, one of his favorite hobbies. Interned at Minidoka during WWII as a child, he later served in the Korean War, ran his family’s pharmacy for decades, and was an accomplished judoka and outdoorsman.

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