Vol. 140, No. 2, February 4, 2005. 12 pages. View this issue
Anger over a racial slur ran through this issue. Lynda Lin reported that HOT 97 FM suspended its morning show team after a tsunami parody song filled with racial slurs, while protests continued. Caroline Aoyagi followed activist Sandra Tanamachi’s push to rename two ‘Jap Lane’ roads in Lawrence County, Tennessee, after her success in Texas. On the front page, Aoyagi also wrote about the death of former JACL National President Patrick K. Okura at 93, and Lynda Lin covered Texas Rep. Hubert Vo defending his 33-vote win. Commentary pieces mourned Congressman Robert Matsui.
Elsewhere, siblings Tom Okumura and Mary Kitahara received high school diplomas 62 years after their schooling was cut short by the World War II incarceration at Heart Mountain. Cynthia Kadohata’s Newbery Medal for Kira-Kira is the subject of an interview, and a page 3 story previews JACL’s 76th anniversary gala with Kristi Yamaguchi. Sports pages cover Timmy Chang and a Las Vegas sumo tournament.
What’s in this issue
National
- Radio Station Under Fire for Tsunami Parody Song, by Lynda Lin, page 1. HOT 97 FM suspended its ‘Morning Show’ team, including DJ Miss Jones, after an on-air tsunami parody song filled with racial slurs sparked outrage among Asian Pacific Americans and other listeners. Despite apologies and the suspension, protests continued as activists demanded full accountability and the firing of those responsible.
- From Texas to Tennessee, Fight to Rename ‘Jap’ Roads Continues, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Activist Sandra Tanamachi, after successfully renaming several ‘Jap Road’ signs in Texas, is now campaigning to change two ‘Jap Lane’ road names in Lawrence County, Tennessee. Local officials have resisted the change, though some WWII veterans support renaming the roads to honor Japanese American soldiers.
- Connerly Leaves UC Board With Warning: Don’t Bring Back Affirmative Action, by Michelle Locke, page 3. Ward Connerly completed his term as University of California regent with a final warning against reinstating affirmative action admissions policies. Known for dismantling UC’s affirmative action system and championing Proposition 209, Connerly is now pursuing a similar ballot initiative in Michigan.
- Texas’ First Vietnamese American State Legislator Defends Election Victory, by Lynda Lin, page 3. Hubert Vo, Texas’ first Vietnamese American state legislator, is fighting to defend his narrow 33-vote election victory against a challenge from former Republican incumbent Talmadge Heflin. A House committee is reviewing evidence of alleged illegal votes before making a recommendation on whether to uphold the election results.
- Doris Matsui’s Bid for Late Husband’s Seat Follows Tradition, by Jim Wasserman, page 3. Doris Matsui announced her campaign to succeed her late husband, Rep. Robert Matsui, in a special election, following a long tradition of congressional widows succeeding their husbands. Political experts note the historical advantages such candidates have had in winning office since 1923.
- National Newsbytes, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. This roundup covers multiple national stories including a bill introduced by Sen. Inouye and others to upgrade the tsunami warning system, reintroduction of the Akaka Bill for Native Hawaiian recognition, and challenges faced by multiracial patients seeking bone marrow matches. Additional items cover a proposal to eliminate New Hampshire’s hate crime laws and Japan’s plan to dissolve its compensation fund for WWII sex slaves by 2007.
- Forum to Take Up JLA Redress Issues, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Assembly of Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians will host a two-day conference in San Francisco focused on redress issues for Japanese, German, and Italian Americans and Latin Americans interned during WWII. The ‘Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied’ conference will gather personal testimonies for submission to Congress and human rights organizations.
- Minorities, A&F Employees Eligible for Settlement, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Former Abercrombie & Fitch employees and job applicants who faced racial or gender discrimination may be eligible for payment from a $40 million class action settlement. Claim forms must be postmarked by March 25, 2005, and the settlement also requires reforms to the company’s hiring and promotion practices.
JACL
- Former JACL Nat’l President Patrick K. Okura Passes at Age 93, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Patrick K. Okura, a longtime JACL leader and pioneer in Asian American mental health advocacy, died Jan. 30 after a lengthy illness at age 93. He served JACL for over 65 years, including as national president, and co-founded the Okura Mental Health Leadership Foundation with his wife Lily.
- Membership Challenge, by Edwin Endow, page 1. JACL Vice President of Membership Edwin Endow urges every member to recruit just one new person to join the organization to address a critical membership decline. He outlines the benefits of membership and a recruitment package being distributed to help chapters reach this goal.
- Olympic Gold Medalist Yamaguchi to Present Awards at JACL 76th Anniversary Gala Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi will serve as honorary chair for JACL’s 76th anniversary ‘Spirit of 76’ gala dinner on April 2 in Danville, California. The event will honor Legacy and Hikari award recipients and raise funds for JACL’s youth development and civil rights programs.
Commentary
- Remembering Congressman Robert Matsui, by Walter “Tadashi” Kawamoto, Ph.D., page 2. The Florin JACL chapter mourns the passing of Congressman Robert Matsui, praising his legacy as a leader who championed redress for Japanese Americans interned during WWII. The letter highlights his dedication to his Sacramento district and his enduring relationship with local JACL members.
- Gaman: Hushing Us to Live in Conformity, by Alexis Hisaka, page 5. Youth columnist Alexis Hisaka examines the Japanese cultural concept of ‘gaman,’ or enduring hardship with patience, and argues it can suppress self-expression and communication among Japanese Americans. She reflects on her own experiences with conformity and calls for JAs to embrace honesty and direct communication rather than silence.
- Golfing for a Good Cause, by Floyd Mori, page 5. JACL Tournament Chairman Floyd Mori reflects on his lifelong love of sports and golf, and recounts the success of the first annual JACL Golf Tournament held in Irvine, California, which raised funds for youth programs. He thanks sponsors including George Aratani and announces next year’s tournament date of June 20.
- When the JPNZ Say ‘Jap’, by Gil Asakawa, page 8. Columnist Gil Asakawa discusses efforts to remove the racially charged term ‘Jap’ from public use in America, including road renamings and corporate apologies. He recounts a disturbing exchange with a Japanese website editor who dismissed concerns about the term’s offensiveness, highlighting a cultural disconnect between Japanese and Japanese American perspectives.
- JACL’s Year in Education, by Bill Yoshino, page 8. Midwest Regional Director Bill Yoshino reviews JACL’s 2004 education initiatives, including revisions to its curriculum guide and a grant-funded project addressing bigotry against South Asians, Muslims, and Arabs post-9/11. The project included teacher workshops and produced a lesson plan booklet used to promote civil rights education nationwide.
Community
- News Briefs, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. This briefs section highlights several community achievements, including Assemblymember George Nakano’s announced 2006 state Senate bid and Raymond Uno’s upcoming Inspiration Award from the American Bar Association. Other honorees include Deborah Ikeda as a college dean, Sandra Tanamachi receiving a JAVA award, UCLA professors winning a community partnership prize, Yuri Kochiyama’s memoir award, authors Kimberly and Kaleigh Komatsu winning a book award, and Jason Kamiya’s promotion to major general.
- Making History, JAVA Elects All Post-WWII Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 5. For the first time in its 12-year history, the Japanese American Veterans Association elected an entire slate of officers from the post-WWII generation, led by returning president Bert Mizusawa. New officers include Vice President Thomas Mukai, Secretary Dave Buto, and Treasurer Earl Takeguchi, all with distinguished military careers.
- California Nisei Project Helps Former Internees Receive Long-Delayed Diplomas, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Siblings Tom Okumura and Mary Kitahara, whose education was interrupted by WWII internment at Heart Mountain, finally received their high school diplomas 62 years later thanks to Assembly Bill 781 and the California Nisei Project. The law allows school districts to retroactively issue diplomas to those forced from school due to wartime removal.
- Watsonville-Santa Cruz JACL to Present ‘Camp Dance’, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Watsonville-Santa Cruz JACL will host ‘The Camp Dance: The Music and the Memories’ on April 2, featuring performances by Mary Kageyama Nomura, known as the ‘Songbird of Manzanar,’ and other musicians. The event is a nostalgic look at the lighter moments of Japanese American life during WWII internment.
Sports
- Hawaii’s Chang Trying to Prove He’s NFL Ready, by Jaymes Song, page 7. University of Hawaii quarterback Timmy Chang, the NCAA’s all-time leader in passing yards, is working to convince NFL scouts he deserves a shot at the pros despite concerns about his height and interception totals. Scouts and coaches acknowledge his talent, though he is expected to be a late-round pick at best in the April draft.
- Sumo Holding Three-Day Tournament in Las Vegas, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 7. The Japan Sumo Association will stage a three-day sumo tournament at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas in October, marking the first U.S. sumo event in 20 years. The tournament will feature top wrestlers including grand champion Asashoryu and is expected to sell out its 12,000-seat venue.
- Wie to Play in LPGA Under Revised Criteria, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 7. Fifteen-year-old golfer Michelle Wie has accepted an invitation to play in the LPGA Championship after the tournament expanded its field to include a leading amateur spot. This means Wie is likely to compete in all four women’s golf majors this year.
Arts & Entertainment
- Tracing Sparkly Stories, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Author Cynthia Kadohata discusses winning the prestigious John Newbery Medal for her novel ‘Kira-Kira,’ a story loosely based on her childhood as a Japanese American growing up in the South. In an interview, she reflects on her writing process, the challenges of writing for children, and her journey to publication after numerous rejections.
Obituaries
- Shigeya Kihara, Taught at First Army Language School, Dies at 90, by Associated Press, page 11. Shigeya Kihara, the last surviving original instructor of the U.S. Army’s first Japanese language school established in 1941, died Jan. 16 at age 90. Despite being exempted from internment due to his teaching role, his family was interned during WWII; he went on to lead foreign language program development until his 1974 retirement.
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