Immigration plan, Tateishi tribute and the Sierra College camp project

Vol. 144, No. 10, June 1, 2007. 12 pages. View this issue

A Senate immigration proposal that would limit family-based immigration ran through this issue. Lynda Lin and the P.C. staff reported on it, Larry Oda and Rep. Mike Honda criticized it, and John Tateishi called it a racist proposal in his commentary. On the front page, Caroline Aoyagi-Stom wrote about Sierra College’s ‘Standing Guard’ project, which began with professor Rebecca Gregg and records the World War II incarceration (often called internment) of Placer County Japanese Americans through oral histories and pilgrimages. She also covered a San Francisco tribute dinner for Tateishi, where speakers recalled his role in the 1988 Redress campaign.

Other pages cover JACL’s two new staff hires, the national board meeting, and the extended deadline for the Norman Y. Mineta Fellowship. Lynda Lin also reported on German Americans held at Crystal City, Texas. Sports and arts coverage includes Apolo Anton Ohno, Michelle Wie and a profile of filmmaker Frank Lin. The Go For Broke Monument anniversary event is previewed, and Berkeley and Arizona chapters honor scholarship winners.

What’s in this issue

National

• Internment Experience Unites Sierra College and Placer County JAs, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. Sierra College’s ‘Standing Guard’ project, begun by professor Rebecca Gregg six years ago, has documented the WWII internment experience of Placer County Japanese Americans through oral histories, art exhibits, and pilgrimages. The project recently unveiled a Japanese American Remembrance Garden and held an honorary degree ceremony for former JA students whose education was interrupted by the war.
• Asian Pacific American Groups Decry New U.S. Immigration Plan, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 1. A bipartisan Senate immigration proposal supported by the White House would severely restrict family-based immigration categories in favor of a point system favoring higher education and technical skills. JACL National President Larry Oda and other advocates called the plan unfair, warning it would destroy the value of families in immigrant communities’ economic and social lives.
• Army Court Issues Partial Stay in Ehren Watada’s Second Court Martial, by Melanthia Mitchell, page 3. The Army Court of Criminal Appeals issued a partial stay in the planned second court-martial of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, who refused deployment to Iraq, pending review of a double jeopardy argument from his defense attorneys. The stay allows pretrial hearings to continue while the court considers whether the original mistrial was properly declared.
• Minority Groups Say Restaurant’s Ads Still Offensive, by Associated Press, page 3. Asian Pacific American community groups in Tucson say Eggrolls Etc. restaurant owner Michael Reynolds has not done enough to remove racially derisive language from his advertising and menu. Community leaders held a news conference criticizing the restaurant’s mockery of Chinese speech patterns, and a civil rights complaint has been filed with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
• Senate Immigration Bill Tries to Unite Filipino Veteran Families, by Audrey McAvoy, page 3. The U.S. Senate voted 87-9 to amend an immigration bill allowing children of Filipino WWII veterans to join their parents in the United States, an amendment sponsored by Sen. Daniel Akaka. The measure is part of a broader immigration bill that would grant legal status to an estimated 12 million unlawful immigrants while improving border security.
• National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 3. This roundup covers several stories: a college student’s apology for a hate crime beating of Asian teenagers, new Hawaii laws granting diplomas to internment-interrupted students and burial grants for Filipino WWII veterans, bias attacks against Asian casino workers in Connecticut, student impostors at Stanford, the arrest of former AsianWeek columnist Kenneth Eng, and the first non-Hawaiian graduate of Kamehameha Schools Maui.
• Immigration Proposal Would Limit Family Reunification, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The Senate immigration proposal would limit automatic family reunification to spouses and minor children of citizens, making it harder to sponsor adult children, siblings, and parents. Critics including Rep. Mike Honda and Gen Fujioka of the Asian Law Caucus argue this undermines family-based immigration traditions vital to community and economic health.

JACL

• A Fete for Tateishi, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. Hundreds of community leaders gathered in San Francisco to honor former JACL national director John Tateishi at a tribute dinner, praising his decades of civil rights activism including his role in the 1988 Redress Bill campaign. Speakers including Floyd Mori, Larry Oda, Bill Yoshino and Dale Minami lauded his legacy, while Tateishi’s family reflected on his impact on their lives and community activism.
• JACL Acquires Two New Staff Members, by Lynda Lin, page 1. JACL hired Debee Yamamoto as Washington, D.C. representative and Craig Ishii as Pacific Southwest regional director, marking a shift after operating with skeletal staff for two bienniums. The organization closed the second quarter with a $35,451 surplus, though board members note filling positions will be challenging while maintaining a balanced budget.
• JACL Extends Deadline for Norman Y. Mineta Fellowship, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. JACL extended its application deadline for the newly established Norman Y. Mineta Fellowship, based in the Washington, D.C. office and focused on public policy advocacy and child safety programs. The fellowship, funded by State Farm Insurance, offers a stipend of $1,500 to $2,500 monthly for a six-to-ten-month term.
• National Board Meeting Update: Investments and New Hires, by Lynda Lin, page 12. At the JACL national board meeting, officials discussed the organization’s financial health following new staff hires, with Secretary/Treasurer Mark Kobayashi noting the challenge of balancing the budget while adding personnel. The board also announced Ted Tsukahara’s departure as Investment Policy Committee chair and the selection of HighMark Funds as the new investment manager.

In-Depth

• Telling the Whole Story of World War II Internment, by Lynda Lin, page 1. German Americans interned alongside Japanese Americans during WWII, including at the Crystal City, Texas camp, feel their history has been largely forgotten and excluded from mainstream internment narratives. Survivors like Eberhardt Fuhr and advocates are now pushing for recognition and inclusion in history curricula and government acknowledgment through efforts like the Wartime Treatment Study Act.

Commentary

• 10 Excellent Reasons for Donating Money (O-kane) to the P.C. Spring Campaign, by Roger Ozaki, page 2. Roger Ozaki outlines ten reasons why readers should donate to the Pacific Citizen’s Spring Campaign, emphasizing the costs and benefits of maintaining and expanding the newspaper’s website. He argues donations will help the P.C. remain a viable, accessible, and interactive online newspaper as JACL approaches its 80th anniversary.
• Congratu-Asian: Class of 2007, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 8. A graduating UCLA senior reflects on her journey discovering Asian American identity and community activism during college, contrasting it with the lack of AA representation in her earlier education. She thanks fellow API students for shared experiences of political awakening, community-building, and collective outrage over racist incidents during their college years.
• A Racist Immigration Proposal, by John Tateishi, page 8. John Tateishi argues that the current Senate immigration proposal, which eliminates family reunification categories, is a racist measure targeting Asian and Latino immigrants disguised as bipartisan reform. He contends immigrants contribute significantly to the economy and that the proposal aims to curb the growth of Asian and Latino populations in America.

Community

• New Report Illuminates AA Priorities for 2008 Elections, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. AALDEF released findings from its nonpartisan exit poll of over 4,700 Asian American voters across nine states during the 2006 midterm elections, revealing continued Democratic support and shared political concerns like the economy and immigration. The report also found many AA voters faced language barriers and voting obstacles at the polls.
• Army Historian to Address Go For Broke Anniversary Event, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. Dr. James C. McNaughton, author of a book on Japanese American MIS translators during WWII, will speak at the eighth anniversary Go For Broke Monument Tribute in Los Angeles. His book fulfills a longtime effort by Sens. Akaka and Inouye to document the contributions of Nisei linguists in the Military Intelligence Service.
• APAs in the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. This roundup features several notable APA individuals and achievements: Doris Koo honored for housing development leadership, Iris Yamashita to be honored for her ‘Iwo Jima’ screenwriting, Ralph Lazo posthumously honored by LAUSD for his Manzanar solidarity, My-Le Jacqueline Duong appointed to Santa Clara County Superior Court, Mari K. Oye named a Presidential Scholar, and Senators Inouye and Matsui endorsing Hillary Clinton for president.
• Berkeley JACL Honors Young Leaders, Pioneers, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. The Berkeley JACL awarded scholarships to five high school seniors and posthumously honored community pioneer Amy Maniwa with the 2007 Pioneer Award for her decades of service including founding Nikkei senior programs. Maniwa’s son Kaz accepted the award on her behalf at the ceremony.
• Arizona Chapter Holds 46th Annual Sara Hutchings and Gold Saguaro Tribute Awards Luncheon, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. The Arizona JACL awarded $1,000 Sara Hutchings Clardy scholarships to six local high school students at its 46th annual luncheon. Past chapter presidents George Kishiyama and John Sakata were also honored with Gold Saguaro Tribute Awards for over 50 years of community contributions.

Arts & Entertainment

• Spreading the Power of Doyo, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. Greg Irwin, an American performer, has become an unofficial ambassador of Japanese children’s songs called doyo, translating them into English and performing them internationally. Irwin discusses his unconventional path from a difficult childhood to becoming a recognized doyo performer, winning the first-ever Doyo Culture Prize.
• Taking Comedy to the Very Edge, by Lynda Lin, page 9. Filmmaker Frank Lin discusses making his first feature film ‘American Fusion,’ a romantic comedy inspired by his own dysfunctional family, including securing unexpected funding from his landlady. The film also features Pat Morita’s last role before his 2005 death, with Lin recounting stories of Morita’s comedic dedication and views on addressing racism through humor.

Sports

• Newly Crowned ‘Dancing’ King Ohno Plans to Skate in 2010 Olympics, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 7. Speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno won season four of ‘Dancing With the Stars’ with partner Julianne Hough, becoming only the second athlete to win the competition. Ohno confirmed plans to compete in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics while continuing to train in his sport.
• Michelle Wie to Return to PGA Tour Event, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 7. Michelle Wie accepted a sponsor’s exemption to play in the John Deere Classic for the third consecutive year as she continues trying to make a cut in a men’s PGA event. She has struggled with injuries and poor performance in recent tournaments, having not made a cut in six PGA Tour starts.
• PSW District Holds 2nd Annual Golf Tournament, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The PSW JACL held its second annual golf tournament at San Juan Hills Golf Club with 50 golfers competing in five divisions. Greg Sato won the Men’s ‘A’ Flight class.

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