Lt. Ehren Watada’s second court-martial and the comfort women resolution

Vol. 145, No. 3, August 3, 2007. 12 pages. View this issue

A second court-martial for 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, set for Oct. 9 after his first trial ended in a mistrial, ran alongside coverage of the U.S. House resolution urging Japan to apologize for forcing women into sexual slavery in World War II. Larry Oda, JACL President, wrote about what he saw as misconceptions in the comfort women debate, and Leo H. Fosoda asked who the true heroes are, pointing to the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team. On the front page, Lynda Lin told how Pete Smith was rescued as a toddler during the Korean War.

Also inside: the renaming of a Santa Rosa park for winemaker Kanaye Nagasawa, John Tateishi on the grassroots machinery behind redress and the Civil Liberties Act, a documentary about the unsolved 1970 murder of Berkeley officer Ron Tsukamoto, and a profile of golfer Zack Miller. Scholarship winners from Snake River and Ventura County JACL chapters are also listed.

What’s in this issue

National

• In the Hell of War, Compassion Blossomed, by Lynda Lin, page 1. Pete Smith was rescued as a toddler in 1950 by U.S. Army soldiers of the 728th Military Police Company during the Korean War and was raised by the unit before being adopted by Sgt. John Wesley Smith. In 2004 he reunited with the soldiers who cared for him and learned the full story of the men he now calls his fathers.
• Pushing the Limits of Endurance, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. Mark Tanaka, a 40-year-old ER physician and father, is a top competitor on the ultrarunning circuit, recently placing first in the Kettle Moraine 100-mile run in Wisconsin. He balances family life and a demanding medical career with an intense running addiction that keeps him pushing his limits despite past health scares.
• Finally a Reprieve in an Immigration Nightmare, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. Akiko Campbell’s hardship waiver was approved after more than six months of separation from her husband Keith in Florida due to an immigration paperwork error. She and her two sons are now preparing to return to the U.S., though she remains cautious until she actually crosses the border.
• JACL Condemns Race-Based Beach Beating, by P.C. Staff, page 3. An East Indian man was allegedly attacked by a South Lake Tahoe couple because of his race at El Dorado Beach in California. The couple was cited for misdemeanor battery and a hate crime, with JACL and other APA groups sending letters to local authorities.
• AAJA Slams Universal Press Syndicate for Pat Oliphant’s Latest Cartoon, by P.C. Staff, page 3. AAJA sent a letter to Universal Press Syndicate opposing a racist cartoon by Pat Oliphant depicting a white couple eating scraps outside a Chinese restaurant with a stereotyped Chinese character. The cartoon drew criticism for perpetuating offensive Asian stereotypes.
• Group Files Complaint Against UT Over Race-Based Admissions, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Project on Fair Representation filed a complaint against the University of Texas at Austin alleging its admissions process violates federal anti-discrimination law by considering race. The complaint challenges the holistic review process used for students not automatically admitted under the state’s top-percent law.
• Intimidation Sparks Showdown Between Muslim Couple and Neighbors, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A Muslim couple in Auburn, Maine reported being subjected to racial taunts and threats from neighbors after moving into their apartment. Police escorted the couple to a hotel, though no charges were filed despite the intimidation.
• After 7-year Legal Battle, Chinese Parents Regain Custody of Daughter in Memphis, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A Chinese couple regained legal custody of their eight-year-old daughter after a seven-year fight against foster parents who had sought to adopt her. The court found the biological parents were penalized for not understanding the American legal system when they temporarily placed their daughter in foster care.
• U.S. House Passes Resolution Demanding Japan Apologize for WWII Sex Slaves, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 3. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution urging Japan to formally apologize for forcing women into sexual slavery during World War II, sponsored by Rep. Mike Honda. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the resolution regrettable, saying Japan had already addressed the issue, while Korean American groups celebrated its passage.
• MANAA Blasts Rob Schneider for Offensive Racial Caricature in ‘Chuck & Larry’, by P.C. Staff, page 3. MANAA criticized Rob Schneider’s yellowface portrayal of a stereotypical Japanese minister in the film ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry.’ The organization pointed out Schneider’s history of perpetuating Asian stereotypes and contrasted his lack of sensitivity with his own objections to anti-Semitic remarks.
• Taguba Cited for Military Accomplishments and Community Service, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Retired Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba received an American by Choice award during a naturalization ceremony at the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. Taguba, who led the Abu Ghraib prison investigation in 2004, recently retired after a 34-year military career.
• Court-martial is Now Set for Oct. 9, by Associated Press, page 5. Lt. Ehren Watada’s second court-martial for refusing to deploy to Iraq has been rescheduled to Oct. 9 after his first trial ended in a mistrial. His new lawyers are arguing double jeopardy protections should prevent a retrial.
• Nagasawa Community Park Dedication Honors California’s First Japanese American Winemaker, by Lynda Lin, page 12. Seventy-four years after his death, Kanaye Nagasawa, the pioneering ‘Baron of Fountaingrove’ vintner, was honored when a 33-acre Santa Rosa park was renamed in his honor. Nagasawa’s descendants lost the land due to Alien Land Laws and were later interned during WWII, making the dedication a bittersweet tribute led by the Sonoma County JACL and community leaders.

Community

• 74 Years Later, an Honor for California’s First Japanese American Winemaker, by Lynda Lin, page 1. The Sonoma County JACL and community leaders successfully campaigned to rename a Santa Rosa park after Kanaye Nagasawa, the pioneering Japanese American vintner who once owned the land as part of the Fountaingrove winery estate. Nagasawa’s descendants lost the property decades ago due to Alien Land Laws, making the dedication a poignant tribute to his legacy.
• Snake River JACL Recognizes its Scholars, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Snake River JACL chapter awarded $2,000 scholarships to Stephen Heleker, Kayla Yano and Marcus Heleker at their 2007 graduation banquet. The honorees were celebrated alongside their families.
• Umemoto Takes ‘Miss Washington’ Title, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Elyse Umemoto became the first woman of Native American and Japanese American descent to win the Miss Washington pageant, running on a platform of embracing diversity and empowering women. She will go on to compete in the Miss America contest in Las Vegas.
• Ventura County JACL Names Scholarship Winners, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A reception at the Japanese American Christian Chapel honored outstanding Ventura County high school scholarship winners. Nine students were recognized for their achievements.

Commentary

• Misconceptions of the ‘Comfort Women’ Issue, by Larry Oda, page 2. JACL President Larry Oda argues that House Resolution 121 mischaracterizes Japan’s response to the comfort women issue, noting that multiple Japanese prime ministers have already issued apologies and that compensation funds were established. He contends the resolution ignores these actions and risks damaging U.S.-Japan relations.
• PSWD Welcomes New JACL RD, by Craig Ishii, page 2. Craig Ishii introduces himself as the new PSWD regional director, describing his background at UCLA and involvement with the Nikkei Student Union that led him to JACL. He outlines his goals for the position including diversity education, community development, and civil rights advocacy.
• 442: The True Heroes, by Leo H. Fosoda, page 2. A WWII MIS and Korean War veteran questions whether Lt. Ehren Watada’s refusal to deploy to Iraq deserves the same praise as the WWII resisters, arguing the resisters had a clear civil rights objective. He asserts that the true heroes are the members of the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team whose valor changed public perception of Japanese Americans.
• Why ‘Jap’ Offends Me, by Maya Yamazaki, page 5. Maya Yamazaki argues that anti-Asian racial slurs like ‘Jap’ and ‘Chink’ carry serious weight despite being used casually or in comedy, unlike the widely recognized offensiveness of the N-word. She contends these slurs lack the historical context understanding needed and calls for personal responsibility in avoiding their casual use.
• The Grassroots Machinery, by John Tateishi, page 8. Former JACL National Director John Tateishi recounts the origins of the redress campaign’s grassroots lobbying machinery, which began in 1979 with local resolutions and evolved into a coordinated national strategy. He credits early JACL volunteers, especially in the Midwest, for building the coalition that ultimately secured passage of the Civil Liberties Act.
• Sawtelle Junkie, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 8. Yumi Sakugawa reflects on her deep connection to Sawtelle Boulevard, a Japanese enclave in West Los Angeles, from her college days to working there as a sushi waitress after graduation. She recalls the community of Japanese international students she befriended before her upcoming move to Japan to teach English.

JACL

• Shimomura, Former JACL Nat’l President, Gets Nomination for Judgeship, by P.C. Staff, page 4. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger nominated former JACL National President Floyd Shimomura for a judgeship in Sacramento or Yolo counties. Shimomura, who served as JACL national president in 1982, recently retired as executive officer of the California State Personnel Board.
• JACL to Honor True Champions at Gala, by P.C. Staff, page 5. JACL will hold its first major Gala Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 12, honoring individuals and corporations who have championed JACL and APA community causes. Honorees include Japanese Ambassador Ryozo Kato, Sen. Daniel Inouye, Sen. Larry Craig, and Karen Narasaki, with George Takei as master of ceremonies.

Arts & Entertainment

• Yang Nabs Top Award for Graphic Novel, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel ‘American Born Chinese’ won the Eisner Award for best graphic album at Comic-Con 2007. The novel follows a young Chinese American boy navigating identity as one of few Asian students in a suburban school.
• Officer Tsukamoto Documentary Asks New Questions About Unsolved 1970 Murder, by Lynda Lin, page 9. Filmmaker Ling Liu’s documentary ‘Officer Tsukamoto’ explores the life and unsolved 1970 murder of Ron Tsukamoto, Berkeley’s first Japanese American police officer, killed amid tensions between police and groups like the Black Panthers. The film features interviews with Tsukamoto’s family, activists, detectives, and even a former suspect, as the case remains officially closed without resolution.

Sports

• Next Stop: PGA, by Lynda Lin, page 7. Yonsei golfer Zack Miller led Stanford’s men’s golf team to its first NCAA championship in 13 years and is now turning professional, drawing comparisons to former Stanford golfer Tiger Woods. In an interview, Miller discusses his golf journey, his grandfather’s influence, and his plans to qualify for the PGA Tour.

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