Redress at 20: a series begins, and Tule Lake’s future

Vol. 146, No. 8, May 2, 2008. 16 pages. View this issue

A new series marking 20 years since the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 opened this issue, with the Redress story told through Debee Yamamoto’s profile of Carole Hayashino and John Tateishi’s tribute to Ernest Weiner of the American Jewish Committee. Caroline Aoyagi-Stom reported on descendants of Tule Lake incarceration camp inmates, including Carl Takei and his mother Barbara Takei, who were pushing for HR 2506 to preserve the Tule Lake Segregation Center. The bill had been stuck in committee since June 2007, and page 12 follows up on its progress.

Also inside: the Senate vote on pensions for Filipino WWII veterans, a Chicago Cubs T-shirt mocking Kosuke Fukudome, and an Arizona bill aimed at Ethnic Studies. JACL news covered the national board’s budget cuts, the convention in Salt Lake City, and the Masaoka and Mineta fellowships. Lynda Lin wrote on Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and the Olympic controversies, and Florin JACL’s Manzanar pilgrimage is on page 5.

What’s in this issue

National

• Redress Series: JACL Looks Back at 20 Years Since the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Pacific Citizen launches a series marking the 20th anniversary of the 1988 Civil Liberties Act, which apologized for the WWII internment of Japanese Americans. The series will explore the history and legacy of the Redress movement.
• Tuleans and Their Descendants Hope to Preserve Segregation Site, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. Descendants of Tule Lake internees, including Carl Takei and his mother Barbara Takei, are pushing for federal legislation to preserve the historic Tule Lake Segregation Center as part of the National Park Service. HR 2506 has stalled in committee since June 2007 despite assurances of support from sponsor Rep. John Doolittle.
• Senate Passes Bill Boosting Filipino Vets Benefits, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 1. The Senate approved legislation 96-1 that would establish pensions for Filipino WWII veterans who served alongside Americans, sending the bill to the House. The bill faced objections from some Republicans and the White House, who preferred the money go to soldiers currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• This Year, APA Heritage Month May Be Overshadowed by Olympic Controversies, by Lynda Lin, page 1. As Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebrations continue on college campuses, students grapple with how Olympic-related controversies over China’s human rights record and Tibet affect APA identity. Students interviewed express conflicted feelings about balancing cultural pride with criticism of the Chinese government.
• Racist Cubs T-Shirt, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Chicago Cubs pulled a vendor’s offensive T-shirt mocking player Kosuke Fukudome after complaints poured in from Asian Pacific American groups. The shirt depicted a slanty-eyed bear cub making a racial pun on the phrase ‘Holy Cow.’
• JACL Calls for Accountability from the Chicago Cubs Over Racist T-shirt, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 3. JACL’s Midwest Regional Director Bill Yoshino called on the Chicago Cubs to take an official stance against a racist T-shirt mocking player Kosuke Fukudome. The unlicensed shirt was pulled after Cubs officials discovered it used a trademarked logo, though the incident follows a previous controversy over the team’s use of Rising Sun flag imagery in advertising.
• Arizona Bill Would Bar Teachings Counter to Democracy, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 3. An Arizona legislative panel approved a proposal that would defund Ethnic Studies programs and ban student groups organized around race at public universities. Critics including JACL members say the bill, which passed committee 9-6, would harm cultural awareness organizations like the Asian/Asian Pacific American Students’ Coalition.
• Fallout Continues from CNN Commentator’s Remarks About China, by Associated Press, page 4. A second lawsuit seeking $1.3 billion was filed against CNN and commentator Jack Cafferty over remarks calling the Chinese government ‘goons and thugs.’ Protests occurred outside CNN offices in Los Angeles and Atlanta, and China rejected CNN’s apology as insincere.
• APA Students Want Asian Am Studies Included in Univ. of Maryland’s Strategic Plan, by P.C. Staff, page 4. University of Maryland students are campaigning to have Asian American Studies included in the university’s new strategic plan, arguing its exclusion threatens the program’s future. Student leaders point to peer institutions like Michigan and Berkeley as models for strong AA Studies programs.
• National Newsbytes, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. A roundup of national news briefs covering a new Hmong sportsmen’s club aiming to ease racial tensions in Wisconsin, JACL’s meeting with FOX Chicago over a racist car dealership commercial, an AALDEF amicus brief on voter ID laws, a 20-year sentence for an attack on a Chinese deliveryman, and a golf announcer’s apology for using a racial slur.
• USC Refuses to Take Down Communist Vietnam Flag, by P.C. Staff, page 5. USC has declined to remove the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’s flag despite pressure from Vietnamese American students and activists who say it doesn’t represent their community. Students are demanding the university either add the Freedom and Heritage flag alongside it or remove all flags.
• Conflicted Nationalism: APA Heritage Month Amid Olympic Controversy, by Lynda Lin, page 10. As part of the continuation of the APA Heritage Month feature, young Asian Americans discuss their complex feelings about China’s human rights record and the upcoming Beijing Olympics. Students at UC Berkeley and elsewhere describe balancing cultural pride with concerns about democracy and human rights in China.
• Tule Lake Preservation Bill Stalls in House Committee, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The House companion bill to preserve the Tule Lake Segregation Center, HR 2506, remains stuck in subcommittee since June 2007 despite the Senate version advancing. Descendants and advocates express urgency to pass the preservation legislation before aging former internees pass away, noting Tule Lake’s unique history involving ‘no-no boys’ and renunciants.

JACL

• National Bd. Asks for More Cuts in Proposed 2009-10 Budget, by Lynda Lin, page 1. JACL national board members voted to send the proposed 2009-10 budget back for additional cuts, calling its aggressive membership growth goals too risky. The board adopted reduced membership goals and eliminated a proposed dues increase, with further budget talks scheduled for a May 16 conference call.
• Every Role Is Significant, by Debee Yamamoto, page 3. JACL Director of Public Policy Debee Yamamoto profiles Carole Hayashino, who traces her involvement in the Redress movement back to 1968 and her mentorship under activist Edison Uno. Hayashino reflects on the collaborative, coalition-based nature of the Redress campaign and its lessons for addressing civil rights issues today.
• Deadline Extended for JACL Playwright Award, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The deadline for the Ruby Yoshino Schaar Playwright Award, which honors the JA/Canadian experience, has been extended to May 9. The award, administered by the New York JACL, will announce its biennium winner at the July convention in Salt Lake City.
• JANM’s Annual Dinner Highlights JA Redress Story, Figures Who Made ‘Impossible Dream’ Come True, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Japanese American National Museum’s annual gala dinner brought together key figures from the Redress movement, including John Tateishi, Sen. Daniel Inouye, and former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act. The event also honored the lead attorneys of the coram nobis cases that overturned WWII-era convictions.
• Convention Countdown: Salt Lake City Awaits, by Kathy Aoki, page 7. A longtime JACL member reflects on past national conventions and looks forward to this year’s 40th biennial convention in Salt Lake City, which will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act. The piece highlights convention activities including the oratorical contest, Wing Ding, and Sayonara Banquet.
• JACL Seeks Candidates for Masaoka, Mineta Fellowships, by P.C. Staff, page 7. JACL is accepting applications for the Mike M. Masaoka and Norman Y. Mineta Fellowships, with a May 10 deadline. Both fellowships place students in Washington, D.C. offices to gain public policy experience, with the Masaoka fellowship placing students in congressional offices and the Mineta fellowship focused on JACL’s public policy and safety advocacy work.
• Filipino Veterans Equity Act Advances Through Senate, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The Senate passed the Veterans Benefit Enhancement Act including pensions for Filipino WWII veterans, following lobbying support from JACL and other Asian American organizations. Debee Yamamoto praised the bipartisan effort as JACL members contacted representatives to support the legislation.
• Budget Battle Continues: National Board Demands Further Cuts, by P.C. Staff, page 13. Following the initial rejection of the 2009-10 budget, the JACL national board adopted revised measures including elimination of a dues increase and reduced membership goals. The organization also reported a $17,425 deficit for the second quarter of 2008, its first shortfall in over two bienniums, attributed to declining membership.

Commentary

• A New Leadership Paradigm, by Brian Morishita, page 2. IDC Governor Brian Morishita reflects on his second national board meeting and proposes a new leadership development model for JACL. He argues that ongoing management/leadership training for JACL officers at all levels, similar to corporate training, would help the organization thrive.
• Filmmaker Makes Coach Proud, by Dave Schrager, page 2. A former high school football coach writes in to express pride in filmmaker Tad Nakamura, a former player, following a previous PC article about him. He praises Nakamura’s achievements and his efforts to celebrate his heritage.
• The Principled Politician, by Adam Schrager, page 2. A political reporter responds to a previous letter about former Colorado Gov. Ralph Carr, clarifying that while Carr supported interning non-citizens, he was unwavering in defending the constitutional rights of Nisei citizens. The author argues Carr’s reputation suffered because he stood virtually alone in defending Japanese Americans’ rights during WWII.
• Five Reasons to Support the P.C. ePage Campaign, by Ted Namba, page 2. PSWD PC Board Rep. Ted Namba makes the case for donating to the Pacific Citizen’s annual Spring Campaign, citing the newspaper’s value as a resource for JACL chapters and APA community news. He highlights the publication’s ability to stay under budget despite being understaffed.
• Memoirs of a Non-Geisha: Japan’s Favorite Past Time, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 8. A columnist describes attending a Waseda University baseball game in Japan and reflects on the cultural emphasis on group cooperation evident at the event. She contrasts this with the suppression of a documentary about Yasukuni Shrine, arguing that societal harmony can come at the cost of free expression.
• For the Record: My Life with Ernest Weiner, by John Tateishi, page 8. Former JACL National Director John Tateishi pays tribute to his 30-year friendship with Ernest Weiner of the American Jewish Committee, who is retiring. Tateishi credits Weiner and the AJC’s early endorsement with providing crucial credibility and support for the JACL’s Redress campaign in Congress.
• Morishita: Toward a Leadership Training Model, by Brian Morishita, page 11. Continuing his earlier column, IDC Governor Brian Morishita elaborates on his proposal for a leadership/management training program for JACL national officers and district governors. He argues the organization has the talent pool needed but lacks the organized will to implement such training.
• Namba: Thanks for Supporting the P.C. Spring Campaign, by Ted Namba, page 11. Continuing his earlier column, Ted Namba thanks contributors to the P.C. Spring Campaign for funding the newspaper’s improved website and production processes. He encourages continued donations to support future initiatives including hiring an online reporter.
• For Freedom, by Gary Y. Okihiro, page 16. Columbia University professor Gary Okihiro reflects on the legacy of Japanese American internment and draws parallels to post-9/11 racial profiling of Arab and Asian Americans. He argues that vigilant remembrance and resolve are necessary to prevent history’s civil liberties violations from repeating.
• Tateishi: A Tribute Continued, by John Tateishi, page 16. Continuing his tribute to Ernest Weiner, John Tateishi reflects on Weiner’s character as both a fighter and a man of dignity and honesty. Tateishi describes the profound impact Weiner has had on the JACL community and expresses that such friendships transcend simple goodbyes.

Community

• In the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. A roundup of community news items including Sen. Daniel Inouye downplaying speculation about a Senate Appropriations Committee chairmanship, JACCC’s Chris Aihara receiving a Women of Distinction honor, Kimochi Inc.’s Spirit Award recipients, Mihiri Tillakaratne winning an Outstanding Woman of the Year award, and a Cal State professor winning the Wang Family Excellence Award.
• Florin JACL, Muslim Americans Journey to Manzanar, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Florin JACL partnered with the Council on American Islamic Relations of Sacramento Valley for its third annual Manzanar pilgrimage. The event included a ‘Manzanar After Dark’ program allowing attendees to speak with former internees about historical and current issues facing marginalized communities.
• French Camp JACL Celebrates 60th Anniversary, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The French Camp JACL chapter celebrated its 60th anniversary alongside its annual installation and scholarship luncheon, tracing its roots back to a postwar Nisei organization called the Progressive Society. The chapter installed new officers and awarded its 2008 scholarship to graduating senior Kelsey Hayashi.

Arts & Entertainment

• Kamikaze Uncovered: Risa Morimoto Traces Her Family’s Secret Connection to WWII Pilots, by Lynda Lin, page 9. Filmmaker Risa Morimoto discusses her documentary ‘Wings of Defeat,’ which explores her discovery that her uncle trained as a kamikaze pilot during WWII. The film features interviews with four surviving former kamikaze pilots and challenges stereotypes about their motivations and experiences.

Obituaries

• Ken Kitasako, Longtime Produce Industry Leader, Dies at 101, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Ken Kitasako, former sales manager for the Pismo Oceano Vegetable Exchange and Stanford graduate, died at age 101 in Arroyo Grande. He was interned at Gila River during WWII and later established a memorial scholarship at the Art Center College of Design in honor of his late son Edwin.

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.