A presidential town hall with no candidates, and JACL’s budget

Vol. 146, No. 10, June 6, 2008. 16 pages. View this issue

A May 17 presidential town hall in Irvine, Calif., organized by APIAVote, drew no candidates in person, and Lynda Lin reported on the disappointment that followed. Obama phoned in, Clinton appeared by satellite and McCain sent a surrogate. Lin also covered the JACL national board’s passage of a 2009-10 budget, which depends on full participation to reverse a steep membership decline. Another story followed 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, whose future was still unsettled seven months after a judge blocked a second court-martial.

Caroline Aoyagi-Stom wrote about WWII belly tanks from the ‘Lost Battalion’ rescue by the 100th/442nd RCT, found in France and bound for a Texas museum. Floyd Mori previewed the Salt Lake City convention and the 20th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act, and Heidi Tanakatsubo set out a redress timeline that begins with Executive Order 9066. A restored Antelope Valley pioneer memorial and Seattle’s new Wing Luke Museum also made the pages.

What’s in this issue

National

• Another Case of APA Amnesia? Candidates Skip Historic Town Hall, by Lynda Lin, page 1. A May 17 presidential town hall organized by APIAVote in Irvine, Calif. was billed as historic but no candidates appeared in person, with Obama phoning in, Clinton appearing via satellite, and McCain sending a surrogate. Attendees like Cindy Yang expressed disappointment that the event failed to deliver genuine dialogue between APA communities and the candidates.
• 1st Lt. Watada’s Future Still a Mystery, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 1. Seven months after a federal judge blocked a second court-martial of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada for refusing deployment to Iraq, the Army has not filed any new paperwork, leaving Watada in limbo. Watada continues to work in an administrative position at Fort Lewis while his case remains unresolved and his father hopes for a resolution.
• Events to Mark Anniversary of Interracial Marriage, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 3. Loving Day celebrations are being held nationwide to commemorate the anniversary of the 1967 Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court decision legalizing interracial marriage, this year in memory of Mildred Loving who died in May. The Loving Day Project is also sponsoring its first Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.
• Filipino WWII Veterans Hope Congress Approves Long-sought Benefits, by Mark Niesse, Associated Press Writer, page 3. About 50 Filipino WWII veterans met with Sen. Daniel Akaka hoping Congress will finally grant them full veteran pension benefits after a Senate bill passed in April awaits House action. Filipino veterans, who fought for the U.S. during WWII but had pensions revoked in 1946, say they are running out of time to receive the recognition they deserve.
• APA Groups Mark National HIV and AIDS Awareness Day, page 4. Asian Pacific American groups commemorated the fourth annual National Asian Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on May 19, highlighting that HIV/AIDS rates among APAs have risen faster than any other ethnic group. The Banyan Tree Project launched a new PSA featuring James Kyson Lee and Joan Chen to combat stigma and encourage testing.
• National Newsbytes, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. Brief news items cover President Bush considering national monument status for Pearl Harbor, a pro-internment letter that spurred a Portland JACL response, the historic designation of Little Tokyo’s Aoyama Tree, the East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center groundbreaking, and fears of gentrification following the sale of the Little Tokyo Shopping Center to Korean American investors.
• Makers of ‘Horry Kow’ T-shirt Plan to Sue, page 5. Manufacturers of the racially offensive ‘Horry Kow’ T-shirt mocking Cubs player Kosuke Fukudome reportedly plan to sue the Chicago Cubs over First Amendment rights after the team tried to ban the shirt’s sale outside Wrigley Field. Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney said the team will fight any lawsuit and continues to oppose the offensive merchandise.
• Watada Continues to Await Army Decision, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 10. Ehren Watada remains in an administrative position at Fort Lewis as his attorneys continue talks with the Army following the blocked second court-martial. Watada’s father Bob Watada hopes for a resolution soon, as his son faces up to six years in prison if eventually convicted.
• APIA Vote Town Hall Sparks Debate Over Candidate Engagement, page 13. Following the candidate-less APIAVote town hall, community members and organizers reflected on decades of efforts to make presidential candidates more accountable to APA voters, comparing it to past exclusions like the 2008 Iowa Brown and Black Presidential Forum controversy. JACL leaders including PSW District Gov. Alayne Yonemoto emphasized the importance of continued political engagement to maintain a seat at the table.

In-Depth

• From France to Texas: WWII Belly Tanks from ‘Lost Battalion’ Saga Discovered in Vosges Mountains, Donated to U.S. Museum, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. French historian Gerome Villain discovered P-47 belly tanks in the Vosges Mountains that were used to drop supplies to the trapped ‘Lost Battalion’ rescued by the 100th/442nd RCT in 1944. With help from FedEx and U.S. officials, two belly tanks were shipped to the Texas Military Forces Museum for a July exhibit unveiling.
• Belly Tanks Bring JA Legacy and Texas Division Story to New Museum Exhibit, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 11. The discovery and transport of WWII belly tanks used to resupply the ‘Lost Battalion’ will be commemorated with a July exhibit at the Texas Military Forces Museum, honoring the shared history of the 36th Texas Division, the 100th/442nd RCT, and the 405th Fighter Squadron. JAVA leaders including Terry Shima and Kelly Kuwayama plan to attend and share personal connections to the rescue.
• Exploring JA Heritage in California’s Monterey Region, page 16. Preserving California’s Japantowns hosted a June 7 public forum in Monterey to raise awareness of Japanese American heritage sites in the Greater Monterey Region, including Castroville Japanese Schoolhouse, the Monterey JACL Hall, and the Redman-Hirahara House. JACL National President Larry Oda, a Monterey native, shared his family’s history in the area’s fishing industry.

JACL

• Nat’l Bd. Passes Proposed 2009-10 Budget, by Lynda Lin, page 1. The JACL national board passed a 2009-10 budget requiring full participation from members and staff to meet ambitious revenue and membership goals, including recruiting hundreds of new members and a $50,000 annual board fundraiser. Board members expressed cautious optimism while noting the aggressive targets needed to reverse a steep membership decline.
• There’s Still Time to Become the Next Masaoka Fellow, page 6. JACL extended the deadline to June 15 for the Mike M. Masaoka Fellowship, which places a student in a Congressional office to learn public policy while receiving a stipend. The fellowship honors Masaoka’s legacy of public service and prioritizes applicants committed to APA and Japanese American issues.
• Mentorship Sessions and Workshops to Highlight Nat’l JACL Youth Convention, by Craig Ishii, page 6. The National JACL Youth Convention, part of the larger convention in Salt Lake City, will feature mentorship sessions pairing youth with delegates to explain the resolution and decision-making process. The event includes workshops, social activities, and trips, with early bird registration due June 30.
• JACL Budget Requires Full Participation to Meet Membership Goals, by Lynda Lin, page 10. The revised 2009-10 JACL budget, discussed in a follow-up conference call, includes increased fundraising goals for the Washington D.C. Gala Dinner to help balance finances amid declining membership. Board members including Mark Kobayashi and Larry Oda expressed both optimism and concern about the ambitious targets needed to reverse membership losses.
• JAVA Awards Inaugural Scholarships, page 16. The Japanese American Veterans Association awarded its first memorial scholarships to four high school seniors, selected from 37 applicants, at a May 17 luncheon in Falls Church, Virginia. Winners included Daniel E. Minamide, Kelly A. Osajima, Chelsea M. Nagata, and Sara K. Trowbridge, honoring JAVA veterans like Orville C. Shirey and Jack Tashiro.

Commentary

• National Director’s Report: See You in Salt Lake City, by Floyd Mori, page 2. Floyd Mori previews the 2008 National JACL Convention in Salt Lake City, highlighting the Sayonara Banquet keynote by NASA astronaut Dan Tani and thanking convention organizers. He reflects on past conventions held in Salt Lake City and notes this year’s convention will focus on the 20th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.
• An Organization at Risk, by Steve Okamoto and Stanley N. Kanzaki, page 2. The authors express concern that only five JACL members are running unopposed for national office ahead of the convention, raising questions about the organization’s leadership pipeline. They encourage members to consider running as late filers or nominees from the national council floor.
• Good to the Last Drop, by Lisa Hanasono, page 2. A graduate student describes her love for the Pacific Citizen’s website as part of her Monday morning routine and appeals to readers to donate to the paper’s Spring Campaign. She outlines reasons to support the publication, including its focus on APA issues and its small, overworked staff.
• Article Brings Reader to Tears, by Robert J. Greene, page 2. A reader writes that a Pacific Citizen article about APA groups applauding the California Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage decision was the only piece among many that moved him to tears. He expresses disappointment with Associate Justice Ming W. Chin’s opposing vote and thanks the APA community and JACL for their involvement.
• A Redress Timeline, by Heidi Tanakatsubo, page 4. JACL’s National V.P. of Public Affairs provides an abbreviated timeline of key events from Executive Order 9066 in 1942 through the passage of the 1988 Civil Liberties Act, drawing on the article ‘The Japanese American Incarceration: The Journey to Redress.’ The timeline traces the legislative and grassroots efforts that led to redress payments for Japanese Americans.
• Quo Vadis?, by John Tateishi, page 8. The immediate past JACL national director discusses the unresolved national board debate over the proposed budget and whether the national director should be based in Washington, D.C. rather than San Francisco headquarters. Tateishi argues that being in D.C. is crucial for building relationships with funders, policymakers, and other organizations.
• The Peace and Quiet of Yasukuni Shrine, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 8. The author recounts her first visit to Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine, expecting to witness the political controversy often depicted in media but instead finding an ordinary, peaceful atmosphere. She reflects on her disappointment and discomfort with the shrine’s sanitized narrative of Japan’s wartime history.
• Hanasono: Supporting the Pacific Citizen’s Spring Campaign, by Lisa Hanasono, page 12. Continuing her appeal from page 2, Hanasono outlines additional reasons to donate to the Pacific Citizen’s Spring Campaign, including its support for APA youth, its combined print and web presence, and its small understaffed team. She urges readers to contribute to help the paper continue serving as a vital thread connecting the APA community.
• Mori: Convention Offers Opportunity for Local Participation, by Floyd Mori, page 12. Continuing his column from page 2, Mori encourages local JACL members, especially those in the Intermountain District, to take advantage of the nearby convention to participate in JACL’s workings. He lists ongoing JACL projects including fund development, youth programs, and civic engagement efforts.

Community

• Former Internees Get Their Relayed UW Degrees, page 3. Norman Sato and several hundred other Japanese Americans forced to leave the University of Washington during WWII received honorary degrees from the university on May 17. Sato, who spent six months at Minidoka before serving in the 442nd RCT, said he never returned to finish his studies after the war.
• APAs in the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. This roundup covers Kristi Yamaguchi winning ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ Sen. Daniel Inouye’s marriage to Irene Hirano, Ambassador Ryozo Kato receiving JAVA’s top award, Jason Jackson’s appointment by Gov. Schwarzenegger, Dr. James Yamazaki’s award for radiation research, and former Army chaplain James Yee’s selection as an Obama delegate.
• Tulare County Students Win First Ever Chance to Represent Calif. at National History Day Competition, page 5. Five students from Kings River Elementary School in Tulare County won top honors at the California State History Competition for projects on Manzanar photographers Ansel Adams and Toyo Miyatake, and on the Holocaust, but need financial help to attend the national competition at the University of Maryland. This marks the first time Tulare County will be represented at the national contest.
• Restoration of Cemetery Memorial a Balm for a WWII Injustice, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 6. A monument honoring Antelope Valley’s Japanese American pioneers, originally erected in 1938 and vandalized during WWII incarceration, has been restored and rededicated at Lancaster Cemetery on May 17. Cemetery marketing director Dayle DeBry led the restoration effort with community and student support, raising $4,000 to right the decades-old wrong.
• From D.C. to L.A., Tribute to Internees is Unveiled, page 6. A permanent donor wall tribute to former Japanese American internees was unveiled May 31 at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, replicating elements of the Washington D.C. memorial including a sculpture of cranes entangled in barbed wire. The wall honors Go For Broke veterans who secured federal legislation for the original D.C. memorial.
• Berkeley JACL Awards Grants, Scholarships, page 7. The Berkeley JACL Endowment Fund awarded grants to three community organizations including the Oakland-Fukuoka Sister City Association and the Northern California Ki Society, and gave over $5,300 in scholarships to five high school seniors. The chapter also honored retired professor Ted Jitodai with its 2008 Pioneer Award.
• Portland JA Community Honors Its High School Students, page 7. The Portland Japanese American community celebrated its 60th High School Graduation Banquet, awarding over $20,000 in scholarships to 17 seniors, an event dating back to 1949 at Epworth United Methodist Church. This year’s master of ceremonies was Loen Dozono, and keynote speaker was historian Jane Komeiji.
• SELANOCO JACL Announces New Scholarship in Honor of Hiromi Ueha, page 7. The SELANOCO chapter of JACL and the Ueha family established a $1,000 memorial scholarship honoring Hiromi Ueha, a former national board member and chapter leader who died suddenly in 2006. The scholarship targets students facing hardships such as single parenting, with applications due June 30.
• New Wing Luke Museum Opens, page 12. The Wing Luke Asian Museum opened its new permanent home in Seattle’s Chinatown/International District after a $23.2 million rehabilitation of the historic East Kong Yick Building. The museum, named after the first APA elected official in the Northwest, includes new galleries and youth spaces.

Arts & Entertainment

• Marié Digby, By Way of YouTube, by Lynda Lin, page 9. Singer-songwriter Marié Digby discusses her rise to fame through self-made YouTube videos, her debut album ‘Unfold’ debuting at No. 29 on Billboard, and her Japanese and Irish heritage. She reflects on her upbringing with Japanese school, her mother’s influence, and her journey from a Hollywood Records deal to viral success.

Obituaries

• Fumi Kita, page 15. Fumi Kita, 92, of Salinas, Calif., passed away, survived by daughters Patricia Fukumura and Christina Kageyama, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and sister Kiyio Yoshida. She was the widow of the late Dr. Harry Y. Kita.
• George H. Kido, page 15. George H. Kido, 83, a World War II MIS veteran who served in Japan, passed away May 22 surrounded by family after a brief illness. He was the beloved husband of 55 years to Grace and is survived by numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews, with services held in Chicago.

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