Young voters, a Minidoka feedlot fight and Portland’s lost Japantown

Vol. 147, No. 2, July 18, 2008. 16 pages. View this issue

Young Asian Pacific Americans in the 2008 presidential race were the main subject, with Todd Kushigemachi profiling activists who started Asian Americans for McCain and Asian Americans for Obama. Two other stories ran on the front page. Caroline Aoyagi-Stom reported that a judge sent a 13,000-heifer feedlot permit back to the Jerome County Commissioners, with former internees and JACL leaders worried about the Minidoka Historic Site. Lynda Lin asked whether Portland’s Japantown, lost to the World War II incarceration (often called internment), could return if Uwajimaya builds a new supermarket there.

Elsewhere are a Senate bill to study the Tule Lake Segregation Center, plans to mark 20 years of the Civil Liberties Act and a new Sgt. Rock series about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Harry Honda wrote about visiting Amache, and Lynda Lin reviewed the documentary Passing Poston. The Nisei Week schedule, a Louisiana English-only graduation proposal and Olympic coverage fill the rest.

What’s in this issue

National

• Young APAs Get Involved in 2008 Presidential Campaigns, by Todd Kushigemachi, page 1. Young Asian Pacific Americans are actively campaigning for both Obama and McCain, forming grassroots groups like Asian Americans for McCain and Asian Americans for Obama. These young activists are motivated by candidates’ personal backgrounds, policy positions, and a desire to increase political engagement within the APA community.
• Controversial Minidoka Feedlot Proposal Still Alive, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. A district judge reversed the Jerome County Commissioners’ decision to deny a permit for a 13,000-heifer feedlot near the Minidoka Historic Site, forcing the board to revisit the issue. Former internees and JACL leaders express concern about the impact of the feedlot on the historic site’s integrity and atmosphere.
• Louisiana School Officials Propose Requiring English at Graduations, by Todd Kushigemachi, page 1. Two Vietnamese American co-valedictorians who spoke some Vietnamese during their commencement speeches sparked controversy, prompting Louisiana school officials to propose requiring English-only graduation speeches. APA organizations including JACL and VAYLA-NO have protested the proposal as discriminatory toward multicultural students.
• Jerome County to Revisit Controversial Feedlot Issue, page 2. Following a judge’s ruling against Jerome County Commissioners, the board must reconsider a permit for a 13,000-heifer feedlot near the Minidoka National Historic Site. Community members, JACL officials, and former internees express strong concerns about odor, environmental impact, and disrespect to the historic site.
• New Report Examines Causes of N.Y. Chinatown Troubles, page 3. A report by the Asian American Federation of New York found that Chinatown’s economic recovery since 9/11 has lagged due to price-based competition, poor business practices, and noncompliance with labor laws. The report recommends improving business conditions and pursuing community development to boost the area’s economy.
• Group Says Anti-Affirmative Action Ban Will Be On Ballots, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 3. Supporters of proposed bans on affirmative action have gathered enough signatures to place the measure on ballots in Nebraska and Arizona, though opponents have filed lawsuits alleging voter fraud. The debate continues over how affirmative action affects different APA communities, with some benefiting from race-neutral policies while others, like Southeast Asian immigrants, still need such programs.
• Asian Plurality at Top Public School Raises Questions About Admissions Policy, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. For the first time, incoming freshmen at Thomas Jefferson High School, a prestigious magnet school, will include more Asian American students than white students. The shift has sparked debate about admissions policies and the underrepresentation of black and Hispanic students despite race-neutral criteria.
• Minnesota’s Hmong Community Especially Hard-hit by Economy, page 4. Minnesota’s Hmong community faces severe economic hardship due to rising costs and stagnant low-wage jobs, with many losing homes and doubling up in housing. Language barriers and limited education prevent many immigrants from moving to better-paying jobs despite working multiple shifts.
• National Newsbytes, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. This roundup covers several national and international stories: a Japanese cell phone company pulled an ad featuring a monkey after accusations it mocked Obama; a Vietnamese man was charged with hate-crime shootings targeting Hispanics and Asians in Texas; the House tightened shark finning legislation; Miss Washington apologized for embarrassing internet photos; and Japan’s government formally recognized the Ainu as an indigenous people.
• Patriot Act Worries Japanese Americans Gathered at National Conference, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 5. Japanese Americans gathered at a JANM conference in Denver expressed concerns about civil liberties erosion since 9/11, drawing parallels to their own WWII internment experience. Panelists including civil rights attorneys and lawmakers discussed the Patriot Act and the importance of learning from history to prevent future injustices.
• Young APAs Continue Campaign Efforts and Online Organizing, by Todd Kushigemachi, page 12. Continuing coverage details how groups like Asian Americans for Obama use online tools and multilingual resources to mobilize APA voters, while McCain supporters work to bridge generational gaps. Volunteers in Philadelphia’s Chinatown highlight small but meaningful victories in engaging the APA community in the political process.
• Louisiana English-Only Proposal Faces Community Backlash, page 16. Continuing coverage details how school board member Rickie Pitre raised objections to Vietnamese being used in graduation speeches, prompting a proposed English-only policy. Community groups like VAYLA-NO and JACL have mobilized opposition, arguing the policy would unfairly censor students’ multicultural expression.

In-Depth

• Can Portland’s Former J-Town See a Revival?, by Lynda Lin, page 1. Portland’s once-thriving Japantown, destroyed by WWII incarceration, may see a revival as Uwajimaya considers building a new supermarket in the old neighborhood. Former residents and community leaders discuss the history of the area and hopes for its multicultural future.
• Portland’s Old Nihonmachi: Echoes of a Lost Community, by Lynda Lin, page 13. This continuation explores the history of Portland’s prewar Japantown, detailing how businesses like Teikoku and Anzen were forced to close or relocate after WWII incarceration. Community members reflect on the neighborhood’s transformation into Chinatown and hopes that a new Uwajimaya store could help revive its multicultural identity.

Arts & Entertainment

• APA Community Still Upset About Movie ’21’ as DVD Release Approaches, page 3. As the controversial film ’21’ approaches its DVD release, groups like MANAA remain upset over the casting of white actors in roles based on real-life Asian American characters. The producer defended the casting choices while critics say the industry continues a discriminatory tradition of excluding Asian Americans from telling their own stories.
• Going Psychologically Deeper with ‘Passing Poston’, by Lynda Lin, page 9. Filmmakers Joe Fox and James Nubile created ‘Passing Poston,’ a documentary featuring four former WWII internees who candidly discuss the lasting emotional impact of their incarceration. The film explores dark, well-guarded secrets and parallels to Fox’s own Jewish American heritage and the Holocaust.

Community

• High School Graduates Receive Kee Kitayama Memorial Scholarships, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. The Watsonville-Santa Cruz JACL awarded four high school graduates the 2008 Kee Kitayama Memorial Scholarship at their annual community picnic. Recipients wrote essays on the significance of the Day of Remembrance and some had roles in the chapter’s evacuation reenactment.
• Creative Writing Prof. Named Finalist for Poet Laureate, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. San Diego State University professor Marilyn Chin was named a finalist for California Poet Laureate, with her poetry exploring East-to-West assimilation themes. The recommendation now goes to Gov. Schwarzenegger for final selection.
• Former JACL Nat’l Scholar Wins Fulbright Award, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. Lily Anne Welty, a former National JACL scholarship winner, has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student scholarship to study in Japan. She is one of 1,450 U.S. citizens selected for the prestigious program for the 2008-2009 academic year.
• Radio Station Fires ‘Tsunami Song’ Talk Show Host, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. New York radio station Hot 97 fired host Tarsha Jones, known as Miss Jones, who had previously stirred controversy for airing a parody song mocking 2004 Asian tsunami victims. She has been replaced by Big Boy and MTV reporter Liz Hernandez.
• Mesa School’s Popularity Reflects Growing Chinese Population, by Associated Press, page 6. The Hope Chinese School in Mesa, Arizona has grown from 30 to over 400 students as the local Chinese population increases and general interest in Chinese language and culture rises. The nonprofit school offers language classes, cultural activities, and academic enrichment to a diverse student body including Chinese American, adopted Chinese, and other interested students.
• New ‘Sgt. Rock’ Comic Series to Feature 442nd Regimental Combat Team, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 6. Comic creator William Tucci is producing a new Sgt. Rock miniseries honoring the heroic soldiers of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, debuting in November 2008. Tucci visited France to research the story and was honored as an ambassador in Bruyeres for accurately depicting the unit’s WWII rescue mission.
• JACL Calls for Stricter Enforcement After Sikh Hate Crimes, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 6. JACL expressed concern over a series of hate crimes against Sikh American students in Queens, including forced hair cutting that violates religious beliefs. The organization is calling for stricter enforcement of hate crime laws and greater respect for religious diversity.
• Schedule Announced for the 68th Annual Nisei Week Festival, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. The Aug. 16-24 Nisei Week Japanese Festival in Little Tokyo will feature Sen. Daniel Inouye and other grand marshals, along with cultural exhibits, a car show, gyoza eating contest, and traditional ondo dancing. The festival is the nation’s longest-running ethnic celebration.
• San Jose Children’s Day Event Draws Families, page 7. San Jose JACL hosted its annual Children’s Day event at the historic Issei Memorial Building, drawing over 130 children and their families for crafts, games, and cultural activities. The event was also a personal homecoming for attendee Mae Ishimaru, who returned to the building where she was born 75 years earlier.

JACL

• Internment Awareness Volunteers to Receive Award, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. JACL will present its 2008 Distinguished Service Award to Robert Bratt, Betsy Young, and Jane Kurahara for their work raising awareness of Japanese American internment camps in Hawaii. Bratt helped administer redress payments while Young and Kurahara worked to preserve the Honouliuli internment site.
• Senate Considers Tule Lake Preservation Bill, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. The U.S. Senate is considering a bill authorizing a study to determine the feasibility of adding the Tule Lake Segregation Center to the National Park System. The Tule Lake Preservation Committee is urging senators to support the bill, which would help develop a visitor center honoring the site’s WWII history.
• NJAMF to Host Two Events to Honor 20th Anniversary of Redress, page 7. The National Japanese American Memorial Foundation will host a congressional reception and public ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Prominent figures including Norman Mineta, Alan Simpson, Sen. Inouye and Rep. Honda will participate in the commemorative events.

Commentary

• Theory of Relativity, by Peter Shigeki Frandsen, page 8. The author reflects on the concepts of insider versus outsider status, drawing on his experience with ‘gaijin-power’ in Japan to examine American cultural obsessions with being an insider. He applies these musings to JACL’s membership challenges, urging the organization to engage dormant members who may feel like outsiders.
• Daze in Denver – Astonishing Amache, by Harry Honda, page 8. The author recounts his experience at JANM’s third national conference in Denver, including a visit to the Amache camp site preserved by local high school students and community efforts. He highlights sessions on Nihonmachi preservation, Hapa identity, and comparative internment experiences in Hawaii and Canada.

Sports

• U.S. Decathlete Clay Hopes for Gold Redemption, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 10. Bryan Clay, 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the decathlon, aims for gold at the Beijing Olympics after winning the U.S. trials with the best American score in 16 years. Despite being undersized for the sport, Clay’s determination and mental toughness have made him one of the world’s top decathletes.
• 708 APA Summer Olympians, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 10. This feature profiles numerous Asian Pacific American athletes competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics across sports including badminton, diving, field hockey, gymnastics, judo, shooting, soccer, softball, swimming, synchronized swimming, and table tennis. Each athlete’s background, hometown, and personal stories are highlighted alongside their Olympic qualifying achievements.

Obituaries

• George Shigeru Suyehiro, page 15. George Shigeru Suyehiro, 82, passed away peacefully on June 28. He served with the Military Intelligence Service during WWII and was a member of VFW Post 8985, and is survived by his wife, daughter, sisters, and extended family.

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