Vol. 147, No. 7, October 3, 2008. 16 pages. View this issue
The Oyama case led this issue. Lynda Lin told how Kajiro Oyama, an Issei barred from owning land, deeded farmland to his son Fred, how the state seized it during World War II, and how the family won at the Supreme Court in 1948. A second story from Lynda Lin followed Florida’s Alien Land Law, still in its constitution and the subject of a November ballot measure. Other news included a bill by Rep. Adam Schiff to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and a feedlot approved near Minidoka.
Elsewhere, Little Tokyo moved toward a neighborhood gym, John Tateishi’s column raised concerns about detention centers, and the JACL answered a proposal for prison camps for undocumented immigrants. Caroline Aoyagi-Stom wrote about younger Japanese Americans teaching in Japan, and the issue also carried an arts review of the play Be Like Water.
What’s in this issue
National
- Ordinary Family, Extraordinary Legacy: The Oyama Case and the Fight for Equal Rights, by Lynda Lin, page 1. The article recounts how Kajiro Oyama, an Issei barred from owning land under California’s Alien Land Law, deeded farmland to his son Fred, only to have the state seize it during WWII. With help from the JACL and ACLU, the Oyamas took their case to the Supreme Court and won in 1948, a decision now being commemorated 60 years later even as Florida continues to maintain its own Alien Land Law.
- Jerome County Commissioners Give Final Approval for Feedlot Near Minidoka, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 1. Despite appeals from preservation groups and former internees, Jerome County Commissioners voted 2-1 to approve a 13,000-heifer feedlot located just over a mile from the Minidoka National Historic Site. The JACL national board passed a resolution opposing the decision, and Friends of Minidoka is exploring legal options including an environmental impact report.
- Filipino WWII Veterans Seek Equality from U.S., by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 3. The U.S. House passed the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2008, offering one-time payments to Filipino WWII veterans, but the amount falls short of full equity with American veterans and differs from a Senate version. Veterans who fought alongside U.S. forces, including survivors of the Bataan Death March, say they will continue pushing for equal treatment after decades of being denied full benefits.
- Civil Rights Groups Demand Tourism Chief Resign Over Racist, Sexist E-mails, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 3. Hawaii civil rights groups, including the Honolulu JACL, called for the resignation of Hawaii Tourism Authority CEO Rex Johnson after racist and sexist e-mails he forwarded were made public. Johnson had already been reprimanded earlier for forwarding pornographic material, and the HTA board was set to reconsider his employment status.
- New Bill Seeks to Honor JA WWII Veterans, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. Rep. Adam Schiff introduced HR 7058 to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team for their WWII service. A separate appropriations bill passed by Congress includes $4 million for a new Go For Broke National Education Center facility in Little Tokyo.
- National Newsbytes, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. Brief news items cover a new $54 million Pearl Harbor visitors center scheduled for completion by 2010, a dismissed murder count against businessman Kazuyoshi Miura, a fire that destroyed part of the Chinese American Museum of Chicago, and a California appellate court ruling allowing a lawsuit against in-state tuition for undocumented students to proceed.
- Back to School: Kindergartners Urged to Learn Key Foreign Languages, by Carole Feldman, page 5. A 2006 Bush initiative has spurred interest in teaching young students critical languages like Chinese, Arabic, and Russian, with Chinese proving most popular in Fairfax County, Virginia. The National Security Language Initiative provides grants to communities to expand foreign language instruction starting in kindergarten to prepare students for global engagement.
- JACL Responds to Chaffetz’s Proposal for ‘Prison Camps’ for Undocumented Immigrants, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. The JACL released a statement opposing Jason Chaffetz’s proposal to build barbed-wire prison camps for undocumented immigrants, calling instead for comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship. JACL National Director Floyd Mori criticized the proposal for evoking fear and drew parallels to the WWII internment of Japanese Americans at Topaz.
- Reuniting Families Act Would Protect Families Going Through Immigration Process, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. Rep. Mike Honda and Sen. Robert Menendez introduced the Reuniting Families Act to prioritize family reunification in immigration policy and clear a backlog of nearly four million visa applicants. The bill, endorsed by national JACL and other APA organizations, would reclassify spouses and children of legal residents and raise per-country visa caps.
- Alien Land Law Fight Continues in Florida, by Lynda Lin, page 11. Sixty years after the Oyama v. California Supreme Court victory, Florida remains the only state with an Alien Land Law still in its constitution, and Sen. Steven Geller has pushed for its repeal via a November ballot measure. JACL passed a resolution supporting the repeal effort, though advocates worry about low APA community engagement and voter confusion over the measure’s intent.
- ADL Unveils New Curriculum on WWII Internment, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 12. The Anti-Defamation League launched an online curriculum called ‘Voices of Japanese-American Internees’ to teach high school students about the dangers of stereotyping and racial profiling that led to WWII internment. The lesson coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 and includes video testimonies and background materials on the internment and redress movement.
In-Depth
- Lessons in Japanese Language Aids in JA Identity, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. Many younger Yonsei and Sansei Japanese Americans are heading to Japan through programs like JET to teach English and explore their ancestral heritage. Several young teachers describe how living in Japan reshaped their understanding of Japanese culture versus the Japanese American culture they grew up with in the U.S.
Community
- Little Tokyo Takes a Crucial Step in Building a Neighborhood Gym, by Lynda Lin, page 1. The Los Angeles City Council approved a memorandum of understanding allowing the Little Tokyo Service Center to build a long-awaited recreational center on a city-owned lot near St. Vibiana’s Cathedral. The project now faces the challenge of raising a $15 million capital campaign before construction can begin.
- APAs in the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. This roundup covers several APA achievements, including Les Inafuku’s appointment as Manzanar’s new superintendent, Jimi Yamaichi receiving the Spirit of Japantown Award, and Jeannie Cho Lee becoming the first APA Master of Wine. It also notes AAJC’s American Courage Awards honorees and Esquire’s list of influential APAs.
- Fox Company Gathers for Annual Las Vegas Reunion, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. Members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team’s Fox Company gathered in Las Vegas for their annual reunion, honoring veterans who passed away during the year with a ’21 balloon’ salute. The next reunion is scheduled for April 2009 in Las Vegas.
Commentary
- PSW GOTV Says ‘No’ to Proposition 8, by PSW GOTV Committee, page 2. The PSW JACL Get Out the Vote Committee explains its opposition to California’s Proposition 8, arguing that marriage equality is a fundamental civil right that should not be restricted based on sexual orientation. The piece draws parallels between the proposition and historical anti-miscegenation laws and segregation, urging Californians to vote no.
- Lessons in Health Care, by Naomi Lim, page 2. Naomi Lim reflects on her experience as the Daniel K. Inouye Fellow in JACL’s Washington, D.C. office, where she researched health policy issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans. She describes how the fellowship helped her decide to pursue a career in health program coordination rather than law school, and she will begin work at the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center.
- Endgame, by John Tateishi, page 8. John Tateishi examines reports that the Bush Administration awarded a no-bid contract to Halliburton subsidiary KBR to build secret detention centers under a program called ‘Endgame,’ drawing parallels to pre-WWII government planning for Japanese American internment camps. He expresses concern over the lack of congressional scrutiny into the program’s true purpose, citing Justice Robert Jackson’s warning in Korematsu about executive power.
- Memoirs of a Non-Geisha: The Present, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 8. Yumi Sakugawa reflects on the emotional end of her year teaching English in Japan, describing the gifts and farewells from her students and her subsequent feelings of doubt and depression. She reconsiders what she has learned during her time abroad and expresses gratitude for the relationships and experiences she shared with her students.
Arts & Entertainment
- Like Bruce Lee, My Friend, by Lynda Lin, page 9. East West Players’ new play ‘Be Like Water’ by Dan Kwong explores a Japanese American family’s struggles with identity and cultural expectations through the ghost of Bruce Lee, who mentors a teenage girl in 1978 Chicago. The review praises the show’s blend of humor, family drama, and disco-era setting as it examines Lee’s lasting cultural influence on Asian Pacific Americans.
Sports
- Minnesota Ice Hawks Boast Speedy Issei Kashima, by Associated Press, page 10. Issei Kashima, a Japanese American junior hockey player known for his exceptional speed, has found a home with the Minnesota Ice Hawks after being repeatedly overlooked by other teams due to his small size. His coach believes he has Division I talent, and Kashima hopes to continue proving himself despite being in his final year of junior eligibility.
Obituaries
- In Memoriam – 2008, page 15. This compilation lists Japanese American community members who recently passed away, including WWII and Korean War veterans, along with their surviving family members. Entries span numerous California towns as well as Washington and Hawaii.
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