Buy American and the fear of anti-Asian sentiment: March 6, 2009

Vol. 148, No. 4, March 6, 2009. 16 pages. View this issue

A recession-era return of “Buy American” rhetoric led the news. Lynda Lin asked whether anti-Asian sentiment could follow, as civil rights advocates drew parallels to the 1980s anti-Japan mood that preceded the murder of Vincent Chin. Inside, Leslie K. Tamura reported on two Asian students at a California high school who endured years of racist bullying, and the paper covered Gary Locke’s nomination as Commerce Secretary.

Remembrance ran through the issue. Day of Remembrance events marked the anniversary of Executive Order 9066, and Floyd Mori wrote about a Tri-District Conference in Clovis. Pilgrimage and reunion notices covered Tule Lake, Amache and the Topaz museum, while Lt. Janelle Kuroda wrote about her granduncle of the 100th Battalion. John Tateishi honored Satoshi “Fibber” Hirayama, and Lynda Lin profiled filmmaker Tad Nakamura.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

  • A Memorable Tri-District, by Floyd Mori, page 2. The JACL National Director recounts the CCDC/PSWDC/NCWNPDC Tri-District Conference and Day of Remembrance held Feb. 14-16 in Clovis, Calif., which included the dedication of the Pinedale Remembrance Plaza. The conference featured panels on coram nobis, Redress, and internment history, plus tributes to honorees including Satoshi Hirayama and Norman Mineta.’},{
  • JACL Fails to Address Economic Problems, by Takasumi Kojima, page 2. A reader from Berkeley criticizes JACL leaders for missing the opportunity to address serious economic problems affecting the Nikkei community. He argues JACL should move toward social activism to help young Nikkei facing uncertain economic futures.
  • The Last Full Measure of Devotion, by Lt. Janelle Kuroda, page 2. A Navy JAG officer reflects on visiting Italy where her granduncle, a 100th Battalion soldier, died fighting at the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944. She describes her own path to military service and how it connects her to her family’s legacy of service in WWII, Vietnam, and Korea.
  • Honoring Fibber, by John Tateishi, page 8. Former JACL National Director John Tateishi pays tribute to Satoshi ‘Fibber’ Hirayama, a diminutive but legendary Fresno State athlete who excelled in both football and baseball before playing professional baseball in Japan. Tateishi reflects on Hirayama’s humility despite his extraordinary achievements, comparing his courage to that of Nisei WWII veterans.
  • One Identity, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 8. The columnist describes her roommate, a white American woman who converted to Islam and has lived many varied identities throughout her life, from Christian to hippie to Muslim peacemaker. Reflecting on her roommate’s transformations, Sakugawa contemplates her own evolving identity as a second-generation Japanese American.
  • Plan Now to Take a Bite Out of Your 2009 Tax Bill, by Steve Okamoto, page 11. The JACL planned giving committee chair explains strategies for charitable planned giving that can reduce taxes while supporting nonprofit causes. He details options including bequests, charitable gift annuities, and remainder trusts that can minimize capital gains and estate taxes.

In-Depth

  • With ‘Buy American’ Back, is Anti-Asian Sentiment Around the Corner?, by Lynda Lin, page 3. As economic nationalism and ‘Buy American’ rhetoric resurge amid recession, civil rights advocates warn of parallels to the 1980s anti-Japan sentiment that led to Vincent Chin’s murder. Experts and activists discuss how economic scapegoating has historically targeted Asian Americans and could do so again.

National

  • Bullying of JA Students Shows Need For Change, by Leslie K. Tamura, page 4. Katie and Justin Davis, two of the only Asian students at Burney High School in California, endured nine years of racist bullying including physical threats before the school took disciplinary action. Their case highlights broader issues of school bullying and racial harassment facing Asian Pacific American students nationwide.
  • Hawaii Same-Sex Civil Unions Delayed by Tie Vote, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 5. A Hawaii Senate committee’s 3-3 tie vote stalled a civil unions bill, prompting Democratic leaders to plan a rare procedural move to force a full Senate vote. JACL, which passed a resolution supporting same-sex marriage in 1994, continues to support the measure amid passionate testimony from both supporters and opponents.
  • Removal of Display on WWII’s End Raises Question on Balance Between Historical Accuracy and Racial Sensitivity, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 5. An Indianapolis VA hospital removed a framed 1945 newspaper displaying the headline ‘Japs Surrender’ after an employee complaint, sparking backlash from veterans who say it whitewashes history. Japanese American veterans groups support removing the racial slur, citing the discrimination JA soldiers overcame during WWII service.
  • Washington State House Passes Joint Memorial Calling for a Nisei Veterans Commemorative Stamp, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 6. Washington state Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos sponsored House Joint Memorial 4005, urging the U.S. Postal Service to issue a stamp honoring Nisei WWII veterans, which passed unanimously. The measure now heads to the state Senate as advocates note no stamp has ever honored the decorated 442nd RCT/100th Battalion soldiers.
  • Obama Chooses Locke to Run Commerce Department, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 6. President Obama nominated former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, a Chinese American, as Commerce Secretary after two prior nominees withdrew. JACL and other Asian American groups praised the nomination and called for swift Senate confirmation.
  • National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 6. Brief roundup of national news including protests against a planned Philadelphia casino near Chinatown, a $25.5 million Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard modernization groundbreaking, preservation grants for APA communities in Los Angeles, a diabetes study on APA children, and a federal judge’s request for administration review of a Hmong veterans case.
  • Hawaii Takes Land Dispute to U.S. Supreme Court, by Associated Press, page 7. Hawaii’s Attorney General argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that a congressional apology resolution for the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom does not strip the state’s authority to sell ceded lands. Justices, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, questioned whether the state court improperly relied on the federal resolution in blocking land sales pending resolution of Native Hawaiian claims.
  • Court Reverses Ruling Bringing 17 Chinese Muslim Detainees to U.S., by Associated Press, page 7. A U.S. appeals court overturned a lower court ruling that would have released 17 Guantanamo Bay Uighur detainees into the United States, ruling that only the executive branch can make immigration decisions. The case highlights the diplomatic complications surrounding the detainees, who cannot be returned to China for fear of persecution.

Community

  • APAs in the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. Roundup of APA community achievements including a French Camp JACL scholarship award and new officer installation, APALC’s election of its first Korean American board chair, two Northrop Grumman engineers winning Asian American Engineer of the Year awards, a San Jose post office named for community leader Gordon N. Chan, and NYU’s Dr. Vivian Lee winning an education leadership award.
  • DOR Events Commemorate Unjust WWII Internment, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 11. Day of Remembrance events held nationwide on Feb. 19 marked the anniversary of Executive Order 9066, with survivors like Mary Murakami sharing their internment experiences. The California legislature also passed a resolution recognizing the day, as advocates emphasized the importance of remembering civil rights violations amid contemporary security debates.
  • ‘No-nos’ and Those Who Renounced Encouraged to Tell Their Stories at Tule Lake Pilgrimage, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Organizers of the 2009 Tule Lake Pilgrimage are encouraging those who answered ‘no’ to wartime loyalty questions or renounced citizenship to share their stories, aiming to destigmatize their history of resistance. The pilgrimage will also celebrate Tule Lake Segregation Center’s recent designation as a National Monument.
  • Amache Reunion Set For Las Vegas, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The Amache Historical Society is hosting its final large reunion for former internees of the Amache camp from May 4-6 in Las Vegas. The event will include buffet dinners, a hospitality room with memorabilia, and chartered buses from the Los Angeles area.
  • VFW Reunion Brings Together Nisei Veterans, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The 59th Annual Nisei Veterans of Foreign Wars Reunion in La Mirada, Calif. brought together WWII and Vietnam War heroes including Medal of Honor recipients George Sakato and Hershey Miyamura. JACL National Director Floyd Mori praised the veterans’ courage and sacrifice at the event hosted by several VFW posts.
  • Topaz Museum Hires Architectural Firm, by P.C. Staff, page 13. The Topaz Museum Board hired Shah Kawasaki Architects of Oakland to design a museum complex in Delta, Utah, near the former internment camp site. Lead designer Alan Kawasaki has a personal connection, as his mother’s family lived at Topaz during the internment.

Arts & Entertainment

  • Tad Nakamura Doesn’t Make Your Parents’ Kind of Documentaries, by Lynda Lin, page 9. Filmmaker Tad Nakamura’s documentary ‘A Song for Ourselves,’ about late singer-activist Chris Iijima, sold out at its Little Tokyo premiere and features performances from APA hip-hop artists. The film explores Iijima’s role in the 1970s Asian American movement and includes his final interview, conducted six months before his death.

Sports

  • Ultrarunner Gloria Takagishi to Celebrate 30-Year Milestone, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 10. At 63, Sansei ultrarunner Gloria Takagishi is set to become the only runner to have completed all 30 American River 50-Mile Runs since the race began in 1980. Friends and family describe her remarkable dedication and endurance, as she continues rigorous training while balancing a full-time job and volunteer work.

JACL

  • Scholarships Honor WWII Vet Eiro Yamada, by P.C. Staff, page 13. The Go For Broke National Education Center announced the Eiro Yamada Memorial Scholarship for descendants of WWII Japanese American veterans, with an April 6 application deadline. The scholarship honors Yamada, who served in the 442nd RCT and Military Intelligence Service after leaving the University of Hawaii.

Obituaries

  • Paul Yoshio Tani, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Paul Yoshio Tani, a Topaz internee and WWII Army veteran who later had a distinguished 41-year career in computing including work on IBM’s Gemini and Apollo space program support, died Feb. 19 at age 83 in Ashburn, Va. He was active with JAVA and JACL and volunteered as a docent at the National Japanese American Memorial.
  • Rose Ohtaki, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Rose Oda Ohtaki, who broke barriers as the first Asian salesperson at J. Magnin and was active in community organizations like the Japan-America Society, died Feb. 20 in Menlo Park, Calif. at age 88. She was known for raising her son Peter Jr. and for her activism against racial quotas in her local school district.

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