Kooskia camp research, the Heart Mountain center and Sen. Kennedy

Vol. 149, No. 5, September 4, 2009. 16 pages. View this issue

Remembering the World War II incarceration (often called internment) ran through this issue. Nalea J. Ko reported on archaeologists hoping to learn more about the Kooskia Internment Camp in Idaho, where about 265 Japanese American men lived and worked. At Heart Mountain, former internees and Wyoming residents previewed the Interpretive Learning Center under construction, and Norman Mineta and Alan Simpson recalled their friendship. John Tateishi wrote about war and morality, and Mako Nakagawa argued for JACL’s Power of Words proposal.

Asian American leaders mourned Sen. Ted Kennedy and recalled his work on civil rights and immigration. Veterans groups met to support a Congressional Gold Medal for the 100th Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and JACL prepared a gala dinner honoring veterans. Also inside: the BoLA-Thon bowling event for a Little Tokyo gym, a profile of singer Marié Digby, and Christine Munteanu’s column on a campaign against a racist film scene.

What’s in this issue

In-Depth

• Archaeologists Hope to Shed Light on Kooskia Internment Camp, by Nalea J. Ko, page 3. A National Park Service grant will help researchers like Priscilla Wegars and Stacey Camp uncover more details about the Kooskia Internment Camp in Idaho, where about 265 Japanese American men lived and worked during WWII. The camp differed from other internment sites in that it had no barbed wire, but internees still faced poor medical and safety conditions that led them to petition for better treatment.
• Heart Mountain Previews Interpretive Learning Center, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Former internees and Wyoming residents gathered to preview the Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center under construction, donating memorabilia and funds to the project. Norman Mineta and Alan Simpson recalled their friendship formed at the camp, while organizers announced the center has raised over $3.1 million toward its $5.2 million goal.

National

• Native Hawaiian Bill Stirs Public Opinion on Islands, by Nalea J. Ko, page 4. The Akaka Bill, which would establish Native Hawaiian self-governance, has gained renewed attention under the Obama administration while dividing public opinion in Hawaii. Supporters say it addresses historical wrongs stemming from the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, while opponents argue it creates unfair race-based entitlements and could fracture the state along ethnic lines.
• How Far Have We Come Since September 11th?, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 5. Nearly eight years after 9/11, John Yoo, architect of legal memos justifying harsh interrogation techniques, continues to defend his positions while facing protests at UC Berkeley where he teaches law. JACL leaders including John Tateishi and Larry Oda draw parallels between post-9/11 civil liberties erosions and the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans.
• AA Community Mourns Passing of Sen. Kennedy, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 6. Asian American leaders mourned the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., who died Aug. 25 after battling brain cancer, praising his decades-long fight for civil rights and immigrant rights. Kennedy was instrumental in passing the 1965 Immigration Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, among other legislation.
• National Newsbytes, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 6. Brief national news items cover a Nisei’s grandson enrolling at Washington University 65 years after his grandfather graduated there, the closure of the 63-year-old Nichi Bei Times newspaper, rising APA SAT scores, plans for a Dallas APA cultural center, and an APA civil rights groups’ brief opposing the E-Verify employment law. Each item highlights a different community or policy development affecting Japanese and Asian Americans.
• Va. Tech Gunman Talked to Three Separate Counselors, by Sue Lindsey, page 7. Newly released records reveal that Virginia Tech shooter Seung-Hui Cho spoke with three separate counselors in late 2005, over a year before he killed 32 people and himself, but none flagged serious concerns about violence. Victims’ families criticized the lack of coordination among counselors and called for lessons to be learned from the failure to intervene.

JACL

• JA Veterans Unite to Support Congressional Gold Medal, by P.C. Staff, page 6. WWII Japanese American veterans organizations met in Los Angeles to coordinate efforts to secure the Congressional Gold Medal for the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The coalition is sending letters to senators to support HR 347 and its Senate companion bill S.1055.
• JACL Prepares to Honor JA Vets at Gala Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 7. JACL is preparing to honor Japanese American WWII veterans, including those from the 100th Battalion/442nd RCT and MIS, along with Korean War veterans at its upcoming Gala Dinner in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 17. The event’s Honorary Committee is headed by Rep. Mike Honda and includes numerous senators, representatives, and civil rights leaders.

Community

• APAs in the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. This roundup covers James Akiona receiving the Native Hawaiian Advocate Award after decades fighting for a homestead ranch lot, Richard Murakami being honored with the Japanese American National Museum’s top volunteer award, Kei Karen Nagao’s appointment to the East LA Area Planning Commission, and Dana Fujiko Heatherton being crowned the 69th Nisei Week Queen. Each honoree’s community contributions and background are detailed.
• Vets Group to Host Santa Anita Reunion, page 10. The Japanese American Korean War Veterans group is hosting an Oct. 3 event at Santa Anita Racetrack, once the largest WWII assembly center, combining a day at the races with a historical tour led by Horse Yoshinaga and others. The event will include a stop at the JA monument at Santa Anita and a buffet lunch for participants.
• Bowling for a Little Tokyo Gym, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The first annual BoLA-Thon bowling tournament in Henderson, Nevada raised over $12,000 to help build the Budokan of Los Angeles, a planned 40,000-square-foot sports and activities center in Little Tokyo. Over 250 people and 20 teams participated in the event sponsored by the Sansei Legacy Group of Southern California.
• Korean American Churches Fill Pews as Community Grows, by Amy Taxin, page 11. Korean American Catholic congregations in Orange County, California, particularly St. Thomas Korean Catholic Center of Anaheim, have seen significant growth fueled by immigration and a high conversion rate among Korean immigrants. The church recently moved into a new $10 million facility to accommodate its growing congregation of over 5,000 members.
• Recording Wisconsin JACL’s History, page 13. The Wisconsin JACL hosted a luncheon for senior members to record their oral histories and preserve memories of the chapter’s early years. Thirteen senior members were paired with interviewers, with Bill Yoshino supplying questions, and all gathered information will be archived.

Commentary

• War and Morality, by John Tateishi, page 8. Reflecting on Eisenhower’s warning about the military industrial complex, John Tateishi laments how patriotism and morality regarding war profiteering have shifted since WWII. He argues that companies like Halliburton and Blackwater now profit from war with little accountability, a stark contrast to earlier eras when war profiteering was criminally prosecuted.
• Memoirs of a Non-Geisha: Being a New Japanese American Aunt, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 8. The author reflects on her role as an unofficial aunt to her friend’s new baby, Kiyomi, and how this experience signals a generational shift as her JA peers begin starting families. She contemplates how the busy college days of her JA generation are giving way to new parenthood and the challenges that come with it.
• Power of Words, by Mako Nakagawa, page 12. Mako Nakagawa argues that euphemistic terms like ‘evacuation’ and ‘relocation’ distort the true nature of the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans, and advocates for JACL’s ‘Power of Words’ proposal and the ‘Seattle Plan’ to replace these terms with more accurate language such as ‘forced removal’ and ‘American concentration camps.’ The proposals have already been approved by several JACL districts and aim to shift national terminology.
• Humor or Hatred?, by Christine Munteanu, page 13. Christine Munteanu examines the JACL’s successful campaign against a racist scene in Paramount’s ‘The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard,’ criticizing how the label of satire is often used to excuse anti-Asian bigotry. She argues that such humor fails when it reflects real, ongoing discrimination rather than truly outrageous or unthinkable scenarios.

Arts & Entertainment

• Marie Digby: From YouTube Sensation to International Stardom, by Nalea J. Ko, page 9. Hapa songstress Marié Digby discusses her rise from YouTube cover artist to international performer ahead of the U.S. release of her second album, ‘Breathing Under Water.’ The article explores her songwriting process, her devoted fanbase called Digbyholics, and her journey from an intern at Island Def Jam to a signed recording artist.

Obituaries

• Paul Takeshi Ichino, page 15. Paul Takeshi Ichino, born in Pasadena in 1923, passed away Aug. 17 in Long Beach at age 86 from colon cancer. He worked at Manzanar’s hospital during internment, later became an X-ray technician and instructor, and was active in Downey Sister Cities volunteer work.
• Toshio Sam Morita, page 15. Toshio Sam Morita of Orange, California, passed away peacefully on Aug. 9, 2009 at age 88. He is survived by his wife Tina, daughter Luanne, stepdaughters, siblings, and numerous nieces and nephews.
• Mitsuko Murakami, page 15. Mitsuko ‘Mitzi’ Murakami, 88, of Ontario, Oregon, passed away Aug. 11, 2009, after a life that included moving inland during WWII to avoid internment and building a farming and produce business with her husband Sig. She was active in the Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple and Snake River JACL, and established educational scholarships and a community fund in the Treasure Valley.
• Virginia Hatsumi Nakada, page 15. Virginia Hatsumi Nakada, a nurse and tireless community volunteer, died Aug. 5, 2009 in Reno, Nevada from complications of Alzheimer’s disease at age 84. She was widely honored for her volunteer work at the Diamond Peak Ski Resort, Incline Village Crystal Bay Chamber of Commerce, and numerous charity events in the Lake Tahoe area.

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.