Print or all-digital: readers weigh in on the future of the P.C.

Vol. 150, No. 5, March 19, 2010. 16 pages. View this issue

Whether the Pacific Citizen should stay in print dominated this issue. Readers wrote in to say they wanted to keep the paper edition, citing lack of computer access and long attachment to it. Editor Caroline Aoyagi-Stom reported that over 90 percent of survey respondents agreed, ahead of the JACL national convention in Chicago, where a bylaw amendment could make the paper all-digital. Harry K. Honda added his own view in his column, and a Spring Campaign appeal from Jason Chang asked readers to support the paper.

Elsewhere, Nalea J. Ko wrote about the grandchildren of Nisei veterans and draft resisters, and about the 2000 JACL apology to resisters. She also profiled the documentary on Richard Aoki and a family insurance business returning to Little Tokyo. Other pages covered a memorial wall in Boyle Heights, Census 2010, and a racial slur in a Vancouver hot dog stand’s name.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Print Versus All-Digital P.C., by P.C. Staff, page 2. Multiple readers wrote to the Pacific Citizen expressing their strong preference for keeping the print edition rather than switching to an all-digital format. Letter writers cited lack of computer access, sentimental attachment to the paper, and the need to stay connected with Japanese American news.
• The Digital Debate Continues, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 2. Following the March 5 article about a possible paperless P.C., over 90 percent of survey respondents said they want the printed Pacific Citizen to continue. The editor urges readers to keep speaking up ahead of the JACL national convention in Chicago, where a bylaw amendment could change the paper to an all-digital format.
• JACL’s Chicago Convention Goes Online, by Lary Schectman, page 5. The Chicago JACL chapter has launched a new website with information to help attendees plan for the 41st JACL national convention in June-July 2010. The piece encourages readers to explore Chicago’s attractions and use the site to plan their convention visit and registration.
• 80th Oak Afterglow, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Pacific Citizen editor emeritus Harry Honda reflects on historical excerpts from early JACL publications spanning 1929 to 1937, covering topics like loyalty questionnaires, anti-Japanese legislation, and community festivals. He also shares his view that the JACL should retain the printed Pacific Citizen format amid the digital debate.
• In Line With Our Duty, by Peter Shigeki Frandsen, page 8. A dentist reflects on providing care at a VA hospital and the ongoing needs of veterans facing mental health issues, homelessness, and PTSD at disproportionately high rates. He calls on the Japanese American community, including JACL members, to find ways to assist veterans rather than waiting for another crisis to spur action.
• Get Counted in the 2010 Census, by Phillip Ozaki and Carla Pineda, page 11. JACL representatives explain the importance of accurate Census counting for Japanese Americans and APAs, noting the diversity of the community including mixed-race individuals, new immigrants, and the elderly. They outline specific concerns like head-of-household rules and undercounting risks, urging community members to participate fully in the 2010 Census.
• ‘Japadog’ Racial Slur Breaks During Olympic TV Coverage, by Andy Noguchi, page 12. A Vancouver hot dog stand called ‘Japadog’ received widespread NBC coverage during the Winter Olympics, prompting complaints from JACL members about the use of the racial slur ‘jap’. The Florin JACL contacted local TV station KCRA, which removed the segment and discussed the issue with producers, while the chapter continues to press the company and other JACL chapters on the matter.
• A Stamp to Honor the Patriotism of all JAs, by Mas Hashimoto, page 13. The Watsonville-Santa Cruz JACL chapter supports a proposed U.S. Postal Service commemorative stamp honoring the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism, in addition to continued advocacy for a separate Nisei WWII veterans stamp. The author calls on JACL members to write to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee in support of the proposal, which could be unveiled on the 25th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.
• Help Keep Community Stories Alive, by Jason Chang, page 15. A Pacific Citizen editorial board member reflects on how the newspaper connected him to his Japanese American heritage and grandparents’ history growing up with few Asian influences around him. He encourages readers to support the Spring Campaign fundraiser to help continue telling the stories of JAs for future generations.

National

• Honoring a Bygone Era, by Nalea J. Ko, page 3. Grandchildren of Nisei WWII veterans and draft resisters of conscience reflect on their ancestors’ experiences and JACL’s 2000 apology to resisters, which remains a contentious topic a decade later. Veterans and their families expressed lingering anger over the apology, while descendants of both veterans and resisters hope for reconciliation within the community.
• Growing Rate of Depression, Suicide Among APA Students, by Christine McFadden, page 4. Recent suicides at Caltech and Palo Alto’s Gunn High School have drawn attention to rising suicide rates among Asian Pacific American students, with women aged 15-24 having the highest suicide rate among ethnic groups. Researcher Dr. Eliza Noh links the ‘model minority’ stereotype and cultural barriers to seeking help as contributing factors, while also highlighting alternative recovery methods used by affected women.
• Final Resting Place For Pioneering Chinese Immigrants, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 6. A memorial wall was unveiled to honor poor Chinese immigrants whose remains were discovered in unmarked graves near Evergreen Cemetery in Boyle Heights, righting a historic wrong from the era of racial segregation and the Chinese Exclusion Act. The remains and artifacts will be re-interred within the cemetery after years of debate among community members over reburial versus study.
• National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 6. A roundup of national news briefs including Texas Rep. Betty Brown’s primary loss after her controversial remarks about Asian names, a new Asian American studies program at University of Illinois at Chicago, and an Indiana store’s apology for a sign barring Burmese customers. Other items cover a healthcare interpreter report, minority birth trends, and an Asian funeral fund settlement in San Jose.
• In the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 7. Briefs cover HUD’s approval of the first APA housing counseling network, Thomas P. Bostick’s promotion to lieutenant general making him the third Japanese American three-star general, and the Campaign for Justice receiving the Cesar Chavez Social Justice Award. Also noted are a JACL national vice president’s engagement announcement, a presidential nomination, and USC honoring the first APA California Supreme Court justice.
• Female WWII Aviators Honored With Gold Medal, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 7. Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), including Chinese American pilot Maggie Gee, were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their WWII service flying U.S. military aircraft. The women were long denied military recognition and benefits, and JACL is now urging similar recognition for Nisei WWII veterans.

JACL

• 2010 JACL National Convention, by Floyd Mori, page 5. National Director Floyd Mori discusses preparations for the 2010 JACL national convention in Chicago, the last biennial convention before JACL switches to annual conventions. He highlights the history of Japanese American resettlement in Chicago and encourages delegates and families to attend and participate in convention events.
• JACL Connects to College Students, by P.C. Staff, page 7. JACL staff have been hosting ‘When Hate Hits You’ workshops on anti-Asian hate crimes at East Coast colleges, including UMass Amherst and the University of Pennsylvania. The workshops help students understand the history of hate crimes against APAs and plan to expand to more universities including Notre Dame and Ohio State.
• JACL, OCA Leadership Conference Held In D.C., by P.C. Staff, page 12. JACL and OCA leaders attended a Washington, D.C. leadership conference featuring speakers including Norman Mineta, Rep. Mike Honda, and Sen. Daniel Inouye to discuss current APA public policy issues. Participants also visited the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism during the State Farm-sponsored event.

Arts & Entertainment

• The Japanese American Black Panther, by Nalea J. Ko, page 9. Filmmakers Ben Wang and Mike Cheng spent years creating ‘Aoki,’ a documentary about Richard Aoki, a Japanese American who became a field marshal for the Black Panther Party. The film, screening at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, reveals Aoki’s civil rights activism and his generous mentorship of young people before his death in 2009.

Community

• A Family Legacy in L.A.’s Little Tokyo, by Nalea J. Ko, page 10. Joshua Morey opened a branch of his family’s insurance business, J. Morey Company, in Little Tokyo, continuing a legacy started by his great-grandparents who ran one of the area’s first businesses before WWII incarceration forced them out. Community members hope more Japanese Americans of his generation will return to revitalize the historic neighborhood.
• JACL Calls for Fellowship Applicants, by P.C. Staff, page 10. JACL is accepting applications for the 2010 Mike M. Masaoka Fellowship, which places an APA leader in a Washington, D.C. congressional office for six to eight months. The fellowship honors Masaoka’s legacy and aims to develop future leaders committed to public service and civil rights.
• West Los Angeles JACL is Seeking Scholarship and Internship Applicants, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The West Los Angeles JACL chapter is accepting applications for its annual high school and medical school scholarships, as well as an internship program with the Pacific Southwest District office. Past recipients and interns are highlighted as examples of the chapter’s ongoing community support.
• Apply For Fellowships With APAICS, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies is accepting applications for its nine-month fellowship program placing APAs in government offices and agencies in Washington, D.C. A current fellow describes the program as a valuable networking and policy experience.
• CSU Searches for Former JA Students, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Six California State University campuses are searching for 250 Japanese American students forcibly removed during WWII to award them honorary Bachelor of Humane Letters degrees. The project, resulting from legislation by Assemblyman Warren Furutani, includes a new website to help families apply on behalf of former students.

In-Depth

• A Place For Miné Okubo, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 13. Riverside Community College is raising $500,000 to build a gallery to house artist Miné Okubo’s collection, considered the largest and most complete archive on the mid-20th century Japanese American experience. Okubo, author of the seminal book ‘Citizen 13660,’ attended RCC before being incarcerated at Topaz during WWII.

Obituaries

• Kinji Hiramoto, page 15. Kinji Hiramoto, a lifelong Lodi, California resident and active member of the Lodi Buddhist Church and Lodi JACL, passed away on February 25, 2010 at age 88. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, four children, four grandchildren, and several siblings.
• Ray Toshio Matsubara, page 15. Ray Toshio Matsubara of Isleton, CA passed away on February 14, 2010 at age 80, survived by his wife of over 54 years, three children, and several grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son-in-law and siblings-in-law.

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