Vol. 150, No. 11, June 18, 2010. 16 pages. View this issue
Honorary degrees for Nisei students whose schooling was cut short by the World War II incarceration (often called internment) filled much of this issue. A special section on page 7 listed the honorees and pictured ceremonies at California universities, and Assemblymember Warren T. Furutani wrote about authoring Assembly Bill 37, which made the degrees possible. Nalea J. Ko reported on Kristi Agari, 16, who organized a graduation in Stockton for 11 Nisei who had left Stockton High School. Margie Yamamoto’s column laid out the debate over moving the Pacific Citizen to San Francisco and going digital.
Elsewhere, Ko wrote about Tam Tran, a DREAM Act advocate, and her brother Lolly Tran’s bike ride in her memory. The JACL national convention in Chicago was previewed, along with the JACL Edison Uno Civil Rights Award. Harry K. Honda reviewed four books, and a letter from Mas Hashimoto urged a Memorial to Patriotism stamp series.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- A Memorial to Patriotism Stamp, by Mas Hashimoto, page 2. A letter writer urges the U.S. Postal Service’s Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee to approve a National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism commemorative stamp series. The proposed series would depict five aspects of Nikkei heritage including Issei pioneers, wartime incarceration, MIS, the 100th/442nd RCT, and contemporary contributions.
- The Future of the P.C., by Margie Yamamoto, page 2. The Pacific Citizen faces challenges from proposals to go all-digital and to move its offices from Los Angeles to JACL headquarters in San Francisco. The P.C. Editorial Board opposes both moves, citing insufficient cost analysis and the loss of experienced staff who cannot relocate.
- Watada’s Stand, by Edgar A. Hamasu, page 2. A Korean War veteran writes in support of Lt. Ehren Watada’s refusal to deploy to Iraq, comparing his courage to historical examples of principled dissent. The writer argues Watada showed bravery by staying to fight through the military court system rather than fleeing to Canada.
- A Remarkable Gift, by Judith Aono, page 2. The writer praises the Pacific Citizen for covering stories like the Mukai family’s history on Vashon Island that no other publication would report. She argues the P.C. serves as an essential repository of Japanese American community history and current issues nationwide.
- Four Books to Delve Into, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. Harry K. Honda reviews four books relevant to Japanese American history: a history of Nikkei farmers in Orange County, a history of judo in Southern California, Kiyo Sato’s WWII memoir, and a book about Issei pioneers at the San Pedro Internment Center. He provides context and background on each author and subject matter.
- Turf Wars, by Peter Shigeki Frandsen, page 6. A dental resident reflects on political debates with a colleague and draws parallels to workplace and family conflicts over control and credit. He concludes that people should pick their battles carefully and favor unity over division.
- Congratulations, Nisei Graduates! (Assembly Bill 37), by Warren T. Furutani, page 9. Assemblymember Warren T. Furutani writes about authoring Assembly Bill 37, which enabled California universities to award honorary degrees to Nisei students whose education was interrupted by WWII incarceration. He congratulates the graduates on their lifelong achievements being finally recognized.
- Yamamoto: The Future of the P.C. (continued), by Margie Yamamoto, page 13. Continuing her column, Yamamoto details the financial and staffing risks of moving the Pacific Citizen to San Francisco and converting it to digital-only format. She notes that a membership survey showed 90 percent of respondents want to continue receiving a printed newspaper, and reports on the national board’s February vote to phase out print by 2014.
- Aono: A Remarkable Gift (continued), by Judith Aono, page 13. Judith Aono continues her praise of the Pacific Citizen, describing herself as a newspaper enthusiast who values the P.C.’s depth of coverage on JA community issues nationwide. She highlights her role on the P.C. board providing feedback and thanks readers for their support during the Spring Campaign.
National
- Graduation Ceremony Fit for the Nisei, by Nalea J. Ko, page 3. Sixteen-year-old Kristi Agari organized a graduation ceremony at the University of the Pacific honoring 11 Nisei who were forced to leave Stockton High School during WWII internment. Inspired by a Pacific Citizen article about another teen’s similar project, Agari spent months tracking down honorees and arranging diplomas and recognition awards.
- Late DREAM Activist’s Brother to Bike Across Calif. to Honor Her Memory, by Nalea J. Ko, page 4. Tam Tran, a prominent undocumented student activist and DREAM Act advocate, died in a car accident in Maine along with her friend Cinthya Felix. Her brother Lolly Tran will honor her memory by riding her bicycle in the 2010 Tour de Dreams bikeathlon to raise scholarship funds for undocumented students.
Community
- Historic Gathering on APIA Historic Preservation, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Asian Pacific Islander American historic preservation leaders will gather in San Francisco’s Japantown for the first-ever Asian Pacific Islander National Historic Preservation Forum. The event features keynote speakers Irene Hirano Inouye and Sue Fawn Chung along with a Guam cultural reception.
JACL
- JACL Announces JA of the Biennium Awardees, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The JACL will honor Stuart Ishimaru of the EEOC and Dr. Richard Morimoto of Northwestern University with Japanese American of the Biennium Awards at the national convention. Michael Lieberman of the Anti-Defamation League will receive the JACL Edison Uno Civil Rights Award for his work on hate crimes legislation.
- JACL Convention Panels, Workshops to Focus on ‘Embracing Change’, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The 2010 JACL national convention in Chicago will feature workshops on U.S.-Japan relations, civil rights in the 21st century, and Pan-Asian community building. Speakers include Japanese Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki, Irene Hirano, Karen Narasaki, and Sen. Mee Moua among others.
In-Depth
- Congratulations, Nisei Graduates: Honorary Degree Ceremonies Across California, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. The Pacific Citizen honors Nisei students from the 1940s who received honorary degrees decades later from universities including UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Francisco, and various California colleges after their education was interrupted by wartime incarceration. The special section lists hundreds of honorees along with photos from ceremonies including a moving moment where a granddaughter accepted a degree on behalf of her deceased grandfather.
Obituaries
- In Memoriam, by P.C. Staff, page 15. This issue’s In Memoriam section lists community members who passed away, including several World War II veterans of the 442nd RCT and MIS, community activists, and longtime JACL members. Notable entries include labor leader John Delloro and several internment camp survivors who went on to long careers and community service.
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.