Birthright citizenship, Prop. 8 and a Gold Medal for Nisei soldiers

Vol. 151, No. 4, August 20, 2010. 16 pages. View this issue

The debate over repealing birthright citizenship ran through this issue. Nalea J. Ko and Caroline Aoyagi-Stom reported that the proposal echoed 1940s efforts to deny citizenship to Japanese Americans, and that JACL and other advocates called it unrealistic. Ko and Lynda Lin also reported that the Senate unanimously passed the Congressional Gold Medal for the 100th Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and Military Intelligence Service veterans. The front page noted that California’s Proposition 8 stayed in place until at least December while a court reviewed the ruling against it.

Elsewhere, a Go for Broke exhibit was dedicated at Ellis Island, and Floyd Mori wrote about Mike Masaoka, to whose memory it was dedicated. California’s Senate passed a Fred Korematsu Day bill. Reader letters touched on Tule Lake and Amache, and Nalea J. Ko profiled two Project Runway contestants from Hawaii.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Pacific Citizen’s Digital Archives, by Edith Kawamoto Frederick, page 2. A reader thanks the Pacific Citizen for making past issues available online, saying it allows people to keep learning from history. She quotes the phrase ‘knowledge is power’ in praising the effort.
• Respect For Ehren Watada, by G. H. (Fuji) Fujiwara, page 2. A former U.S. Marine and Vietnam veteran responds to an earlier letter, expressing respect for Lt. Ehren Watada’s refusal to deploy to Iraq based on his belief the war was illegal. He compares Watada’s courage to that of Nisei who resisted at Tule Lake, saying one should only feel disgraced by one’s own actions.
• More Attention For Evacuees, by Tak Fujimura, page 2. A reader recounts his family’s experience voluntarily evacuating from Hawthorne, Calif. after Pearl Harbor, including his father’s detention by the FBI and the family’s difficult resettlement in Colorado. He also recalls visiting Amache Relocation Center and notes the University of Nebraska’s invitation for evacuees to continue their studies.
• Remembering Mike Masaoka, by Floyd Mori, page 2. JACL National Director Floyd Mori profiles the life and legacy of Mike Masaoka, an early JACL leader who fought for Japanese American rights before, during, and after World War II. The column ties into a newly dedicated Ellis Island exhibit honoring JA soldiers that is dedicated to Masaoka’s memory.
• Mixed-Race Identity, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Harry Honda reflects on a JACL convention workshop on multiracial identity, tracing the history of mixed-race Japanese Americans from the Cable Act to the ‘one drop rule’ used to justify WWII internment. He recounts historical figures like Tokutaro Nishimura Slocum who fought for Issei veterans’ naturalization rights.
• The Gems of Leadership, by Peter Shigeki Frandsen, page 8. Frandsen reflects on whether leadership can be taught after attending a five-week leadership training program, ultimately turning to President Obama’s leadership style as depicted in Jonathan Alter’s book ‘The Promise’ for insight. He concludes that examining what qualities we admire in leaders can help us aspire to better versions of ourselves.
• Becoming Japanese American, by Christine Munteanu, page 12. Ford Fellow Christine Munteanu, a Shin-Nisei from the East Coast, reflects on her journey integrating into the JACL community and leading the Project: Community! program for JA high schoolers in Chicago. She describes a powerful identity exercise that helped students find solidarity and pride in their shared JA heritage.

National

• ‘Long Overdue’ Congressional Gold Medal Passes the Senate, by Nalea J. Ko and Lynda Lin, page 3. The Senate unanimously passed legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and Military Intelligence Service veterans of WWII. Veterans and advocacy groups called the recognition long overdue as the bill now moves to the House for approval.
• Arguments to Repeal Birthright Citizenship is a Case of Déja-Vu for Many JAs, by Nalea J. Ko and Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 4. Republican lawmakers’ push to repeal birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants echoes 1940s efforts by the Native Sons of the Golden West to deny citizenship to Japanese Americans. JACL and Asian American advocates argue the proposal is unrealistic and driven by anti-immigrant sentiment rather than serious policy.
• Calif.’s Proposition 8 Upheld Until December, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 5. California’s Ninth Circuit Court extended a stay on same-sex marriages while it reviews a judge’s ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, delaying marriages until at least December. JACL and other APA civil rights groups reaffirmed their long-standing support for marriage equality despite the setback.
• U.S. Joins Hiroshima A-bomb Memorial for 1st Time, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 5. A U.S. representative participated for the first time in Japan’s 65th anniversary commemoration of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, alongside representatives from Britain, France, and the U.N. The event emphasized nuclear disarmament efforts, though no U.S. official attended the Nagasaki ceremony three days later.
• Calif. Senate Passes Fred Korematsu Day Bill, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 6. The California Senate unanimously passed AB 1775, establishing a Fred Korematsu Day to honor the civil rights icon, sending the bill back to the Assembly before reaching the governor’s desk. Supporters say the bill, which would encourage schools to teach Korematsu’s story, has renewed relevance given post-9/11 civil liberties concerns.
• Inouye Mourns Loss of Best Friend Stevens, by Associated Press, page 6. Sen. Daniel Inouye mourned the death of former Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, who was killed in a plane crash, calling their friendship ‘a very special one.’ Inouye noted that despite frequent policy disagreements, the two senators worked together to ensure Hawaii and Alaska were not overlooked by the other states.
• National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 6. A roundup of national briefs includes the dismissal of a discrimination lawsuit by a former South Dakota Guard colonel, a Hawaii lawmaker’s push to ban the N-word, Tammy Duckworth earning her pilot license after losing her legs in Iraq, California’s high court upholding its affirmative action ban, and AALDEF intervening in a Georgia voting rights lawsuit.
• Does Japan Still Need The JET Exchange Program?, by Tomoko A. Hosaka, page 13. Japanese lawmakers are considering cuts to the JET Program, which brings young foreigners to teach English in Japan, amid efforts to reduce government spending. JET alumni argue the program provides invaluable cultural diplomacy and foreign policy benefits that outweigh its costs, while critics say the program’s oversight organization is rife with wasteful bureaucratic practices.
• Korean American Boy Plans North Korea Trip to Pitch Peace Idea, by Cara Anna, page 13. Thirteen-year-old Korean American Jonathan Lee planned a trip to North Korea to propose a ‘children’s peace forest’ in the DMZ and possibly meet Kim Jong Il. The visit came amid high tensions following the sinking of a South Korean warship, which was blamed on the North.

Community

• APAs in the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. This roundup covers a $20,000 grant to Oregon Nikkei Endowment, Midori Kai’s 2010-11 grant recipients, the crowning of Nisei Week Queen Lani Kume Nishiyama, JACL summer interns completing D.C. assignments, and OCA San Mateo honoring Steve Okamoto and Fiona Ma. Each brief highlights community achievements and recognitions.
• PNW Mill Workers, Descendents Sought For Historical Site Interpretation, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. Historian Edward Echtle is seeking descendants of Issei mill workers who lived near Thurston County, Wash. sawmills before WWII to help create a historical marker. He hopes to gather personal accounts documenting how seasonal millwork gave early Japanese immigrants their first foothold in American society.
• Seabrook to be Honored by Japan’s Foreign Ministry, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 11. The Seabrook Educational and Cultural Center, which documents the history of Japanese Americans who settled in Seabrook, N.J. during WWII, will receive a Foreign Minister’s Commendation from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The honor recognizes SECC’s work preserving Seabrook Farms’ multiethnic history and promoting U.S.-Japan friendship.
• JA Veteran Groups Take Part in Korean War Armistice Day Ceremonies, page 11. The Japanese American Korean War Veterans and Japanese American Veterans Association participated in Korean War Armistice Day ceremonies at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Representatives Grant Ichikawa and Terry Shima presented wreaths alongside military attaches from 21 nations.
• Silicon Valley JACL to Host Basketball Tournaments, page 11. Silicon Valley JACL is hosting its first youth and adult basketball tournaments over Labor Day weekend, drawing over 90 teams and 900 athletes from across California. The chapter aims to bridge generations and foster intergenerational, multicultural community interaction through the event.
• After a 10-Year Hiatus, Chibi-no-Gakko Relaunched, page 12. Local Japanese American community groups relaunched Chibi-no-Gakko, a cultural summer program for school-age children, after a decade-long absence. The program’s 20 participants learned about Issei pioneers through crafts, a Little Tokyo field trip, and a book signing with authors Shig Yabu and Willie Ito.
• New England Conf. for AAs Seeks Papers and Topics, page 12. The Asian Americans in New England Research Initiative is seeking paper presentations and roundtable topics for its second conference, aimed at highlighting scholarship on the AA experience in New England. Submissions should include a title, abstract, and CV sent to conference organizers at UMass Boston.

JACL

• Dedication Held For ‘Go For Broke’ Exhibit, page 7. A new exhibit, ‘Go For Broke: Japanese American Soldiers Fighting on Two Fronts,’ was dedicated at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, honoring Nisei WWII veterans with 150 rare photographs. The exhibit, curated by Eric Saul, was dedicated to JACL leader Mike Masaoka and Chet Tanaka, with many WWII veterans and JACL officials in attendance.

Arts & Entertainment

• A Second Chance for Two APA ‘Project Runway’ Contestants, by Nalea J. Ko, page 9. Laotian American Andy South and Korean American Ivy Higa, both from Hawaii, are competing on season 8 of ‘Project Runway’ after previous rejections from the show. Both designers discuss their creative journeys, the grueling filming schedule, and their hopes to inspire others from their hometowns after the competition.

Sports

• Wakamatsu Stays Above Seattle Mariners Fray, by Associated Press, page 10. Don Wakamatsu, the first Japanese American manager in MLB history, was fired by the Seattle Mariners after a disappointing second season following a promising first year. Wakamatsu remained gracious about his dismissal, citing team divisions after Ken Griffey Jr.’s decline and retirement as contributing factors.
• Fujikawa Wins First Mainland Event, by Associated Press, page 10. Hawaii teenager Tadd Fujikawa won his first mainland professional golf event with a nine-shot victory in the eGolf Tour Championship, earning $25,000. The 19-year-old, who turned pro while still in high school, previously gained fame as the youngest U.S. Open qualifier in 2006.
• Hawaii’s Kolten Wong Named MVP, page 10. University of Hawaii baseball player Kolten Wong was named Most Valuable Player of the Cape Cod Baseball League after a standout summer with the Orleans Firebirds. Wong finished third in the league with a .341 batting average and multiple stolen bases and RBIs.

Obituaries

• Frank Y. Takahashi, page 15. Frank Y. Takahashi, a UCLA graduate and WWII Army veteran who was later interned at Manzanar, passed away at age 91 in Napa, California. He went on to found a successful Chicago accounting firm and became active in Napa Valley community organizations after retirement.
• Civil Rights Lawyer Who Fought For Family Medical Leave Law Dies at 41, page 15. Joannie Chang, a civil rights attorney who helped pass the nation’s first paid family medical leave law, died of stomach cancer at age 41 shortly after giving birth to twin daughters. She worked with the Asian Law Caucus and San Francisco’s Office of Labor Standards Enforcement and received a state commendation in 2002.
• Takahashi Market Owner Dies at 89, page 15. Kenge Takahashi, a WWII 442nd Regimental Combat Team veteran and longtime owner of Takahashi Market in San Mateo, Calif., died at age 89. His family had run the century-old market, which was incarcerated at Topaz during WWII before Takahashi enlisted in the U.S. Army.

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