Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, and Asian American Studies in peril

Vol. 152, No. 5, March 18, 2011. 16 pages. View this issue

Japan’s earthquake and tsunami dominated this 16-page issue. Floyd Mori, JACL National Director, looked back on a tumultuous week that also included the fatal shooting of a Sikh man in Sacramento and Congressional hearings on Muslim radicalization, and drew parallels to the World War II incarceration (often called internment) of Japanese Americans. A news story covered the racist comments, including Pearl Harbor jokes, that spread on the web after the disaster, along with relief efforts and JACL members’ experiences in Japan. Christine McFadden reported that Asian American Studies programs faced budget cuts at universities including UT Austin and Cal State LA.

Also inside: John Tateishi’s column on his conversation with Mike Masaoka, a story on the Manzanar Pilgrimage set for April 30, and Nalea J. Ko’s pieces on Aiden Aizumi and on screenwriter Steve Shibuya. News briefs mark Pasadena’s Fred Korematsu Day resolution, and Jake Shimabukuro’s tribute to Nisei veterans.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• A Week to Remember, by Floyd Mori, page 2. National Director Floyd Mori recounts a tumultuous week including the Japan earthquake/tsunami, the fatal shooting of a Sikh man in Sacramento, and Congressional hearings on Muslim radicalization. He draws parallels to the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans and urges continued JACL membership support.
• Pacific Citizen has Something for Everyone, by Judith Aono, page 2. The Pacific Citizen editorial board chair reflects on how she came to appreciate the value of the newspaper beyond her JACL dues. She highlights the paper’s diverse content, digitization efforts, and online expansion, and encourages readers to donate to the Spring Campaign.
• The 800-Pound Gorilla, by John Tateishi, page 8. Former JACL national director John Tateishi recounts a conversation with Mike Masaoka about the JACL’s controversial WWII-era decision to advise cooperation with government incarceration orders. Masaoka revealed that government agents had threatened bloodshed if Japanese Americans resisted, framing a difficult no-win decision.

In-Depth

• Amid Rescue Efforts in Quake-hit Japan, Racist Comments are Rampant on the Web, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 3. Following Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, racist jokes and comments referencing Pearl Harbor spread across social media, drawing condemnation from JACL and Ethnic Studies advocates. The article also covers the humanitarian crisis, JACL members’ experiences in Japan, and relief efforts organized through Direct Relief International.
• Asian American Studies on the Chopping Block, by Christine McFadden, page 4. Asian American Studies programs at universities including UT Austin and Cal State LA face budget cuts and potential elimination amid state fiscal crises. Students and faculty across the country are organizing to protect these programs, which they say are vital for understanding APA identity and history.
• AAs on Raising Awareness About the ‘T’ in LGBT, by Nalea J. Ko, page 5. Aiden Aizumi, a transgender Japanese American man, and his mother Marsha share their journey of struggle and acceptance, and are writing a book about their experience. The article also covers legislative efforts nationwide to protect transgender individuals and the need for more resources and awareness in the Asian American community.

National

• Asian American Leaders Say Hearing on Muslim Extremism Scapegoats a Community, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 6. JACL and other Asian Pacific American leaders condemned Rep. Peter King’s Congressional hearing on Muslim radicalization, drawing parallels to the WWII Japanese American incarceration. Reps. Mike Honda, Judy Chu, and Keith Ellison also criticized the hearing as unfairly targeting the Muslim American community.
• Obama Nominates Gary Locke to be Ambassador to China, by Associated Press, page 6. President Obama nominated Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as the first Chinese American ambassador to China, aiming to strengthen U.S. business interests there. Locke has extensive experience with Chinese trade policy and built relationships with Chinese leaders over 20 years of visits.
• Student Conflict Common in Philly Schools, by Associated Press, page 8. A Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations report found that conflicts among various student groups are widespread in the district, following racially motivated attacks on Asian American students in 2009. The commission recommends reducing language barriers and implementing clearer conflict resolution policies.
• Reward Offered in California Shooting of Two Sikh Men, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 8. Florin JACL urged Elk Grove police to prioritize investigating the shooting of two Sikh men, one fatally, drawing parallels to the WWII Japanese American experience of being targeted based on race. A $5,000 reward was offered by the Council on American-Islamic Relations as authorities investigate a possible hate crime.
• ‘The Slants’ Fights to Trademark Their Name, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 10. The Portland-based Asian Pacific American rock band The Slants is appealing the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s denial of their trademark request, arguing the name has been reclaimed as a source of ethnic pride. Band members say the APA community, not a government office, should decide if the term is disparaging.
• Quinn Signs Chinatown Redistricting Legislation, by Associated Press, page 10. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation designed to protect minority groups in the legislative redistricting process, following advocacy from Chicago’s Chinatown leaders. The bill addresses concerns that Asian voters have been diluted across multiple districts and requires statewide hearings on redistricting.
• National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 10. Pasadena became the first city to pass a resolution recognizing Fred Korematsu Day, while a fatal NYC bus crash killed 14 mostly Asian passengers amid conflicting witness accounts. Other briefs cover a life sentence recommendation for a former gang leader, failed Hawaii gambling legislation, and the refurbishment of a historic Japanese friendship doll in Spokane.
• APAs in the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 11. Brief items cover Goodwin Liu’s second confirmation hearing for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Wendy Tokuda keynoting a UC Berkeley JA women’s alumnae luncheon, and a new scholarship honoring retired professor Leighton Liu at University of Hawaii Manoa. Also noted are Kim Ng’s move to MLB and new CAPAC staff appointments.
• Choices Abound in S.F. Mayor’s Race, by Robin Hindery, page 11. Three Asian American candidates are among eight contenders vying to become San Francisco’s next mayor in a city that is nearly one-third Asian American but has never elected an Asian American mayor. Political observers discuss how the city’s new ranked-choice voting system may affect the race, especially given multiple Asian American candidates.
• Hawaii’s Daniel Akaka Decides Against 2012 Run, by Mark Niesse, page 11. Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, the only U.S. senator of Native Hawaiian or Chinese ancestry, announced he will not seek re-election in 2012. His decision follows a major legislative defeat on the Akaka bill, which would have granted Native Hawaiians the right to form their own government.

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘Sucker Punch’ Co-Writer Steve Shibuya on Fighting Inner Demons, by Nalea J. Ko, page 7. Japanese American screenwriter Steve Shibuya discusses co-writing the action film ‘Sucker Punch’ with director Zack Snyder over a decade while serving as a stay-at-home father. He credits his parents’ WWII incarceration experience with giving him the freedom to pursue his dreams.
• Steelers’ Hines Ward to Turn On Razzle Dazzle for ‘Dancing With The Stars’, by Lynda Lin, page 9. Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward, who is of Korean and African American descent, is competing on ‘Dancing With The Stars’ to raise awareness about biracial discrimination and help Asian Pacific American and biracial youth build self-confidence. Ward discusses his childhood struggles with identity and his charitable work in South Korea combating discrimination against mixed-race children.

Community

• Revised JACL Curriculum Guide is Now Available, by P.C. Staff, page 12. JACL released the fifth edition of its curriculum guide on the Japanese American WWII incarceration, now including a new section on the post-Sept. 11th experience of Arab and Muslim Americans. The guide draws parallels between the two eras and provides lesson plans and historical chronology for educators.
• Wisconsin JACL Honors Its Own, by P.C. Staff, page 12. At its inauguration luncheon, the Wisconsin JACL honored 442nd Regimental Combat Team veterans Tom Suyama and Sus Musashi, future recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal. New chapter officers were sworn in and several members received Silver Pin awards for years of service.
• Manzanar High School Reunion Set for August, by P.C. Staff, page 13. The Manzanar High School reunion will be held Aug. 8-10 in Las Vegas, featuring a tribute to William Hohri and a discussion of the book ‘What Remains, Japanese Americans in Internment Camps.’ Former students and those interested in Manzanar history are encouraged to attend.
• Manzanar Pilgrimage Set for Apr. 30, by P.C. Staff, page 13. The 42nd Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, themed ‘Champions of Civil Rights,’ will be held April 30, featuring speaker Alisa Lynch and performances by UCLA Kyodo Taiko. The event includes the Manzanar At Dusk program allowing participants to hear personal stories from former internees.
• Willamette University to Honor JA Students Incarcerated During WWII, by P.C. Staff, page 13. Willamette University will dedicate a bench, stone and plaque to 10 Japanese American students incarcerated during WWII, with a ceremony on April 1. A free concert featuring poet-laureate Lawson Inada and the Minidoka Swing Band will follow the dedication.
• Shimabukuro, Ukulele Musician, Recognizes Nisei Veterans, by P.C. Staff, page 16. Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro paid tribute to World War II Nisei veterans with a performance of the ‘Go For Broke Song’ at the Birchmere Music Hall in Virginia. His introduction of WWII veterans Grant Ichikawa, Dr. Norman Ikari, and Terry Shima resulted in a prolonged standing ovation.

JACL

• JACL Collegiate Leadership Conference Applications Available, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Applications are open for the JACL Collegiate Washington, D.C. Leadership Conference in June, sponsored by the UPS Foundation, which introduces APA student leaders to national policymaking. Last year’s participants met with prominent APA leaders including Frank Wu and Rep. Mike Honda.
• JACL Accepting Masaoka Fellowship Applications, by P.C. Staff, page 12. JACL is accepting applications for the 2011 Mike M. Masaoka Fellowship, which places a fellow in a Washington congressional office for six to eight months. The fellowship, established in 1988, honors Masaoka’s lifetime of public service to the JACL.
• JACL/OCA Leadership Summit Focuses on Anti-Bullying, by P.C. Staff, page 16. The 2011 JACL/OCA Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. brought together 30 participants to discuss anti-bullying legislation and leadership development, sponsored by State Farm. Participants met with Congressional staffers and APA leaders including Reps. Mazie Hirono and Colleen Hanabusa.

Obituaries

• Yonamine, ‘Nisei Jackie Robinson,’ Dies at 85, by Jaymes Song, page 15. Wally Yonamine, the first American to play professional baseball in Japan after WWII and a former San Francisco 49ers running back, died at 85. Known as the ‘Nisei Jackie Robinson,’ he built ties between the U.S. and Japan through his aggressive playing style and later success as a batting champion and Hall of Famer.
• Kazuko Oda, page 15. Kazuko Oda, 92, passed away peacefully at her home in Berkeley, California, survived by her siblings, five children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She and her husband relocated from the Topaz incarceration camp to Berkeley in 1945, where she worked as a school cook and was active in the Berkeley Buddhist Temple and Contra Costa JACL.

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