Japan relief, organic farming and a question of wartime loyalty

Vol. 152, No. 7, April 15, 2011. 16 pages. View this issue

Relief for Japan after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami ran through this 16-page issue. JACL and Direct Relief International announced $1 million in grants to local groups aiding the elderly and disabled, and Cindi Kishiyama-Harbottle and Gil Asakawa wrote about community support and how Japanese Americans felt toward Japan. Christine McFadden asked younger Japanese Americans how they would answer the World War II loyalty questionnaire that sent some families to Tule Lake. Lynda Lin reported on Asian Pacific American farmers in the organic food movement.

Elsewhere, Nalea J. Ko wrote about changes to raves and about Asian American doctors with Doctors Without Borders, and John Tateishi answered critics of his earlier column. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team veterans recreated their Iolani Palace photo, and a Venice memorial marker for those sent to Manzanar was announced. The paper also covered the Warner Bros. casting protest over Akira and Goodwin Liu’s nomination.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• United We Stand, by Cindi Kishiyama-Harbottle, page 2. The author reflects on the outpouring of community support for Japan following the earthquake and tsunami crisis, and how anti-Japanese rhetoric emerged despite this compassion. She urges readers to donate to the Pacific Citizen’s Spring Campaign, the paper’s biggest fundraiser, which helps fund the newspaper’s important coverage of the APA community.
• Chapters Should Select Youth as Voting Delegates, by Devin Yoshikawa, page 2. The JACL’s National Youth/Student Council launched a 2011 Convention Youth Delegate Campaign to encourage chapters to name young members as voting convention delegates. Youth leaders argue this will help mentor young Nikkei, keep JACL responsive to community needs, and provide leadership opportunities not found elsewhere.
• More on that Gorilla, by John Tateishi, page 8. Responding to criticism of his prior column, the former JACL national director further explains rather than justifies the organization’s WWII-era decision to cooperate with government exclusion policies, noting the JACL leadership was young and inexperienced and had little authority in the broader community. He argues the community itself bears responsibility for going along with the JACL’s advice rather than resisting government orders outright.
• Did the Earthquake Bring JAs Closer to Japan?, by Gil Asakawa, page 8. The author examines how many Japanese Americans, especially Sansei, have historically felt distant from Japan due to generational and cultural gaps, noting a mainstream news outlet’s mistaken conflation of Japanese nationals with Japanese Americans. He suggests the March 11 disaster may have rekindled a sense of connection to Japan among JAs, evidenced by fundraising efforts and expressions of concern from friends and strangers alike.

In-Depth

• Japanese American Youth Answer World War II’s Allegiance Question, by Christine McFadden, page 3. The article explores how younger generations of Japanese Americans imagine they would respond if forced to answer the WWII loyalty questionnaire that led some, like Roy Nakano’s parents, to renounce citizenship and be sent to Tule Lake. While some Yonsei say they’d rebel like Korematsu or Endo, most acknowledge the wartime hysteria likely would have forced compliance, as it did for their Nisei relatives.
• Asian Americans Plant Seeds in Organic Food Movement, by Lynda Lin, page 4. Asian Pacific American farmers, from the Masumoto Family Farm in Fresno to Dean Okimoto’s Ono Farms in Hawaii, are increasingly embracing organic farming techniques rooted in environmental responsibility. The piece also highlights younger APAs pursuing organic agriculture internships and backyard gardeners growing chemical-free produce, alongside noting skepticism from critics who question organic food’s nutritional benefits.
• Asian Americans Rolling With the Changes to Raves, by Nalea J. Ko, page 5. New reports show a sharp rise in ecstasy-related emergency room visits and teen drug use, prompting scrutiny of the rave scene following the 2010 death of a teenager at the Electric Daisy Carnival in Los Angeles. In response, the rave has relocated to Las Vegas, California lawmakers proposed the Raves Safety Act, and community organizations like AADAP are working with officials to address safety concerns.
• Asian American Medical Professionals Going Beyond Borders, by Nalea J. Ko, page 6. Asian American doctors and nurses working with Doctors Without Borders describe the challenges and rewards of humanitarian medical missions in places like Nigeria, South Sudan, and now earthquake-stricken Japan. The organization has deployed teams to help displaced and elderly residents in Japan, including psychologists treating survivors of trauma from the disaster.

National

• JACL and Direct Relief Target Hardest Hit Areas, Most Vulnerable, by P.C. Staff, page 7. JACL and Direct Relief International announced $1 million in grants to local Japanese groups aiding the elderly and disabled in areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, with total cash disbursements reaching $1.4 million. Several JACL chapters across the U.S. have also been independently fundraising, with amounts ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars donated to relief organizations.
• Warner Bros. Accused of ‘Whitewashing’ in ‘Akira’, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Asian Pacific American advocacy groups, including Racebending.com and JACL-affiliated organizations, are demanding Warner Brothers cast Asian American actors in lead roles for the live-action ‘Akira’ film rather than considering only white actors like Andrew Garfield and Rob Pattinson. The coalition has launched a petition with over 7,000 supporters and hopes to meet with studio executives.
• U.S. Senators to Consider New Akaka Bill, by Associated Press, page 10. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is set to consider the Akaka Bill again, which would grant federal recognition to a Native Hawaiian government, as Sen. Daniel Akaka reintroduces the legislation before his planned retirement. Similar bills have failed for over a decade despite Akaka’s continued efforts to gain passage.
• National Newsbytes, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 10. A roundup of national news briefs including a Los Angeles veterans’ tribute to Medal of Honor winner Sadao Munemori, Illinois redistricting hearings addressing Asian American community concerns, Colorado’s failed civil unions bill, and a $2 million endowment for the University of Hawaii’s Center for Korean Studies.
• APAs in the News, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This roundup covers notable APA achievements including Michael Yaguchi receiving the Secretary of Defense Medal, Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga winning the Sue Kunitomi Embrey Legacy Award for her redress work, Karin Wang being named Woman of the Year, four judges appointed to Oahu courts, and Amy Chua’s daughter being accepted to Yale and Harvard.
• Nisei Veterans Recreate Historic Palace Photo, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 11. Nearly 70 years after the original photo, 35 surviving 442nd Regimental Combat Team veterans gathered at Iolani Palace in Honolulu to recreate their historic 1943 photograph before Congressional Gold Medal ceremonies later this year. Current U.S. Army Reservists from the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment joined the aging veterans to honor their legacy.
• Advertisers Drop Minn. Radio Station Over Racist Song, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Minnesota radio station KDWB faced backlash and lost advertisers AT&T and Health Partners after airing a song parody mocking Hmong Americans as living like ‘sardines.’ The station issued an apology after receiving complaints from Hmong community members and leaders.
• Goodwin Liu Gets OK from Senate Judiciary Committee — Again, page 12. Law professor Goodwin Liu received Senate Judiciary Committee approval for the third time in his nomination to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but still awaits a full Senate floor vote. APA leaders including NAPABA are urging the Senate to confirm Liu, who could become the first APA on the Supreme Court if elevated further.
• Hawaii Budget Troubles Worsen, by Mark Niesse, Associated Press, page 15. Hawaii’s budget shortfall has grown to $1.3 billion over the next two years due to a 25 percent drop in Japanese tourists following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, along with declining tax collections. Lawmakers and Gov. Neil Abercrombie are searching for ways to cut spending and raise revenue without resorting to sharp tax increases.
• Hines Ward Teaches Pacific Islander Youth to Get Fit, page 16. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward hosted a health and fitness fair at UCLA to address rising obesity rates among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth, who have the highest overweight rates of any minority group. The event, sponsored by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, emphasized the importance of exercise and proper nutrition.
• Suit Dismissed After Passage of Hawaii Civil Unions, by Associated Press, page 16. Six gay couples withdrew their lawsuit against Hawaii’s government after Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed civil unions legislation into law, rendering the legal action unnecessary. Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Hawaii, who filed the original suit, said they will now work to ensure smooth implementation of the new law beginning Jan. 1.

Arts & Entertainment

• Chi-Lan Lieu on What’s ‘Fact or Faked’, by Nalea J. Ko, page 9. Chinese American photographer Chi-Lan Lieu discusses her role as a skeptical investigator on Syfy’s ‘Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files,’ where she uses her photography expertise to help debunk or authenticate paranormal footage. She shares stories of eerie encounters during shoots and how her traditionally Chinese family has reacted to her unusual career path.
• East West Players Theater Company to Hold Playwriting Competition, page 12. East West Players is hosting its ‘Face of the Future’ playwriting competition seeking original works exploring multicultural America from an APA perspective, with a $5,000 first prize. Submissions are accepted May 2 to Aug. 31, with winners considered for workshop or production at the theater.

Community

• Twin Cities JACL Hosts Speakers Training Workshop, page 12. The Twin Cities JACL Education Committee held a workshop training 14 new speakers, including students and teachers, to discuss the Japanese American WWII incarceration experience as the number of Nisei speakers dwindles. Speakers Sally Sudo and Lucy Kirihara shared firsthand experiences, and the chapter has also collected 17 oral histories for an educational DVD.
• Ichiro Vieira Gets French Camp JACL Scholarship, page 13. The JACL French Camp chapter held its 63rd annual New Year’s and installation luncheon in Stockton, installing new officers for 2011 and awarding its scholarship to McNair High School honors student George Ichiro Vieira. Vieira, an active community member and karate instructor, plans to attend the University of Pacific to study business administration.
• Veterans to Honor Fallen JA Brethren May 28, page 13. A Memorial Day service honoring all Japanese Americans who died in war will be held May 28 at the Japanese American National War Memorial Court in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. The keynote speaker will be Vietnam War veteran Scott Takahashi, whose father served in the 100th Battalion during WWII.
• Venice JA Memorial Marker to be Unveiled, page 13. A memorial marker commemorating the site where about 1,000 Japanese Americans from Venice, Santa Monica and Malibu gathered before their forced evacuation to Manzanar will be unveiled April 25. The Venice Japanese American Memorial Marker Committee worked with Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and community organizations to secure the historic marker.

Obituaries

• In Memoriam, page 15. This issue’s In Memoriam section lists Japanese American community members who recently passed away, including WWII and Korean War veterans, longtime business owners, and other notable figures. Entries include brief biographical details and survivors for individuals such as James Kazuto Endo, Shusuke Fujitake, and Kam Kuwata.

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