A new JACL national director, and Day of Remembrance in 2012

Vol. 154, No. 4, March 2, 2012. 16 pages. View this issue

Priscilla Ouchida of Sacramento was named the new JACL national director, as announced by National President David Kawamoto, and the board voted to honor outgoing director Floyd Mori. Day of Remembrance events marked the 70th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, from Salt Lake City and Boise to San Jose and the Smithsonian, where Eric Shinseki spoke. Replica Congressional Gold Medals went to Nisei veterans of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Nalea J. Ko wrote on Japan’s recovery one year after the earthquake and tsunami.

Other pages include Christine McFadden’s profile of photographer Carl Iwasaki, who began his career while incarcerated at Heart Mountain, and Nalea J. Ko’s interview with actress Tia Carrere. Gil Asakawa linked Gordon Hirabayashi and Jeremy Lin in a column, and the paper covered the Pvt. Danny Chen case and UCLA’s plan to sell the Hannah Carter Japanese Garden.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Priscilla Ouchida Named New JACL National Director, by P.C. Staff, page 2. JACL National President David Kawamoto announced that Priscilla Ouchida of Sacramento has been selected as the new national director of the JACL, starting March 1. Ouchida, who has served the organization in various volunteer roles and worked as a legislative director for California state legislators, will transition into the role full-time by June, replacing outgoing director S. Floyd Mori.
• JACL National Board Votes to Honor Outgoing National Director, by Nalea J. Ko, page 4. The JACL national board voted to bestow the honorary title of ‘national director emeritus’ on outgoing National Director Floyd Mori, who announced his retirement in April. The decision, motioned by David Lin, passed with dissent from Gail Sueki, who felt the membership should have voted on the unprecedented title at the national convention.
• JACL National Board Looks to Cut Program Funds to Balance Proposed 2013-2014 Budget, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The JACL national board is grappling with a roughly $700,000 gap between projected revenues and program costs for its 2013-2014 biennial budget. An informal poll identified annual giving, endowments, internships, the Pacific Citizen, and fund development as top priorities for potential budget cuts, to be further discussed at a March budget meeting.

Commentary

• We Send Our Love and Wishes, by Al & Jane Nakatani, page 2. A letter to the editor responding to a previous article about Asian Americans confronting HIV/AIDS stigma, expressing love and support for the subject, Sara. The writers hope she finds joy and that people around her are enriching rather than stigmatizing.
• Nisei Vets Stamp Committee Urges Support for JAVA Proposal, by Fusa Takahashi, page 2. The co-chair of the WWII Nisei Veteran’s Stamp Campaign urges readers to write to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee supporting JAVA’s proposal for a commemorative stamp honoring WWII units awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. The letter highlights the discrimination and heroism of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd RCT, MIS, Tuskegee Airmen, WASPs and Navajo Code Talkers, and provides contact information for submitting support letters.
• Gordon Hirabayashi and Jeremy Lin are Both Worth Noting on DOR, by Gil Asakawa, page 8. The author connects the Day of Remembrance commemoration of Gordon Hirabayashi’s internment resistance with the rise of NBA star Jeremy Lin, noting how both figures illustrate the long history of anti-Asian discrimination in America. Despite Lin’s on-court success sparking racist commentary from sports media and athletes, the author sees his story as part of a continuum of racism stretching from the Chinese Exclusion Act to Executive Order 9066 to today.
• A Little Bit of Legislative Levity, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. The column examines six proposed reforms by former Congressman Mickey Edwards to reduce partisanship in Congress, including nonpartisan redistricting, open amendment processes, and open primaries. Honda relates the reforms to historical JACL efforts, including the decades-long fight for Issei citizenship rights through the Walter-McCarran bill in 1952.
• Honda: Legislative Reforms Recall JACL’s Own Legislative History, by Harry K. Honda, page 16. This continuation piece recounts the history of the Walter-McCarran omnibus bill, which granted Issei citizenship rights after being vetoed by President Truman and then overridden by Congress. Honda notes his personal connection to this era, having been offered the Pacific Citizen editor position by wartime JACL president Saburo Kido.

In-Depth

• Rebuilding Japan, One Year After the Earthquake and Tsunami, by Nalea J. Ko, page 3. As the one-year anniversary of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami approaches, survivors and organizations reflect on Japan’s recovery, including a Pomeranian named Fuku-suke and the Yoshida family who narrowly escaped the disaster. JACL and Direct Relief International have raised $6 million for recovery efforts, while many in the Tohoku region still struggle to rebuild their lives and homes.
• A Photographic Legacy: The Career of JA Icon Carl Iwasaki, by Christine McFadden, page 5. Photographer Carl Iwasaki, now 87, built a six-decade career capturing iconic images including the desegregation of schools, President Eisenhower, and football legend Joe Namath, beginning his career while incarcerated at Heart Mountain during WWII. Hired by the WRA’s Photographic Section, Iwasaki was the only Japanese American to work full-time as an official photographer documenting internee resettlement, later parlaying a lucky break into a career shooting for Time and Life magazines.
• For Sale: Historic Hannah Carter Japanese Garden, by Christine Fukushima, page 6. UCLA’s decision to sell the Hannah Carter Japanese Garden, donated to the university in 1964 with an agreement it be maintained ‘in perpetuity,’ has sparked opposition from the Carter family, preservationists, and community members. UCLA cites budget shortfalls and maintenance costs as reasons for the sale, while a coalition has formed to fight for the garden’s preservation as an irreplaceable cultural landmark.

National

• Interracial Marriages in U.S. Hit New High: 1 in 12, by Hope Yen, Associated Press, page 7. A Pew Research Center study finds interracial marriages in the U.S. have climbed to a record 4.8 million couples, or 1 in 12, driven by Asian and Hispanic immigration and increased acceptance among blacks marrying whites. However, the share of Asians who intermarry has declined slightly from 30.5 percent in 2008 to 27.7 percent in 2010, partly attributed to a larger pool of same-ethnicity partners from recent immigration.
• Chen Case: AA Soldiers Endure Bias, by Associated Press, page 10. The hazing and death of Pvt. Danny Chen, a Chinese American soldier who was allegedly subjected to racial harassment before his suicide in Afghanistan, has prompted the JACL national board to pass a resolution calling for a fair investigation. Other Asian American veterans share mixed experiences with racial prejudice in the military, while questions remain about leadership failures in Chen’s unit, where eight soldiers have been charged.
• National Newsbytes, by Associated Press, page 10. Brief news items cover Proposition 8 backers seeking a rehearing on California’s gay marriage ban, a Marine acquitted in the hazing death of Lance Cpl. Harry Lew, a court hearing on California’s affirmative action ban, NYPD monitoring of Muslim students sparking outrage, and Connecticut Senate candidate William Tong being the only Asian American Senate candidate in the continental U.S. Each item provides brief context on ongoing legal and political developments affecting Asian Americans and civil rights.
• Lin Inspires AAs With Extraordinary Play, by P.C. Staff, page 11. New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin’s rise to fame has inspired Asian Americans nationwide, but also brought racially insensitive comments, including an ESPN headline reading ‘Chink in the Armor’ that led to an employee’s firing and another’s suspension. JACL and MANAA responded to the incidents, calling for greater sensitivity training within sports media despite Lin’s own gracious response and forgiveness.

Arts & Entertainment

• Tia Carrere Brings the Hawaiian Heat to ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’, by Nalea J. Ko, page 9. Actress and musician Tia Carrere discusses joining the cast of ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’ alongside fellow Asian American George Takei to raise money for the Hawaii chapter of After-School All-Stars. Carrere also talks about her long-delayed film project about Hawaiian surf legend Rell Sunn and the challenges of working with strong personalities on the reality show.

Community

• APAs in the News, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This roundup covers Marissa Kitazawa’s appointment as new PSW District regional director, William Higuchi receiving the Order of the Rising Sun from Japan, Linda Toyota being named president of the Houston Asian Chamber of Commerce, G.W. Kimura becoming CEO of the Japanese American National Museum, and Dean Matsubayashi being named new executive director of the Little Tokyo Service Center. Each honoree’s background and achievements are briefly highlighted.
• 141 Congressional Gold Medal Replicas Awarded at Utah Regional Celebration, by Steve Fukushima, ‘My P.C.’ Contributor, page 12. More than 140 replica Congressional Gold Medals were awarded to surviving Nisei veterans and families of deceased members of the 100th/442nd/MIS at a ceremony in Salt Lake City attended by over 1,000 people. The event included remarks from Judge Vincent Okamoto and Rep. Jim Matheson, plus a moment of silence marking the 70th anniversary of Executive Order 9066.
• Regional Celebrations Planned to Honor Congressional Gold Medal Awardees, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Following the November Washington D.C. ceremony, several regional celebrations are being planned to honor Nisei veterans of the 100th/442nd/MIS who could not travel to receive their Congressional Gold Medals in person, including events in Monterey and Chicago. The article details the storied combat record of the units, including the Rescue of the Lost Battalion and the contributions of MIS linguists.
• Smithsonian Honors Congressional Gold Medal Awardees at Day of Remembrance, by P.C. Staff, page 13. U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki delivered the keynote address at the Smithsonian’s Day of Remembrance program, sharing personal family history and honoring Nisei WWII soldiers who received the Congressional Gold Medal. The event featured a panel discussion with veterans and historians, and the Gold Medal is set to tour various cities before permanent display at the Museum of American History.
• Idaho Commemorates DOR, by P.C. Staff, page 13. Idaho Gov. Butch Otter hosted a Day of Remembrance proclamation signing ceremony attended by 65 people, including Nisei veterans who recently received the Congressional Gold Medal. Attendees included former internees and JACL members, with an update given on the Minidoka National Historic Site.
• Silicon Valley JACL Takes Part in San Jose Day of Remembrance, by P.C. Staff, page 13. Silicon Valley JACL participated in the 32nd annual San Jose Day of Remembrance, themed ‘Civil Liberties Under Siege,’ providing banners for a march of 450 people marking the 70th anniversary of Executive Order 9066. Former internees Donald Yamamoto and Chiye Takeda, along with their family members, helped carry the commemorative banners.

Obituaries

• Masako Martha Suzuki, page 15. Masako Martha Suzuki, 90, passed away peacefully at home, having endured wartime incarceration at Tanforan and Topaz before becoming a microbiologist at UC Berkeley and later a successful businesswoman at Takahashi Trading Company. In 2010 she received the Order of the Rising Sun from the Japanese government, and she is remembered for her extensive philanthropy to Japanese American and cultural organizations.
• Masa Yamamoto, page 15. Dr. Masa Yamamoto, 93, of Sacramento, was a WWII Army Medical Corps veteran who practiced medicine for 43 years and served as a clinical professor at UC Davis medical school. He co-founded the Sacramento Kendo Club in 1967 and is survived by his wife of 63 years and his children and grandchildren.
• Harry Furuya, page 15. Harry Furuya, a 95-year-old Tacoma-born Nisei and former internee of Manzanar Relocation Camp, passed away on February 20, 2012, after a long life as a Los Angeles resident. Funeral services were held at Orange County Buddhist Church, and he is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and sisters.

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