A proposed fence at Tule Lake, comfort women and Vincent Chin

Vol. 155, No. 1, July 6, 2012. 16 pages. View this issue

A proposed eight-foot fence at the Tule Lake airport in Modoc County, California, drew protest from Japanese American organizations, who argued it would damage the site of the former World War II incarceration camp. Christine McFadden reported on the dispute, and Christine Fukushima covered the controversy over a comfort women memorial in Palisades Park, New Jersey. The issue also marked 30 years since the murder of Vincent Chin, with a report by McFadden and a column by Gil Asakawa.

Other pages cover Honolulu JACL’s push for healthcare redress for Micronesians, the Obama administration’s halt to deportations of young immigrants, and Los Angeles County’s revocation of a wartime resolution on Japanese Americans. Readers wrote in about Manzanar, and Judith Aono thanked outgoing executive editor Caroline Aoyagi-Stom. JACL news includes the national convention honorees in Bellevue and two youth conferences. Teresa Lee of PaperDoll was profiled on page 9.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Preserving Our History, by Joyce Saka, page 2. A reader recounts two visits to Manzanar, decades apart, and thanks the Manzanar Committee for its work preserving the historic site. She reflects on the eerie desolation of her first visit and the meaningful pilgrimage experience of her most recent one.
• Thank You Caroline, by Judith Aono, page 2. Judith Aono thanks outgoing executive editor Caroline Aoyagi-Stom for her 15 years of leadership at the Pacific Citizen. She credits Aoyagi-Stom with modernizing the paper, launching its website, themed editions, and digitization efforts, all while managing a small budget and staff.
• Expand P.C.’s Reach, by Atko Shimada, page 2. A reader urges the Pacific Citizen to expand its circulation beyond Japanese Americans to schools, libraries, and educators. She argues non-Japanese Americans need to learn the truth about the WWII incarceration experience.
• RE: Extraordinary APAs Issue, by Susan Matsumoto, page 2. A reader from Kauai praises the Pacific Citizen’s Extraordinary APAs special issue and its coverage of Asian Pacific American achievements. She hopes the paper continues publishing stories about the 442nd Regiment and 100th Battalion for years to come.
• Hiroshima and PFC Manning, by Don Ino, page 2. A reader questions the necessity of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, citing military leaders who said Japan had already sought peace. He draws a parallel to PFC Bradley Manning’s leaks, suggesting truth-telling might have prevented needless deaths in WWII.
• Marking the 40th Anniversary of Vincent Chin’s Murder, by Gil Asakawa, page 8. Gil Asakawa reflects on how Vincent Chin’s 1982 murder galvanized Asian American political consciousness and remains a pivotal moment for the community three decades later. He connects the case to ongoing issues like the Jeremy Lin ‘Linsanity’ controversy and the suicide of Private Danny Chen.
• ‘Remember the Raisin!’ and Muskrats, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Harry Honda reminisces about the Smithsonian magazine and marks the bicentennial of the War of 1812, recounting the Battle of the River Raisin and its aftermath for Native American tribes. He also touches on cultural traditions like muskrat eating and the writing of ‘The Star Spangled Banner.’
• My First Manzanar Pilgrimage, by Harold Kameya, page 13. Harold Kameya recounts his first visit to the Manzanar Pilgrimage, describing the moving roll call ceremony honoring the 10 concentration camps and the reconstructed barracks and mess hall exhibits. He reflects on how his family, having lived in Hawaii during WWII, avoided the direct impacts of incarceration but still carries its legacy.

In-Depth

• On 30th Anniversary of Vincent Chin’s Murder His Legacy Forges On, by Christine McFadden, Correspondent, page 3. APA leaders held a nationwide Google Hangout town hall to mark the 30th anniversary of Vincent Chin’s murder and raise awareness about ongoing hate crimes against Asian Pacific Americans. Advocates like Phil Yu and Curtis Chin discuss the case’s role in forging a pan-Asian civil rights identity and connecting communities today.
• Historic Tule Lake Site Threatened by a Proposed Fence, by Christine McFadden, Correspondent, page 4. County officials in Modoc County, California are proposing an eight-foot, three-mile fence around the Tule Lake airport, built on the former WWII incarceration camp site, prompting protest from Japanese American organizations. Opponents, including the Tule Lake Committee, argue the fence would destroy the historic integrity of the site, which held the only WWII camp jail.
• Japan’s Uncomfortable History of Comfort Women Hits Home, by Christine Fukushima, Correspondent, page 5. A memorial plaque honoring WWII ‘comfort women’ in Palisades Park, New Jersey has sparked international controversy, with Japanese officials reportedly requesting its removal. Supporters argue the memorial preserves crucial history and honors the survivors, while a White House petition seeks its removal.
• Japanese Americans in Hawaii Are Seeking Redress for the Micronesian Community, by Nalea J. Ko, Reporter, page 6. The Honolulu JACL chapter plans to introduce emergency resolutions at the national convention supporting healthcare redress for Micronesians under the Compact of Free Association. Advocates draw parallels between the Japanese American incarceration experience and the discrimination and healthcare inequities facing the Micronesian community today.

National

• New Asian Immigrants to U.S. Now Surpass Hispanics, by Hope Yen, Associated Press, page 7. A Pew Research Center study finds that Asian immigration to the U.S. has surpassed Hispanic immigration for the first time, driven by demand for high-skilled workers and a slowdown in illegal immigration. The new Asian immigrants are generally wealthier and better educated than immigrants from other regions.
• Terminal Island Put on List of Endangered Historic Places, by Associated Press, page 7. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Terminal Island, once home to thousands of Japanese American fishermen before WWII incarceration, to its list of most endangered historic places due to fears over demolition of century-old canneries. Port officials dispute claims that any buildings are currently slated for demolition.
• Obama Administration Halts Deportations for Young Immigrants, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 10. The Obama administration announced it will stop deporting undocumented young immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and meet certain criteria, granting them work permits instead. DREAM Act activists called it a partial victory, while Rep. Mike Honda praised the decision for benefiting Asian DREAM students.
• Most of Honolulu’s Chinatown Security Cameras Are Broken, page 10. More than half of the 26 security cameras in Honolulu’s Chinatown are non-functional due to broken hard drives and aging equipment. The city has budgeted $100,000 for repairs that were originally scheduled for May.
• Hawaii Man Sues Las Vegas Casino for Negligence, page 10. A Hawaii man and his wife are suing Main Street Station casino in Las Vegas, alleging negligent security after he was beaten and robbed near a restroom in 2010. The lawsuit claims the casino markets heavily to Hawaii residents but failed to provide adequate security.
• D.C. Police: Sikh Officers Can Wear Beards, Turbans, page 10. The Washington D.C. police department announced a new policy allowing Sikh officers to wear turbans and beards in accordance with their religious practices. The policy balances religious freedom with safety requirements such as gas mask fitting.
• Royal Hawaiian Band Honored by Hawaii Academy, page 10. The Royal Hawaiian Band received the 2012 Industry Award from the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts. The band, which celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2011, performs more than 300 concerts annually in Hawaii and abroad.
• L.A. Revokes WWII Japanese American Internment Resolution, by Associated Press, page 12. Los Angeles County supervisors voted to revoke a decades-old resolution that had called for the forced removal of Japanese Americans during WWII. Actor George Takei and dozens of other Japanese Americans spoke at the hearing about their experiences in the incarceration camps.

Arts & Entertainment

• Lead Singer Teresa Lee Puts the Doll in ‘PaperDoll’, by Nalea J. Ko, Reporter, page 9. Indie band PaperDoll, fronted by Teresa Lee, is working on its second album ‘Sashimi Deluxe’ after touring China three times and having music featured in national commercials. In an interview, Lee discusses touring life, band dynamics, and her journey into music full-time.

Community

• Service, Sacrifice and Selflessness, by Andy Noguchi, “My P.C.” Contributor, page 11. Rep. Doris Matsui presented Congressional Gold Medal replicas to nearly 30 surviving Japanese American WWII veterans at a Sacramento ceremony honoring the 100th Battalion, 442nd Regiment, and Military Intelligence Service. Speakers including Dr. Isao Fujimoto reflected on the veterans’ sacrifice and its significance for combating wartime discrimination.
• APAs in the News, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This roundup covers several APA achievements: Kay Wakatake’s promotion to lieutenant colonel, Eric Yamamoto’s appointment as the first Fred T. Korematsu Professor, Stuart Ishimaru’s selection to head a federal minority inclusion office, Bruce Iwasaki’s appointment to the California Superior Court, and Kip Tokuda’s receipt of Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun.
• Monterey Peninsula Marks 100 Years of Cherry Blossoms, page 13. The Monterey Peninsula held a cherry blossom tree planting ceremony to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Japan’s 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, D.C. Deputy Consul General Michio Harada presented a tree to the Monterey Peninsula Buddhist Temple during the event.

JACL

• JACL to Honor JA Leaders at National Convention in Bellevue, by National JACL Convention Committee, page 12. The JACL will honor artist Frank Fujii, Rep. Jim McDermott, civil rights leader Karen Narasaki, and news anchor Lori Matsukawa at its 43rd annual national convention in Bellevue, Washington. Awards include the Japanese American of the Biennium, President’s Award, Edison Uno Award, and Community Achievement Award.
• Collegiate Leadership Conference Teaches Students to Be a Part of a Greater Movement, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Ten Asian Pacific American college students participated in the fourth annual JACL Collegiate Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., learning about legislative issues and civil rights advocacy. Participants attended workshops with organizations like APIAVote, SALDEF, and OCA, and visited landmarks including the Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism.
• Youth Get Empowered at National JACL Summit, page 13. Twenty-five youth members attended the fourth annual JACL Youth Leadership Summit in Portland, Oregon, focused on building a network of young leaders versed in APA issues. Participants engaged in workshops on identity, diversity, and social justice, sponsored by State Farm and Southwest Airlines.
• Ten High School Students Win JAVA Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 16. Ten high school graduates, descendants of 100th Battalion, 442nd Regiment, and MIS veterans, were awarded Japanese American Veterans Association scholarships. Norman Mineta congratulated the winners and urged them to remember the sacrifices of Nisei veterans.

Obituaries

• James Tadao Kawano, page 15. James Tadao Kawano, 93, passed away in Mount Holly, New Jersey, from complications of pneumonia. Born in Honolulu, he was incarcerated at Santa Anita and Heart Mountain during WWII before completing his pharmacy studies and opening Kawano Pharmacy in Philadelphia, where he was known as ‘Doc’ by neighborhood customers.
• Jimmie Haruo Wakayama, page 15. Jimmie Haruo Wakayama, a lifelong Sonoma County resident, passed away due to heart complications. Interned at Amache and Crystal City during WWII, he later served in the Navy, worked for Pacific Bell for 35 years, and was an active member of the Sonoma County JACL and Enmanji Buddhist Temple.

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