Vol. 157, No. 1, July 5, 2013. 12 pages. View this issue
Two decisions shaped the news in this July 5, 2013 issue. The Los Angeles City Council unanimously declared an oak grove at the former Tuna Canyon Detention Station a historical-cultural monument, and a working group will now look at commemoration. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional, with Priscilla Ouchida and David Lin of the JACL welcoming the decision. Immigration reform also drew coverage after the Senate passed its bill 68-32. On page 8, Jessica Kyo, Marisa Fujinaka and Sarah Bone wrote about Bay Area students at a leadership summit at Tule Lake.
Elsewhere in these 12 pages, Harry Honda recalled the 1954 JACL national convention in Los Angeles, and Gil Asakawa wrote about loanwords in Japanese. The JACL announced a $100,000 gift from Bill Sasaki. Nalea J. Ko profiled the TBS show Sullivan & Son, and two chapters honored their scholarship winners.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- Demolition vs. JACL Convention Site, by Harry Honda, page 2. Harry Honda reminisces about the 1954 JACL national convention held at the now-demolished Statler-Hilton Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, recalling attendees, tributes to allies during WWII, and key committee reports. He details the transition of Pacific Citizen leadership and headquarters between Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
- How Language Evolves — Sometimes Too Fast for Us to Keep Up!, by Gil Asakawa, page 3. Gil Asakawa discusses a Japanese man’s lawsuit against NHK over excessive use of foreign loanwords (katakana words) in broadcasts, reflecting on how rapidly the Japanese language absorbs and transforms foreign terms. He notes generational gaps in language use, such as the word ‘benjo’ being outdated in modern Japan compared to Japanese American usage.
JACL
- JACL Receives $100,000 Gift, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The JACL received a $100,000 donation from Bill Sasaki to support education programs and cultural/historical preservation initiatives related to WWII confinement sites. National Director Priscilla Ouchida and Planned Giving Chair Steve Okamoto praised the gift’s importance for preserving Japanese American heritage and history.
- JACL Seeks New Teaching Activities for its Curriculum and Resource Guide, by P.C. Staff, page 9. The JACL’s National Education Committee is inviting teachers, scholars and community members to submit educational activities for its updated Curriculum Guide on Japanese American history. Submissions should align with Common Core Standards and are due by July 31.
National
- Tuna Canyon Oak Grove Declared a Historic Site, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Los Angeles City Council unanimously declared an oak grove at the former Tuna Canyon Detention Station site a historical-cultural monument on June 25. The site, once a WWII internment camp for Japanese, German and Italian Americans, will now have a working group formed to explore commemoration and preservation efforts.
- Vice Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr. to Head Up Pacific Fleet, by P.C. Staff, page 4. President Obama nominated Navy Vice Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., who was born in Japan, to become admiral and commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, succeeding Adm. Cecil Haney. Harris has an extensive military career including service in Japan, Bahrain, and multiple combat commands.
- Supreme Court Delivers DOMA Decision, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional, a decision hailed by JACL leaders including Priscilla Ouchida and David Lin as a victory for equality. Rep. Mark Takano called the ruling monumental, while opponents like House Speaker John Boehner expressed disappointment.
- U.S. Senate Passes Milestone Immigration Reform Bill, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The U.S. Senate passed the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act by a vote of 68-32, though JACL expressed concerns about family-based immigration limits and militarization of the border. Leaders including Priscilla Ouchida and President Obama commented on the bill’s significance as a step toward comprehensive immigration reform.
- Japanese American Rear Admiral Assumes Command of Elite Navy SEALs Unit in San Diego, by Paul Coover, Specialist 3rd Class, page 9. Rear Adm. Brian L. Losey, a member of the Japanese American Veterans Assn. and son of a mother from Nagoya, Japan, took command of Naval Special Warfare Command from Rear Adm. Sean A. Pybus during a ceremony in Coronado, Calif. Losey previously served as commander of Special Operations Command Africa and has extensive military leadership experience.
- National Park Service Begins Planning for Tule Lake With Public Meetings, by P.C. Staff, page 9. The National Park Service is holding public workshops through September to develop a General Management Plan for the Tule Lake Unit of the WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument. The site preserves the history of the Tule Lake Segregation Center, where more than 29,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated during WWII.
Arts & Entertainment
- Steve Byrne Brews Up New Laughs for a Second Season of ‘Sullivan & Son’, by Nalea J. Ko, page 6. TBS show ‘Sullivan & Son,’ loosely based on Korean-Irish American comic Steve Byrne’s life, returned for a second season after strong ratings, featuring a diverse mixed-race cast rarely seen on television. Byrne and cast members Vivian Bang and Jodi Long discuss the show’s themes of family, home, and the close bond among the cast.
Community
- Bridging Communities Students Participate in Leadership Summit at Tule Lake, by Jessica Kyo, Marisa Fujinaka and Sarah Bone, page 8. High school students in the Bay Area JACL’s Bridging Communities program attended a four-day Leadership Summit at Tule Lake National Monument, engaging with Japanese American and American Muslim history and civil rights topics. Students toured the former incarceration site, heard testimony from a former incarceree, and worked on NPS documentation projects.
- Ventura County JACL Honors Scholarship Recipients, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Ventura County JACL honored eight graduating high school seniors with chapter scholarships totaling nearly $5,000 at a reception in Camarillo, Calif. The recipients were recognized on June 19 at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel.
- Puyallup Valley JACL Awards Scholarship Winners, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Puyallup Valley JACL honored four high school scholarship winners at a dinner held June 8 at the Tacoma Buddhist Temple. The winners represented several area high schools including Franklin, Lakes, Lindbergh and Meadowdale.
Obituaries
- Aya (Noda) Endow, page 11. Aya Endow passed away on June 12, 2013, at her home; she was born in Woodland, Calif. in 1918 and was interned at Heart Mountain, Wyo., during WWII. She married Sho Endow Jr. in 1945 and lived in the Hood River Valley, survived by four children, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
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