Redress bill S. 1009 gains support, and the Vincent Chin verdict

Vol. 104, No. 19, May 15, 1987. 8 pages. View this issue

The front page followed the push for redress in the Senate. New Mexico Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman became co-sponsors of S. 1009, bringing the count to 72, after lobbying by New Mexico JACL. The issue also reported on the 18th annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, where author Richard Drinnon spoke about government documents from the World War II incarceration (often called internment), with his speech continued on page 3. Asian American civil rights groups responded to the May 1 acquittal of Ronald Ebens in the Vincent Chin case, and Bill Hosokawa and Bill Marutani wrote columns on JACL and the Denver convention.

Also inside: a report on the April 29 House hearing on H.R. 442, a Jerome camp reunion planned for July 4, and a Smithsonian exhibit booklet from the National Japanese American Historical Society. Franklin Odo’s new book on Japanese laborers in Hawaii, a Chevron grant for JACL health fairs, and Nisei Relays plans round out the issue.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• New Mexico Senators Back Redress Bill; Count Now 72, page 1. New Mexico Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman became co-sponsors of redress bill S. 1009, bringing the total to 72 co-sponsors. New Mexico JACL members lobbied the senators, who sit on relevant Senate committees.
• Government Still Denies Constitutional Violations, Author Drinnon Says, by Iku Kiriyama, page 1. At the 18th annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, author Richard Drinnon addressed government duplicity in the WWII internment of Japanese Americans, citing documents showing plans for camps predated Pearl Harbor. He argued the government continues to deny its wartime misconduct in ongoing litigation like the Hohri case.
• Jerome Camp Reunion Slated, page 3. Japanese Americans interned at the Jerome, Ark. camp will hold their first all-block reunion in 45 years on July 4 in Downey, Calif. Speakers will include former internee Bert Nakano and activist Mary Kochiyama.
• Richard Drinnon: Government Documents Reveal Wartime Duplicity, page 3. Continuing coverage of Richard Drinnon’s Manzanar Pilgrimage speech details three links of evidence showing the government knew internment was unnecessary and concealed this from courts. Los Angeles Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky and Rose Ochi also spoke at the pilgrimage, honoring Drinnon and volunteer Nancy Gohata.

National

• Asian Groups Vow to Prevent Future ‘Vincent Chin’ Cases, page 1. Asian American civil rights groups denounced the May 1 acquittal of Ronald Ebens in the Vincent Chin civil rights case and called for action against anti-Asian violence. Leaders including Rep. Norman Mineta and OCA’s James Tso expressed disappointment with the verdict and vowed to continue fighting for justice.
• Commission Still Lacks an Asian Member, page 1. President Reagan’s appointment of William B. Allen to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights disappointed Asian American advocates who had pushed for Asian representation on the panel. Advocates including Ron Wakabayashi and Stewart Kwoh noted no Asian American has ever served on the commission despite five qualified nominees being submitted.
• Assembly Committee Passes Bill to Fund Internment Film, page 2. The California Assembly Education Committee approved a bill to fund educational films on the WW2 Japanese American internment and the Armenian genocide. JACL national director Ron Wakabayashi and others testified on the need for more educational materials on the internment.
• Anti-Asian Violence Groups Respond to Chin Verdict, page 8. Civil rights organizations including the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition and American Citizens for Justice responded to the Vincent Chin verdict by vowing continued efforts against anti-Asian violence. ACJ announced plans to open an Asian Center for Justice to monitor hate crime reports.

Community

• Japan Names Nikkei Honorees, page 1. The Japanese government named numerous Japanese Americans, including Bill Hosokawa and others, as recipients of medals for contributions to U.S.-Japan relations. Honorees were recognized for achievements in journalism, horticulture, community leadership, and cultural exchange.
• NJAHS Preparing Booklet to Commemorate D.C. Exhibit, page 2. The National Japanese American Historical Society will publish a commemorative booklet marking the opening of the Smithsonian’s Japanese American exhibit on Oct. 1. The booklet will chronicle the JA experience in connection with the Constitution’s bicentennial, and NJAHS is seeking sponsors to help fund production.
• Senate Staffer, page 2. Jennifer Goto has joined the staff of Sen. Daniel Inouye as a legislative assistant specializing in agriculture, sugar, labor, and veterans’ health care. She was formerly a legal research and writing professor at Catholic University of Law.
• Asian/Pacific Advisory Council to Calif. Schools Appointed, page 3. California schools superintendent Bill Honig appointed members to the Advisory Council on Asian/Pacific Islander Affairs, including several Japanese Americans. The councils advise the state department of education on issues affecting ethnic communities.
• JA Chairing National Self-Help Committee, page 6. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop appointed Mark Mayeda to chair a steering committee for a national workshop on ‘Self-Help and Public Health’ at UCLA in September. Mayeda will develop the program with prominent individuals in health, business, and self-help fields.
• Corrections Dept. Seeking Asians, page 8. The California Department of Corrections is focusing recruitment efforts on the Asian Pacific community in Los Angeles, offering workshops and tutorial sessions for the correctional officer examination. Application deadline is May 29, with free workshops scheduled to assist candidates.

Commentary

• Telling Testimony, page 4. Coverage of the April 29 House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on H.R. 442, chaired by Rep. Barney Frank, details testimony from Reps. Mineta, Matsui, and others on redress legislation. Discussion included compensation amounts, the Peruvian Japanese issue, and comparisons to the trade bill debate happening the same day.
• The Hatred Still Lingers, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Bill Hosokawa’s Frying Pan column reflects on Israeli President Herzog’s visit to Germany as a symbol of moving past historical horror, contrasting it with persistent hatred some still hold toward JACL for its WWII-era leadership decisions. He argues JACL deserves recognition for surviving as the only national Japanese American organization despite its faults.
• Tri-District Convention Promises Fun in Denver, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Bill Marutani’s East Wind column previews the upcoming Tri-District Convention of Eastern, Midwest and Mountain Plains district councils in Denver, highlighting diverse workshops and activities. He encourages JACL members to attend and enjoy Denver’s scenery, hotel deals, and recreational offerings.
• The Peruvian Japanese, by Stanley N. Kanzaki, page 5. A letter to the editor responds to Bill Hosokawa’s column on Peruvian Japanese internment, recommending the book ‘Pawns in a Triangle of Hate’ by C. Harvey Gardiner. The writer praises Gardiner’s thorough research and personal testimony at redress hearings and conferences.
• Briefly Noted, by G.N. Asawa, page 5. A letter discusses proper abbreviations for ‘Japan’ and ‘Japanese’ in Pacific Citizen headlines, referencing past suggestions by Patsy Mink and the writer. The editor responds with a preference among the suggested abbreviations.
• 1787-1987 — and 1942, page 5. A reprinted Washington Post editorial discusses the Smithsonian’s planned exhibit on Japanese American internment in connection with the Constitution’s bicentennial. It argues Congress should act on redress recommendations, noting half of the original 120,000 internees are still living.

In-Depth

• Odo Details Hawaiian Japanese Immigrant Experience in New Book, page 5. Historian Franklin Odo presented his pictorial history of Japanese laborers in Hawaii from 1885-1924, co-authored with Kazuko Sinoto, drawing on newly discovered Issei diaries, novels and songs. The book covers plantation life, prostitution rings, and colorful figures like inspector Joji Nakayama and missionary Takie Okamura.

JACL

• Mountain Plains Ponders JACL’s Future, by Jennifer Yazawa, page 5. The Mountain Plains District Council JACL biannual meeting in Albuquerque discussed recruiting Sansei and Yonsei members and plans for the upcoming Tri-District Conference in Denver. Panel discussions addressed balancing ethnic heritage with mainstream participation and avoiding ‘old world’ divisions among Asian groups.
• JACL Gets Chevron Grant for Health Fairs, page 6. JACL received a $20,000 grant from Chevron USA for the fifth consecutive year to fund the Minority Health Fair Program. The program provides initial funding and materials to local JACL chapters for community health fairs.

Sports

• Nisei Relays Coming to CSU Long Beach, page 6. Applications are being sent for the JACL Nisei Relays track meet to be held June 14 at CSU Long Beach, co-sponsored by Pacific Southwest District Council JACL. High-jumper Rick Noji is noted as a likely 1988 Olympics prospect after strong performances at recent meets.

Arts & Entertainment

• Asian Women Writers Seek Poetry, Prose, page 7. Pacific Asian American Women Writers-West is calling for submissions of original poetry and prose by Asian Pacific women writers for a summer reading event in Los Angeles. Members include noted playwrights Momoko Iko, Velina Houston and Wakako Yamauchi.
• Jennings: Asian American Journalists Can Link Cultures, page 8. ABC News anchor Peter Jennings spoke at an AAJA San Francisco chapter scholarship dinner about the dual responsibility of Asian American journalists to break down media bias and connect American audiences with Asian cultures. He also clarified controversial remarks he made about Japanese attitudes toward the atomic bomb.

Obituaries

• Marjorie ‘Mitsi’ Tokioka Nishimura, page 7. Marjorie Nishimura, co-owner and president of Post Oak Travel Inc. in Houston, died March 2. She was a graduate of Skidmore College and the Harvard-Radcliffe Program for Business Administration, survived by her husband, three children, and parents in Honolulu.

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