The NCJAR lawsuit setback and the Nakanishi case at UCLA

Vol. 106, No. 20, May 20, 1988. 8 pages. View this issue

The Pacific Citizen reported that a federal appeals court voted 2-1 on May 11 to affirm the 1984 dismissal of the NCJAR class action lawsuit brought by 125,000 Japanese Americans over their World War II treatment. Lead plaintiff William Hohri called the decision not unexpected and said the case would return to the Supreme Court. The front page also followed the UCLA review of professor Don Nakanishi’s tenure case, with attorney Dale Minami among those questioning it, and the JACL presidential hopefuls Mollie Fujioka, Helen Kawagoe and Cressey Nakagawa opening their campaigns at a Little Tokyo forum.

Inside are Grayce Uyehara’s update on the redress bill and the JACL-LEC Mailgram Hotline, and an editorial on Memorial Day and Nisei veterans. Rep. Norman Mineta’s opposition to an English-only amendment is on page 2. Other pages cover a lawsuit over a Burbank school and a new Bay Area Asian Pacific directory. Letters respond to earlier columns on redress and loyalty.

What’s in this issue

National

• Court Sets Back NCJAR Case, page 1. A federal appeals court voted 2-1 to affirm the 1984 dismissal of the NCJAR class action lawsuit by 125,000 Japanese Americans over WWII civil rights violations, citing the statute of limitations. Lead plaintiff William Hohri said the decision was not unexpected and that the case would return to the Supreme Court to address the real issues.
• Nakanishi Case: ‘Unresolved Questions’ at UCLA, page 1. Civil rights attorney Dale Minami says UCLA’s new review of professor Don Nakanishi’s tenure case fails to resolve major bias questions raised after his 1987 rejection for promotion. Nakanishi’s supporters argue the case reflects broader discrimination against Asian American faculty hiring at UCLA.
• Police Cleared in Korean Man’s Death, page 1. An investigation into the March 8 shooting death of Hong Pyo Lee by Lynwood Sheriff’s deputies found no wrongdoing after Lee allegedly tried to run down deputies during an escape attempt. Lee’s family has filed a $5 million lawsuit against the department alleging civil rights violations.
• California Asian Americans Outnumber Blacks, page 1. A California finance department study found Asians and Pacific Islanders now slightly outnumber the state’s Black population. Projections for 2020 show continued growth in Hispanic and Asian populations relative to non-Hispanic Whites and Blacks.
• Mineta Opposes English-Only Bill, page 2. Rep. Norman Mineta urged a House Judiciary subcommittee to oppose a constitutional amendment making English the official U.S. language, saying it would foment bigotry. He argued the measure would create barriers rather than unify the nation.
• Nakanishi Case Update: Horowitz Responds, Protests Spread Nationally, page 4. UCLA Vice-Chancellor Harold Horowitz denies discriminatory treatment in Nakanishi’s review and declines to discuss the case publicly, while attorney Stewart Kwoh cites findings of irregular treatment by UCLA’s own tenure committee. Asian American students and civil rights attorneys nationwide have protested the case as symbolic of broader bias in academia.

JACL

• Three JACL Presidential Aspirants Open Campaign at Little Tokyo Forum, by Harry Honda, page 1. Candidates Mollie Fujioka, Helen Kawagoe and Cressey Nakagawa addressed a PSWDC JACL session, responding to questions on fundraising, JACL’s future beyond redress, and membership growth. Other candidates for national office, including Priscilla Ouchida, Alan Nishi and Jimmy Tokeshi, were also introduced.
• Furutani, Kim Address Critical Issues at Confab, by George Johnston, page 1. Keynote speakers Warren Furutani and Yoon Hee Kim spoke at the PSWDC JACL conference on Japanese American community issues, addressing leadership, segregation, and Asian Pacific American coalition-building. The conference featured 11 workshops and drew over 260 attendees.

Community

• AADAP Honoring Matsui, Others, page 2. Rep. Robert Matsui and his wife Doris will be honored at AADAP’s 15th Anniversary Dinner for their efforts against substance abuse and service to youth. Former AADAP executive directors will also be recognized for their community service.
• Los Angeles AAJA Offers Forum on Changing L.A. News, page 2. Three top Los Angeles media executives will discuss how the city’s changing demographics will affect news coverage at a free AAJA-sponsored forum. The panel will also address minority journalists’ roles and job opportunities amid cost-cutting pressures.
• Father and Daughter File Lawsuit, Charge Burbank School with Racial Bias, by Marti Quan, page 3. William Masuda and his daughter Patricia filed a lawsuit alleging Providence High School expelled her due to Japanese ancestry and subjected her and her father to racial slurs. The school’s principal denies the allegations, saying Patricia withdrew voluntarily.
• Bay Area APA Directory Finished, page 3. The Asian Foundation for Community Development released the first edition of its Asian Pacific Resource Directory of the Greater Bay Area, listing about 1,200 organizations. The directory was compiled by high school student Sharlene Lew through a summer jobs program.
• $25,000 in Grants Set for Distribution in Bay Area, page 3. The Asian Foundation for Community Development granted $25,000 to seven Bay Area organizations serving low-income workers, immigrants, and refugees. The foundation received over $100,000 in funding proposals, highlighting strong community demand for employment and training programs.
• Honoring the Matsuis, page 5. Rep. Robert Matsui and his wife Doris are being honored at the AADAP 15th Anniversary Dinner for their work against substance abuse and youth advocacy. Doris Matsui has been active in various Washington-based anti-drug and family support initiatives.

Commentary

• Memorial Day, Nisei Vets and Redress, page 4. This editorial reflects on the sacrifice of roughly 600 Japanese Americans who died in WWII military service, noting their service helped convince Congress to pass redress legislation. It argues that gratitude is owed to those who served, while respecting those who objected on conscience grounds.
• JACL-LEC Mailgram Hotline Update and Redress Bill Progress, by Grayce Uyehara, page 4. Uyehara reports on the JACL-LEC Mailgram Hotline funded partly by the Minoru Yasui Memorial Fund to urge President Reagan to sign the redress bill, and discusses ongoing Conference Committee negotiations over House and Senate redress bills. She notes funding for individual payments likely won’t be available until fiscal year 1990 even after the bill is signed.
• A Simple Truth, by Tom Nanigashi, page 4. A letter writer criticizes William Hohri’s earlier column for appearing to justify disloyalty in response to wartime incarceration. He argues Japanese Americans’ position must be unwavering loyalty to the country.
• Gramm’s Vote Sends a Message, by Emory M. Lee, page 4. A letter to Sen. Phil Gramm criticizes his vote against the redress bill S. 1009, accusing him of hypocrisy for marrying an Asian American while opposing protections for Asian American civil rights. The letter calls out the contradiction directly to the senator.
• Membership Forms, by P. Fukushima, page 4. A reader corrects the Pacific Citizen’s address as listed on JACL membership forms. The editor’s note explains a postal forwarding order issue caused the error.
• Don’t Let Bygones Be Bygones, page 4. A letter responds to columnist James Kilpatrick’s suggestion that redress issues be forgotten, arguing that legal precedents based on wartime incarceration were unjust and dangerous if left unchallenged. The writer draws parallels to other civil rights cases to argue for continued vigilance.
• Don’t Let Bygones Be Bygones (continued), by Harry G. Watson, page 8. The New Mexico JACL chapter president argues that equal protection under the law must be upheld consistently, citing a legal case about police surveillance to emphasize the value of constitutional rights. He urges that the wartime incarceration not be allowed to stand as acceptable precedent.

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