JACL budget fight at the 1980 convention and the redress bill

Vol. 91, No. 5, August 29, 1980. 8 pages. View this issue

The front page carried the 26th biennial National JACL Convention in San Francisco, where delegates debated and passed a record budget. The Pacific Citizen reported that 19 chapters voted against it because of a dues increase, and that delegates argued over keeping the paper a 50-issue weekly. They voted to keep it weekly. The same page reported on the redress bill signed by President Carter, and how the press in Japan reacted to it. Eleven of twelve living past National JACL presidents met together at the convention, and Dr. Clifford Uyeda wrote about the dinner in his column. A conference on Asian immigration planned for December at USC was also on the front page.

Inside are columns by Bill Hosokawa on JACL membership, Ron Ikejiri, Harry Honda, Bill Marutani and Sachi Seko. Other items include the Edison Uno papers donated to UCLA, a film by Tak Shindo on the wartime evacuation, chapter news and a swim meet report.

What’s in this issue

National

• Asian Immigration to America Focus of Major Cal. Conference, page 1. A major statewide conference on Asian immigration issues will be held Dec. 12-13 at USC’s Davidson Conference Center, featuring keynote speakers including Prof. Ron Takaki and attorney Ellen Ai Lee. Twelve specialized panels will cover topics such as the impact of immigration on race relations and INS relations with Asian American communities.
• Seattle Times Backs $1647 Law, page 5. The Seattle Times editorial of Aug. 8 urged support for the U.S. Japanese internment study, stating it addresses a chapter in the nation’s history that has never been fully faced. The editorial is noted briefly in the context of redress legislation support.

Incarceration & Redress

• Press in Japan Puzzled by Redress Bill, page 1. An article in the Japan Times reported that people in Japan were puzzled by President Carter’s signing of the JACL-sponsored redress bill, with some speculating it was a political move to win Japanese American votes in Hawaii. Prof. Rinjiro Sodei of Hosei University and author Kunio Yanagida both suggested the signing was tied to Carter’s reelection campaign rather than genuine reparative intent.

Community

• Sr. Housing Projects Move, page 1. Senior housing projects are progressing in San Diego and Hayward, with East Bay Issei Housing acquiring a five-acre lot for a 150-unit complex. The San Diego Gardens committee increased its local fund drive goal after filing for a $4 million federal senior housing grant.
• NC-WNDC to Add ‘Pacific’ to Accommodate New Area, page 6. The Northern California-Western Nevada District Council will expand its name to include Hawaii and Japan following the 1980 national convention decision. A special district committee meeting on employment discrimination will be held with Norm Ishimoto of the Federal Office of Special Counsel addressing the gathering.
• White River Valley to Mark 50th Year, page 6. The White River Valley JACL chapter is marking its 50th anniversary with an informal Pacific Northwest District Council gathering on Saturday evening, Sept. 20, at the White River Buddhist Church. The event will be held at 7:30 p.m.
• Gardena Valley JACL Hosts First Wine Tasting Event, page 6. The Gardena Valley JACL will host its first wine tasting event on Sunday, Sept. 14, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Hyatt House Hotel’s Penthouse Room to raise funds for chapter projects. The event is part of ongoing community fundraising efforts.

JACL

• JACL Budget Package Sees $819,000-$887,380 Fight at Convention, by Harry Honda, page 1. The 26th biennial National JACL Convention in San Francisco debated and ultimately passed the largest-ever JACL budget of $819,300-$887,380, despite 19 chapters voting against due to a dues increase. Delegates fiercely debated maintaining the Pacific Citizen as a 50-issue weekly versus cutting back to 26 issues to save money, ultimately voting to keep it weekly and raise national dues from $16.50 to $22.25 and later $25.75.
• Historic Assemblage of Past JACL Presidents Meet, page 1. Eleven of twelve living past National JACL presidents met together for the first time during the 1980 national convention, hosted by Dr. Clifford Uyeda. The group discussed the organization’s future and plans to stay connected through newsletters.
• JACL Called to Economic Talks, page 1. The Washington Office of JACL participated in a White House Consultation on the President’s Program of Economic Renewal on Aug. 21, chaired by Bertram Carp. JACL Washington Representative Ronald K. Ikejiri noted the White House sought advice on combating inflation and poor productivity.
• Search for Director, page 2. JACL personnel committee chairman Ben Takeshita requested district governors designate representatives to the Executive Director Search Committee by Aug. 29. This is the first step toward naming a successor to Karl Nobuyuki, who resigned as national executive director on July 15.
• Requests Made of PSW Trust Fund, page 6. The Pacific Southwest District Council trust fund considered requests including $735 for Visual Communications Inc. to rent the Ahmanson Theater for ‘Hito Hata’ and $500 to assist publication of Nisei oral histories by Orange County/Long Beach Asian American Studies. Without a quorum present, actions remain subject to trustee approval.

Arts & Entertainment

• Nisei Poet to Be Co-Subject of NEH-Funded Documentary, page 1. Nisei poet Mitsuye Yamada of Irvine will be featured alongside Chinese American poet Nellie Wong in an hour-long documentary titled ‘Mitsuye and Nellie: Two American Poets,’ funded by a $120,000 NEH grant. Yamada’s wartime experiences at the Minidoka Relocation Center informed her poetry collection ‘Camp Notes and Other Poems.’
• Shindo Produces Evacuation Film, page 3. Tak Shindo, associate professor at CSU-Los Angeles, produced and narrated ‘Encounter with the Past,’ a 30-minute documentary now available from Eurasia Publications. The film includes rare color footage of Nisei life during WWII evacuation-relocation, interviews with camp directors and interned Caucasians, and coverage of postwar resettlement.

Commentary

• President’s Corner: Past Presidents, by Clifford Uyeda, page 3. Dr. Clifford Uyeda recounts the historic dinner meeting of eleven past National JACL presidents during the convention, discussing JACL’s volunteer leadership structure and financial challenges. The group agreed to maintain closer communication and explore non-JACL business ventures to benefit the organization, while avoiding becoming a formal advisory body.
• President’s Corner: Biennium of Beginnings, by Dr. Jim Tsujimura, page 4. National President Jim Tsujimura reflects on the 26th Biennial National Convention, praising the Convention Board chaired by John Yasumoto for pulling off a successful event despite logistical challenges from a hotel strike. He highlights the strong Sansei presence and the attendance of eleven past national presidents as signs of a promising new era for JACL.
• An Unconscionable Way Out, by Eiji Suyama, page 4. A letter writer responds to Hashime Saito’s recommendation to ‘turn the cheek’ regarding use of the term ‘Jap,’ arguing this is an unconscionable way to avoid confronting racism. The writer also questions JACL’s policy on excluding non-citizen Issei from active membership, calling it a failure of spirit and insight.
• Ye Editor’s Desk: No Hill, #2, by Harry Honda, page 4. Harry Honda details the Pacific Citizen’s financial deficit of $38,000 overspent in 1979 and discusses Treasurer George Kodama’s new fiscal controls to balance the JACL budget. The column explains the history of how PC subscription fees from JACL dues have been merged into national accounting since 1974, creating confusion about true costs and deficits.
• Baggage Claim: Letter on Redress and Human Rights, by Nobu Nakajima, page 4. A letter writer from Sheffield Lake, Ohio argues that media in the United States should report truthfully on difficult subjects to protect human rights and bring about peace and democracy. The writer questions why certain news items are taboo for public discussion in a country that values freedom.
• JACL Membership: ‘Class’ or ‘Mass’?, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa examines the tension in JACL’s history between being a ‘class’ organization of dedicated members versus a ‘mass’ membership organization, noting that practical services like credit unions and group tours historically drove membership more than broad civil rights goals. He warns that the 34.4 percent dues increase may further shrink membership to only the most dedicated core as JACL needs to find income sources beyond dues.
• Washington Wrap-Up: An Honest Reckoning, by Ron Ikejiri, page 5. Ron Ikejiri reflects on JACL’s 50-year legacy of civil rights achievements while arguing the organization has failed to develop Sansei, Yonsei, and Gosei leaders for the future. He contends JACL can no longer remain apolitical and must embrace its role in shaping redress and other political outcomes affecting Japanese Americans.
• From Happy Valley: 1980 Reflections on Intermarriage, by Sachi Seko, page 5. Sachi Seko tells the story of Jean, a white woman who married a Nisei man during WWII and faced rejection from her family and discrimination even from her husband’s Japanese family. Decades later, Jean reflects on having no regrets about her marriage despite the hardships, including her mother-in-law’s initial coldness toward her mixed-race grandchildren.
• East Wind: The Poor Man’s Guide to Gourmet Dining, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani humorously recounts memorable but unpretentious eateries he has visited over the years, from a Seattle rib joint called Gyokko-ken to noodle shops in Tokyo and a Chinese restaurant in Philadelphia. He admits he lacks sophisticated culinary knowledge but has a good memory for simple, delicious food.
• From Pacific Southwest: Pent-Up Feeling, by John Saito, page 6. John Saito describes phone calls received about the redress program, including one from a Nisei man named Tom who described decades of bitter, pent-up feelings about the Evacuation that he had never discussed even with his wife of 35 years. Saito suggests many Nisei may share similar suppressed feelings that the redress commission hearings could help release.

In-Depth

• Edison Uno Papers Donated to UCLA-JARP Collection, page 3. The personal papers of the late Edison Uno of San Francisco have been donated to the UCLA University Research Library, strengthening the Japanese American Research Project Collection. The papers include documents on ethnic studies curriculum, civil rights issues, and materials related to redress for Evacuation; Uno died on Christmas Eve 1976 at age 47.

Sports

• Sequoia Swimmers Sweep to 3rd Straight Championship, page 7. The Sequoia JACL swim team won its third consecutive championship at the NC-WNDC Closed Invitational meet held at Cubberly High pool on July 27, with youngsters representing 14 different chapters competing. Detailed results are listed across multiple age divisions and events.

Military & Veterans

• 442 Post-Reunion Dinner-Dance Set, page 8. A Post-Texas 442nd Reunion Dinner/Dance is being planned by the 442nd Veterans Association of Southern California. Tickets must be purchased in advance from 100/442 Chapter members, as they will not be sold at the door.
• MIS-NC Dinner, page 8. The MIS Association of Northern California will hold its fall dinner Sept. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at Numano Sake Co. Tasting Room. Bonnie will give a slide lecture presentation on how sake is made.

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