Redress bill clears the Senate as JACL gathers in Seattle

Vol. 107, No. 3, August 5, 1988. 12 pages. View this issue

The Senate gave final approval to H.R. 442 by unanimous voice vote on July 27, and the August 5, 1988 front page carried the news with the House vote set for Aug. 3. The bill would provide an official apology and $1.25 billion for compensation to surviving Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II (often called internment) and for educational projects. President Reagan wrote to House Speaker Jim Wright urging passage. The California Assembly voted 58 to 7 to exempt redress payments from state taxes, and the Pasadena City Directors passed a resolution backing the bill.

The issue also reached the JACL National Convention in Seattle, with a welcome to delegates and a banquet honoring congressional leaders, including Rep. Thomas Foley. Commentary from Clifford I. Uyeda, Bill Hosokawa, Bill Marutani, Patti Adachi and others looked at JACL’s wartime record and its next priorities. Marutani reviewed a book on the Tule Lake camp, and William Hohri’s book on the redress movement was reviewed.

What’s in this issue

National

• Senate Gives H.R. 442 Final Approval, House Next, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Senate gave final unanimous approval to H.R. 442 on July 27, with the House scheduled to vote Aug. 3 on the redress bill providing an apology and $1.25 billion for compensation to surviving Japanese Americans interned during WW2. The conference committee resolved differences between House and Senate versions, including payment terms, eligibility criteria, and a 12-month identification process for eligible individuals.

Incarceration & Redress

• Reagan Letter Favoring Enactment of H.R. 442, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Reagan sent a letter to House Speaker Jim Wright on Aug. 1 urging swift passage of H.R. 442, saying it would close a sad chapter in American history. JACL leaders and Representatives Mineta and Matsui praised the letter as a historic milestone in the redress campaign.
• California Assembly Approves Bill to Exempt Redress Money from Taxes, by Robert Tokunaga, Hokubei Mainichi, page 1. The California Assembly approved AB 4087 by a vote of 58 to 7, exempting the $20,000 federal redress payments from state taxes and providing reparations to surviving spouses of Japanese American state employees fired in 1942. The bill also ensures redress payments won’t affect eligibility for state social service programs like Medi-Cal.

Community

• Grand Parade to Close ’88 Nisei Week, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. The 48th annual Nisei Week Festival in Los Angeles, themed ‘Generations of Pride,’ will culminate with a grand parade on Aug. 14, switched back to closing day after recent years as the opener. The festival also features a new car show with expensive vehicles including a Lamborghini Countach, plus cultural exhibits, sports events, and a fashion show.
• Pasadena City Directors Support Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Pasadena City Directors unanimously passed a resolution on July 11 urging President Reagan to sign redress legislation for Japanese Americans incarcerated during WW2. City Director Jess Hughston, who introduced the resolution, said the unconstitutional treatment of loyal Japanese Americans should be rectified through monetary payment.
• AA Business Directory to Be Published, by P.C. Staff, page 9. The Asian American Foundation of Colorado is producing an Asian/American business directory to increase visibility of Asian businesses in Colorado and beyond. The nonprofit organization, established in 1987, aims to raise awareness of Asian cultures and fund social and mental health services for Asians in the state.

JACL

• Foley Added to List of Honorees Banquet for Convention’s Opening, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Thomas Foley was added to the list of congressional leaders honored at the JACL 30th Biennial National Convention’s Opening Banquet in Seattle for their work on redress legislation. Other honorees include Sen. Daniel Inouye, Reps. Mike Lowry, Norman Mineta, and Robert Matsui, with a posthumous award planned for Minoru Yasui.
• JACL Offering Membership VISA Card, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL partnered with Sumitomo Bank of California to launch a JACL VISA credit card program, unveiled at the National Convention in Seattle. The program will generate revenue for JACL through fees and transaction percentages while offering members low interest rates and travel rebates.
• Women’s Concerns Events Open to All JACLers, by Chizu Iiyama, page 2. The National Women’s Concerns Committee sponsored events at the JACL National Convention in Seattle, including a workshop on creative communication led by Dr. Joanne Yamauchi and a Women’s Caucus Breakfast where convention-goers could meet candidates for national offices. An informal luncheon also allowed women to discuss committee activities and share ideas.
• Resolutions Acted Upon This Biennium, by Cherry Kinoshita, page 4. Kinoshita details eight JACL resolutions from the 1986 convention that were addressed during the biennium, including civil rights issues, hibakusha assistance, coalition-building with Jewish organizations, and reinstatement of the Washington D.C. representative position. She urges delegates to consider that resolutions should be actionable and translated into concrete steps.

Commentary

• No Disgrace in JACL’s Admission of Its Wartime Error, by Clifford I. Uyeda, page 2. Uyeda argues that JACL should admit it erred in its wartime counsel to the Japanese American community and its treatment of dissidents who challenged government orders. He contends admitting error would not diminish the need for government redress and would help heal community divisions before more Nisei pass away with unresolved bitterness.
• One-of-a-Kind Keepsake, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Marutani reviews a 332-page hardcover book documenting the Tule Lake internment camp, compiled by Harry Inukai, which includes directories of families, camp activities, and historical photos. The book contains excerpts from the camp newspaper, service records of soldiers from the camps, and personal recollections that make it a treasured keepsake.
• Seattle: A Place for Regenerating JACL, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa reflects on JACL’s return to Seattle, where the organization held its first national convention in 1930, drawing a parallel to salmon returning to their spawning grounds. He recalls Nisei history at the University of Washington campus, including Gordon Hirabayashi’s wartime curfew challenge and various Nisei athletes and students.
• What Will Replace Redress as JACL’s Top Priority? Violence Against Asians an Important Issue, by Patti Adachi, page 5. Adachi argues that anti-Asian violence should become JACL’s next priority after redress, citing increasing attacks on Asian Americans fueled by trade deficit scapegoating and media stereotypes. She calls for greater Asian American representation in media and stronger law enforcement action against racially motivated crimes, citing the Vincent Chin case as an example.
• An Insensitive Action, by John Saito, page 5. Saito, PSWD Regional Director, criticizes President Harry Kajihara’s handling of the JACL Personnel Manual revision process, saying it was pushed through despite rejection by grassroots JACLers and without meaningful staff input. He argues this unilateral decision shows disregard for those affected by it.
• Commending Uyeda, by Ken Hayashi, page 5. Hayashi, a longtime JACL member, congratulates Dr. Clifford Uyeda and the Golden Gate JACL chapter for introducing a resolution admitting JACL’s wartime errors. He argues adoption of this resolution would enhance JACL’s stature as a civil rights organization and reduce lingering antagonism among Nikkei.
• JACL Needs Money to Fight Backlash, by Hank Sakai, page 5. Sakai, a past National Treasurer, argues JACL should seek substantial funding, similar to Japan’s public relations spending in the U.S., to effectively combat anti-Japanese backlash. He contends that current efforts and corporate memberships are insufficient compared to the scale of the problem.
• Proxy Vote Bylaw Amendment Is Strange, by Clifford I. Uyeda, page 5. Uyeda points out that JACL has failed to recognize that proxy vote limitations have been part of its bylaws since 1978, as unanimously passed at the Salt Lake City convention. He finds it strange that JACL is now publicizing a proxy vote amendment as new when it was already established policy.
• Belated Thanks, by Barney Frank, page 5. Congressman Barney Frank thanks the Pacific Citizen for a gracious article about him, apologizing for the delayed response. He expresses that working with Japanese American community leaders on redress legislation was one of the most rewarding experiences of his congressional career.
• Iacocca Book Has An Anti-Japanese Effect, Says Matsui, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Rep. Robert Matsui criticized Lee Iacocca’s new book ‘Talking Straight’ for its anti-Japanese rhetoric, stemming from a 1985 incident where Matsui accused Iacocca of racism after a speech. Matsui argued Iacocca should examine his own company’s Japanese ties rather than blame Japan for American business struggles.

Obituaries

• Professor Roy M. Nakayama, Chili Horticulturist, Dies at 64, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Professor Roy M. Nakayama, a horticulturist who devoted his career to breeding chilis, died July 11 in Las Cruces, N.M. He taught at New Mexico State University for 32 years, and the chili plants he developed account for 80 percent of commercially grown chili in New Mexico.

Arts & Entertainment

• Ring of Diverse Opinions Circle Redress, by Jere Takahashi (reviewer credited as P. Tajitsu Nash), page 9. A book review of William Hohri’s ‘Repairing America,’ which chronicles the Japanese American redress movement from the 1970s and ’80s, including the CWRIC hearings and the formation of NCJAR. The reviewer praises the book for showing diversity of opinion within the community but notes its brevity leaves readers wanting more detail on certain disputes.
• New Day Releases Brainard Book, by P.C. Staff, page 9. New Day Publishers released ‘Woman With Horns and Other Stories,’ a short story collection by Filipino-American author Cecilia Manguerra Brainard. The book is available at several bookstores including Amerasia Bookstore in Los Angeles and City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco.
• Book Chronicles the Experiences of the Yasui Family, by P.C. Staff, page 9. The Japanese American Curriculum Project is distributing ‘The Yasui Family of Hood River, Oregon,’ written by Dr. Robert S. Yasui and edited by Holly Yasui, chronicling the family’s history including redress activist Minoru Yasui. The book documents the family’s struggles and continuing faith in American justice despite wartime injustices.

Sports

• Tri-City Tracksters Wins ’88 No. Calif. JACL Jr. Olympics, by Steve Okamura, page 10. Tri-City A.C. won the 1988 Northern California JACL Junior Olympics championship with 490 overall points at an event held at Chabot College in Hayward. The day-long track and field meet featured competitions across multiple age divisions for both boys and girls with numerous event winners listed.

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