Day of Remembrance in Los Angeles and the Lungren confirmation fight

Vol. 106, No. 8, February 26, 1988. 8 pages. View this issue

The Pacific Citizen opened with the eighth annual Day of Remembrance program in Los Angeles. Laurie Mochidome reported that nearly 550 people gathered at the Japan America Theater to mark Executive Order 9066 and to honor Reps. Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta and Sen. Spark Matsunaga for their work on the Civil Liberties Act of 1987. The bill had passed the House and awaited a Senate vote. The issue also followed Daniel Lungren’s state treasurer confirmation, with testimony in Bill Wong’s report and a 3-2 committee vote against confirmation, plus letters in the commentary pages.

Other front-page stories covered Loni Ding’s film The Color of Honor, about Military Intelligence Service linguists and military resisters, and Korean American pickets over a Rolling Stone article. Bill Hosokawa wrote on Japan’s attitude toward immigrant labor, and Gene Amole made the case for a statue of Colorado Governor Ralph Carr. Page 8 carried chapter news from Detroit and a benefit premiere of Ding’s film in Little Tokyo.

What’s in this issue

Incarceration & Redress

• L.A. Program Commemorates Redress Efforts, by Laurie Mochidome, page 1. The eighth annual Day of Remembrance program in Los Angeles drew nearly 550 attendees to honor Reps. Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta and Sen. Spark Matsunaga for their roles in advancing the Civil Liberties Act of 1987. Matsui spoke about the shame internees felt and urged continued letter-writing efforts as the bill awaited a Senate vote, while also addressing community opposition to Daniel Lungren’s confirmation as state treasurer.’},{

Arts & Entertainment

• Loni Ding’s New Film Examines Color of Honor, by George Johnston, page 1. Filmmaker Loni Ding’s new documentary The Color of Honor explores the heroic but lesser-known contributions of Japanese American Military Intelligence Service personnel in the Pacific during WWII, as well as the experiences of Japanese American military resisters. Ding, also known for Nisei Soldier, discusses the rigorous training MIS linguists underwent and hopes her film fosters reconciliation between veterans and resisters.
• ‘Color of Honor’ Benefit Premiere Set, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Loni Ding’s documentary The Color of Honor will premiere at a Southern California benefit screening on March 6 at the Japan American Theatre in Little Tokyo. The event is co-sponsored by multiple organizations including JACL’s Pacific Southwest District and Visual Communications, with proceeds supporting production costs.

Community

• Korean Americans Picket Rolling Stone’s L.A. Ad Office, by George Johnston, page 1. Over 100 picketers, mostly Korean Americans, protested outside Rolling Stone’s Beverly Hills advertising office after the magazine failed to adequately address community anger over a racially insensitive article called “Seoul Brothers.” Organizers demanded the firing of writer P.J. O’Rourke and public apologies in Korean newspapers, threatening a boycott campaign against advertisers if demands were not met.
• Hosokawa to Speak at Sac’to Program, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Author Bill Hosokawa will be the keynote speaker at a Day of Remembrance dinner in Sacramento on March 20, discussing his latest book on Mike Masaoka. The event is organized by the Sacramento JACL chapter with tickets available through local contacts.
• NCJASC Hosting Conference, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Northern California Japanese American Senior Centers is hosting a May conference titled “Nikkei Forum: Issues and Concerns of Japanese American Elders” to address aging-related challenges facing Nisei and their families. Workshops will feature leading experts in gerontology from across the nation.
• NCJASC Conference Planning Committee Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Additional details on the Northern California Japanese American Senior Centers conference reveal the planning committee members and co-chairs organizing the Nikkei Forum event. The conference aims to bring together national experts in aging to address issues facing Japanese American elders.
• Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This roundup column profiles several Japanese American achievers including Irene Hirano’s appointment as executive director of the Japanese American National Museum, Hayward Nishioka’s Distinguished Alumni Award, and Sen. Spark Matsunaga’s award for ethanol fuels leadership. Other featured individuals include Gloria Hom’s reappointment to the State Board of Education and David Fukuzawa’s new role directing the Asian American Center for Justice.

National

• Mineta Commends Heyman, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Norman Mineta commended UC Berkeley Chancellor Ira Michael Heyman for testifying about insensitivity regarding low admission rates of Asian American students. Mineta warned that unconscious bias in enrollment policy could amount to a de facto quota system and urged continued vigilance nationally.
• Barry Gets ‘Foot in Mouth’, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The New York Daily News criticized sportscaster Rick Barry for describing a Michael Jordan slam dunk move using a racially insensitive term during the NBA dunk contest. The item noted that such remarks persist despite the earlier Jimmy the Greek controversy.
• Horikawa Speaks Against Lungren Confirmation, by Bill Wong, page 2. Los Angeles attorney Harvey Horikawa, a Republican and Deukmejian appointee, testified before the Senate Rules Committee against Daniel Lungren’s confirmation as state treasurer, citing Lungren’s opposition to redress. Other witnesses shared personal internment stories, while Lungren’s wife disputed accusations of racism aimed at her husband.
• HHS Scraps AFDC Program, Matsui Calls Decision ‘Deplorable’, by P.C. Staff, page 3. California legislators criticized the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for rejecting a $40 million program meant to aid 30,000 homeless families through the AFDC program. Rep. Robert Matsui called the decision deplorable, saying it came at the worst possible time during winter.
• Asian American Alliance Supports Confirmation, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The newly formed Asian American Alliance of California passed a resolution supporting Daniel Lungren’s nomination as state treasurer, citing his record on immigration reform and voting rights legislation. The group criticized opposing organizations for using inflammatory rhetoric against Lungren.
• Horikawa Hearing Continued: Lungren Committee Vote, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Continuing coverage of the Lungren confirmation hearing details testimony from both supporters and opponents, including emotional exchanges involving Lungren’s wife and Senator Roberti. The Senate Rules Committee ultimately voted 3-2 to recommend non-confirmation to the full Senate floor.

Military & Veterans

• Onizuka Continues Husband’s Commitment to U.S. Space Program, by Laurie Mochidome, page 2. Lorna Onizuka, widow of astronaut Col. Ellison Onizuka, spoke to reporters in Los Angeles about her continued support for NASA despite the Challenger disaster that killed her husband. She discussed meeting Ellison in Hawaii and Colorado, raising their family, and her ongoing advocacy work and employment with Japan’s space agency.

JACL

• Inouye, Matsunaga Join JANM Governors, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga will co-chair the Japanese American National Museum’s Board of Governors, announced at the board’s annual meeting in Los Angeles. Medals of merit were presented to several local dignitaries including Mayor Tom Bradley for their contributions to the museum.
• Joining JANM: New Board Members and Officers Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Japanese American National Museum announced numerous new Board of Governors and Board of Trustees members, including prominent community figures like Congressman Edward Roybal and Lorna Onizuka. New officers were also installed for various administrative positions within the museum’s leadership structure.
• Nominations to Open Feb. 29 for 6 JACL Offices, by P.C. Staff, page 6. National JACL announced that nominations will open February 29 for six national offices for the 1988-90 biennium, including president and several vice president positions. Completed nomination forms must be submitted through district representatives by May 6, 1988, with final processing deadlines at the Chicago regional office.
• Trust Fund Committee Elects Officers, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Pacific Southwest District JACL Trust Fund Committee elected Leslie Furukawa as chairperson and Fred Y. Hoshiyama as secretary/treasurer at its annual meeting. Governor J.D. Hokoyama appointed additional members to various terms, and grant application deadlines were set for March 1 and September 1.
• Detroit Holds Installation Dinner, by Toshi Shimoura, page 8. The JACL Detroit chapter held its 42nd annual installation dinner in Southfield, Michigan, featuring speaker Abe Takahashi of the Michigan State Police discussing civil rights involvement. Awards were presented to several members including Lisa Archer, who was recognized for her redress letter-writing campaign work and installed as incoming chapter president.

Commentary

• Japan’s Whaling Industry, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This editorial examines Japan’s continued whaling practices under the guise of research despite an international moratorium, and recalls how 1970s anti-whaling campaigns in the U.S. sometimes targeted Japanese Americans with racist tactics. It notes JACL’s historical role in condemning such racism while supporting reasonable conservation measures, and observes that Japanese whale consumption has dramatically declined over the decades.
• Racial Discrimination Hurts Japan’s Image, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa critiques a Japanese professor’s argument against allowing unskilled immigrant labor into Japan, comparing it to historical American anti-Asian immigration rhetoric. He notes the irony of Japan, once a target of racial discrimination, now potentially engaging in similar exclusionary attitudes toward foreign workers.
• A JACL ‘No Position’ Is a Side with Racism, by John Caton, page 4. A letter writer criticizes JACL for taking no position on Robert Bork’s Supreme Court nomination and compares it to the organization’s stance on Dan Lungren’s confirmation. The writer argues that neutrality in such cases effectively sides with racism and oppression.
• Redress Straitjacket, by Eji Suyama, page 4. The writer disagrees with a previous letter calling redress the most significant civil rights issue of the era, pointing to Black and American Indian history as more significant struggles. He defends those who have been active in JACL, camps, and military service against claims of insufficient courage.
• Censorship Not Good in Civil Rights Paper, by Jimmy Tokeshi, page 4. The writer argues that the Pacific Citizen should not be criticized for publishing opinion pieces that contradict JACL’s official views, emphasizing the democratic value of diverse viewpoints. He contends that readers have the capacity to form their own conclusions without editorial gatekeeping.
• $400 Mil Figure Too Low, by Jack Herzig, page 4. The writer, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, challenges the commonly cited $400 million figure for Japanese American wartime property losses, noting it lacks documented basis according to the CWRIC. He cites a consultant study estimating actual losses between $2.7 and $6.2 billion in 1983 dollars.
• Insightful Governor Gets Hero Vote, by Gene Amole, page 5. This reprinted column advocates for a statue of former Colorado Governor Ralph Carr in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall, honoring his courageous stand welcoming Japanese Americans during WWII despite political backlash. Carr’s principled opposition to internment ultimately cost him his political career but is now recognized as heroic.
• Still Fenced in After 46 Years, by Bill Marutani, page 5. In this East Wind column, Marutani explores the etymology of the name “Japan” from its Chinese origins and discusses the complexities of kanji readings in Japanese names and places. He humorously reflects on his own family name’s multiple possible pronunciations and the broader linguistic quirks of Japanese naming conventions.
• Rolling Stone’s Ignorance, by George Johnston, page 5. Johnston critiques Rolling Stone magazine and writer P.J. O’Rourke for racially insensitive comments about Koreans in the “Seoul Brothers” article, while also examining the magazine’s broader lack of Asian American representation. He argues against firing O’Rourke, instead advocating for education and sensitization as a more constructive remedy.

Obituaries

• Robert N. Takiguchi, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Robert N. Takiguchi, a Seattle-born member of the 442nd Infantry, passed away Feb. 6 in Cleveland following a lingering illness. He was an early member of the Cleveland JACL chapter after establishing residency in Ohio.

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