Honoring Asian American astronauts, and the redress fight in 1985

Vol. 100, No. 19, May 17, 1985. 12 pages. View this issue

The Pacific Citizen’s front page opened with the nation’s three Asian American astronauts, Lt. Col. Ellison Onizuka, Dr. Taylor Wang and Dr. Eugene Trinh, honored at a Heritage Week dinner in Los Angeles. Redress ran through the news pages as well: Rep. Gerald Kleczka asked to cosponsor HR 442, the Seattle Times apologized for a redress story, and a Los Angeles reception was planned for Gordon Hirabayashi in support of his coram nobis petition with Fred Korematsu and Minoru Yasui. Bill Hosokawa wrote on silent endurance and on the Bitburg controversy, and J.K. Yamamoto paid tribute to outgoing editor Karen Seriguchi.

Elsewhere in the 12 pages are Sue Kunitomi Embrey’s thanks to those who supported the Manzanar pilgrimage, Jon J. Kawamoto’s profile of the Japanese American Curriculum Project, and Katie Hayashi’s jailhouse talk with Fumiko Kimura. Chapter news, scholarship winners and arts listings fill the rest.

What’s in this issue

Community

• City Honors Asian American Astronauts, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 1. The nation’s three Asian American astronauts—Lt. Col. Ellison Onizuka, Dr. Taylor Wang, and Dr. Eugene Trinh—were honored at the Asian Pacific American Heritage Week dinner in Los Angeles. Mayor Tom Bradley presented proclamations, and the astronauts shared experiences from their shuttle missions, including Onizuka’s classified Discovery flight and Wang’s troubled Challenger experiments.
• Scholarship Winners Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund announced eight Southeast Asian refugee students in Illinois will receive $500 scholarships. The fund was established by Japanese Americans who had been interned during WWII to assist others in furthering their education.
• Artwork on Display in Little Tokyo, by P.C. Staff, page 2. “Traditions Transformed,” an exhibition of contemporary works by eleven Asian American artists in California, continues through June 2 at the Doizaki Gallery. The show features paintings, sculpture, and installations exploring diverse personal styles within contemporary American art.
• East West Offers Summer Workshop, by P.C. Staff, page 2. East West Players will offer its fourth annual intensive summer theater workshop from July 29 to September 1 for people of varying experience levels. The program includes acting, voice, musical theater, and dance classes culminating in a Broadway musical production.
• Book on Chinese Women Released, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California announced publication of “Linking Our Lives: Chinese American Women of Los Angeles” at a book party. The book documents the historic role of women in Southern California’s Chinese American community based on an oral history project.
• Ohana Showcases Asian Talent, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Oakland’s Ohana Cultural Center presents live musical performances by Korean activist Park Po and folk-punk musician Sachiko, along with slideshows on China and North Korea. The center also features new gallery exhibits of Korean woodblock prints and Japanese American textile art.
• Coro Selects 12 for Leadership Program, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Coro Foundation selected 12 individuals for a public affairs training course designed to increase Asian/Pacific participation in Southern California decision-making. The program runs from April 27 to July 2 and includes hands-on training and seminars.
• Kagawa Centennial Names Coordinator, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Taye S. Tashiro of Watsonville was appointed coordinator for the Monterey Bay area fundraising drive for the American Committee for the Kagawa Centennial Project. The committee is preparing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Christian reformer Toyohiko Kagawa’s birth in 1988.
• A/P Women’s Network Head Elected, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Mae Takahashi was elected as the 1985-87 state chair of the California Asian/Pacific Women’s Network, which has nearly 500 members. She outlined plans to advocate for child care availability, elimination of the 100-Hour rule, and public education about mail-order bride exploitation.
• East Bay Asians to Hold Festival, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 7th annual Asian Pacific Heritage Festival will be held May 19 at Oakland Museum gardens, themed “Asian Folk Arts and Music.” The festival is dedicated to the memory of Leslie Yee, who chaired the first several festivals.
• The Way to San Jose, by Meriko Mori, page 6. Plans are underway for the second national JACL Singles Convention over Labor Day weekend in San Jose, themed “Getting Together.” The event will feature workshops, a dinner dance, golf and bowling tournaments, and is expected to draw twice as many attendees as last year’s inaugural convention.
• Scholarship Winners Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Sacramento’s community Scholarship Awards Banquet will honor numerous scholarship recipients from various memorial funds and organizations across local high schools. The banquet will be held May 29 at the Sacramento Inn.
• San Jose Scholarships Awarded, by P.C. Staff, page 8. West Valley Chapter JACL awarded scholarships to four Santa Clara County students based on academic achievement and extracurricular involvement. Recipients include Sara Kaku, Ann Togasaki, Ken Murai, and Jon Takei.

National

• Protests Against Fingerprinting Continue, by P.C. Staff, page 1. About 60 people rallied in Kawasaki, Japan to protest the arrest of a Korean resident who refused fingerprinting under Japan’s alien registration law. Over 700 localities have voiced opposition and more than 170 people have formally resisted the law, including several Americans.
• Wisconsin Democrat Adds Name to HR 442, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Gerald Kleczka (D-Wis.) requested to be listed as a cosponsor of redress bill HR 442 after meeting with constituents who urged his support. The meeting included Ed and Helen Jonokuchi, Betty Fujihira, Allan Hida, and James Miyazaki.
• Radio Station’s Use of ‘Jap’ Protested, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A New Mexico JACL representative protested the use of the word “Jap” by a radio talk show guest who blamed Japan for U.S. economic problems. The station’s program director defended the term as not derogatory, prompting a formal complaint to the FCC.

Incarceration & Redress

• Newspaper Apologizes for Redress Story, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Seattle Times published an article featuring anti-redress arguments from a local group that sparked protests from the Nikkei community for its unsubstantiated claims and misleading language. The paper’s assistant managing editor later admitted the story was a mistake that could exacerbate racist sentiments.
• Hirabayashi to Be Feted at Fundraiser, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A community reception will honor Gordon Hirabayashi for his historic defense of constitutional rights, supporting his coram nobis petition along with Fred Korematsu and Minoru Yasui. The event is sponsored by several Asian American legal and political organizations in Los Angeles.

Arts & Entertainment

• Bay Area’s Kokusai Theater Reopens, by P.C. Staff, page 3. San Francisco’s Kokusai Theater reopened under new manager Lane Nishikawa with plans to offer a wider variety of international and U.S. films alongside its traditional samurai and Tora-san features. The theater, originally opened in 1971, had been closed since January 1985.
• St. Louis Japanfest Slated, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The 10th annual Japanese Festival at Missouri Botanical Garden’s Seiwa-En expects record crowds for its June 15-23 event. The festival will feature demonstrations of traditional crafts, kabuki performances, martial arts, and concerts of traditional Japanese instruments.
• Samurai Comedy to Open in S.F., by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Asian American Theater Company presents “Zatoichi Superstar,” a zen samurai comedy by Warren Kubota, as its season finale running May 22 through June 30. The play marks the directorial debut of incoming artistic director Dom Magwili.

Commentary

• Yell When It Pinches (Don’t Wait Until It Hurts), by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa reflects on the AJA cultural trait of enduring pain and hardship without complaint, a value absorbed from Issei parents, contrasting it with Western culture’s tendency to reward complaining. He argues that while gaman is noble, there comes a time when AJAs must recognize that continued silent endurance of injustice becomes perverse.
• Where Credit Is Due, by J.K. Yamamoto, page 4. Yamamoto pays tribute to outgoing Pacific Citizen editor Karen Seriguchi for her dedication and hard work in improving the newspaper despite personal sacrifice. Seriguchi is moving on to become executive director of the Asian American Journalists Association.
• Wrong Impression, by E. Hirasuna, page 4. A reader writes to clarify that a previous PC article about interracial parent/child relationships misrepresented her as an unconcerned parent regarding her sons’ potential identity struggles. She clarifies that not actively seeking out problems does not mean she is insensitive to her children’s needs.
• New York Postscript, by Michiko Bi, page 4. A reader describes an NYU Law School event where Fred Korematsu and Min Yasui were enthusiastically received by law students and faculty discussing the ACLU’s response to Korematsu v. United States. Yasui’s impassioned speech about constitutional violations during the WWII internment received a thunderous standing ovation.
• Blinded By Hatred, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa discusses the Bitburg controversy over President Reagan’s planned cemetery visit, noting how media attention shifted away from the Japan trade imbalance issue. He warns of the dangers of uncompromising emotionalism, drawing parallels to the wartime hysteria that led to Japanese American internment.
• On Religious Freedom, by John R. Day, page 5. An Episcopal priest writes in support of JACL’s resolution opposing a government-proclaimed “Year of the Bible,” arguing it violates the separation of church and state. He commends the resolution as protecting religious freedom rather than being anti-Christian.
• Girl, Not Giri, by Raymond Okamura, page 5. A reader points out a typesetting error in a previous letter that changed the word “girl” to “giri,” rendering his critique of beauty pageant terminology unintelligible. He clarifies he meant to criticize the use of “girl” to refer to adult women.
• No Other Group, by Frank M. Takahashi, page 5. A reader argues that the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans was historically unprecedented, as no other group of American citizens endured concentration camps, loss of citizenship status, deportation consideration, and imprisonment without charges. He asserts this was premeditated discrimination, not a mistake.
• Thanks to the Community, by Sue Kunitomi Embrey, page 5. The Manzanar Committee expresses gratitude for community support at the 16th annual Pilgrimage to Manzanar and the site’s designation as a National Historic Landmark. Embrey thanks volunteers, donors, and city officials for their contributions to the event.
• Are We the World?, by Bob Shimabukuro, page 6. Shimabukuro comments on various Hawaii news items including a saimin sugar quota controversy, an anti-pornography prosecution of an elderly woman, and homeless Hawaiians being evicted from beaches. He criticizes the irony of Hawaiian musicians recording a charity song for African relief while local homelessness goes unaddressed.
• Japan and the Soviet Threat, by Lance Izumi, page 11. Izumi argues against proposals to decrease U.S. defense commitment to Japan in response to trade imbalance frustrations, citing the massive Soviet military buildup in the Pacific region. He contends that reducing defense ties would be strategically disastrous and could push Japan toward a more pro-Soviet stance.

In-Depth

• Journey From ‘An Untold Story’, by Jon J. Kawamoto, page 5. The Japanese American Curriculum Project, founded by Florence Hongo, has survived 16 years to become the nation’s largest Asian American educational materials supplier despite early setbacks including a banned textbook. The organization now serves 7,500 mailing list subscribers and continues working to fill gaps in Asian American children’s literature.
• A Talk With Fumiko Kimura, by Katie Hayashi, page 8. The author visits Fumiko Kimura in jail, who is accused of murdering her two children in a drowning suicide attempt following Japanese custom after discovering her husband’s affair. Kimura expressed gratitude for community support letters and noted improved treatment from fellow inmates after news coverage explained the cultural context of her actions.

JACL

• Four Fine Folks, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Four Pacific Southwest District JACL members—Arthur Nishioka, Mary Nishimoto, Gene Takamine, and Cathy Higashioka—were approved for full sponsorship to attend the National Washington D.C. Leadership Program. Each has a distinguished record of community service and professional achievement.
• Chapter Pulse: Philadelphia, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Philadelphia JACL held its 38th annual installation of officers, featuring a speech by national president Frank Sato on redress and U.S.-Japan relations. George Higuchi was presented a Sapphire Pin for his years of service.
• Chapter Pulse: Riverside, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Riverside JACL launched its LEC Fund Drive at a general meeting featuring a screening of Steve Okazaki’s “Unfinished Business.” Over $700 was raised with contributions from numerous chapter members.

Obituaries

• Former Professor Yanaga Dies, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Prof. Chitoshi Yanaga, 82, a retired Yale University professor and the first Nisei to pursue an academic career studying Japanese politics in an American university, died April 14 in Boston. He authored several standard texts on Japan and worked for U.S. intelligence agencies during WWII.

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