Legacy Fund launch, redress checks and the Yamashita case

Vol. 111, No. 17, November 23, 1990. 8 pages. View this issue

The JACL Legacy Fund opened this issue. Its first report counted $242,671 in donations and pledges from 383 donors, against a goal of $10 million in three years, and National Director Bill Yoshino spoke of a brisk and steady pace. Redress ran through the news as well: the first 25,000 redress payments were set for those born before July 1, 1920, and stories followed German Americans detained in Texas camps and Canada’s apology to Italian Canadians. Bruce Yamashita’s complaint of racial discrimination in Marine Corps Officer Candidate School drew support from JACL.

Elsewhere, Bill Hosokawa wrote about the artist George Tsutakawa, and Tritia Toyota looked back on 20 years in Los Angeles news. Henry Sugimoto’s paintings of life at Jerome and Rohwer went to the Japanese American National Museum, and Dr. Yoshiye Togasaki, who served internees at Manzanar, gave $15,000 to the fund. Eight pages of letters, election results and community news fill out the rest.

What’s in this issue

National

• German Americans Detained in WWII Texas Camps Seek Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. German Americans interned in Texas camps during WWII, including at Seagoville, are seeking redress inspired by the success of Japanese American reparations. Historian Arnold Krammer notes German American internees were targeted for political reasons rather than race, and their treatment differed from that of Japanese American internees and POWs.
• Six Men Assault Asian Student near Seattle’s Pike Place Market, by From the International Examiner, page 1. A group of white men, some wielding bats and tire irons, attacked pre-med student Darres Park near Pike Place Market in Seattle, hurling racial slurs during the assault. Park, trained in martial arts, fought back and sustained injuries, while onlookers failed to intervene or call police.
• Washington Representative Igasaki to Leave Post, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL Washington Representative Paul Igasaki will leave his position to join Robert Matsui’s 1991 Senate campaign staff in Sacramento. During his 16-month tenure he worked on the Civil Rights Act of 1990, immigration issues, and anti-Asian violence cases.

Incarceration & Redress

• Canada’s ‘After Redress’ Story: Mulroney Apologizes to Italian Canadians, But No Mention of Compensation, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney offered a formal apology to Italian Canadians interned during WWII but did not commit to financial compensation, unlike the $290 million package given to Japanese Canadians in 1988. Mulroney also acknowledged unfair treatment of Ukrainian, Chinese, and Jewish Canadians throughout history.
• Angel Island Station Closure Footnoted, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The 50th anniversary of the closure of the Angel Island Immigration Station passed quietly, unlike the celebrated reopening of Ellis Island. For the 175,000 Chinese immigrants processed there between 1910-1940, the station was remembered as a prison rather than a gateway.
• First 25,000 Redress Checks Going to Those Born Before July 1, 1920, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Department of Justice’s Office of Redress Administration announced it will issue 25,000 redress payments in fiscal 1990 to the oldest eligible Japanese American internees. Payments for the next 25,000 oldest individuals will begin in October 1991, pending congressional appropriations.

JACL

• Initial JACL Legacy Fund Report Notes $242,000 from 383 Donors, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL Legacy Fund has received $242,671 in donations and pledges from 383 donors as of Nov. 7, with a goal of $10 million in three years. National Director Bill Yoshino expressed optimism about the fund’s early success across JACL district councils.
• Anti-JACL Legacy Fund Blast Countered Again, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Tom Kometani, past JACL Eastern District Council governor, responded to William Hohri’s criticism of the JACL Legacy Fund in a letter to the New York Nichibei. Kometani defended JACL’s accomplishments and goals while respecting Hohri’s right to spend his redress payment differently.
• Midwest Adopts $700,000 Legacy District Fund Goal, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Midwest District Council JACL affirmed a fundraising goal of $700,000 for the JACL Legacy Fund at their meeting in St. Louis. The meeting also included a coalition building workshop and a candidates’ forum for St. Louis County Executive.
• Yamashita vs. USMC, by Bill Kaneko, National Vice President for Planning & Development, page 5. Kaneko describes National JACL’s endorsement of Bruce Yamashita’s efforts to challenge his dismissal from Marine Corps Officer Candidate School due to alleged racial discrimination. He highlights the coordination between Honolulu JACL’s legal efforts and National JACL’s political resources, including support from Hawaii’s congressional delegation.
• JACL Legacy Fund Highlights Pinpointed, by Tom Kometani, Past EDC Governor, page 5. Kometani outlines JACL’s historic legislative achievements since the 1940s, including citizenship rights for Issei, Asian immigration reform, and redress justice. He explains his decision to support the JACL Legacy Fund alongside other organizations combating anti-Asian sentiment.
• $15,000 Donation to JACL Legacy Fund: Dr. Yoshiye Togasaki Continues Family Tradition of Giving Back, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Dr. Yoshiye Togasaki, 86, donated $15,000 to the JACL Legacy Fund, continuing her family’s long tradition of community service. A physician who served internees at Manzanar and later worked with European refugees after WWII, she reflects on the importance of mutual support in achieving redress.

Community

• Watsonville Voters Elect Its First Nisei, by P.C. Staff, page 1. William ‘Willie’ Yahiro became the first Japanese American elected to public office in Watsonville, winning a seat on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District board of governors. He received the most votes among three candidates vying for two seats.
• Japan Decorates U.S. Issei and Nisei for Distinguished Community Service, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Japanese government named over 4,400 individuals to receive medals for distinguished service, including several prominent American Issei and Nisei such as former Oakland mayor Frank Hirao Ogawa. The ‘kunsho’ honors, similar to France’s Legion d’Honneur, were presented at the Imperial Palace on Nov. 6.
• Nov. 6 Election Results Wrap-Up, by From Asian Week, page 6. Asian American candidates saw mixed results in the Nov. 6 elections nationwide, with Cheryl Lau winning Nevada secretary of state and Bob Wong winning a state assembly seat, while James Fang narrowly led for a BART board seat in San Francisco. Richard K. Tanaka was easily re-elected to the San Jose East Side school board.
• St. Paul Japanese Garden Facelifted, by Clipping from Ruth Tanbara, page 8. Como Park’s Japanese garden in St. Paul was renovated over two years under landscape architect Masami Matsuda from Nagasaki. Matsuda and his assistant were honored by Governor Rudy Perpich, along with longtime JACLer Sam Honda, at a state celebration for the Asian Pacific community.
• The Newsmakers, by P.C. Staff, page 8. This roundup profiles various Asian American achievers including Yasuo Mita, an autoharp musician from Tokyo; Dr. Gill-Chin Lim, newly named dean at Michigan State; and Theresa Gee, San Francisco’s first Asian American female firefighter. Also featured are Yoshiko Uno, W. Walter Liang, and Rose M. Ochi in various civic and professional roles.

Military & Veterans

• Marine Corps Charged with Racial Discrimination by Hawaiian Sansei, by Arnold T. Hiura, page 2. Bruce Yamashita, a Georgetown law graduate, alleges he was subjected to racial harassment and discriminatorily dismissed from U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in 1989. With support from JACL and attorney Clayton Ikei, he is seeking a review of his discharge through the Naval Discharge Review Board.
• President Signs Mineta Bill Assisting Vietnamese to Fish Off California, by P.C. Staff, page 8. President Bush signed a bill containing provisions from Rep. Norman Mineta exempting Vietnamese permanent residents in California from a 200-year-old ban on non-citizens owning fishing vessels. JACL joined other organizations in lobbying for the legislation, which sunsets in ten years.
• MIS Vets to Meet for 50th Anniversary in 1991 in San Francisco / Monterey, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Military Intelligence Service is planning a 50th anniversary reunion in San Francisco and Monterey in 1991, featuring panel sessions, a wreath-laying ceremony, and a reunion dinner. Organizers encourage all MIS veterans to attend as their ranks continue to thin with age.

Obituaries

• Former Hanford Mayor Stan Ham Passes Away, by From the Seattle Chinese Post, page 2. Stan Ham, who served as councilman and mayor for 18 of his 28 years in Hanford, California, died Aug. 4 at age 69. The Seattle-born WWII Army veteran was a charter member of the Taoist Temple Historical Society which refurbished a historic 1893 temple.

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘Come See the Paradise’ to Debut at ACLU Benefit, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The ACLU of Southern California will host a premiere benefit screening of Alan Parker’s film about WWII Japanese internment, ‘Come See the Paradise,’ on Dec. 17. The $75 ticket includes dinner following the screening.
• From a ‘Copygirl’ on Radio to ‘Anchoring’ News on TV: Tritia Toyota Celebrating 20 Years in L.A. Media, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Television journalist Tritia Toyota is celebrating 20 years in Los Angeles news, having started as a copywriter at KNX Newsradio in 1970 before becoming a prominent KCBS-TV anchor. She discusses changes in television news technology, the importance of community engagement, and being a minority journalist.
• Toyota on Getting Started in the Business, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Continuing her interview, Tritia Toyota discusses advice for young journalists, emphasizing the need to start at the bottom and gain broad education and language skills. She reflects on changes in the journalism industry and the value of understanding ethics and context in reporting.

In-Depth

• Henry Sugimoto Paintings of WWII Camp Life, Postwar Landscapes Given to JANM, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Japanese American National Museum received over 100 paintings by Issei artist Henry Sugimoto, who documented Japanese American camp life at Jerome and Rohwer during WWII. Sugimoto died in May 1990 at age 90, and his daughter says he wanted the paintings preserved for future generations.

Commentary

• A Statement from Headquarters: Anti-Nikkei Racial Violence, by Bill Yoshino, National JACL Director, page 4. Yoshino condemns the painting of a swastika and death threats against the Arizona JACL president following redress media coverage as intolerable racist acts. He calls for authorities to investigate and prosecute those responsible and urges Arizona’s Attorney General to pursue felony charges for ethnic intimidation.
• RIP: Howard Cady, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Howard Cady, a respected book editor who had a distinguished 50-year career at major publishing houses, died in Middlebury, Vt. at age 76. He championed Japanese American authors, publishing Bill Hosokawa’s ‘Nisei’ and other significant works despite community controversy over the book’s subtitle.
• See George Tsutakawa’s Eternal Laughter, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa reflects on Kibei artist George Tsutakawa’s life and career, highlighted by a retrospective exhibit at the Bellevue Art Museum. Tsutakawa became famous for his fountain sculptures, starting with the ‘Fountain of Wisdom’ at the Seattle Public Library, and created some 60 fountains worldwide.
• Project Amends, by Kiyoshi Tsuji, page 4. A letter clarifying that Project Amends is intended to help 1943, ’44, and ’45 camp high school graduates receive valid diplomas from their original schools, not just the class of 1942. The project was started by Phyllis Bilbo with support from California officials.
• Tired of ‘Japan Bashers’, by William R. Vetter, page 4. A letter writer expresses frustration with criticism of Japanese firms buying American assets, arguing that Americans who sell technology and outsource labor to foreign bidders are equally responsible. He feels the blame is unfairly placed solely on Japanese buyers.
• Loyalty Oath, by G.N. Asawa, page 4. A letter writer criticizes wartime JACL’s support of the loyalty oath, recalling the chaotic and rushed process at Rohwer camp in 1943. He argues the oath was unnecessary and caused significant suffering, contributing to divisions among internees including the emergence of the Kibei group.
• Reunion Publicity, by Haruo Hayashi, page 4. A longtime JACL supporter announces he will cancel his subscription and membership after 46 years due to dissatisfaction with how his reunion coverage request was handled compared to other reunions. He felt his request was denied and then minimized in fine print.
• Thanks to Michi Weglyn, by Mary/Babe Karasawa, page 4. The writers express gratitude to Michi Nishiura Weglyn for her groundbreaking book ‘Years of Infamy,’ published in 1975 after eight years of research, which provided crucial evidence supporting the redress movement. Her work helped establish the foundation for the eventual success of redress legislation.
• Dim Sum: Chinese American Reflections on Redress Check Presentation, by Vera Ing, Seattle Chinese Post, page 5. A Chinese American writer reflects on attending a redress ceremony in Seattle where five elderly Japanese American internees, the oldest survivors including a 107-year-old, received presidential apologies and redress payments. She reflects on the shared experience of Asian American communities and the importance of redress in preventing future ethnic internment.

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