Vol. 114, No. 2, January 17, 1992. 8 pages. View this issue
Two stories ran side by side on the front page. Several Japanese American veterans told JACL that the Veterans Administration had ended their pension benefits because they had received redress payments, even though the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 exempts those payments from income counts. JACL National Director Dennis Hayashi called it disturbing, and Rep. Robert Matsui wrote to the VA to protest. Gwen Muranaka reported on a Compton hearing where testimony pointed to a racial motive in the beating of a Thai woman mistaken for Korean. Another story covered an assault on two couples in Modesto, which police called a hate crime.
Elsewhere, Glenn Sugiyama announced a run for Congress in Illinois, and Alan Kato explained the Civil Rights Act of 1991. A Day of Remembrance planning committee asked for sponsors. Bill Hosokawa wrote about his grandson Jon, Bill Marutani looked ahead to the Year of the Monkey, and Gwen Muranaka and Harry Honda contributed reviews.
What’s in this issue
National
- Yonsei to Run for Congress, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Chicago businessman Glenn Sugiyama, a 35-year-old Yonsei, announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in Illinois’ 9th District, becoming the first Japanese American in Illinois to run for Congress. Sugiyama, owner of Glenn’s Steakhouse and a Chicago Bulls board member, campaigned on cutting government waste and investing in education and health care.
- Assault on Woman Mistaken for Korean Called Race Crime, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. Testimony at the preliminary hearing of Kenneth Sadberry revealed statements indicating a racial motive in the beating of a Thai woman mistaken for Korean in Compton on Dec. 4. Sadberry allegedly expressed anger over the sentencing of Korean merchant Soon Ja Du in the killing of Latasha Harlins before the attack occurred.
- Two Couples Assaulted, by P.C. Staff, page 1. An Asian American couple with a baby in a stroller and an African American couple were assaulted by a group of men shouting racial epithets in Modesto, Calif. on Jan. 11, in what police are calling a hate crime; the baby was thrown from the stroller and treated for a bump on the head, and a purse and car window were also targeted.
- College Drops Samurai Mascot, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Shoreline Community College removed its 26-year-old samurai mascot after students found the caricature offensive, with college president Ron Bell citing sensitivity concerns. Students were scheduled to vote on replacement names including Dolphins, Sea Hawks, and Tsunamis.
- Matsui Protests in Writing to VA, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Robert Matsui sent a letter to VA Secretary Edward J. Derwinski protesting the termination of veterans benefits to Japanese American redress recipients, calling it an outrage that breaches the intent of the 1988 redress legislation. Matsui expressed confidence a lawsuit would prevail if necessary but hoped the decision could be reversed administratively.
- Civil Rights Act Restores Employee Rights, by Alan Kato, page 3. The Civil Rights Act of 1991, signed into law after two years of Congressional wrangling, reverses several unfavorable Supreme Court decisions and provides for compensatory and punitive damages and jury trials in cases of intentional discrimination. The article details the Act’s impact on disparate impact cases, seniority system challenges, and other employment discrimination protections, while noting damage award caps based on employer size.
Military & Veterans
- VA Cuts Benefits to JA Vets, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Several Japanese American veterans reported to JACL that their pension benefits were terminated by the Veterans Administration because they received redress payments, despite the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 explicitly exempting redress payments from being counted as income for benefits eligibility. JACL National Director Dennis Hayashi called the situation disturbing and is appealing one such case while urging affected veterans to contact JACL headquarters.
Incarceration & Redress
- More Redress Payments Anticipated, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Office of Redress Administration announced it will extend the payment group to Japanese Americans born through May 31, 1928, ahead of schedule due to underused reserve funds from the previous round. Those born within the eligible range who have not yet heard from ORA are urged to contact the agency’s help line immediately.
- Special Day Needs Sponsors, by P.C. Staff, page 3. As the 50th anniversary of Japanese American internment approaches, the 50 Year Remembrance planning committee seeks tax-deductible donations to sponsor the Feb. 15, 1992 Day of Remembrance event. The day will include an interfaith commemoration, video production, children’s workshops, internment experience workshops led by former internees, and a candlelight ceremony and concert tribute.
- Redress Workshops Scheduled, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Office of Redress Administration will conduct workshops in January and February in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Gardena, Calif. Specific dates and locations were provided for each city to help individuals with redress payment questions.
Community
- JACL Officials Honored in Chicago, by Patti Adachi, page 3. Bill Yoshino, outgoing JACL national director, and Alice Esaki, retiring administrative assistant, were honored at the Chicago Chapter JACL’s annual inaugural dinner dance in Northbrook, Ill. The article details Yoshino’s accomplishments including establishing a full-time JACL lobbyist and Esaki’s community activism including setting up bilingual classes in Illinois.
- South Korea—Rediscovered, by Tyler Tanaka, page 8. Tanaka describes his fifth visit to South Korea, exploring Seoul, Kyongju, and Cheju Island, highlighting improved sightseeing organization, ancient Shilla Dynasty burial mounds, and Cheju’s Hawaii-like beaches. The article also notes Korean Air’s new ‘Fly & Save Plan’ offering discounts on hotels and services for travelers to South Korea.
Commentary
- 1992…Year of the Monkey and It’s an Election Year!, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Marutani reflects on New Year’s rituals observed by the Issei, including house cleaning and mindful conduct on New Year’s Day, recalling a childhood memory of sneaking to a movie. He then transitions to correcting several romaji and Nihongo errors made in his column throughout the past year, crediting his wife Vicki for catching mistakes after publication.
- Ake-mashi-te (Jon’s Story), by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Hosokawa recounts the ordeal of his grandson Jon, a 17-year-old who was diagnosed with a brain tumor after experiencing headaches and dizzy spells, requiring extensive surgery and a long recovery involving infections and blood clots. Despite setbacks, Jon has shown remarkable courage and determination, regaining mobility and speech, inspiring pride in his family.
Arts & Entertainment
- Movie Review: Father of the Bride, by Gwen Muranaka, page 6. Muranaka reviews the remake of Father of the Bride starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, and Martin Short, noting its nostalgic 1950s sensibility despite modern updates like the wife’s career and daughter’s graduate studies. The review highlights B.D. Wong’s non-ethnic-specific supporting role as a notable first for an Asian American actor in a major Hollywood film.
- Book Review: Easy Access to Reading Japanese, by Harry Honda, page 6. Honda reviews Yukari Ohnishi’s self-study Japanese reading program featuring 48 stories with audio cassettes designed for entry-level students, using 300 words and 130 kanji. The review notes the program’s graduated pace and recommends some prior classroom exposure to Japanese grammar before starting.
Obituaries
- Misao Mildred Takemoto, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Misao Mildred Takemoto, 83, a prewar Nisei and Honolulu resident, passed away Jan. 1 at Brotman Medical Center in Los Angeles after a brief illness. She is survived by her sons Charles Taki and Ken, and other family members, with services held later in Honolulu.
- Joe Yoshio Morimune, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Joe Yoshio Morimune, 75, born in Salinas, Calif., died Dec. 15, 1991, in Pleasant Hill, Calif. He is survived by his wife Suru, sons Douglas, Richard and Bradford, daughter Marcia Jackson, and several siblings and grandchildren.
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