Vol. 112, No. 3, January 25, 1991. 8 pages. View this issue
A bill to make Manzanar a national historic site led the news. Rep. Mel Levine introduced it on Jan. 16, and it would set up an advisory commission of former internees, local residents, Native Americans and the public. Also on the front page, a Japanese restaurant in Puyallup, Washington received a racist, threatening letter, and officials said hate-bias incidents are hard to track. Bill Hosokawa asked whether Japan could say it was sorry for Pearl Harbor, and Bill Marutani wrote about census figures on the growth of the Asian American population.
Elsewhere in the issue: a review of the film Come See the Paradise, a notice that Velina Hasu Houston’s play Tea opens Jan. 26 in West Los Angeles, and an NCRR statement on the FBI and Arab Americans. Donor drives for the National Marrow Donor Program, a Torrance JACL art exhibit and the San Mateo JACL installation are also covered.
What’s in this issue
Incarceration & Redress
- Rep. Levine Introduces Bill to Make Manzanar a National Historic Site, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Mel Levine (D-Los Angeles) introduced legislation on Jan. 16 to designate the World War II Manzanar Internment Camp as a national historic site. The bill establishes an advisory commission of former internees, local residents, Native Americans and the public, and is cosponsored by Reps. Mineta, Matsui and Thomas.
National
- Racial Hate Mail Targets Japanese Shop in Puyallup, by L.A. Johnson, Tacoma News Tribune Writer, page 1. A Japanese restaurant in Puyallup, Washington received a racist, threatening letter postmarked Oct. 2 telling the owners that Japanese people aren’t welcome in the area. Officials admit hate-bias incidents are difficult to track and prosecute, though the restaurant owners say they have no plans to close and have not been dissuaded by the letter.
- NCRR Condemns FBI Targeting of Arab Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 2. NCRR condemned the FBI’s targeting of Arab Americans, noting that law enforcement officials nationwide have found no evidence linking any Arab American to terrorist activity. The group warned that wartime is exactly when civil liberties are most vulnerable and must be defended.
Community
- National Marrow Donor Program: Boost for Asian Registry, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Nick Suzuki, a 34-year-old father of two with leukemia, is seeking a bone marrow match, prompting donor drives in Chicago, the Twin Cities, and Southern California aimed at increasing Asian representation in the National Marrow Donor Program registry. His family will join 13-year-old Brian Tanaka, who also needs a donor, in urging Japanese Americans and others to take a simple blood test to find potential matches.
- First-ever Calendar of Ethnic Events Available, by P.C. Staff, page 1. California’s Office of Tourism has published 250,000 copies of its first calendar highlighting ethnic events for Native American, Asian, Hispanic and other communities. Free copies are available by writing to California Ethnic Events in Sacramento.
- Reapportionment Topic for Forum in San Jose, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Santa Clara chapter of the Asian Pacific Islander group will host a forum on Feb. 2 from 2-5 p.m. discussing reapportionment issues affecting the community. The event is scheduled to include several speakers on redistricting matters.
- 1st Sequoia Lectures on Living Traditions, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Sequoia JACL is sponsoring a 1991 lecture series titled ‘Living Traditions’ featuring speakers on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple. The series aims to explore Japanese American cultural values and history.
- Secretary Named to Washington JACL Office, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sonya Chung has been hired as the Washington Office secretary, beginning her duties on Dec. 17. She is a resident with ties to Wisconsin and attended a university there before taking the position.
- Terrance JACL Sponsors Feb. 2-3 Art Exhibit, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Acrylic paintings by Los Angeles-based Nisei artist Allene Yayoi Shibata will be on view during a Feb. 2-3 weekend exhibit at the JACCC North Gallery in Little Tokyo, sponsored by the Torrance JACL. Shibata, a UCLA fine arts graduate, resumed painting in 1988 after a hiatus and has exhibited in San Francisco, Hayward, and Tokyo, using a minimal approach to color and form.
- San Mateo Elects Steve Okamoto, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The San Mateo JACL celebrated its 1991 installation of officers and cabinet on Jan. 5 with a banquet featuring a speech from National JACL President Cressey Nakagawa. Nakagawa addressed local political leaders, noting that the new generation of Japanese and Asian American leaders is more vocal than the previous ‘quiet Americans’ generation.
JACL
- JACL Scholarships Application Deadline Near, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Contra Costa JACL Scholarships are open to qualifying applicants in the Contra Costa area, with an application deadline of March 1, 1991. Interested applicants may contact Martin Takimoto for further information.
Commentary
- Editorial: Regarding Ethnic Labels, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A reader from Los Angeles objected to the Pacific Citizen’s use of the term ‘Whites,’ comparing it to the offensive term ‘Japs.’ The editorial defends the newspaper’s practice of identifying race when pertinent to a story, citing Webster’s dictionary definitions of White and Caucasian, and states the paper will continue using the term Whites when necessary.
- 46 Years Ago in the Pacific Citizen, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A historical roundup recaps news items from 46 years prior, including a tractor driver’s trial for assault with a deadly weapon in Oakland, the election of Yorino Takeyoshi as president of a New York chapter, and boxing tournament results. It also references flyers targeting San Francisco Chinese neighborhoods distributed by the White Aryan Resistance.
- Can Japan Say ‘We’re Sorry’ for What We Did to America on Dec. 7?, by Bill Hosokawa, page 4. Columnist Bill Hosokawa discusses E.L. Watson’s proposal to commemorate the 50th anniversary of World War II with a tribute to those who fought in national defense, without celebrating war or vilifying the enemy. Hosokawa reflects on Watson’s idea of a healing beginning to the anniversary years and questions whether Japan could similarly apologize for Pearl Harbor.
- East Wind: Within This Decade, by Bill Marutani, page 4. Columnist Bill Marutani examines demographic trends showing the Asian American population’s rapid growth, citing 1990 census data of 6.9 million Asians, up from 3.8 million a decade earlier. He discusses implications for political representation, education levels, income disparities, and geographic concentration of Asian Americans in California and other states.
- Letters to the Editor: ‘Against All Odds’, by S.Y. Lawson, page 5. A letter writer comments on the underrepresentation of Japanese American veterans who served in the Pacific theater against Japan and the Philippines, noting they receive little recognition compared to those who fought in Europe. The letter emphasizes that of the 110,000 who served, only a small percentage remain to tell their story.
Arts & Entertainment
- Alan Parker’s Film on WWII: ‘Come See the Paradise’ Reviewed, by P.C. Staff, page 5. English director Alan Parker’s film ‘Come See the Paradise,’ about the World War II internment of Japanese Americans, is now playing at the Century City AMC theater, focusing on an interracial love story amid FDR’s 1942 internment edict. The article includes a review from the L.A. Times’ Michael Wilmington calling it emotional but flawed, along with reactions from Nisei veterans who found fault with the film’s portrayal of ‘No-No boys’ versus patriotic Japanese American soldiers.
- Unlimited Run at the Odyssey: Velina Houston’s ‘Tea’ Opening Jan. 26, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Asian American playwright Velina Hasu Houston’s play ‘Tea,’ about five Japanese war brides at a remote army post, opens for an unlimited run at the Odyssey Theatre in West Los Angeles on Jan. 26. The production is directed by Broadway director Julianne Boyd, who also directed its 1988 inaugural run at the Manhattan Theatre Club.
Obituaries
- Obituaries, by P.C. Staff, page 6. This week’s obituary listings include notices for several community members who passed away, with survivor information and hometown details. The listings cover individuals from various West Coast communities.
Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.