Redress amendments clear Congress; the Yamashita case

Vol. 115, No. 9, September 25, 1992. 12 pages. View this issue

Redress led the news. The Senate passed H.R. 4551 by unanimous consent on Sept. 16, sending the Civil Liberties Act amendments to President Bush for his signature. The bill would authorize additional funding so that 20,000 more people could receive $20,000 payments. Karen Narasaki reported the story, and Rep. Norman Mineta urged the President to sign. Bruce Yamashita’s case against the Marine Corps was a second front-page subject, with a Honolulu Chapter study by William Kaneko and Steve Takeuchi and a chronology continued on page 10. JACL also urged support for funding the Manzanar National Historic Site.

Elsewhere, a Census report on Asian and Pacific Islander earnings and a PBS documentary on Gordon Hirabayashi, set for Oct. 18, share the front page. Columns by Bill Hosokawa and Bill Marutani appear on page 8. Lillian Kimura recounted her Washington visit, and delegates shared impressions of the Denver convention. Page 9 carries news from a dozen chapters.

What’s in this issue

National

• Redress Amendment Clears Senate; Bush Expected to Sign, by Karen Narasaki, page 1. The Senate passed H.R. 4551, the House version of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 amendments, by unanimous consent, sending it to President Bush for signature. The bill would authorize additional funding to pay $20,000 reparations to an additional 20,000 eligible individuals whose original claims were undercounted.
• Education Doesn’t Mean More Pay for Asian Americans, Census Highlights Show, page 1. A new Census report reveals that Asian and Pacific Islander workers with similar education levels to whites earned less, undercutting the myth of an economic ‘model minority.’ The report also highlighted population statistics, including that about 7.0 million Asians and Pacific Islanders lived in the U.S., mostly in the western states.
• PBS to Air Hirabayashi Documentary Oct. 18, page 1. A PBS documentary about Gordon Hirabayashi’s fight against internment will air Sunday, Oct. 18. The film documents his 1943 legal challenge that argued internment violated his constitutional rights.
• Asian Americans Testify in Wards Cove Case, page 3. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Seattle heard the appeal of Asian Pacific American cannery workers in the employment discrimination case Wards Cove Packing Co. v. Frank Antonio. JACL National Director Dennis Hayashi and OCA’s Daphne Kwok criticized the exclusion of the case from the 1991 Civil Rights Act and called for a ruling favoring the plaintiffs.
• JAs Most Prone to Colon Cancer, Report Says, page 5. A recent American Cancer Society report found Japanese Americans are most prone to colon cancer among Asian ethnic groups, while Koreans are more prone to stomach cancer and Vietnamese to lung cancer. The report emphasized the importance of early detection for successful treatment across all groups.

Military & Veterans

• Honolulu Chapter Study Shows Marine Corps Pattern of Discrimination, by William Kaneko and Steve Takeuchi, page 1. A Honolulu Chapter JACL study of Marine Corps Officer Candidate School statistics found a pervasive pattern of racial discrimination against minority candidates, including in the case of Bruce Yamashita. The report used Marine Corps data obtained via the Freedom of Information Act to demonstrate statistically significant disparities in disenrollment rates between minority and white candidates.
• Honolulu Chapter Statement on Yamashita Case, by William Kaneko, page 1. After more than three years, Bruce Yamashita’s case against the Marine Corps for racial discrimination during Officer Candidate School remains unresolved. The Honolulu Chapter JACL continues to support Yamashita’s fight for the officer commission he believes he deserves, citing serious doubts about the Marine Corps’ integrity in handling the case.
• Yamashita Case Chronology Continued, page 10. The chronology of Bruce Yamashita’s discrimination case against the Marine Corps continues, detailing investigations, Congressional support letters, and expert testimony presented to naval review boards. Despite admitting to serious allegations of racial injustice, the Marine Corps denied Yamashita’s request for reinstatement as an officer, instead offering him a chance to restart OCS, which he rejected.

Incarceration & Redress

• Appropriations Needed for Manzanar Site, by Karen Narasaki, page 1. The Senate and House versions of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, before a Conference Committee, would provide funding for the Manzanar National Historic Site Project. JACL urged support of the House funding level of $1 million and identified Senate and House members who should be contacted to preserve the funding.
• Bay Area Nikkei to Honor Bob Bratt, page 5. Bay Area Nikkei organizations will hold an appreciation dinner Oct. 3 for Bob Bratt, former administrator of the Office of Redress Administration, honoring his role in implementing redress payments. Rep. Norman Mineta praised Bratt’s work, and community leader Sox Kitashima helped organize the event.

Community

• Canadians Ready for HomeComing ’92, page 3. The National Association of Japanese Canadians will hold a national conference, ‘HomeComing ’92,’ over the Oct. 9-11 weekend at Hotel Vancouver, expecting about 800 participants. The event will include panel discussions on wartime history, aging, youth participation, a guided bus tour of former camp sites, and a keynote address by architect Raymond Moriyama.
• Conference Focuses on Nikkei Youth, page 3. The Oct. 10 conference ‘The Future of the Nikkei Community’ in Los Angeles will feature a workshop called ‘The Generation of Tomorrow’ focused on youth issues, organized by UCLA’s Nikkei Student Union and CSUN’s Nikkei Student Association. The conference caps a series of programs commemorating the 50th anniversary of Executive Order 9066.
• Asian Americans Acknowledged with Ford Awards, page 3. Eleven John Anson Ford Awards plus two lifetime achievement awards will be presented at an annual luncheon honoring individuals for advancing human relations and multiculturalism. Honorees include K.W. Lee, Stewart Kwoh, Vickie Tamoush, and a special award to actor Edward James Olmos.
• Chinese-Hawaiian Fights Texas Bias, page 4. Lincoln D’jiang, a Chinese-Hawaiian graduate student in Arlington, Texas, was wrongly accused of trying to steal an academic scholarship reserved for American citizens due to his appearance. The incident reflects broader tensions as the Asian American population grows rapidly in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, accompanied by rising crime and discrimination.
• Bay Area Asian American Voting to Be Studied, page 5. The Asian Law Caucus and Sonoma State University professor Larry Shinagawa will study voting patterns of Asian Americans in Daly City and San Francisco, funded by a Voting Rights Program grant. The study aims to increase Asian American voter participation and representation in elected office.
• Helping Victims of Hurricane Iniki, page 5. The Honolulu Chapter of JACL is involved in relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Iniki, with donations acknowledged in the Honolulu Advertiser. Contributions can be sent to the Honolulu Chapter for the American Red Cross relief fund.
• Blue Shield Modifies Plan, page 5. The JACL Blue Shield program will announce modifications beginning Jan. 1, creating a managed care program with preferred provider and HMO options in select California areas. New rates will be announced in October, with informational meetings scheduled in Northern California, Pacific Southwest, and Central California.
• West Valley Chapter Holds Largest Daruma Festival, page 9. The West Valley Daruma Festival on Aug. 22 was the largest in its history, with food booths selling out despite a 25% increase in food quantity. The festival serves as the chapter’s fundraiser for its senior center in San Jose, with two lucky winners receiving airline tickets to Japan.
• Washington D.C. JACL Protests Offensive License Plate, page 9. A Washington D.C. JACL member spotted a Virginia license plate reading ‘JAP BOX’ and filed a protest with the Virginia DMV. JACL representative Karen Narasaki condemned the term as a racial slur tied to historical discrimination and violence against Japanese Americans.
• Sequoia Chapter Celebrates 40th Anniversary, page 9. The Sequoia Chapter of JACL will celebrate its 40th anniversary on Oct. 17 with a potluck dinner at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple gym. The chapter was formed 40 years ago when the San Mateo County JACL split into northern and southern chapters.
• Monterey Peninsula Chapter Seeks Award Nominations, page 9. The Monterey Peninsula JACL chapter is preparing for its 1993 installation dinner and has called for membership nominations for three recognition awards, including the JACL Silver Pin and JACL Creed Award. The dinner will be held jointly with the Salinas chapter on Jan. 15.
• Puyallup Valley Chapter Honors Members, page 9. Two Puyallup Valley JACL members were recently recognized for their community and chapter contributions. The JACL Creed Award was given posthumously to the late Yoshi, who died in a tragic automobile accident, and the JACL Silver Pin was given to Dudley Yamane.
• San Mateo Chapter Schedules Cleanup, page 9. San Mateo JACL has a cleanup event scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24, with committee co-chairs Richard Nakanishi and Mariko Endo requesting snacks for volunteer workers. Organizers noted consideration for volunteers allergic to detergent and dust.
• Contra Costa Chapter Advances Curriculum Project, page 9. Contra Costa JACL received a $1,500 grant from the National JACL Legacy Fund for a curriculum project aimed at accurately representing WWII Japanese American history in the Richmond Unified School District. Project chair Jim Oshima outlined three phases: curriculum development, trainer training, and educator training.
• Las Vegas Chapter Plans Luau and Mochitsuki, page 9. The Las Vegas JACL chapter announced upcoming community events including a scholarship fundraising luau on Oct. 18 at St. Viator’s Community Center and a mochitsuki event on Dec. 28. Chapter President George Goto and member Stephen Endow are coordinating tickets and donated door prizes from local casinos.

Arts & Entertainment

• Internment Art Featured at Washington D.C. Museum, page 3. A slide lecture titled ‘The View from Within: Japanese American Art from Internment Camps, 1942-1946’ by curator Karin Higa will be presented at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The exhibit features over 100 paintings by artists including Miné Okubo, Hideo Kobashigawa, and Estelle Ishigo.

Commentary

• Changing of the Guard, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Hosokawa reflects on the passing of JACL leadership to a younger generation, noting the average age of newly elected officers is around 32. He discusses the challenges facing new leaders in maintaining membership commitment amid changing community priorities and generational shifts.
• An Illustrated ‘Jiten’, by Bill Marutani, page 8. Marutani reviews a Japanese reference book, ‘Nihon Etoki Jiten,’ that he found useful for clarifying nuances of Japanese language and poetry forms like tanka and haiku. He describes the book’s helpful illustrations and explanations of kanji, abbreviated forms, and calendar terminology.
• Books Keep Alive History of Nikkei, by Walt Kajima, page 8. A reader writes about giving his children books on Japanese American history, expressing disappointment that ‘Uprooted Americans’ and ‘Nisei: The Quiet Americans’ were out of print. He is pleased to learn that ‘Nisei’ will be republished in October 1992 with a new afterword.
• APAN Chapter Sets the Record Straight, page 8. A letter from APAN chapter co-presidents clarifies the history and mission of the Asian Pacific American Network chapter, originally named the Nikkei Leadership Association, formed in 1986. The letter invites other JACL districts or chapters interested in forming similar groups to contact APAN for guidance.

JACL

• In-Sight: Washington D.C. Visit Recap, by Lillian Kimura, page 9. JACL National President Lillian Kimura recounts her two-day visit to Washington D.C., meeting with members of Congress and civil rights organizations while celebrating the passage of the Civil Liberties Act Amendments of 1992. She details meetings with numerous legislators, civil rights leaders, and Office of Redress Administration officials regarding the implementation of redress payments.
• Convention Impressions from Chapter Delegates, by Joanne Mukai, Ernie Uyama, Jeff Hirooka, Aki Yamamoto, Lily Okura, page 9. Delegates from various JACL chapters shared their impressions of the National Convention in Denver, highlighting the election of Lillian Kimura as the first woman National JACL president and the youthfulness of new board members. Delegates also discussed passage of the redress amendments and reflections on civil rights positions and generational unity within JACL.

Obituaries

• Community Obituaries, page 12. This section lists several community obituaries including Mary M. Hirata, Satoru, Tatsuke Kumamoto, Fukue Madokoro, Masatomo Nobu, Komi Ohta, James K. Oka, Ray Okuda, and Chester Yamauchi. Entries include details on their birthplaces, careers, and surviving family members.

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