Nixon and the Nikkei, plus a debate over same-sex marriage in the JACL

Vol. 118, No. 17, May 6, 1994. 8 pages. View this issue

Harry K. Honda looked back at Richard Nixon’s long ties to Japanese Americans and the JACL, with a companion chronology of his presidency on page 4. Elsewhere on the front page, the JACL joined the YWCA and other groups in Washington, D.C. for a National Day of Commitment to Eliminate Racism, a judge was publicly reproved for a remark to Deputy Public Defender Jeffrey Adachi, and the paper listed deadlines for the 1994 JACL national convention in Salt Lake City.

The opinion pages carried a lively exchange over the PSW District’s support for equal marriage rights, with Ruth Mizobe defending the position and letter writers on both sides. Bill Hosokawa wrote on the role of an editor, Mei Nakano reviewed Seiichi Higashide’s account of Japanese Peruvians taken to U.S. camps, and chapter news came from Placer County, San Gabriel Valley, Boise Valley and Pasadena.

What’s in this issue

National

• JACL, YWCA, Other Groups Commit to Eliminating Racism, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL joined the YWCA, members of Congress and other civil rights organizations on April 25 for the third annual National Day of Commitment to Eliminate Racism in Washington, D.C. Karen Narasaki cited 335 reported anti-Asian incidents and 30 deaths, warning that anti-immigrant rhetoric fuels racism.
• Judge Censured for Insensitive Remark Against Nikkei Lawyer, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Commission on Judicial Performance in San Francisco publicly reproved Alameda County Superior Court Judge Richard Haugner for insensitive remarks made to Japanese American Deputy Public Defender Jeffrey Adachi during a murder trial. The commission said the remark suggested racial or ethnic bias regardless of the judge’s intent.
• Asians: Language, Culture Barriers to Health Care, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sherry Hirota of Asian Health Service told HHS Secretary Donna Shalala that language and cultural barriers significantly hinder health care access for Asian Pacific Islanders. Advocates expressed concern that health care reform proposals and welfare bills like HR 3500 could worsen these barriers, particularly for non-citizen residents.
• Japanese Cutting Back on U.S. Investments, by P.C. Staff, page 3. After investing $77.3 billion in U.S. real estate since the 1980s, Japanese investors are now selling or restructuring many property assets due to problem loans at home and abroad. Japanese investment in U.S. real estate has fallen 96% from its 1988 peak.
• Stipends Available for D.C. Summer Internships, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) announced six stipends for Asian American students working in public sector internships in Washington, D.C. this summer. The stipends aim to encourage students to pursue careers in public and policy sectors, with a May 15 application deadline.

In-Depth

• Nixon and His Nikkei Connections, by Harry K. Honda, page 1. Editor emeritus Harry Honda examines Richard Nixon’s long association with Japanese Americans and the JACL, from his days at Whittier College through his presidency. The piece traces Nixon’s support for legislation benefiting Japanese Americans and his appointment of Nisei to government posts.
• A Nixon Chronology, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This sidebar chronicles key events from 1969-1974 detailing Nixon’s presidency and its intersections with Japanese American issues, including appointments of Nisei officials, immigration legislation, and the Watergate scandal leading to his resignation. It also notes JACL’s public disappointment over Ford’s pardon of Nixon.
• 3 Homelands: A War Story, by Mei Nakano, page 6. Mei Nakano reviews Seiichi Higashide’s book ‘Adios to Tears,’ detailing the little-known history of Japanese Peruvians who were forcibly taken from Peru during WWII and interned in U.S. camps like Crystal City, Texas. The piece explores the geopolitical maneuvering behind the internment and Higashide’s personal journey through imprisonment, labor camps, and eventual resettlement in Hawaii.

JACL

• Deadlines for ’94 JACL Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The article lists key deadlines for the 1994 JACL National Convention in Salt Lake City, including resolutions, credentials, budget proposals and chapter dues due by June 1, with additional deadlines in mid-June and August. National Council meeting agendas and amendment materials will be distributed to chapter delegates ahead of the convention.
• Candidates to Be Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The deadline for candidate filing for JACL president and the National Board was May 1, 1994. Pacific Citizen will announce the candidates running for various offices in the next issue, followed by candidate statements for members to review.
• A New Generation to Inspire, by Kim Nakahara, page 6. Kim Nakahara reflects on attending the JACL National Youth Council’s third biennial National Youth Conference, highlighting speeches by Bruce Yamashita and inaugural ‘Vision’ award recipient Liane Yasumoto. The author connects these role models to the continued need for civil rights advocacy among a new generation of Asian Pacific American youth.

Community

• Chapters Clean Up Okei Memorial, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Placer County and Sacramento JACL chapters gathered April 17 for their annual cleanup of the Okei Memorial at Gold Hill, which commemorates the 1869 Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony settlers. Vandalism has forced closure of the actual gravesite, but the memorial remains open for public visitation.
• San Gabriel Chapter Holds Race Day for Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The San Gabriel Valley Chapter, JACL, held its annual Day at the Races benefit at Santa Anita Park to raise scholarship funds for local students. Since beginning in 1946, the event has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to deserving students from San Gabriel Valley high schools.
• Boise Valley Installation, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Boise Valley Chapter, JACL, installed new officers including Roy Oyama as treasurer, Seichi Hayashida, and Miriam Hirahara as president. Several other board members were also noted but not pictured.
• Pasadena JACL Officers Listed, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Pasadena JACL chapter announced its newly elected officers and committee chairs for the coming term. Positions include president, vice presidents, secretary, treasurer, and various committee chairs such as scholarship and insurance commissioner.

Commentary

• Exercise Your Voting Right, by Lillian C. Kimura, page 3. JACL National President Lillian Kimura reflects on the historic South African elections and contrasts them with low voter turnout among Americans and especially Japanese Americans. She urges JACL members to register and vote to ensure their voices are heard on important issues.
• On Being an Editor, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa discusses the proper separation between news reporting and opinion in newspapers, using the Pacific Citizen as an example of the tension between editorial independence and board oversight. He argues that an editor should have full authority to run the paper within established guidelines and not be subject to constant scrutiny.
• Tano-mé-shi, by Bill Marutani, page 5. Bill Marutani recalls the Issei tradition of tano-mé-shi, a mutual financing association where participants paid monthly dues and won a pot through a lottery drawing to fund investments or needs. He connects this practice to similar financial cooperative systems developed by ethnic Koreans in Japan and reflects on Issei losses when Japanese banks were frozen during WWII.
• Letter Blasts JACL Scholar on ‘Same-Sex’ Issue, by Galen and Phillis, page 5. Letter writers from Los Angeles express dismay at Mas Odoi’s letter condemning JACL members Ruth Mizobe and Trisha Murakawa for supporting gay and lesbian rights. They argue that JACL’s constitution explicitly includes sexual orientation among protected classes and praise PSW District chapters for taking a civil rights stand.
• Importance of Same-Sex Issue, by Ruth Mizobe, page 7. PSW District Governor Ruth Mizobe clarifies the district council’s position supporting equal marriage rights for gays and lesbians, emphasizing it is about opposing discrimination rather than endorsing any particular lifestyle. She draws parallels to historical anti-miscegenation laws and details which chapters supported the resolution.
• Wants No Part of ‘Same-Sex’ Issue, page 8. A letter writer from Chino, Calif. expresses strong disapproval of JACL leaders supporting recognition of same-sex marriage, stating they want no part of such a stance. The writer notes that their children, none of whom are JACL members, were also disgusted by the article and questions whether Trisha Murakawa is married or a lesbian.
• Wants PC to Remain Independent, by Sumiko Kobayashi, page 8. A letter writer expresses sadness over the ongoing controversy regarding Pacific Citizen’s independence, siding with those who support an independent PC and praising Bill Hosokawa’s column on the topic. The writer also comments briefly on a film about WWII with an evenhanded portrayal of both American and Japanese perspectives.

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