Vol. 118, No. 19, May 20, 1994. 8 pages. View this issue
A San Diego-area teacher’s fight to keep her job led this eight-page issue. Reiko Obata was ousted after planning to show the film ‘Zoot Suit’ to her 11th grade American Literature classes. Gwen Muranaka reported on the Grossmont Union High School District hearing, where Alice McGrath, 77, spoke in her defense, parents and students testified, and Karen Tani of San Diego JACL asked for reinstatement. The superintendent called it a personnel matter. The front page also named Michael A. Sawamura and Denny Yasuhara as candidates for JACL president ahead of the national convention in Salt Lake City.
The commentary pages carry Bill Hosokawa on a newsletter about Japanese culture, Bill Marutani on Japanese South Americans moving to Japan for work, and a lively exchange of letters on the JACL youth program and same-sex marriage. Mei Nakano covered a women’s conference, and Hank Tanaka reported on a review of the JACL constitution and by-laws. The paper also announced its summer schedule.
What’s in this issue
JACL
- Candidates in the running for JACL national offices, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Michael A. Sawamura and Denny Yasuhara are the candidates for JACL president, according to Ken Yokota, co-chair of the JACL Nominations Committee. Several vice presidential and other national office candidates are also listed, with in-depth profiles promised in an upcoming edition.
- Task Committee Reviews JACL Constitution and By-laws, by Hank Tanaka, page 5. A JACL task committee chaired by Hank Tanaka met in San Francisco to review the constitution and by-laws not covered by other committees, recommending reorganization of content and establishment of a separate operations manual. The report will be presented for action at the National Convention in Salt Lake City.
Incarceration & Redress
- Let Me Teach: San Diego Teacher Fights for Reinstatement Over ‘Zoot Suit’ Film, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. San Diego-area teacher Reiko Obata, ousted for planning to show the film ‘Zoot Suit’ to her 11th grade American Literature classes, made an appeal for reinstatement at a Grossmont Union High School District governing board hearing. School administrators claim a personnel evaluation, not the film, was the reason for her dismissal, while students, parents, and community members turned out in support of Obata.
- Teacher Hearing Continues: Parents and Students Speak on Obata’s Impact, by Gwen Muranaka, page 8. Continuing coverage of the Reiko Obata hearing includes testimony from parents like Deeann Mulligan and George Murphy who praised Obata’s teaching methods and her ability to reach struggling students. District Superintendent JoAnn Smith maintained the issue was not about censorship but a personnel matter that could not be publicly discussed.
Community
- San Diego JACL Calls for Reinstatement of Obata, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. Karen Tani, president of San Diego JACL, attended the May 12 school district governing board meeting and asked for Reiko Obata’s reinstatement and a formal apology. She called the retaliatory firing a gross example of negligence and political expediency that removed a proponent of Chicano history from American literature curriculum.
- Pacific Citizen Announces Summer Schedule, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Pacific Citizen announced its bi-weekly summer publishing schedule, with issues dated July 15-28 and July 29-August 11 before resuming weekly issues on August 12-18. The article lists specific advertising and editorial deadlines for each summer issue.
In-Depth
- Woman Who Supported Latinos on Trial in ’40s Defends Obata, by Gwen Muranaka, page 1. Alice McGrath, 77, former executive secretary of the Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee, drove from Ventura to speak on behalf of Reiko Obata at the school board hearing. McGrath, who helped 22 Mexican American youths wrongfully accused of murder in the 1940s, presented documents about the case and praised the courage of those defending Obata and ‘Zoot Suit.’
Commentary
- Take Charge, Make a Difference: Women’s Concerns Committee Conference, by Mei Nakano, page 4. The Women’s Concerns Committee of NCWNP JACL sponsored a conference titled ‘Taking Charge: Making a Difference,’ drawing 75 Nisei and Sansei attendees. Speakers including Marlene Shigekawa and Sydnie Kohara discussed personal empowerment, assertiveness, and self-defense, while award winners Janice Mirikitani and Jean Ishibashi were honored for their contributions and courage.
- East Wind: Newsletter ‘Understanding Japan’ Helps Explain Japanese Culture, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Hosokawa reviews a monthly newsletter called Understanding Japan, published by Shinsaku and Machiko Sogo, which covers topics like foreigners in Japan, death customs, rice culture, and paper sizing standards. He recommends the publication for Japanese Americans curious about Japanese culture and customs.
- Japanese South Americans: Reverse Migration to Japan, by Bill Marutani, page 6. Marutani discusses the migration of Nikkei-jin from South America, particularly Brazil and Peru, to Japan for factory jobs, noting nearly 150,000 Japanese Brazilians and 31,000 Japanese Peruvians living in Japan as of 1992. He describes efforts by cities like Hamamatsu to accommodate these immigrants and predicts future AJA ambassadors representing the U.S. abroad.
- Berkeley Chapter Defends National Youth Council Against Nobuyuki’s Attack, by Board of Directors, Berkeley Chapter, JACL, page 6. The Berkeley JACL Chapter Board of Directors defends the National Youth Council against criticism from Karl Nobuyuki, arguing the NYC has made tremendous contributions despite limited staff support. The letter asserts that JACL’s Constitution and Bylaws grant the NYC autonomy in internal matters including age limitations for officers.
- Come-On Sense: Where Are We Going…, by Karl Nobuyuki, page 7. Nobuyuki responds to Kerry Kaneichi’s remarks about JACL’s youth program, arguing that ‘youth’ and ‘student’ are distinct categories under JACL Bylaws with different voting privileges. He expresses concern about the direction of JACL leadership and questions the prioritization of certain issues over others by younger members.
- Redress and Rodney King Comparison, page 7. A letter writer from St. Louis compares the $3.8 million awarded to Rodney King for civil rights violations to the $20,000 received for their own civil and constitutional rights violations. The brief letter draws attention to perceived disparities in compensation for rights violations.
- Applauds Yamashita’s Battle Against Marine Corps, page 7. A letter writer from New York City praises Capt. Bruce I. Yamashita’s five-year fight against the U.S. Marine Corps, comparing his courage to that of Issei parents and calling it a chapter worthy of ‘Profiles in Courage.’ The writer salutes Yamashita for showing moral and physical courage against military authority.
- Correction on Sansei Internment Study, by Debra Kawahara, page 7. Debra Kawahara clarifies that her research study on the generational impact of internment builds on prior work by Dr. Donna Nagata and Nobu Miyoshi, correcting the impression that no prior psychological research existed. She credits these researchers for findings about pervasive silence surrounding internment in Japanese American families.
- Same-Sex Issue Is Our Issue, Says Reader, page 7. A reader from College of San Mateo responds to Beans M. Sogioka’s earlier letter opposing same-sex marriage recognition, arguing the inferential leap that young Japanese Americans wouldn’t join JACL over this issue is unfounded. The writer criticizes questions about Trish Murakawa’s marital status as inappropriate and offensive.
- Sogioka’s Letter Is ‘Full of Bias,’ Reader Says, by Rickard Shimizu, page 7. Rickard Shimizu of Gardena, Calif. responds to Beans Sogioka’s letter on same-sex marriages, suggesting Sogioka’s children’s views reflect their father’s homophobic attitudes. The letter questions whether Sogioka himself holds biased views toward homosexuals.
Obituaries
- Community Obituaries, by P.C. Staff, page 8. This page lists numerous obituaries of Japanese American community members who died recently, including their birthplaces, survivors, and biographical details. Notable entries include Chika Ichikawa, a 103-year-old Pacific Northwest pioneer, and Rev. Harumi Nishimoto, a longtime pastor at Gardena Valley Baptist Church.
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.