JACL’s budget crisis, the Sacramento firebomb retrial and Proposition 187

Vol. 119, No. 7, November 1994. 16 pages. View this issue

A budget crisis at the Japanese American Citizens League ran through this 16-page issue. Committee reports put the 1995 deficit at about $280,000, and Denny Yasuhara, Grayce Uyehara and Neal Taniguchi wrote on the shortfall, the Legacy Fund and the push for new members. The Sacramento firebombing retrial of the 1993 attacks on a temple, the NAACP and JACL offices, and a councilman’s home was set for Nov. 16. JACL also voiced concern over California’s Proposition 187 and announced plans for a gay and lesbian chapter.

Other coverage looked at the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund nominations, new appointments to the Manzanar advisory commission, and Karen Narasaki’s analysis of the 1994 election. Harry K. Honda reported on Nisei veterans returning to Bruyeres and Biffontaine, and Barry Saiki answered critics of JACL’s wartime role. Bill Hosokawa and Bill Marutani wrote columns, letters from readers filled page 8, and page 11 carried news of honors and appointments.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• JACL Fund-Raiser Set for Dec. 2 in L.A., by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Japanese American Citizens League will honor the formation of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus at its 65th Anniversary Banquet on Dec. 2 in Los Angeles. Rep. Norman Mineta and Delegate Eni Faleomavaega are expected to attend the event at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
• JACL Financial Crisis Must Be Dealt With Now, Says Committee, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National JACL Budget Analysis Committee met in San Francisco and declared the organization’s financial situation a crisis needing immediate attention at the Dec. 3-4 National Board meeting. Committee members reviewed financial reports showing an approximate $280,000 deficit for 1995 and urged the board to make tough budget decisions.
• Group to Start JACL Gay Chapter, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Following the National Council’s support of same-sex marriage, a meeting was held Nov. 6 to form JACL’s first chapter devoted to gays and lesbians, the Asian and Pacific Islander Lambda Chapter. Interim co-presidents Jay Craig Fong and May Yamamoto said the chapter will focus on education and advocacy for gay and lesbian issues from an Asian and Pacific Islander perspective.
• JACL Leadership Program Set for ’95, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL Washington Representative Karen Narasaki announced the 1995 JACL Washington, D.C. Leadership Program scheduled for March 4-8, conducted jointly with the Organization of Chinese Americans. The four-day program introduces potential community leaders to national policy making and legislative issues affecting Asian Pacific Americans.
• Legacy Fund Campaign Biennial Report 1992-1994, by Grayce Uyehara, page 6. The Legacy Fund Campaign Committee reported that as of June 30, 1994, less than 50% of the original $10 million goal had been achieved, prompting a revised goal of $5.7 million by October 1995. The report details chapter performance, noting only 11 chapters reached their assigned goals while 51 chapters have not reached even 30%.
• The ’95 Challenge: Membership Recruitment, by Neal Taniguchi, page 9. JACL Vice President Neal Taniguchi outlines a goal to increase membership by 1,000 organization-wide during the coming biennium. He calls on chapters to identify potential members, highlight JACL’s accomplishments, and address chapter weaknesses to retain and grow membership.
• Chapter President Challenges Status of Progressive Westside Chapter, by Gwen Muranaka, page 10. Pacific Southwest District Governor Ruth Mizobe convened a committee to investigate allegations by Karl Nobuyuki regarding the Progressive Westside Chapter’s standing and the composition of the PSW district executive committee. Nobuyuki challenged whether the chapter met membership requirements and whether the executive committee violated bylaws by having multiple members from the same chapter.
• PSW Chapter Dispute Continued: Members Voice Frustration, by P.C. Staff, page 14. Continuing coverage of the Progressive Westside Chapter dispute, with SCAN Chapter’s Galen Murakawa questioning Karl Nobuyuki’s motives and Wilshire Chapter’s Roy Nishikawa acknowledging procedural sloppiness within the district. Nobuyuki maintained his objective was ensuring the district runs properly.
• Legacy Fund Correction, by P.C. Staff, page 14. National Headquarters issued a correction regarding the incorrect listing of joint contributions by Lily Kageyama and M. Louise Takeuchi of the Monterey Peninsula Chapter to the Legacy Fund. The corrected amounts included $1,000 donations made in 1991 and 1993 in memory of specific individuals.
• Group to Start JACL Gay Chapter Continued, by P.C. Staff, page 16. Continuing coverage of the proposed API Lambda Chapter, detailing the requirements for new chapter formation including 25 signed member petitions and National Board approval. Organizer May Yamamoto expressed confidence the group has secured the required membership and is scheduled to meet Dec. 18.

National

• Sacramento Firebomb Re-Trial Set for Nov. 16, by P.C. Staff, page 1. After many delays, a Sacramento Superior Court jury was selected for the retrial of the 1993 Sacramento firebombing cases targeting a temple, NAACP and JACL offices, and a city councilman’s home. A previous jury deadlocked on several counts including attacks on the NAACP, JACL, and Temple B’nai Israel.
• Ishikawa Named to Arizona Court, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Brian Keith Ishikawa, 38, a member of the Arizona Chapter JACL, was appointed by Gov. Fife Symington to the Maricopa County Superior Court, becoming the first Japanese American to hold the position in Arizona. Ishikawa expressed excitement about the appointment and his goal to run efficient, fair trials.
• JACL Concerned with New California Immigration Law, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL announced concern over the passage of California’s Proposition 187 and applauded legal action by groups including the ACLU and Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund against the measure. JACL National President Denny Yasuhara explained the organization’s opposition to denying public education and health care to undocumented residents.
• JACL Gives Redress Education Fund Update, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL issued an update on the status of the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, noting that Senate confirmation delays for President Clinton’s Board nominees are hampering the fund’s ability to begin grant-making. JACL Washington Representative Karen Narasaki urged the community to write to senators to complete the nomination process.
• JACL Applauds Clinton’s Nominations to Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 4. JACL applauded President Clinton’s nominations of Cherry Kinoshita, Yeiichi Kuwayama, Dale Minami, Don Nakanishi, Father Robert Drinan, Elsa Kudo and Susan Hayase to the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund Board. Karen Narasaki praised the nominees’ expertise and commitment to the Education Fund’s mission.
• Supplemental Major Medical Coverage Endorsed, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The JACL Catastrophe Major Medical Insurance Plan is now available to members and families regardless of age, providing up to $1,000,000 in protection. The enrollment period for the plan ends Dec. 15, 1994.
• Doctor Alleges Discrimination at Medical Board, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Dr. Richard Ikeda alleged that executive director Dixon Arnett’s proposal to eliminate regional medical consultant positions targeted Asian employees, calling it discriminatory. Arnett denied the charges, calling them baseless, while civil rights groups including the Sacramento JACL chapter expressed concern over Arnett’s dismissive response to the allegations.
• New Nikkei Faces Rise in Politics, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Kip Tokuda won a seat in the Washington State House while Stan Matsunaka won a Colorado state senate seat in the Nov. 8 elections. The article also reviews other Japanese American candidates’ results in congressional, state, and local races across the country.
• Rachelle Chong Nominated to FCC, by P.C. Staff, page 11. President Clinton was scheduled to nominate Stockton-born attorney Rachelle Chong to the Federal Communications Commission. Chong is a partner specializing in telecommunications law and previously worked at the FCC.
• JACL Credit Union Introduces New VISA Card, by P.C. Staff, page 13. The National JACL Credit Union announced a new VISA card with no annual fee and a 25-day grace period available to members. Interested individuals can fill out membership information to join.
• Fund-Raiser Continued: Caucus Honors and JACL History, by P.C. Staff, page 13. Continuing coverage of the JACL fundraiser honoring the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, detailing the caucus’s work blocking anti-immigrant measures and promoting Asian Pacific American concerns in Congress. JACL President Yasuhara and District Governor Ruth Mizobe both emphasized the caucus’s importance to civil rights progress.
• Retrial Continued: Firebombing Coalition Mobilizes, by P.C. Staff, page 13. The Firebombing Trial Coalition, made up of JACL chapters and civil rights organizations, coordinated community efforts around the Sacramento firebombing retrial. Chapter presidents Mark Morodomi and Randy Imai urged the community to attend the trial and stand united against hate crimes.
• Court Appointment Continued: Ishikawa’s Background and Goals, by P.C. Staff, page 13. Additional details on Brian Ishikawa’s appointment to the Maricopa County Superior Court, including his background as a Sansei whose grandparents settled in Arizona and his experience as a judge pro tem. Arizona JACL Chapter president Joe Allman praised Ishikawa as an excellent example of a loyal and compassionate family man.
• Immigration Law Concerns Continued: District Governors React, by P.C. Staff, page 13. Additional JACL district governors including Larry Ishimoto and Alan Nishi expressed concerns about Proposition 187’s potential negative impacts on California’s agricultural industry, public health, and constitutional rights. The National Youth/Student Council also voiced opposition, stating that denying education is not the way to curb illegal immigration.
• Nikkei Faces Rise in Politics Continued: Local Election Results, by P.C. Staff, page 14. Continuing coverage of Japanese American election results, including Oakland businessman Ted Dang’s loss to incumbent mayor Elihu Harris and George Shirakawa Jr.’s election to his late father’s San Jose city council seat. Seattle judges C. Kimi Kondo, Ron Mamiya, and Eileen Kato were also re-elected.

Incarceration & Redress

• Hiroshima Protests Enola Gay Exhibit, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The city of Hiroshima is protesting how the B-29 bomber Enola Gay will be presented in a Smithsonian exhibit next May, objecting to a Senate resolution seeking changes to the exhibit. Veterans groups and Japan’s ambassador have also weighed in on the controversy surrounding the exhibit’s text.
• JACL Applauds Appointments to Manzanar Historic Site Advisory Committee, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL applauded Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt’s appointments to the National Manzanar Historic Site Advisory Commission, including Ronald Izumita, Sue Embrey, and Mas Okui among others. The commission will advise on development and management of the site through 2002.
• Enola Gay Exhibit Controversy Continues, by P.C. Staff, page 13. The article details continued controversy over the Smithsonian’s Enola Gay exhibit, including the pilot Paul Tibbets Jr.’s comments in American Legion magazine and Japanese Ambassador Kuriyama’s careful diplomatic stance. Veterans groups protested draft text they felt was too sympathetic to Japan and understated the Pearl Harbor attack.

Commentary

• JACL Budget Crisis Imminent, by Denny Yasuhara, page 3. JACL National President Denny Yasuhara writes that preliminary reports from the Budget Analysis Committee show action must be taken at the December board meeting to avert financial disaster in 1995. He states the deficit resulted from years of deficit budgets obscured by donations and ‘funny money,’ and that the board must act responsibly to correct the situation.
• Election Impact, by Karen Narasaki, page 3. Narasaki analyzes how the 1994 election results, including Republican control of Congress, will impact JACL’s legislative priorities including redress, the Wards Cove Workers Act, and immigration issues. She notes that key committee chairs will now be held by lawmakers who have historically opposed redress and civil rights measures favored by JACL.
• Mayday for JACL, by Grayce Uyehara, page 5. Uyehara writes about JACL’s financial troubles and the steps President Yasuhara has taken, including forming the ad hoc budget committee and launching the Annual Giving Program to provide financial support. She urges JACL members to respond generously to the Annual Giving appeal to help the organization survive its financial crisis.
• This Book Looks at Both Sides of the Ocean, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Hosokawa reviews Evelyn Iritani’s book ‘An Ocean Between Us,’ which tells four interconnected stories set around Washington’s Olympic Peninsula dealing with Japanese-American relations. He praises the book as a welcome departure from typical Nikkei autobiographical or Evacuation-genre writing.
• Hapa, Happa & Happi, by Bill Marutani, page 8. Marutani explores the etymology and meaning of Japanese terms like ‘hapa,’ ‘ai-no-ko,’ and ‘happa,’ admitting uncertainty about their precise origins and pronunciations. He humorously concedes he remains stymied despite consulting dictionaries.
• Reader Says ‘Sayonara’ to JACL, by Clarence Ueda, page 8. A reader from Omaha criticizes JACL’s direction, quoting an adage about not knowing where one is going, and bids the organization farewell. He also criticizes Mineta’s convention remarks as political posturing.
• Feels Out of Touch with a Monthly PC, by Luis, page 8. A reader from the Latin America Chapter, JACL, expresses feeling detached from the organization now that the Pacific Citizen is published only monthly. He notes this will be especially difficult for JACLers on the East Coast who lack other Japanese American papers.
• JACL Stand Wrong on Illegal Immigration Initiative, page 8. The president of the West Valley Chapter, JACL, argues that Proposition 187 is not immigrant-bashing but a legitimate means to deny services to illegal aliens. He contends JACL’s opposition to the measure is misguided and lacks credibility.
• Responding to Critics of JACL’s Wartime Role, by Barry Saiki, page 9. Saiki responds to criticisms by Takasumi Kojima and Mits Kochiyama regarding the prewar and wartime JACL leadership’s conduct during the Evacuation. He defends JACL’s role as a default leadership organization amid the chaos of internment, arguing accusations of cronyism and self-serving behavior lack context and evidence.
• Come-on Sense: Methods & Goals, by Karl Nobuyuki, page 9. Nobuyuki critiques the procedural chaos at the 33rd Biennial Convention, citing numerous violations of Robert’s Rules of Order including improperly submitted resolutions and confusing budget votes. He argues that JACL, as a civil rights organization, must follow proper procedural law and cannot operate above it.
• Thanksgiving, by Mei Nakano, page 10. Nakano writes a letter to her grandson Jason expressing gratitude for his maturity and compassion despite his parents’ divorce and the challenges of being labeled ‘Generation X.’ She reflects on the economic and social burdens facing younger generations and expresses hope that Jason will make a difference.

Military & Veterans

• Nisei Vets Revisit Bruyeres, Biffontaine, by Harry K. Honda, page 7. Some 300 Nisei veterans returned to France to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bruyeres and Biffontaine by the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team. JACL President Denny Yasuhara gave a speech honoring the units’ sacrifice, including his own brothers who served, and unveiled a Friendship Knot memorial sculpture.

Community

• JA Museum Gives International Feel to Family Expo, by Harry K. Honda, page 7. The Japanese American National Museum’s three-day Family Expo Weekend in Los Angeles drew over 25,000 attendees and featured an International Nikkei Symposium with speakers from Canada, Mexico, Peru and Brazil. Sen. Daniel Inouye received the 1994 JANM Distinguished Medal of Honor at the annual fall dinner attended by over 1,300 people.
• Kathleen Akao Elected to Superior Court Bench, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Kathleen Akao, 46, was elected to the Santa Cruz County superior court bench, becoming the first female Asian American elected directly by voters to a California superior court seat. She previously worked with the local ABA redress committee enlisting internees to testify at CWRIC hearings.
• Diplomats: Noboru, Owada, Tokinoya Appointments, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Seiichiro Noboru was appointed Japanese consul general in Los Angeles, Hisashi Owada was named Japanese ambassador to the United Nations, and Atsushi Tokinoya was recalled from San Francisco to become director general of the foreign ministry’s North American Affairs Bureau. Ryozo Kato succeeded Tokinoya in San Francisco.
• Pacific Pioneers Award Celebration Honors Cultural Figures, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center honored Kats Kunitsugu, Kazue Kudo, and Toyota executives Yukiyasu and Misako Togo at its 14th annual Pacific Pioneers Award celebration. The event featured performances by June Kuramoto, Derek Nakamoto, and others, drawing about 600 attendees.
• Arthur Mitsumori Inducted into Illinois Senior Citizens Hall of Fame, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Arthur T. Mitsumori, 82, was inducted into the newly established Illinois Senior Citizens Hall of Fame for his wartime MIS service and 12-year effort to build the first Keiro nursing home in the Midwest. He volunteered from Tule Lake to serve in Burma and China.
• Dr. Jin Kinoshita Honored with Order of the Rising Sun, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Dr. Jin Kinoshita, former director of the National Eye Institute, received the Order of the Rising Sun with Neck Ribbon from Japan’s consul general for his contributions to training ophthalmologists in Japan. He trained graduates during his 40-year tenure at Harvard Medical School.
• Christine Wada Elected to National School Boards Association, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Christine Wada, a Pocatello-Blackfoot JACLer and Idaho school board trustee, was elected to a three-year term on the National School Boards Association board of directors. She has served on the Snake River School Board since 1982.
• Norma Tazoi Appointed to Governor’s Research Advisory Panel, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Norma S. Tazoi, a registered nurse active with JACL, was appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson to California’s Governor’s Research Advisory Panel, which reviews research applications involving controlled substances. She previously chaired the Atascadero State Hospital advisory board.
• Ozawa Couple Celebrates 70th Wedding Anniversary, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Joe Iwao Ozawa, 93, and his wife Ayako, 90, celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in San Francisco surrounded by family. The Issei couple from Hiroshima endured internment at Topaz and rebuilt their lives in San Francisco after the war.

Arts & Entertainment

• Suzy Nakamura Named Actress of the Year, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Suzy Nakamura of Chicago’s ‘The Second City’ comedy troupe was named actress of the year by an Oakland, Mich. Press critic. She has been with the troupe’s national touring company since 1991 and toured internationally including Russia.
• Alan Kondo Receives Steve Tatsukawa Memorial Award, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Filmmaker Alan Kondo received the $1,000 Steve Tatsukawa Memorial Fund award for his contributions to Asian Pacific American media, including editing ‘Hito Hata: Raise the Banner’ and producing works about the redress movement. Kondo has worked with Visual Communications for two decades on educational documentaries.

Sports

• Daniel Fukushima Inducted into Sports Hall of Fame, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Daniel Fukushima was honored by an athletic association for his decades-long basketball coaching career spanning from Montebello High to camp teams at Manzanar and Poston during WWII, and later at San Jose’s James Lick High School. He received numerous coaching honors including induction into the Naismith Memorial High School Basketball Hall of Fame.

In-Depth

• Late James Nakano Honored for Contributions to Health Field, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The National Center for Infectious Diseases paid tribute to the late Dr. James N. Nakano, a microbiologist whose work on polio and smallpox was recognized as a driving force in setting CDC lab standards. The James H. Nakano Citation was instituted in his honor at the annual NCID recognitions program.
• Book Reviews: Children’s Books, Japanese American History, by Harry K. Honda, page 12. Honda reviews several books including children’s titles ‘A Carp for Kimiko’ and ‘Grandfather’s Journey,’ along with Fred Hosaka’s personal memoir ‘Shortchanged in America’ about his family’s internment experience. The reviews cover the books’ content, historical context, and value to Japanese American literature.
• Americanization and Ethnic Identity in Hawaii Reviewed, by Harry K. Honda, page 12. Honda reviews Eileen Tamura’s ‘Americanization, Acculturation, and Ethnic Identity,’ which examines the Nisei generation in Hawaii striving to be American while maintaining Japanese heritage. The review also covers ‘U.S. Samurais in Bruyeres’ by Pierre Moulin and Sandra Taylor’s ‘Jewel of the Desert’ about Topaz internment camp.
• Barry Saiki’s Response to JACL Critics, Part II Continued, by Barry Saiki, page 14. Saiki continues his defense of wartime JACL leadership, addressing specific allegations about mess hall conditions and food rationing improprieties he personally witnessed and reported. He argues that JACL’s 1942 resolution commending the WRA was a matter of political expedience given the impossibility of preventing evacuation.

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