Proposition 5 and the November 1998 California elections

Vol. 127, No. 8, October 16, 1998. 12 pages. View this issue

Proposition 5, the California Indian Self-Reliance Initiative, led the news. The national JACL endorsed a yes vote in the name of civil rights, and Tracy Uba reported on how the measure divided minority groups and Native American tribes. Other election stories covered the Boxer and Fong Senate race, a voter guide to the governor’s candidates on Asian Pacific American issues, and the campaign of Justice Ming W. Chin for retention on the state Supreme Court.

Redress stayed in the news. Caroline Aoyagi reported on Japanese Latin Americans filing new lawsuits seeking full redress under the 1988 Civil Liberties Act, and Denver named a plaza for Minoru Yasui. Bill Hosokawa wrote about the Kooskia camp. Harry K. Honda profiled Harry Fukuhara, who volunteered from the Gila River camp. Readers will also find JACL’s census brief to the Supreme Court and the new vice president, Floyd Mori.

What’s in this issue

National

• Proposition 5 Divides Tribes and Other Minority Groups Along Campaign Lines, by Tracy Uba, page 1. Proposition 5, the California Indian Self-Reliance Initiative, has divided minority groups and Native American tribes as the November election nears, with the national JACL endorsing a ‘yes’ vote. Supporters argue the measure protects tribal gaming and self-sufficiency, while opponents, including some tribes with existing state compacts, argue it promotes unregulated gaming.
• Calif.’s Justice Ming W. Chin Campaigns for Retention, page 1. California Supreme Court Justice Ming W. Chin is campaigning for retention amid attacks over a parental consent abortion ruling. Chin defends the court’s reasoning on parental rights and abortion decisions for minors.
• Safe Bet on Trio’s Re-election, page 3. Asian American incumbents Robert Matsui, Mike Honda, and Daniel Akaka are considered strong favorites for re-election based on primary results. Their Republican challengers garnered significantly smaller shares of the primary vote.
• Senate Tables Measure to Remove Bill Lann Lee from Civil Rights Post, page 3. A Senate bill seeking to remove Bill Lann Lee from his position as acting assistant attorney general for civil rights died following a Democratic filibuster. Senators Boxer and Feinstein opposed limiting debate, while Fong expressed mixed views on Lee’s appointment process despite differing on affirmative action policy.
• Washington’s Anti-Affirmative Action Measure Attracting National Attention, page 3. Washington state’s Initiative 200, similar to California’s Proposition 209, seeks to ban the use of race and gender in public contracting, education, and employment, drawing national attention as other states consider similar measures. JACL and civil rights organizations have mobilized resources and coalition efforts to oppose the initiative.
• Boxer-Fong Senate Race in Dead Heat, page 3. California’s Senate race between incumbent Barbara Boxer and challenger Matt Fong is tightening, with Asian American voters, particularly Chinese Americans, showing strong support for Fong despite party lines. The candidates differ sharply on affirmative action, bilingual education, and abortion rights, with Boxer citing her record supporting redress and civil rights legislation.
• JACL Files Census Brief with U.S. Supreme Court, page 6. JACL filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the use of statistical sampling for the 2000 census, arguing it is essential for accurately counting minority populations. The brief contends that failing to use accurate counting methods creates a constitutional defect similar to historical undercounting of minorities.
• Justice Chin Seeks Re-election, page 10. California Supreme Court Justice Ming W. Chin continues his campaign for retention amid controversy over a parental consent abortion ruling, with supporters from both political parties including Congressman Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta backing his candidacy. Chin, the first Chinese American on the state’s high court, emphasizes his broad record and diverse experience as qualifications for another term.

Incarceration & Redress

• JLAs Seek Full Redress in Latest Lawsuit, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Japanese Latin Americans who were interned in the U.S. during WWII and rejected the Mochizuki settlement are filing separate lawsuits seeking full redress equal to the $20,000 given to Japanese Americans. Plaintiffs accuse the government of failing to properly invest settlement funds as required by the 1988 Civil Liberties Act.
• ‘Minoru Yasui Plaza’ Dedicated in Denver, page 6. The Denver City Council unanimously voted to name a newly acquired municipal office building ‘Minoru Yasui Plaza’ in honor of the civil rights leader who challenged WWII incarceration in a landmark Supreme Court case. Council members praised Yasui’s decades of work promoting human rights as executive director of Denver’s Community Relations Commission.
• JLA and NCRR File Lawsuit, page 10. NCRR and attorneys announced a lawsuit on behalf of Joe Suzuki and NCRR alleging the government failed to properly invest Civil Liberties Public Education Fund monies as required, resulting in insufficient funds to pay all eligible Japanese Latin American internees. The Office of Redress Administration confirmed a shortage in the fund with approximately $5 million remaining and hundreds of claims still pending.

Commentary

• Voter Guide: California Governor Candidates on APA Issues, page 1. Gubernatorial candidates Gray Davis and Dan Lungren respond to questions about education, diversity, and Asian Pacific American representation in California state government. Davis emphasizes education funding and redress support, while Lungren highlights his record of hiring Asian Americans and his role in passing redress legislation.
• Never Again, by Bill Hosokawa, page 7. Hosokawa contrasts the treatment of Issei internees at the Kooskia camp, who received POW protections and higher wages as enemy aliens under Department of Justice custody, with the harsher treatment of American-citizen Nisei in WRA camps who received fewer legal protections despite being citizens. He reflects on the injustice of these disparities and calls for vigilance against government overreach in the future.
• Troubled in Paradise: Unpopular Minorities, by Brian Nilya, page 7. Nilya draws parallels between historic bans on interracial marriage and Hawaii’s current ballot measures on the legality of same-gender marriage. The Honolulu JACL chapter has taken an active stance opposing the measures, framing the issue as one of protecting minority rights from majority rule.
• Black, Red and Yellow, by Bill Marutani, page 7. Marutani recounts a personal anecdote about being stranded during traffic in hot weather and being helped by a truck driver and another motorist. The piece reflects on human kindness across racial lines.
• Asian Invasion??, by Mika Tanner, page 8. Tanner reflects on the striking visibility of Asian American students at UCLA compared to her undergraduate experience, while noting the corresponding underrepresentation of other minority groups following Proposition 209. She expresses concern about potential backlash against Asian American students amid rising numbers, drawing historical parallels to quotas once used against Jewish students.
• Letter: Draft Resisters and the JACL, by R.S. Techthawa, page 9. A letter writer discusses the JACL’s 1994 resolution apologizing to WWII draft resisters, recalling the heated debate at the national council meeting and voting in favor of the apology. The writer defends veterans who served while acknowledging the resisters’ complicated reasons for refusing the draft.
• Letter: The Nanking Massacre, page 9. A letter responds to a previous article on the Nanking Massacre, arguing that Japan’s wartime atrocities including the massacre, forced labor of Koreans, and comfort women deserve greater prominence in coverage. The writer criticizes Japan for failing to acknowledge these atrocities and questions why victimized nations have not demanded restitution more forcefully.
• Letter: Combined Federal Campaign, page 9. A letter from a JACL Board of Governors member and JANM board member encourages readers to contribute to organizations through the Combined Federal Campaign payroll deduction program. The writer notes their personal experience processing CFC payroll forms and does not endorse specific organizations.
• Letter: Coming Home, page 9. A letter writer praises Mika Tanner’s article ‘Coming Home’ for inspiring a local program for Nikkei in the Houston area to commemorate Oct. 31, coinciding with events at the Japanese American National Museum. The writer also compliments previous articles on the new Issei community.

Community

• Sacramento Community Service Recognition Dinner, by Toko Fujii, page 6. The Sacramento JACL’s fifth annual Community Service Recognition Dinner will honor Hiroko Ninomiya, Larry Takai, Police Chief Arturo Venegas, and state senator Ralph Dils on Nov. 19 at the Radisson Hotel. The event recognizes contributions to both the Japanese American and broader Sacramento communities.
• Rohwer Reunion II Plans Finalized, page 6. Plans for the Rohwer Reunion II have been finalized, with the event scheduled for April 16-18 at the Torrance Marriott Hotel. The event will include a golf tournament, mixer, banquet, and Sunday breakfast, with early registration discounts available until Nov. 15.
• Masako Nakada Wins George Sakaguchi Community Service Award, page 8. Masako Nakada was awarded the 1998 George Sakaguchi Community Service Award for her volunteer work with the Ronald McDonald House in St. Louis, assisting families of sick children including a Japanese family awaiting a liver transplant. The award, presented by the St. Louis JACL and Anheuser-Busch, honors the memory of community leader George Sakaguchi.

JACL

• National Board Meeting Motions Oct. 3-4, page 6. The JACL National Board approved multiple motions during its October meeting, including ratifying a Railroad and Mine Worker Scholarship Fund, preparing a letter regarding Walter Horton’s Air Force hearing, and issuing a press statement on the Japanese Latin American situation. The board also approved a business management study of JACL pending pro bono service.
• Floyd Mori New JACL VP General Operations, page 6. JACL National President Helen Kawagoe announced the appointment of S. Floyd Mori as vice president of general operations on the national board. Mori, a former Pleasanton city councilman and mayor, previously served six years in the California State Assembly.
• NJAMF Announces Agenda for Upcoming Board Meeting, page 11. The National Japanese American Memorial Foundation announced its board meeting agenda, including updates on fundraising efforts nationwide as the organization works toward a 1999 deadline to raise the remaining funds needed for a memorial honoring Japanese American WWII veterans and internees. The meeting will also include a memorial service tribute to a longtime supporter who passed away in September.

Military & Veterans

• Very Truly Yours: Harry Fukuhara’s MIS Legacy, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. The Military Intelligence Service NorCal honored Harry Katsuharu Fukuhara, who volunteered from the Gila River camp to serve as a Nisei linguist in the Pacific theater during WWII, eventually finding his family in bombed Hiroshima after the war. Fukuhara went on to a 48-year intelligence career, retiring as a colonel and receiving numerous honors including induction into the U.S. Army Intelligence Hall of Fame.

Obituaries

• Tats Kushida, 82, JACL Regional Director 1947-1957, page 11. Tats Kushida, who served as JACL regional director in Chicago and later Los Angeles, died due to failing health, with funeral services held at Fukui Mortuary Chapel. A UC Berkeley graduate, Kushida worked as a WRA administrator before joining JACL to organize Midwest chapters and reactivate Pacific Southwest chapters.
• Alberta Houseal Igarashi, 69, page 11. Alberta Houseal Igarashi of Auburn, Calif., passed away Sept. 16 after a career as a baby chick sexer and later a restaurant manager. She is survived by her husband Joe, two sons, six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and several siblings.

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