Bill Lann Lee as convention keynoter, and redress news

Vol. 126, No. 6, March 20, 1998. 12 pages. View this issue

Bill Lann Lee, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, accepted JACL’s invitation to give the keynote speech at the opening of the biennial National Council convention in Philadelphia on July 1-4. Redress ran through the rest of the front page too. Caroline Aoyagi reported on the Mochizuki v. the United States case for Japanese Latin Americans, where settlement talks delayed a ruling. The Office of Redress Administration update named new groups of possibly eligible workers, and a footnote at the Ellis Island exhibit settled a dispute over the term “concentration camp.” Yas Tokita covered Lee’s Day of Remembrance visit to Utah.

Inside are Herb Horikawa’s convention update, JACL nominations for national office, and affirmative action news from California, the Senate and Arizona. Stanley Kanzaki wrote about Nisei baseball pioneers honored at Cooperstown. Columns by Bill Hosokawa and Bill Marutani, letters, and a Day of Remembrance resolution from Assemblyman Mike Honda also appear.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Bill Lann Lee to Keynote Convention, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Bill Lann Lee, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, has accepted JACL’s invitation to deliver the keynote speech at the opening of the biennial National Council convention in Philadelphia on July 1-4. The article discusses Lee’s background as a civil rights lawyer and the significance of his appointment and speech for the convention.
• Supporting Youth at the Nat’l Convention, by Karen-Liane Shiba, page 3. The National Youth/Student Council is planning a special ‘ID 4’ event at the National Convention in Philadelphia to encourage youth participation. The National V.P. of Membership reflects on her tenure and thanks JACL members for their support.
• Nominations Committee: ‘We Want You!’, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL is seeking candidates for national board positions to be elected at the Philadelphia convention, including President and Vice President roles. Nomination forms must be postmarked by April 1, 1998, and candidates must be able to attend the convention.
• National Convention Update, by Herb Horikawa, page 4. Convention chair Herb Horikawa provides updates on preparations for the National Convention in Philadelphia, including Bill Lann Lee’s keynote acceptance and a homecoming celebration for former Delaware Valley Nisei residents. The article also details planned tours and growing committee membership.
• Masaoka Fellowship Fund Makes Last Call for Candidates, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Mike M. Masaoka Fellowship Fund is accepting final applications for its Congressional Fellow Program for 1998-1999. The fellowship includes a $7,500 stipend for a term serving in a U.S. House of Representative’s office.

Incarceration & Redress

• Settlement Discussions on Japanese Latin American Redress Case Delays Ruling, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. A telephonic status conference on Mochizuki v. the United States resulted in postponement of a ruling on Japanese Latin American redress, with settlement discussions continuing and a new deadline set. The government has reportedly only offered redress to a small percentage of former internees who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, drawing criticism from advocates.
• What Is a Concentration Camp?, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A footnote explaining the use of the term ‘concentration camp’ in a Japanese American WWII exhibit at Ellis Island helped quell controversy among some Jewish American community members. The dispute centered on whether the term diminishes the Holocaust, eventually resolved through a compromise footnote.
• An Update from the ORA, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Office of Redress Administration announced that Japanese American railroad and mine workers fired during WWII, along with Puunene plantation camp claimants, are now potentially eligible for redress. The update also covers eligibility requirements, outreach efforts, and a planned commemoration ceremony for the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.
• Bill Lann Lee Visits Utah for Day of Remembrance, by Yas Tokita, page 3. Bill Lann Lee visited Salt Lake City for Utah’s Day of Remembrance, meeting with Governor Leavitt and giving a keynote address to about 700 attendees at Cottonwood High School. His speech traced the history of civil rights of Japanese Americans from 1942 to the present.
• Japanese Latin Americans Seek Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The article continues coverage of the Japanese Latin American redress case, detailing the history of deportation orders and forced immigration status faced by internees after WWII. Campaign for Justice co-chair Julie Small criticizes the government’s limited redress offer as illogical and indefensible.
• Sacramento Day of Remembrance, by Toko Fujii, page 4. Sacramento’s Day of Remembrance event on Feb. 28 drew about 250 attendees and combined the observance with Senior Appreciation Day. Former National JACL president Jerry Enomoto gave a keynote message, with entertainment and tributes to seniors also featured.
• National DOR in Arizona, by Joe Allman, page 4. Arizona State University West and the Arizona Chapter of JACL sponsored a dramatic reading of the play Gila River for the National Day of Remembrance on Feb. 19. Speakers included judges and community leaders discussing the impact of Executive Order 9066.
• They Have Not Seen, by Dr. Mitsuo Miura, page 4. A poem reflecting on the experience of Japanese Americans in WWII incarceration camps, describing the desert landscape and the loss of inalienable rights. The poem laments that many Americans remained unaware of these injustices.
• Honda Introduces DOR Resolution, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Assemblyman Mike Honda introduced a resolution in the California legislature declaring Feb. 19, 1998, as the Day of Remembrance. The measure aims to increase public awareness and education about the WWII internment of Japanese Americans.
• Use of Term ‘Concentration Camps’ in Exhibit Sparks Debate, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A meeting between Jewish American and Japanese American community representatives addressed concerns over the use of ‘concentration camps’ in the Ellis Island exhibit about JA internment. A compromise footnote was added explaining the historical accuracy of the term and differentiating it from Nazi death camps.
• Honda Introduces AB 1915 to Create Calif. Civil Liberties Public Education Board, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Assemblyman Mike Honda introduced legislation to create a California Civil Liberties Public Education Board to fund educational projects about Japanese American incarceration in K-14 schools. The bill would provide $5 million annually and continue the legacy of the federal Civil Liberties Public Education Fund set to sunset in August 1998.
• NAATA Releases Video and Curriculum Package on DOR, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The National Asian American Telecommunications Association released a comprehensive video and curriculum module about the Japanese American WWII internment experience on Day of Remembrance. The package includes award-winning video programs and study guides designed for secondary school teachers.
• ‘More Perfect Union’ Opens in Las Vegas, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibit ‘A More Perfect Union’ opened at Sahara West Library & Fine Arts Museum in Las Vegas for a 40-day run. The exhibit concerns the constitutional rights of Japanese Americans during WWII and is supported by local JACL volunteers and community accounts.

National

• Dr. Alan Nakanishi of Lodi Makes a Bid for State Assembly, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dr. Alan Nakanishi, a Lodi physician, is seeking the Republican nomination for state assembly in the upcoming June primary. He hopes to apply his medical background to improving California’s healthcare system and education policy.
• Wilson Kills Affirmative Action, by P.C. Staff, page 5. California Governor Pete Wilson abolished an affirmative action program that provided state contracts to companies owned by women and minorities. The move follows a federal court ruling and paves the way for further legal challenges to state affirmative action programs.
• Senate Rejects Attempt to Kill Federal Affirmative Action Program, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Senate rejected a Republican-led amendment to eliminate the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program that helps women and minorities win highway construction contracts. The vote was 58-37, with 15 Republicans joining Democrats in opposition.
• Chung Pleads Guilty in Campaign Finance Case, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Former Democratic fundraiser Johnny Chung pleaded guilty to charges of making illegal campaign contributions, including funneling $20,000 to the Clinton-Gore 1996 campaign. Separately, Rep. Jay Kim was sentenced to home confinement and fined for accepting illegal campaign contributions.
• Arizona Debates Affirmative Action, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Arizona’s Senate Committee on Government Reform voted to support a bill that would place a referendum on the November ballot to eliminate racial and gender preferences in public education, employment, and contracting. Supporters call it a stand against discrimination while opponents say it will harm diversity efforts.
• Honda Elected to DNC, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Assemblyman Mike Honda was selected by the Democratic National Committee to serve as an at-large member and on its Executive Committee. DNC National Chair Steve Grossman highlighted Honda’s role in strengthening the party’s relationship with the Asian Pacific American community.

Commentary

• By the Board: The Redress Story, by David Kawamoto, page 3. Pacific Southwest District Governor David Kawamoto reflects on the redress movement and the choices faced by the Japanese American community after incarceration. He urges JACL member chapters to fully support ongoing redress efforts.
• A Hapa Yonsei Story, by Akemi Kayleng, page 7. The author reflects on raising cats instead of children and imagines hypothetical generational conflicts with a hypothetical Sansei daughter named Brigette. The piece explores themes of assimilation, workplace discrimination, and changing values across generations.
• Judo, Wrestling, and Boxing Among Japanese Americans in the Pacific Northwest, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Bill Hosokawa discusses correspondence with researcher Joe Svinth about the history of Japanese American athletes in professional and amateur combat sports in the Pacific Northwest dating back to 1912. The column also reviews several books including works on Italian American internment, a WWII POW memoir, and the Heart Mountain camp.
• The ‘A3M’ Shield, by Bill Marutani, page 8. Bill Marutani writes about his granddaughter Brenna’s battle with leukemia and the work of Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches (A3M) in helping find bone marrow donor matches for Asian Pacific Islander patients. He reports that Brenna’s health has improved and a transplant was not necessary.
• Letters: Fred Korematsu Quoted Out of Context, page 9. A letter writer defends Fred Korematsu against criticism from Bill Hosokawa’s column, arguing that his writing was quoted out of context regarding Korematsu’s motivations for resisting evacuation. The letter emphasizes Korematsu’s courage and constitutional rights.
• Letters: NJAMF Presenting Advertisement Clarification, page 9. A letter responds to an advertisement questioning whether there are too many Japanese American monuments, clarifying the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation’s mission. The writer emphasizes the foundation’s desire to present a total patriotism narrative from the Japanese American community.
• Letters: Author James Oda Sets the Record Straight, by James Oda, page 9. Author James Oda responds to a previous letter to the editor, clarifying that he did not present Prof. Ben-Ami Shillony’s view as endorsing his own viewpoint. Oda quotes his book to show that Shillony’s conclusion was actually negative regarding the matter discussed.

Community

• ‘Go for Broke’ Theme Attracts 300 at Gala, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A casino night fundraiser organized by Nikkei for the Monument raised $20,000 for the Go For Broke monument, with celebrities serving as blackjack dealers. The event honored WWII Nisei veterans and included entertainment and displays of WWII artifacts.
• Sharon Matsumoto Assumes Leadership of Key D.A. Bureaus and Operations, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Assistant District Attorney Sharon J. Matsumoto has taken over responsibility for several bureaus within the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, including Family Support Operations and Victim-Witness Assistance. She is a UCLA graduate and was previously named Attorney of the Year by two legal organizations.

Military & Veterans

• So. Cal. Nikkei Leaders Meet with NJAMF, by Harry K. Honda, page 5. Japanese American community leaders in Los Angeles met with National Japanese American Memorial Foundation board members to discuss the planned National Memorial to Patriotism in Washington D.C. Speakers emphasized the importance of telling the Japanese American WWII story to future generations.

Sports

• Nisei Baseball at Cooperstown’s Hall of Fame, by Stanley Kanzaki, page 6. Fifteen Nisei baseball pioneers were honored at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in a ceremony marking the culmination of the ‘Diamonds in the Rough’ touring exhibit. The article profiles several players and the history of Japanese American baseball from its origins to WWII internment camps.
• Only Chance to Have Name in Cooperstown Says Yonamine, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Wally Yonamine, a star in the Pacific Coast League and Japan’s major leagues, discusses the significance of the Nisei baseball exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The article also mentions the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii’s exhibit on AJA baseball history.

In-Depth

• The Nisei Strandees in Japan: Coming of Age in the ’30s and ’40s, by Harry K. Honda, page 7. A review of UCLA’s Amerasia Journal issue featuring articles about Nisei who were in Japan before and during WWII, including Yuji Ichioka’s essay on Kazumaro Buddy Uno. The piece discusses personal stories of Nisei strandees and their experiences navigating loyalty and identity during the war.

Obituaries

• Hansel Mieth, 89, Documentary Photographer, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Hansel Mieth, a documentary photographer whose images of the Heart Mountain internment camp were never published by Life magazine, died Feb. 14. Her photographs were finally exhibited publicly at de Saisset Museum on the Santa Clara University campus, which closed March 15.
• Robert B.W. Smith, 73, Physician, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Robert B.W. Smith, a physician who served in the Air Force and later worked in private practice and academia, died of heart failure on Jan. 30. He is survived by his wife Etsuko, four children, and other family members.
• James J. Suzuki, 62, Health Director, by P.C. Staff, page 11. James Suzuki, who retired in 1985 as president-CEO for Hadley Memorial Hospital, died March 9 at his home in Orlando. He previously worked as associate health director for Montgomery County, Maryland.
• Frank H. Hiyama, 83, Caltrans Highway Engineer, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Frank Hiyama, known as an expert in railroad grade-crossing safety and ‘Mr. Agreements’ for negotiating highway and railroad construction agreements, died at 83. He served as Sacramento JACL president in 1962 and was interned at Tule Lake during WWII.

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