Vol. 128, No. 11, June 1, 1999. 8 pages. View this issue
Two questions of redress and recognition ran through this eight-page issue. The national JACL board, meeting in San Francisco on May 15, voted to accept for discussion a resolution of recognition and apology to the World War II Nikkei resisters of conscience, with a final vote expected in October. A supplemental appropriations bill signed by President Clinton on May 21 reallocated $4.3 million for redress payments to Japanese Latin Americans, who had been left out of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Two stories on page 8 explain the Mochizuki settlement and the legal issues that remained, with Julie Small among those quoted.
Elsewhere, former Japanese American gang members spoke at a panel at the Japanese American National Museum, and a longer article on page 6 traced how some of them went on to found groups like the Yellow Brotherhood. Columns by Harry K. Honda and Brian Niiya marked Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Page 5 reports on awards for the Florin JACL and the Intermountain District Council.
What’s in this issue
National
- National Board Weighs Resolution to Apologize to Draft Resisters, page 1. The national JACL board, meeting in San Francisco on May 15, voted to accept for discussion a resolution recognizing and apologizing to WWII Nikkei draft resisters of conscience. The resolution will be disseminated to district governors for discussion, with a final vote expected from the national board in October.
- Congressmen Wu and Campbell Introduce Resolution of Concern Over Recent Spy Allegations, page 3. Following espionage allegations connected to Los Alamos National Laboratory, officials pledged that there will be no racial profiling within the department. Congressmen Wu and Campbell introduced a resolution expressing concern over the handling of the spy allegations amid fears of discrimination against Asian Americans.
- Bill Lann Lee Meets With Utah Civil Rights Leaders, page 5. Bill Lann Lee, acting assistant attorney general of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice, delivered remarks in Ogden, Utah on May 18 and met with civil rights leaders. Researcher Andy Russell’s master’s thesis was noted as providing key information on Asian American influence in the region.
Community
- Former JA Gang Members Leave a Legacy of Community Activism, page 1. Former Japanese American gang members from groups with names like the Ministers and the Constituents, active from the 1950s through the 1970s, gathered for a panel discussion at the Japanese American National Museum. The event explored the history of JA gang and youth culture and how many former members transitioned into community activism.
- JA Community Raising Funds for Sick Japanese Student, page 3. A Japanese exchange student named Yamada slipped into a coma and is hospitalized at Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno after being diagnosed with encephalitis, a rare and serious brain inflammation. The community has set up a trust fund to help with her medical expenses as doctors give a poor prognosis for her recovery.
- Florin JACL Receives Archivist Award, page 5. At a recent California Society of Archivists conference, the Florin JACL chapter received an Appreciation Award for its archival collection work, honoring the late Mary Tsukamoto as the initial donor of the collection. A completed set of 75 historical documents was presented by Larry Gates, CEO, to a special collections library.
- JA Gang Culture and the Rise of Community Activism Groups Like Yellow Brotherhood, page 6. The article traces the history of Japanese American gangs from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s, driven by disillusionment with bourgeois values as parents pushed children toward white-collar careers. Former gang members like Asamura and Nagatani describe the transition from drug use and violence to founding groups like the Yellow Brotherhood and the Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP) to help youth in crisis.
Incarceration & Redress
- Japanese Latin Americans to Finally Receive Redress Payments, page 1. A $15 billion supplemental emergency appropriations bill signed by President Clinton on May 21 includes a provision reallocating $4.3 million to fund redress payments for Japanese Latin Americans (JLAs) who were kidnapped and interned during WWII. The funding will cover approximately 500 payments of $5,000 to JLA claimants and 79 payments of $20,000 to Japanese American claimants, after JLAs had previously been excluded from the 1988 Civil Liberties Act.
- Mochizuki Settlement Details and Remaining JLA Redress Issues, page 8. A court ruling found the U.S. government’s resettlement policies were inconsistent with the June 30, 1946 date identified in the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, relating to redress for Japanese Latin Americans. The Office of Redress Administration chose a narrow interpretation of the ruling, redressing only certain claimants, and litigation continues over lost interest monies and other unresolved issues under the Mochizuki settlement.
- JLA Redress Payments Move Forward Amid Ongoing Legal Challenges, page 8. Julie Small, co-chair of a JLA advocacy campaign, and JACL officials expressed appreciation to Congress for securing funding for redress payments, while noting the government’s identification of some claimants was delayed due to lost contact information. Eleven JLA applicants who filed on time have had mail returned as undeliverable, and litigation continues before Judge Loren Smith of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims over remaining settlement issues and 17 JLAs who opted out of the settlement.
Commentary
- Matters for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Just Passed, by Harry K. Honda, page 4. Harry K. Honda reflects on Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, including a White House state dinner for Japan’s Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and reader-submitted stories. He also shares a historical account of Japanese Americans who built a highway near Kooskia, Idaho, sent from Selanoco JACL member Clarence Nishizu.
- Reflections, by Brian Niiya, page 4. Brian Niiya discusses the changing landscape for Asian American faculty in humanities and social sciences compared to a decade earlier, and reflects on generational shifts within JACL leadership. He reminisces about reconnecting with old friends during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month events.
JACL
- Utah ACLU Honors JACL Intermountain District Council for Civil Rights Activism, page 5. The ACLU of Utah presented an award to the JACL Intermountain District Council recognizing its activism on civil rights issues including English-only laws and affirmative action. The council also organized Utah’s first Day of Remembrance program in 1998, with a keynote speaker from the National Capital Area ACLU in Washington, D.C.
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