Plans for a 1997 Day of Remembrance and the Prop 209 vote

Vol. 123, No. 10, November 15, 1996. 12 pages. View this issue

A National Day of Remembrance, planned for Washington, D.C. on Feb. 19, 1997, led the front page. The ceremony will mark 55 years since Executive Order 9066, and Susan Hayase, Dale Minami and Dale Shimasaki of the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund spoke of teaching the public about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. California’s Proposition 209 ran through the commentary pages, with Al Muratsuchi writing a post-mortem. JACL’s new board, under President Helen Kawagoe, met in San Francisco, and Grayce Uyehara reported on annual giving.

Bill Hosokawa remembered newspaperman T. John Fujii, and Harry K. Honda wrote about Lillian Baker and reviewed books on Oregon Nikkei and Hatsuye Egami’s diary. Readers wrote about the Korematsu case, a veterans monument in Little Tokyo, and Hawaiian sovereignty. Chapter news came from Chicago, the Twin Cities and Salt Lake City.

What’s in this issue

National

  • National Day of Remembrance Planned in D.C., Feb. 19, 1997, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Civil Liberties Public Education Fund is planning a National Day of Remembrance ceremony in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 19, 1997, marking the 55th anniversary of Executive Order 9066. Organizers hope the event will educate the public about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII and highlight local DOR events held across the country since 1978.
  • Study: Most Asian Americans in Bay Area Voted for Clinton, Against Proposition 209, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A poll of more than 500 Asian Americans in San Francisco and Oakland found overwhelming opposition to Proposition 209 and strong support for President Clinton and Democratic candidates. The study, conducted by professors Larry Shinagawa and Timothy Fong, also found high reliance on bilingual voting materials among Chinese American voters.
  • JACL Condemns Passage of Proposition 209, by P.C. Staff, page 4. JACL National Director Herbert Yamanishi called the passage of Proposition 209 a major setback for equal opportunity in California. He vowed continued opposition to attacks on affirmative action nationwide and in Congress.
  • NASW Vows to Continue Fight for Affirmative Action After Prop 209, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The California Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers condemned the passage of Proposition 209, with leaders calling it a sad setback for equity efforts. NASW pledged to strengthen ties with allied organizations and continue pursuing social justice through legislative and judicial means.
  • OCA Praises Washington State for Electing Gary Locke as First Asian American Governor, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Organization of Chinese Americans praised the election of Gary Locke as the first Asian American governor on the U.S. mainland, calling it a pinnacle of Asian Pacific American political empowerment. OCA leaders noted the achievement came amid setbacks like Proposition 209 and federal welfare reform.
  • Publishers of Dictionaries Redefine ‘Jew’, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Anti-Defamation League secured commitments from Oxford University Press and Ediciones Larousse to revise offensive definitions of the word ‘Jew’ in their Spanish-language dictionaries. Both publishers had used derogatory terms like miserly and usurer in their definitions.
  • National Law Group Kicks Off Programs, Services, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association designated Oct. 4-11 as National Community Law Week, launching community law programs, voter registration drives, and student mentoring across major cities. NAPABA represents more than 10,000 Asian Pacific American lawyers nationwide.
  • Congressional Group Announces Internships, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Institute announced its 1997 summer internship program and a new fellowship named for former Congressman Frank Horton. Both programs place students and fellows in Washington policy positions focused on APA community affairs.
  • National Day of Remembrance Fund Staff Continue Planning, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Staff of the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, including Executive Director Dale Shimasaki and Deputy Director Martha Watanabe, continue developing detailed plans for the 1997 National Day of Remembrance event. Communities interested in participating are encouraged to contact the Fund’s East Coast office.
  • Study Details Bilingual Voting Needs Among Asian Pacific Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Further findings from the Asian Law Caucus exit poll study confirm continuing need for bilingual ballot access, particularly among Chinese American voters in the Bay Area. Researchers plan to release final results detailing pan-Asian voting patterns and specific candidate and proposition preferences.

JACL

  • New Board Steadies Eye on JACL’s Fiscal Integrity, by Harry K. Honda, Interim editor, page 1. The National JACL Board and Staff met in San Francisco over Nov. 8-10 under new National President Helen Kawagoe, focusing heavily on fiscal integrity and nonprofit tax status. The meeting covered a comprehensive A-to-Z agenda including administration, membership, health care, and plans for future conventions.
  • JACL Board Agenda: A to Z Roundup, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A detailed rundown of the National JACL Board meeting covers topics from administration and affirmative action to youth councils and Washington leadership conferences. Highlights include discussion of Japanese Latin American redress, hate crimes prevention, health care plans, and the 1998 Philadelphia convention.
  • Shooting for $100,000 in ’96-97 Annual Giving Campaign, by Grayce Uyehara, page 6. Grayce Uyehara reports on the JACL Annual Giving Program’s history since its 1994 launch, noting the first campaign exceeded projections by raising nearly $100,000. The article details donor breakdowns and expenses for the 1994-96 fundraising periods.
  • New Committee Members Named for Japanese American National Museum Memorial Foundation, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Mae Takahashi, Jim ‘Turk’ Suzuki, and Sharon Saito have joined the board of trustees of the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation, bringing varied geographic representation. The Foundation is working toward a $7 million capital campaign to build a memorial in Washington, D.C. honoring Japanese American WWII patriotism.
  • PC Announces Holiday Issue, January Schedules, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The Pacific Citizen staff announced its production schedule for the 1996 Holiday Issue and adjusted January publication dates due to printer and mailer constraints. The Holiday Issue will be mailed by Dec. 20, with January issues shifting to Jan. 10 and Jan. 24.

Commentary

  • Prop 209 Post-Mortem: Lessons for the Future, by Al Muratsuchi, page 3. Al Muratsuchi reflects on the defeat of the campaign against Proposition 209, noting that Asian Americans voted heavily against the measure despite its passage. He calls for continued vigilance against wedge-issue politics and renewed commitment to affirmative action principles.
  • America Is Not What You Think! Let’s Keep Communicating, by Stacy Y. Ige, page 3. A young Japanese American woman writes about the pressures of assimilation, the glass ceiling, and the need for Asian Pacific Islander communities to embrace multicultural and LGBT members. She calls for unity and mutual understanding across ethnic and social lines within the broader API community.
  • An Interpretation of Hawaiian Sovereignty, by Allan Beekman, page 9. A letter writer examines the history and terminology behind the Hawaiian Sovereignty movement, tracing the term’s origins to the unification of the islands under Kamehameha. He argues the movement’s rhetoric obscures the disenfranchisement of non-part-Hawaiian residents.
  • ‘We Must Never Forget,’ Says Reader, by Sus Satow, page 9. A veteran writes in support of building the Japanese American WWII Veterans Monument in Little Tokyo, invoking the late Sen. Spark Matsunaga’s call to keep telling the story of Nisei soldiers. He details the sacrifices of units like the 100th, 442nd, and MIS and their lasting impact on Japanese American civil rights.
  • Disagrees with Hosokawa on Cigarettes in Japan, by Ray Shinoma, page 9. A reader criticizes columnist Bill Hosokawa’s stance on smoking in Japan, arguing Japan’s people need to reject drugs, alcohol, and tobacco for their children’s sake. He contends Nikkei will not fully grasp democratic principles until they think independently.
  • Pacific Citizen’s ‘Whereabouts’ Works, page 9. A reader from Warren, N.J. thanks the Pacific Citizen for publishing a Whereabouts notice that helped him reconnect with old friends from Tachikawa Air Force Base in Japan. He reports immediate responses from readers helped locate several contacts.
  • A Layman’s Look at Justice Murphy’s Dissent, by Ex Suyama, page 9. A reader analyzes Justice Frank Murphy’s dissent in the Korematsu case within its historical context, speculating how the outcome might have differed with a different court composition. He recalls reading the decision in January 1945 while serving with the 442nd and reflects on the unresolved constitutionality of incarceration.
  • What’s Wrong with This Photo, Asks Reader, by Phett, page 9. A reader points out that a photo captioned as Associate Justice Frank Murphy was actually a different Franklin D. Murphy, recalling that the real Justice Murphy was previously governor of Michigan. He recalls Murphy’s distinctive bushy eyebrows from newspaper photos of the era.

Community

  • Venice-Culver JACL Hosts PSW Quarterly Session, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Pacific Southwest District Council quarterly session at Venice Japanese Community Center addressed redress for Japanese Latin Americans and JACL’s future viability. Regional Director Al Muratsuchi called for frank discussion of membership demographics and youth recruitment strategies.
  • Asian Population Rising in Washington, D.C. Area, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A Washington Post analysis of new Census estimates shows the D.C. metropolitan area’s population grew 5% from 1990 to 1994, driven largely by foreign immigration. Asians grew at a double-digit rate since 1990, now making up 6% of the region’s population.
  • Berkeley, Calif., JA Group Celebrates 25th Anniversary, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Japanese American Services of the East Bay (JASEB) celebrated its 25th anniversary with a banquet featuring keynote speaker UC Berkeley Professor Michael Omi. JASEB provides senior services including housing, meals, and cultural programs for the Nikkei community.
  • Wisconsin JACL Dues Subsidy Policy Continues, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Wisconsin JACL announced it will continue subsidizing part of the 1997 national dues increase for most membership categories. Chapter president David Suyama praised members for supporting the increase despite organizational turmoil.
  • Seattle Densho Group Begins Project, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Japanese American Chamber of Commerce of Washington State is launching Densho, a digitized archive project to preserve testimonies and memorabilia related to the WWII incarceration. The project aims to make materials accessible through on-line multimedia technology at museums and universities.
  • National Asian Groups Holds Seminar on Aging, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging held a two-day training conference in Washington for senior service project directors from eight states. The event included a congressional reception attended by roughly 200 seniors and community leaders.
  • Personally Speaking: Community Members Honored and Appointed, by P.C. Staff, page 10. This roundup covers various community achievements including Motomi Tony Yokomizu Day in Oakland, Dr. E. Bing Inocencio’s appointment as Pierce College president, and Suzanna Coe Tashiro’s appointment to Governor Wilson’s Office of Community Relations. Other items include Teri Okita’s new anchor role in Hawaii and veterinary honors for Richard Yamamoto and Bryan Mayeda.
  • Mt. Olympus Features 3-Day Ocean Cruise in ’97, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Mt. Olympus JACL chapter in Salt Lake City has scheduled its first-ever Carnival Cruise as a second-quarter workshop for 1997, along with fishing outings and a bus tour to Seattle for a bi-district conference. The events aim to build camaraderie among Intermountain chapter members.
  • Chicago Chapter Holds Intergenerational Talk, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Chicago JACL Chapter presented its second multigenerational workshop, ‘Breaking the Silence,’ examining the impact of the WWII camp experience on Japanese American identity across generations. The event featured a screening of Rea Tajiri’s documentary ‘History and Memory.’
  • Twin Cities Hosts Annual Holiday Party for Children, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Twin Cities JACL Chapter will host its eighth annual holiday party for children on Dec. 15 featuring the Minnesota Zoomobile’s live animal education program. Families are encouraged to bring donations for a local nonprofit organization.

Sports

  • Golf Caper XII Another Success in Houston, by Lily Yamasaki, page 7. The Houston JACL’s 12th annual Caper golf tournament drew 24 golfers from chapters across the country for a six-day event. The tournament also mourned the loss of George Sakaguchi, one of its founding members eleven years ago.

Obituaries

  • The Legend of T. John Fujii, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Bill Hosokawa remembers his friend T. John Fujii, a colorful newspaperman who worked for the Nisei press and international wire services in Tokyo for decades. Fujii, born in Japan but raised among Nisei in America, died in August at age 82 after a long career marked by hard living and journalistic adventure.
  • ‘Miss Elbee’: Remembering Lillian Baker, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Harry Honda recalls Lillian Baker, known as ‘Miss Elbee,’ who died Oct. 21 at age 75 after decades of controversial columns denying that WWII camps were concentration camps. Her clashes with Nisei journalists and JACL leaders over historical exhibits and terminology are recounted in detail.

Military & Veterans

  • ‘Other MISers’, by Bill Marutani, page 8. Bill Marutani recalls the non-Nikkei recruits who trained alongside Japanese Americans at the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Ft. Snelling, including linguist Leon Hurvitz, known as ‘The Kanji King.’ He also notes the disparity in officer commissions given to hakujin versus Nikkei graduates and mentions overlooked Nisei WAC MIS linguists.
  • Chitose Group in Rare Reunion with Army Vets, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Veterans of the 8612nd Army Security Agency Field Station in Chitose, Japan, returned in 1995 for a reunion with local residents, 25 years after the base closed. Veterans recalled how American GIs built goodwill in the community despite rising anti-American sentiment over an unrelated incident in Okinawa.

In-Depth

  • Retold: Oregon Nikkei Story, by Harry K. Honda, page 12. Harry Honda reviews ‘The Gift: The Oregon Nikkei Story Retold’ by Deena Nakata, a 175-page tribute to Oregon’s Issei and Nisei communities compiled for the Portland JACL Book Committee. The book traces community history from before WWII through redress and into the 1990s.
  • Mrs. Egami’s ‘Nikki’: The Evacuation Diary of Hatsuye Egami, by Harry K. Honda, page 12. Harry Honda reviews the published diary of Issei woman Hatsuye Egami, translated by James Sakoda, describing her resilient outlook during her family’s incarceration at Tulare Assembly Center. The diary, discovered by Quaker archivists, reflects her reflections on citizenship, identity, and hope amid hardship.

Incarceration & Redress

  • Niihau Incident: Nisei Aids Japanese Pilot in WWII, by Harry K. Honda, page 12. The obituary of Irene Umeno Harada, 91, recounts her role in the 1941 Niihau Incident, in which her husband Yoshio Harada helped a downed Japanese pilot attempt to recover his papers, leading to violence on the remote Hawaiian island. The article details the rescue operation led by Lt. Jack Mizuha and the eventual deaths of the pilot and Harada.

Arts & Entertainment

  • ‘Women in the Trees’ Anthology Includes Japanese American Writers, by Harry K. Honda, page 12. Harry Honda highlights the inclusion of Hisaye Yamamoto’s 1951 story ‘The Brown House’ and Mitsuye Yamada’s 1988 poem ‘The Club’ in an anthology about domestic violence in American literature. The collection spans stories from 1839 to 1994 covering themes of abuse and resistance across multiple wars.

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