Vol. 134, No. 7, April 19, 2002. 12 pages. View this issue
Plans for the JACL’s 37th biennial convention in Las Vegas shared the front page with a debate over WWII draft resisters. Civil rights attorney Morris Dees was announced as keynote speaker for the Sayonara Banquet, and John Tateishi previewed the convention in his column. Donations for the May 11 resisters ceremony in San Francisco were reported by Tracy Uba, while letters and a piece by Frank Emi argued over the apology, the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee and the loyalty questionnaire. Washington State’s ban on the word “Oriental” in government documents drew coverage from Caroline Aoyagi.
Other pages include Michael Matatall’s essay on the 1800th Engineer Battalion and a note on the 100th/442nd memorial CD-ROM. Harry Honda previewed a Watsonville re-enactment of the 1942 evacuation, and Brian Niiya wrote about Japanese American identity in Hawaii. Sports covered Tiger Woods, Ichiro Suzuki and Kazuhisa Ishii, and an obituary remembered actress Nobu McCarthy.
What’s in this issue
JACL
- Morris Dees to Highlight JACL Sayonara Banquet, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Civil rights attorney Morris Dees, co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center, will keynote the JACL’s Sayonara Banquet at the 37th biennial convention in Las Vegas. Dees is renowned for legal battles against white supremacist groups and for landmark civil rights cases, and was recommended as speaker by JACL Public Affairs VP Ryan Chin.
- Donations Show Support for Resisters Ceremony, Organizers Say, by Tracy Uba, page 1. Organizers of the JACL ceremony honoring WWII draft resisters of conscience report receiving over $8,000 in donations for the May 11 event in San Francisco. The controversial 2000 Monterey convention resolution recognizing the resisters remains contentious among JACL members and veterans.
- Nat’l JA Memorial Foundation Elects New Chair, page 4. The National Japanese American Memorial Foundation elected new board leadership including a new chair at its quarterly meeting in Seattle. The foundation also passed a plan to launch Phase Two, an educational program to raise awareness about wartime injustices.
- Dees to Keynote Sayonara Banquet (continued), page 6. Additional remarks from Ryan Chin and John Tateishi praise Morris Dees’ courage and legal accomplishments ahead of his keynote appearance at the JACL convention’s Sayonara Banquet. Tateishi expressed hope that members will appreciate the rare opportunity to hear Dees speak.
National
- Washington State Bans Use of ‘Oriental’ in Government Documents, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Washington became the first state to ban the term ‘Oriental’ in official government documents after Gov. Gary Locke signed Bill 5954, sponsored by Senator Paull Shin. The law replaces the term with ‘Asian’ in state and local documents, though debate continues over phrases like ‘Oriental medicine.’
- National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 3. A roundup of national news briefs covers Chinatown’s continued economic struggles after 9/11, a police citizens academy for Asian communities in Arlington, Texas, Martha Wong’s runoff win in Houston, a racist parody controversy at Colorado College, a plaque honoring Bainbridge Island internees, restoration efforts at Angel Island, and rising minority admissions in the UC system.
- Alliance Remembers WWII Soldiers Killed in Po Valley Campaign, page 4. The Americans of Japanese Ancestry World War II Memorial Alliance is producing a CD-ROM, ‘Echoes of Silence,’ to honor the 812 men of the 100th/442nd who died in WWII, marking the 57th anniversary of the Po Valley campaign. Project director Jim Yamashita is seeking help completing biographical profiles of about 160 mainland soldiers.
- ‘Oriental’ Ban Sparks Debate Over Common Usage, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 5. Continuing coverage examines reactions to Washington’s ban on the term ‘Oriental,’ including pushback from practitioners of ‘Oriental medicine’ who argue no good alternative term exists. JACL leaders and Rep. Mike Honda’s office express support for phasing out the term, while acknowledging the challenge of finding suitable replacements.
Commentary
- Countdown to Convention, by John Tateishi, page 2. JACL National Executive Director John Tateishi previews the upcoming Las Vegas convention, highlighting keynote speaker Morris Dees and other convention events including the Blue Ribbon Committee report and a tribute dinner for WWII JACL leaders. He urges members to register soon as the convention approaches.
- Veterans’ Response to N. Ota, by T. Tanaka, page 2. A group of WWII veterans responds angrily to N. Ota’s earlier letter comparing veterans to ‘bigots and scoundrels,’ defending their wartime service and objecting to the JACL’s planned apology to draft resisters. They argue an apology and ceremonial honor for resisters is unwarranted given the sacrifices of Nisei soldiers.
- In Response to Satow’s Comments, page 2. A letter writer corrects several factual errors in Sus Satow’s earlier commentary regarding draft resistance, segregation at Tule Lake, and the loyalty questionnaire. The writer argues that a strong legal case existed for classifying camp inmates as IV-F under the Selective Service Act.
- Slippery Slope of Oblivion, by Ted S. Frashimote, page 2. The writer expresses deep concern that the upcoming May 11 resisters ceremony could cause lasting damage to the JACL as an institution. He argues an apology is not a solution but rather a dangerous first step toward the organization’s decline.
- Dispelling Continuing Myths Spread About Resisters of Conscience, by Frank Emi, page 5. Frank Emi, an organizer of the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee, rebuts misleading claims made by Sus Satow about the WWII draft resisters, asserting there was no harassment or beatings at Heart Mountain. Emi corrects factual errors regarding the timeline of Selective Service implementation and the loyalty questionnaire answers of resisters.
- Watsonville, We’ll Be There!, by Harry Honda, page 8. Harry Honda previews the Watsonville-Santa Cruz JACL’s elaborate re-enactment of the 1942 evacuation of Japanese Americans, organized by Mas Hashimoto. The event includes a costumed march, historical presentations, and stage performances depicting individual family stories of internment and community support.
- A Role to Play, by Brian Niiya, page 8. Brian Niiya reflects on his experience as a mainland-raised Japanese American living in Hawaii, exploring questions about JA privilege and identity within Hawaii’s racial hierarchy. He considers what role Japanese Americans should play in relation to the Hawaiian sovereignty movement as the community’s Nisei leadership generation passes on.
Community
- CASIC Internship Applications Available to JACL Students, page 3. The JACL Pacific Southwest District is partnering with CAUSE-Vision 21 and the Chinese American Citizens Alliance to offer the CASIC Summer Internship Program for college students and high school seniors. The program provides training in the democratic political process and exposure to elected officials’ offices in Sacramento.
- Community People Briefs, page 4. Wilma Chan was named California’s first female Assembly Majority Leader, Paul Murakami was appointed a Honolulu District Family Court judge, and Roger Shimomura received the College Art Association’s Artist Award for his touring exhibition ‘An American Diary.’ Phillip Tagami and Benny Y. Yee were also appointed to California state boards.
In-Depth
- Their Fate Was With Shovels and Picks: The 1800th Engineer Battalion, by Michael Matatall, page 6. An 8th-grade student’s essay details the history of the 1800th Engineer Battalion, a segregated unit for Japanese, Italian and German American soldiers who answered negatively on the government’s loyalty questionnaire. Despite skilled service, these soldiers were denied promotions and many received discharges without honor until a 1985 lawsuit restored honorable status to 31 men.
Sports
- Woods Wins Second Masters, Third Overall, page 7. Tiger Woods won his second consecutive Masters title and third overall, closing with a 1-under 71 for a three-stroke victory over Retief Goosen. The win made Woods the first player to repeat as Masters champion since Nick Faldo in 1990.
- Suzuki’s Expectations High in Second Season, page 7. Ichiro Suzuki, coming off an MVP and Rookie of the Year season with the Seattle Mariners, discusses his growing comfort in his second major league season. The former Orix Blue Wave star led baseball in hits and stolen bases in his debut year.
- Pak Wins Office Depot Championship, page 7. Se Ri Pak defeated Annika Sorenstam to win the Office Depot Championship, finishing at 7-under 209 for her 14th LPGA victory. Sorenstam nearly staged a dramatic comeback but narrowly missed a birdie putt on the final hole.
- Ishii Leads Dodgers to 3-0 Win Over Padres, Nomo Posts Loss, page 7. Dodgers pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii threw six shutout innings to beat the San Diego Padres 3-0, extending his scoreless streak to start his American career. In a separate game, Hideo Nomo lost 1-0 to the Padres despite a strong pitching performance.
- Roberts Gets Big Break Starting for Dodgers, page 7. Former UCLA standout Dave Roberts earned the Los Angeles Dodgers’ opening-day center fielder spot after batting .400 in spring training. Born in Okinawa to a Japanese mother and Black American father, Roberts was a three-sport star at Rancho Buena Vista High School and UCLA.
- Uwajimaya Banks on Mariners’ Japanese Stars, page 7. Tomio Moriguchi’s Seattle store Uwajimaya is capitalizing on the popularity of Mariners stars Ichiro Suzuki, Kazuhiro Sasaki and Shigetoshi Hasegawa to draw Japanese tourists and local shoppers. The store sells Ichiro merchandise including bobbleheads and offers life-size wall paintings of the star player.
Arts & Entertainment
- Buy the Book, page 9. A roundup of new book releases includes ‘The Anime Encyclopedia,’ ‘Tragic Mountain’ about the Hmong in Laos, ‘Nanka Nikkei Voices: Turning Points,’ a sushi-making cookbook, and ‘Desis in the House’ about Indian American youth culture in New York City. Additional titles cover Japanese American internment history and children’s books on Japanese American heritage.
Obituaries
- Actress Nobu McCarthy Dies at 67, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 11. Hollywood and stage actress Nobu McCarthy, former artistic director of East West Players, died of an aneurysm while filming a movie in Brazil. She was known for roles in ‘Farewell to Manzanar,’ ‘Karate Kid II,’ and for her decade of teaching at UCLA’s Asian American Studies Program; both UCLA and East West Players are establishing memorial funds in her honor.
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