Low turnout at the PSWD dinner, and the death of Rep. Patsy Mink

Vol. 135, No. 7, October 4, 2002. 12 pages. View this issue

A smaller than usual crowd at the 2002 JACL Pacific Southwest District Awards Dinner in Torrance led the issue. Tracy Uba reported that fewer than 300 people came, and that many veterans and members of the Japanese American National Museum were absent, which prompted speculation about lingering bitterness over JACL’s apology to draft resisters. Louis Caldera was the keynote speaker. The issue also reported the death of Hawaii Rep. Patsy Mink at 74, with a JACL statement from John Tateishi, and Floyd Mori’s Mori Memo on boosting membership.

There is much else to find. Martha Nakagawa covered a political summit on the growing influence of non-white voters. Rohwer and Jerome camps in Arkansas were the subject of a documentation project, and the Tule Lake Preservation Committee received a federal heritage grant. G. Katagiri wrote on Heart Mountain Reunion VIII, and Bill Marutani’s column examined the Hirabayashi and Korematsu decisions. A sports page followed Yao Ming, Ichiro Suzuki and Michael Chang.

What’s in this issue

National

• Lower Turnout at Annual PSWD Awards Dinner Causes Speculation About Community Rift, by Tracy Uba, page 1. Less than 300 people attended the 2002 JACL Pacific Southwest District Awards Dinner in Torrance, a noticeably lower turnout than in past years despite keynote speaker Louis Caldera. Many veterans and JANM members were absent, prompting speculation about lingering bitterness over JACL’s 2000 apology to draft resisters.’
• Hawaii Rep. Patsy Mink, 74, Dies After Battle With Viral Pneumonia, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 1. Congresswoman Patsy Mink, the first woman of an ethnic minority in Congress, died Sept. 28 in Honolulu from viral pneumonia stemming from chickenpox. Tributes poured in from Hawaii and national leaders praising her decades of civil rights and education advocacy, including her authorship of Title IX.
• Non-white Voters Showing Increasing Political Clout, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. At the CAUSE-Vision 21 political summit in Los Angeles, panelists discussed the growing influence of non-white voters, particularly Asian Pacific Americans, in California elections. Speakers including Mark Baldassare and Richard Polanco examined trends in APA political representation and strategies for building lasting political infrastructure.
• Project to Document JA WWII Life at Rohwer and Jerome Camps, by Associated Press, page 3. A major project backed by nearly $3 million in grants will document the history of Arkansas’ Rohwer and Jerome internment camps through exhibits, interviews and videos. Richard Yada, whose family was interned and stayed in Arkansas after the war, said the project validates his late father’s efforts to preserve this history.
• Bill Would Create Memorial at Bainbridge Island, by Associated Press, page 3. Rep. Jay Inslee introduced legislation to study whether the Eagledale Ferry Dock on Bainbridge Island, where 227 Japanese Americans were first removed in 1942, should become part of the National Park System. A House committee unanimously approved the bill, sending it to the House floor for consideration.
• National Newsbytes, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This roundup covers a Senate debate over homeland security invoking WWII internment rhetoric, a 67-year-old Tokyo grandmother enrolled in an Iowa State English program, criticism of Colorado Gov. Bill Owens for rejecting an Asian American judgeship candidate, and Los Alamos lab diversity hiring issues. Various APA individuals were also recognized for professional and community achievements.
• Non-white Voters Showing Increasing Political Clout (continued), by Martha Nakagawa, page 12. The continuation of the CAUSE-Vision 21 summit coverage details Richard Polanco’s strategies for Latino political mobilization, including naturalization drives and redistricting efforts, as models for APA political organizing. State officials including John Chiang and Assembly members George Nakano and Judy Chu emphasized the importance of APA representation in government and public policy discussions.

Commentary

• Mori Memo: Boosting Membership, by Floyd Mori, page 1. JACL National President Floyd Mori responds to a prior article about membership being a family affair, agreeing that personal outreach is key to growing JACL. He describes efforts like the golf tournament fundraiser and urges members to recruit family and friends to sustain the organization’s future.
• Letters to the Editor: Heart Mountain Reunion, by Calvin Tanaka, page 2. A reader reflects on attending the Heart Mountain Reunion VIII in Salt Lake City, praising the informative panels on women’s experiences and camp farming operations. He also notes Secretary Norman Mineta’s talk connecting Japanese American internment to current treatment of Arab Americans.
• Letters to the Editor: Re: Passport to Friendship, page 2. A reader responds to a previous letter about the Friendship Dolls exhibit, explaining the history of the 1926-1927 doll exchange initiated by Dr. Sidney Gulick to promote U.S.-Japan friendship. The writer encourages readers to view the exhibit’s accompanying historical clippings about anti-Japanese sentiment.
• Letters to the Editor: Keep P.C. Interesting, by Uchida, page 2. A reader from St. Louis praises the Pacific Citizen for becoming newsier, specifically citing the Duke Kahanamoku stamp article and a column by Bill. The writer encourages the paper to keep publishing interesting content.
• The Trilogy: The Loaded Gun, by Bill Marutani, page 8. Bill Marutani analyzes the Supreme Court’s Hirabayashi and Korematsu decisions, arguing that the exclusion of Japanese Americans during WWII was fundamentally racist despite the Court’s legal justifications. He highlights the dissenting opinions of Justices Roberts, Murphy and Jackson, who directly called out the racial prejudice underlying General DeWitt’s exclusion orders.

JACL

• JACL Statement on the Passing of Rep. Mink, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL issued a statement mourning the death of Congresswoman Patsy Mink, extending condolences to her family. National Executive Director John Tateishi praised her leadership, friendship, and pioneering spirit as a longtime ally of the organization.
• PSWD Holds Annual Awards Dinner, by Tracy Uba, page 6. The article continues coverage of the PSWD dinner, exploring theories for low veteran attendance and featuring comments from honorees Wilbur Sato and Joe Allman who expressed hope for reconciliation with JACL. Keynote speaker Louis Caldera discussed his work reviewing Medal of Honor upgrades for Nisei soldiers and reflected on the importance of preserving veterans’ stories.

Community

• Gov. Davis Signs Bill Creating First-ever Commission on APIA Affairs, by P.C. Staff, page 3. California Gov. Gray Davis signed AB 116, authored by Assemblyman George Nakano, establishing the state’s first Asian Pacific Islander American Advisory Commission. The 13-member commission will address needs of California’s 3.8 million APIAs and submit annual policy recommendations to the governor.
• Heart Mountain Reunion VIII, by G. Katagiri, page 5. Over 500 participants attended the Heart Mountain Reunion VIII in Salt Lake City over Labor Day weekend, featuring panels on women’s camp experiences, farming, and a keynote address by Norman Mineta. The reunion also honored resisters of conscience and veterans, and proceeds benefited several Japanese American organizations.
• S.F. JACL and JCCCNC to Organize Group for Breast Cancer Walk, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The San Francisco JACL and Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California are organizing a Japantown team for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Oct. 20 in Golden Gate Park. Organizers hope to raise awareness about breast cancer’s impact on the Nikkei community and encourage broad participation.
• Mt. Olympus JACL Hosts 7th Annual Autumn Golf Classic, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Mount Olympus JACL hosted its Seventh Annual JACL Autumn Golf Classic at Old Mill Golf Course in Salt Lake City, drawing 120 golfers including JACL National President Floyd Mori. The tournament, benefiting the JACL scholarship program, included various flight winners and was supported by several major sponsors.
• Tule Lake Committee Awarded Federal Heritage Grant Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Tule Lake Preservation Committee received a $5,040 Federal Heritage Fund grant plus a $2,500 planning grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The funds will support an Oct. 17 workshop to develop a preservation plan for the historic Tule Lake campsite and its remaining buildings.
• Visual Communications Announces Call for Entries for 2003 VC Filmfest, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Visual Communications is accepting entries for the 2003 VC FILMFEST, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival set for May 1-8, 2003. The festival, noted for premiering films like ‘Better Luck Tomorrow’ in 2002, welcomes submissions from Asian and Pacific American filmmakers across multiple genres and formats.

Sports

• Fate of Top NBA Draft Pick Yao to Be Decided After Asian Games, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Chinese sports officials said the timing of Yao Ming’s NBA debut with the Houston Rockets remains unresolved until after the Asian Games, separate from the ongoing controversy involving Wang Zhizhi. Yao is expected to join the Rockets after the Games pending approval from the Chinese Basketball Association.
• Suzuki, Bonds to Lead Major League All-Stars in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Ichiro Suzuki and Barry Bonds will lead a team of MLB All-Stars, including Torii Hunter and Miguel Tejada, on a seven-game tour of Japan in November. The tour will include games against the Yomiuri Giants and stops in Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka and Sapporo.
• Korean Players Help Cubs, Expos Win, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Hee Seop Choi hit a key homer to help the Cubs rally past the Pittsburgh Pirates while Sammy Sosa continued his pursuit of 500 career home runs. Korean pitcher Sun Woo Kim nearly threw a complete game as the Expos defeated the Cincinnati Reds, securing Montreal’s first winning season in six years.
• Chang on the Verge of Retiring, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Michael Chang lost in the first round of the Salem Open in Hong Kong, fueling speculation about his impending retirement after slipping to 120 in world rankings. Thai star Paradorn Srichaphan, also eliminated early, has seen his own ranking rise dramatically this year.
• Tom Helps Lead Stanford in Pac-10 Play, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Stanford’s women’s volleyball team, led by senior Logan Tom and returning player Lindsey Yamasaki, continued its undefeated Pac-10 run with sweeps over Oregon State and Oregon. Tom also recently helped the U.S. National Team win a silver medal at the FIVB World Championships in Germany.

Arts & Entertainment

• Miyazaki’s ‘Spirited Away’ Released in U.S. by Disney, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Hayao Miyazaki’s anime film ‘Spirited Away’ opened in U.S. theaters under the Walt Disney Pictures banner, marking a first for the studio. The film, Japan’s highest-grossing movie ever, tells a story about a girl trapped in a spirit world, with John Lasseter serving as executive producer of the English adaptation.

In-Depth

• Veteran Harry Fukuhara to Be Honored at San Jose JACL Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 9. MIS veteran Harry Fukuhara, who enlisted from Gila River internment camp and served as an interpreter in the Pacific theater, will be honored at the San Jose JACL Annual Recognition Dinner on Nov. 16. His story includes a remarkable postwar reunion with a Japanese POW he had interrogated and his emotional return to bombed Hiroshima to find his family.

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