Filipino WWII veterans, a California education bill and a farewell column

Vol. 130, No. 10, March 10, 2000. 8 pages. View this issue

Legislation in Sacramento led the news. Assemblyman Gil Cedillo introduced AB 1978 to extend Supplemental Security Income benefits to Filipino World War II veterans, reported by Tracy Uba. Assemblyman Nakano introduced AB 1914 to lift the 2001 sunset on California’s Civil Liberties Public Education Program, which funds materials about the World War II incarceration (often called internment). Mike Honda’s primary win and the settlement in Sgt. Brian Moriguchi’s lawsuit were also covered.

Bill Hosokawa wrote the last of his nearly 58-year Frying Pan columns, and Bill Marutani’s East Wind compared mainland Nisei and Hawaii’s AJAs. Letters took up Sen. John McCain’s use of a wartime slur, and divisions within JACL. Other items include plans for the JACL national convention in Monterey, a Day of Remembrance event in Ohio, and the opening of an exhibit at the Japanese American National Museum.

What’s in this issue

National

• Cedillo Introduces Equity Legislation for Filipino WWII Vets, by Tracy Uba, page 1. California Assemblyman Gil Cedillo introduced AB 1978 to grant Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Program benefits to Filipino WWII veterans who fought under a U.S. military order but were never recognized as U.S. veterans. Advocates call the exclusion a profound injustice after decades of failed efforts to secure recognition.
• Rapid Growth of APA Community Reveals Increasing Complexity of U.S. Race Relations, page 1. A new report examines how the rapid growth of the Asian Pacific American population is complicating traditional U.S. race relations frameworks. Scholars discuss the implications for policy and community organizing.
• Nakano Introduces AB 1914 to Continue Calif. Civil Liberties Public Education Program, page 1. Assemblyman Nakano introduced AB 1914 to remove the 2001 sunset clause on California’s Civil Liberties Public Education Program, which annually appropriates $1,000,000 for education materials about the WWII incarceration. The bill would allow the program’s funding to continue indefinitely.
• Honda Wins Primary Race, by Sam Chu Lin, page 1. Mike Honda won the primary for the 15th congressional district, leading both Democratic and GOP contenders, setting up a race to succeed Norman Mineta’s former seat. A tearful Honda thanked supporters and vowed to keep campaigning through November.
• Democrat Fund-Raiser Focus of Probe, by Associated Press, page 3. A fund-raiser is under scrutiny for allegedly arranging more than $100,000 in illegal donations. The article details the deliberations and characterizations surrounding the event, including comments modified by Gore’s campaign.
• Moriguchi Settlement Amid LAPD Scrutiny, page 6. Sgt. Brian Moriguchi’s lawsuit against Los Angeles County, stemming from a racist caricature depicting him with slanted eyes and buck teeth on an official bulletin board, resulted in a $138,000 settlement after a jury initially awarded $60,000. JACL continues to support Moriguchi’s push for an independent review board amid ongoing scrutiny of the LAPD.
• Filipino Veterans Equity Bill Advances, page 8. AB 1978, introduced by Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, continues advocacy efforts to recognize Filipino WWII veterans as U.S. veterans despite the 1946 Rescission Act’s exclusion. Supporters including veterans groups and civil rights organizations are backing the bill, scheduled for a March 19 hearing before the Veterans Affairs Committee.

JACL

• Tour of Historic Defense Language Institute, Presidio of Monterey to Take Place During Convention, page 4. The JACL national convention in Monterey will include a tour of the historic Defense Language Institute, highlighting the role of Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service during WWII. The tour will precede the veteran’s tribute dinner with Gen. Eric Shinseki on June 30.
• Convention Issues Limited Edition Pin, page 4. The JACL national convention’s Veteran’s Tribute event committee created a limited-edition lapel pin commemorating the tribute to Gen. Eric Shinseki and Japanese American veterans. Proceeds from pin sales, available for $5 plus $1 postage, will help offset event costs.
• JACL Health Benefits Trust to Celebrate 35th Anniversary This Year, page 4. The JACL Health Benefits Trust, chaired by John Yasumoto, is marking a milestone anniversary with a plan covering dental, vision, hospital, medical, and other benefits administered through chapter representatives. The office staff and board members oversee the plan from San Francisco.
• Nomination Deadline for JACL Officers Nears, page 4. With a March 28 deadline approaching, the JACL national nominations committee, chaired by Lillian Kimura, is seeking qualified candidates for several national officer positions. Because of term limits, incumbents cannot run again for the same office, leaving the field open for new candidates.
• California Civil Liberties Public Education Program Update, page 8. The State Library oversees a competitive grant program funding projects that preserve the history and experiences of WWII exclusion and incarceration of Japanese Americans. In 1999, 27 projects were funded out of proposals totaling more than $10 million in requests, with this year’s grant winners to be announced in May.

Community

• 2nd Annual Cherry Blossom Freedom Walk, page 4. The National Japanese American Memorial Foundation and the Asian Pacific American Heritage Council will host the 2nd Annual Cherry Blossom Freedom Walk on April 1 in Washington, D.C. Proceeds benefit the National Japanese American Memorial and its educational programs, with speakers including a representative from Hawaii and mistress of ceremonies Teri Okita.
• March 15 Deadline for Gates Millennium Scholars Program, page 5. The Gates Millennium Scholars initiative, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and administered by the United Negro College Fund, seeks to increase minority enrollment in undergraduate and graduate programs. Eligible students must have a 3.3 GPA, demonstrate financial need, and be nominated by an individual familiar with them.
• Chicago Celebrates Lunar New Year, page 5. A diverse crowd of 1,500 gathered at the renovated Navy Pier Ballroom for the 17th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration, hosted by a rotating coalition of 16 Asian American groups in Chicago. Attendees wore traditional and Western attire to celebrate the Year of the Dragon.
• Union Bank of Calif. Donates $5,000 to Sac’to JACL’s History Book Project, page 5. Union Bank of California presented a $5,000 check to the Sacramento JACL History Book Project, chaired by Toko Fujii, to support documentation of Japanese American history in the region dating back to the Wakamatsu colony in 1869. Senior Vice President Ray Kozuma reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting Nikkei community projects.
• Teacher Education Workshop Conducted by JACL, page 5. A teacher education workshop was conducted featuring JACL members including Tim Marutani and Miriam Hatamiya. The photo caption identifies participants from the workshop.
• Ohio Remembers at DOR Event, page 5. Dr. Satsuki Ina spoke with members and guests of three Ohio JACL chapters about her documentary film on internment camps at a Day of Remembrance event. Attendance included approximately 60 people in Cincinnati.

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘More Than A Game’ Opens at JANM, page 5. The Japanese American National Museum opened a new exhibit titled ‘More Than A Game.’ The brief item introduces the exhibit without extensive detail.
• Carey McWilliams Award Honors Houstons, page 6. This year’s Carey McWilliams Award recipients include Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, whose book was named by the San Francisco Chronicle as one of the 20th century’s 100 best nonfiction books from west of the Rockies. The award recognizes contributions to literature and civil rights awareness.

Commentary

• East Wind: Mainlanders & AJAs, by Bill Marutani, page 6. Bill Marutani explores differences between mainland Nisei and Hawaii’s AJAs (Americans of Japanese Ancestry) as described in a Japanese-language publication by Yuki Kikuchi about the Pacific War experiences of Hawaii Nisei. He also recounts his own wartime service with the Counter Intelligence Corps and a chance discovery of his old CIC identification card.
• Frying Pan: Farewell Column, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Bill Hosokawa announces the end of his nearly 58-year-old Frying Pan column, explaining that the Pacific Citizen sent a generic form letter to columnists suggesting it was time to make room for new voices. He reflects on how times and readership have changed and bids farewell with the Japanese words sayonara and arigato.
• JACL Overreacted to McCain Slur, by David C. Moore, page 7. A letter writer argues that JACL overreacted to Sen. John McCain’s use of a wartime slur, noting McCain was referring specifically to his abusive prison guards rather than Japanese Americans generally. The writer contends that provocation and context must be considered before judging such remarks.
• JACL Should Get Off the Bandwagon Over McCain Remark, by Bill T., page 7. A letter writer calls recent objections by national JACL leaders to Sen. McCain’s use of the word ‘gook’ ridiculous, arguing McCain is not a racist and used the term to describe wartime captors. The writer suggests JACL should stop pursuing the issue since other minority groups also use similar language.
• Divisiveness Within JACL Needs to Stop, page 7. A letter writer expresses frustration with JACL’s tendency toward internal division over issues like the draft resisters controversy, the Mike Honda resolution, and the national monument wording. The writer urges members to let contentious, settled issues rest for the sake of organizational unity and membership retention.
• Seeking Experiences of American Indians During WWII, by Robert S. Clark, page 7. A researcher of American Indian descent requests correspondence with members of the Japanese American community who interacted with indigenous peoples during WWII, including on the home front, in internment, or in the military. He is also interested in stories about pets and animals affected by the wartime incarceration.
• Gun Control and the Presidential Candidates, by Beatrice Fu, page 7. A letter writer criticizes a presidential candidate for never supporting gun control measures, citing daily child deaths from handguns. The writer argues that Bill Bradley’s willingness to tackle difficult issues shows stronger leadership on gun control.
• ‘Day of Deceit’ Sheds New Light on Pearl Harbor, page 7. A letter writer highlights Robert B. Stinnett’s book ‘Day of Deceit,’ which used 17 years of archival research to document events leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The letter notes surprising details including cracked Japanese naval codes and a Japanese American, Richard Kotoshirado, who assisted a Japanese spy in Honolulu before being interned at Topaz.

Obituaries

• Arthur Komori, 84, page 7. Arthur S. Komori, 84, of Honolulu, who secretly enlisted in the Army in March 1941 alongside Richard Sakakida, died. He served translating captured documents until evacuated to Corregidor, which fell in April 1942.
• Death Notice: Hashime ‘Jim’ Saito, page 7. Hashime ‘Jim’ Saito, 77, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away Feb. 9 after a career including 20 years in the U.S. Army and service with the 442nd RCT during WWII, where he helped rescue the ‘Lost Battalion.’ He later served in the Korean Conflict and retired from San Jose Civil Services, survived by his wife Margaret and several sisters.

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