JACL’s finances, the Ashcroft nomination and Norman Mineta’s cabinet post

Vol. 132, No. 1, January 12, 2001. 16 pages. View this issue

Norman Mineta’s nomination as Secretary of Transportation and JACL’s opposition to John Ashcroft as Attorney General led the news. Asian Pacific American leaders including Floyd Mori and John Tateishi weighed in on both, and Karen Narasaki of NAPALC spoke to the Ashcroft record. Several JACL leaders, among them Floyd Mori and Grace Kimoto, wrote about the organization’s money troubles and falling membership, and about the volunteers who carry the work.

Elsewhere, a photography exhibit on the World War II incarceration at Heart Mountain opened in Los Gatos. Harry Honda gathered quotable lines from the year 2000, Sue Kunitomi Embrey wrote about T’ai Chi Ch’uan, and Bill Marutani and Brian Niiya contributed columns. The issue also carried an audit of hate crimes against Asian Americans in 1999 and the annual In Memoriam list for 2000.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Education Is the Key to Our Future, by Mori Memo, page 3. JACL National President Floyd Mori reflects on the importance of the education committee’s work in teaching the history of Japanese Americans to new generations. He calls for more chapter and member support in reaching local school districts and announces plans to form an education council to support the committee’s work.
• Working Together, by Grace Kimoto, page 4. Outgoing CCDC Governor Grace Kimoto defends JACL board members and staff against criticism from grassroots members who accuse the organization of wasting money, emphasizing the personal sacrifices volunteers make. She honors the legacy of Nisei and Issei members while calling for greater appreciation and unity within the organization.
• Keeping JACL Alive, page 4. A newly elected JACL Vice President of General Operations shares reflections on serving the organization and recounts advice from his longtime mentor Mas Hironaka about JACL being a volunteer organization. He urges all members to resolve to recruit new members in the New Year to keep JACL strong.
• JACL’s Strength Lies With Chapters, page 4. An Intermountain District Council governor compares JACL’s current financial crisis to a temperature inversion fog in Utah, citing stock market decline and declining membership as causes. He argues that the organization’s survival depends on returning reliance to strong, well-planned chapter activities rather than the national organization alone.
• Midwest JACL Office Building Renovated, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The JACL Midwest District office in Chicago recently celebrated the renovation of its building on N. Clark St., which has served as the district office since 1972. Regional director Bill Yoshino credited the late Shig Wakamatsu for spearheading the $230,000 renovation effort.
• JACL-Published Books, by P.C. Staff, page 15. The Sacramento JACL chapter released ‘Changing Dreams and Treasured Memories,’ a 274-page history book on Japanese Americans in the Sacramento region written by Wayne Maeda. The Seattle JACL chapter also published an updated history book celebrating its 79th anniversary, covering chapter history, redress efforts, and community affiliations.

Commentary

• On the Front Lines, page 3. A JACL staff member reflects on the past year working for the organization and its commitment to civil rights and community betterment. The writer expresses concern over JACL’s serious financial crises, declining membership and shrinking revenues, while remaining hopeful the organization will overcome these challenges.
• Our Future Is Bright … a Final Word on the 36th JACL National Convention, by Larry Oda, page 7. JACL 2000 general chair Larry Oda thanks the many volunteers and committee members who made the Monterey convention a success, highlighting the Veterans Tribute Dinner honoring WWII vets with Gen. Eric Shinseki and Norman Mineta. He notes the convention’s financial success and reflects on the historic significance of 2000 for Japanese Americans.
• Carry Tiger to the Mountain: T’ai Chi Ch’uan for Health and Balance, by Sue Kunitomi Embrey, page 7. Sue Kunitomi Embrey shares her decades-long personal practice of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, describing its history, philosophy, and movements like ‘carry tiger to the mountain.’ She discusses the health benefits of the practice for balance, blood pressure, and coping with arthritis, drawing on her experiences training with dedication over many years.
• A Parade of Quotables From the Year 2000, by Harry Honda, page 8. Harry Honda’s annual column compiles memorable quotes from Pacific Citizen issues throughout 2000, covering topics from the Mineta cabinet appointment to the Wen Ho Lee case to the JACL’s apology to WWII draft resisters. The retrospective touches on major events including the Medal of Honor ceremony for Asian Pacific American WWII veterans and the dedication of the National Japanese American Memorial.
• Music, Maestro, Please, by Bill Marutani, page 9. Bill Marutani reminisces about watching Lawrence Welk’s orchestra on PBS and recalls his own history with big band music, including seeing Welk perform live while attending college in the 1940s. He reflects on how Welk’s music endured over decades compared to other big bands of that era like Glenn Miller’s.
• Art Matters, by Brian Niiya, page 9. Brian Niiya discusses his work on a book profiling Asian American artists and musicians, noting the surprising abundance of over 200 distinguished figures found through research. He credits a new generation of scholars and institutions like the Japanese American National Museum for advancing recognition of Asian American art history.
• Postwar Nikkei in Retrospect, by Takasumi Kojima, page 9. Takasumi Kojima examines the dramatic transformation of the Nikkei community over 55 years since WWII incarceration, noting rising affluence and social acceptance alongside concerning trends of high outmarriage rates, divorce, and declining population. He questions whether Nikkei identity and culture can survive amid growing assimilation and prosperity in America.
• Smoke Free for 68 Years, page 10. A reader shares his personal method for quitting smoking 68 years ago, which involved eliminating coffee and gradually doubling periods of abstinence from cigarettes. He credits the technique, developed at age 20 in Los Angeles, for his lifetime of being smoke-free while living in Hawaii.
• Chapter Affiliation Dilemma, by Peter Parris, page 10. A reader recounts his struggle finding meaningful chapter involvement after moving and joining the Sequoia JACL chapter, which he says has had no contact with him despite his interest in participating. He asks fellow readers for advice on his dilemma of chapter affiliation and JACL involvement from a distance.
• Book Shows FBI Spied on JA Families, page 10. A reader reviews Janus Kurahara’s autobiography ‘Ganbatte,’ highlighting a revelation about a spy system established by the Hood River, Oregon sheriff and FBI to monitor Japanese American families beginning as early as 1937. The letter suggests this surveillance explains the rapid roundup of community leaders after Pearl Harbor.
• A Timely Report, page 10. A reader thanks Ryan Chin for his ‘Quarter in Review’ report which provided an accessible update on JACL’s wide range of activities and issues. The letter suggests that a better-informed membership is more likely to remain engaged with the organization.
• A ‘Letter of Healing?’, page 10. A reader responds to Professor Eric Muller’s criticism of Wyoming Gov. Geringer’s ‘letter of healing’ regarding Heart Mountain, recalling a similar experience of academic protocol overshadowing truth at a Wyoming symposium. The writer notes the irony of Wyoming’s motto being ‘Equal Rights’ given the state’s history with Japanese American incarceration and draft resisters.

National

• APAs Congratulate Mineta on Nomination as U.S. Secretary of Transportation, by P.C. Staff, page 3. President-elect George W. Bush nominated Norman Mineta, previously the first APA cabinet member under Clinton, to serve as Secretary of Transportation. Numerous Asian Pacific American leaders and organizations, including JACL’s Floyd Mori and John Tateishi, praised the nomination as a milestone for AAPI representation in government.
• JACL Opposes the Nomination of Ashcroft to U.S. Attorney General, by P.C. Staff, page 3. National JACL announced its opposition to President-elect Bush’s nomination of Senator John Ashcroft for Attorney General, citing his record on civil rights issues. JACL leaders, along with NAPALC’s Karen Narasaki, criticized Ashcroft’s opposition to hate crimes legislation, affirmative action, and his blocking of Asian American judicial nominees.
• JACL Opposes Ashcroft Nomination / Audit Shows Hate Crimes Against APIs Increased in 1999, by P.C. Staff, page 5. This continuation piece details more of Ashcroft’s voting record opposed by JACL, including stances against abortion rights, affirmative action, and hate crimes legislation. A separate item reports that NAPALC’s 1999 audit found 486 reported incidents of anti-Asian violence nationally, a major increase, with Los Angeles County hate crimes against APIs rising from 33 to higher numbers.
• People In the News, by P.C. Staff, page 5. This roundup covers notable achievements including AIDS researcher David Ho receiving the Presidential Citizens Medal, Ginger Ehn Lew’s appointment to the AAPI Advisory Commission, and California judicial appointments of Dale Ikeda and Fred J. Fujioka. It also notes David Honda and Kaji’s appointments to the Los Angeles World Airports business council and a Denver Mayor’s Millennium Award honoring Ralph Carr and Minoru Yasui.
• Mineta Nomination Draws Praise from APA Leaders, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Continuing coverage of reactions to Norman Mineta’s nomination as Transportation Secretary includes praise from leaders such as J.D. Hokoyama, Karen Narasaki, George Ong, and Raymond Wong of OCA. Mineta explained his decision to accept the nomination despite being a Democrat in a Republican administration, emphasizing his interest in substantive policy work.
• Asian American Women Speak Out on Domestic Violence, by P.C. Staff, page 15. A new report titled ‘(Un)heard Voices: Domestic Violence in the Asian American Community’ by the Family Violence Prevention Fund examines the unique cultural and institutional barriers facing battered Asian American women. The report, based on focus groups of AA women, calls for culturally competent national strategies and multilingual resources to address domestic violence in AA communities.

Community

• Exhibit Features Heart Mountain Story, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A photography exhibit by Hansel Mieth and Otto Hagel documenting the WWII incarceration at Heart Mountain is on display at the Forbes Mill Museum in Los Gatos, California through February 28. The exhibit includes an accompanying display about Los Gatos families who were incarcerated, along with artifacts they made while imprisoned.
• Sacramento JACL Hosts Annual Community Service Recognition Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 6. More than 400 people attended the Sacramento JACL’s annual community service recognition dinner, honoring Sally and Henry Taketa, Frances Lee, George Okie Sr., Mayor Jimmie Yee, and East Lawn Inc. National Executive Director John Tateishi gave the keynote address, praising the chapter’s proactive stance against anti-Asian hate incidents.
• Bill Hosokawa to be Keynote Speaker at Jan. 27 Seattle Banquet, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Bill Hosokawa, former Denver Post editorial page editor and longtime Pacific Citizen columnist, will keynote the Seattle JACL installation banquet on January 27. Hosokawa’s decades-long career included writing 10 books and receiving JACL’s Biennium award in 1958.
• Spreading Cancer Awareness: AANCART in the Asian American Community, by Caroline Y. Aoyagi, page 13. AANCART, the first national cancer prevention initiative focused on Asian Americans, works to increase cancer awareness and research participation despite high AA cancer death rates and reluctance to discuss the disease. Cancer survivors Jina Peiris and Susan Espiritu Maquindang shared their stories at a conference, while researchers discussed colorectal cancer, hepatitis, diet, and complementary therapies affecting the AA community.

Obituaries

• New Yorker Min Hara, 78, MIS Veteran, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Minoru ‘Min’ Hara, a WWII Military Intelligence Service veteran from Terminal Island, California, died December 2 at his home in the Bronx after being hospitalized for radiation treatment. He served with the 6th Infantry Division in three amphibious Pacific landings and was decorated with numerous military honors.
• Hideshiro ‘Hid’ Hasegawa, 78, JACL IDC Governor 1982-87, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Hideshiro Hasegawa, former JACL Intermountain District governor and longtime Idaho Falls chapter leader, passed away December 6 in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He served as IDC governor from 1982-87 and had been a board member since 1957, using his car trunk as a makeshift regional office during his tenure.

In-Depth

• In Memoriam – 2000, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This annual compilation lists Japanese Americans who passed away in 2000, including WWII veterans, community leaders, artists, and notable figures such as former Toyota executive Yukiyasu Togo and Empress Dowager Nagako of Japan. The extensive list spans numerous cities and includes brief biographical notes on each individual’s contributions and history.

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