Hate crime vigil for Joseph Ileto and APAs at the 2000 DNC

Vol. 131, No. 9, August 18, 2000. 8 pages. View this issue

A candlelight vigil in Los Angeles honoring Joseph Ileto and other hate crime victims led this eight-page issue. Tracy Uba reported that the Ileto family unveiled the J.O.S.E.P.H. I.L.E.T.O. acronym one year after the shooting spree that killed him, with California Attorney General Bill Lockyer among the speakers. Bill Yoshino’s column made the case for the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The Democratic National Convention was the other main subject: Uba covered Norman Mineta’s address to Asian Pacific Islander American delegates, and Martha Nakagawa reported on the record APA turnout and Gary Locke’s prime-time speech.

Also inside: reactions to Mike Honda’s AJR 27 resolution, a salute to Asian and Pacific Islander World War II veterans, including the 442nd and 100th Battalion, and the life sentence given to Byran Uyesugi. Letters returned to the incarceration (often called internment) and Executive Order 9066, and JACL news included thanks to the 2000 national convention sponsors.

What’s in this issue

National

• Vigil Honors Ileto and Other Hate Crime Victims, by Tracy Uba, page 1. The Ileto family unveiled the J.O.S.E.P.H. I.L.E.T.O. acronym during a candlelight vigil marking the one-year anniversary of Buford Furrow’s hate-motivated shooting spree that killed Joseph Ileto and wounded five others. California Attorney General Bill Lockyer and community leaders spoke at the Los Angeles event honoring victims of hate crimes.
• U.S. Commerce Secretary Mineta Addresses APIA Delegates at DNC Caucus, by Tracy Uba, page 1. Norman Mineta, the first Asian American Cabinet secretary, addressed Asian Pacific Islander American delegates at the Democratic National Convention, thanking the community for its support during his confirmation. He contrasted the Democratic and Republican parties on issues affecting APIAs, criticizing the GOP’s diversity display as manufactured.
• Record Number of APAs Participate in DNC Convention, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Asian Pacific Americans broke new ground at the Democratic National Convention with a record number of delegates participating. Washington Gov. Gary Locke became the first APA to address the national delegation during prime-time TV coverage.
• APAs Gather to Support Honda During DNC Convention, page 1. APA delegates and leaders held fundraisers and events during the DNC to support Congressional candidate Mike Honda. Speakers praised Honda’s legislative record despite controversy over his resolution calling for Japanese wartime apology.
• Xerox Gunman Gets Life Without Parole, by Associated Press, page 3. Byran Uyesugi, convicted of killing seven Xerox coworkers in Hawaii’s worst mass shooting, was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Victims’ family members gave emotional statements at the sentencing about their loss and anger.
• Martha Choe Appointed to Serve as New Chair of President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs, page 3. President Clinton announced his intent to appoint former Seattle City Councilwoman Martha Choe as new chair of the Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, succeeding Norman Mineta. Choe currently directs Washington state’s Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.
• WWII Asian, Pacific Islander Vets Saluted for Legendary Valor, page 4. A series of events honored World War II Asian and Pacific American veterans, including Medal of Honor recipients, with an induction ceremony, parade and luncheon. The commemorations recognized soldiers from units like the 442nd and 100th Battalion for their wartime valor and sacrifice.
• Ileto Vigil Draws Attention to Hate Crime Statistics and Lawsuit Against Gun Makers, page 5. California Attorney General Bill Lockyer and civil rights leaders spoke at the vigil honoring Joseph Ileto and other hate crime victims, highlighting Los Angeles County’s high rate of reported hate crimes. Just before the vigil, Ileto’s mother and other victims’ families filed a lawsuit against gun manufacturers, claiming they bear responsibility for enabling Furrow’s shooting spree.
• Honda’s AJR 27 Resolution Sparks Debate Within APA Community, page 5. Mike Honda’s introduction of a resolution calling for Japan to apologize for wartime atrocities drew mixed reactions from civil rights leaders like Angela Oh and supporters like Warren Furutani and George Takei. Supporters praised Honda’s courage while some worried about backlash, though most emphasized his broader legislative record supporting the Japanese American community.
• University of Hawaii Named Best College Campus for Asian Americans, page 7. A national magazine named the University of Hawaii at Manoa the best college campus in the country for Asian Americans, based on a survey of hundreds of schools. The university topped the list due to its large percentage of Asian Pacific American students and strong overall student diversity.
• Asia Foundation Appoints Tami Adachi Associate Director, Marketing and Communications, page 7. The Asia Foundation of San Francisco appointed Tami Adachi as associate director of marketing and communications. Adachi, a native of Oakland, will be responsible for the foundation’s communications efforts.
• APA Leaders Urge Voter Turnout in November Amid Campaign Finance and Wen Ho Lee Controversies, page 8. APA political leaders including Paul Igasaki, Robert Matsui, and David Wu discussed the impact of the campaign finance scandal and Wen Ho Lee espionage case on the Asian American community ahead of the November election. They urged increased APA voter turnout to ensure political representation and counter concerns about racial profiling and loyalty questioning.

Community

• Japanese Community Organizations to Honor Steven J. Doi, Recipient of the Kunsho, at Aug 25 Dinner, page 4. The Hokka Nichibei Kai, Japanese Chamber of Commerce, JACL San Francisco chapter and other organizations will honor Steven J. Doi at a tribute dinner. Doi received the Patent of Decoration from Japan’s prime minister and has served in various JACL leadership roles.
• Fresno’s Annual Shinzen Run to Be Held Sept. 17, page 4. The 15th annual Shinzen Run will take place at Woodward Park in Fresno, presented by the Fresno JACL chapter and Central California District Council. The event benefits the Woodward Park gardens and includes multiple race distances, taiko performances, and garden tours.
• Twenty-two Students Receive JA Scholarship Fund Award, page 4. Twenty-two Southern California high school graduates of Japanese ancestry received scholarship awards at a luncheon program at the Miyako Inn in Little Tokyo. The scholars were listed alphabetically among the award recipients.

Commentary

• This Land is Your Land, by Bill Yoshino, page 6. Midwest Regional Director Bill Yoshino writes about the Hate Crimes Prevention Act and its importance in the wake of historical injustices like the Japanese American internment and a fatal hate crime against Japanese immigrant Naoki Kamijima. He describes a Chicago news conference where victims and survivors spoke in support of strengthening federal hate crime legislation.
• Re: Getting On With Life, by Stanley N. Kanzaki, page 7. A reader responds to Bill Hosokawa’s column about presidential apologies for the internment, arguing that FDR’s signing of E.O. 9066 stemmed partly from racism documented in his earlier writings. The letter also references claims from a book suggesting FDR had foreknowledge of Pearl Harbor, and argues the injustice of internment must never be forgotten.
• Re: The Last Hurrah, by Jack Hirose, page 7. A reader reflects on the founding members who worked to establish the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation, several of whom have since passed away. The letter praises Mike Honda’s legislative efforts and calls for his name to be included in recognition of the memorial’s creation.
• Reader Supports Inclusion of Masaoka’s Creed, by Muneo Kojima, page 7. A reader argues for permanently recording Mike Masaoka’s wartime ‘creed’ as a testament to the humiliation Japanese Americans endured to survive during WWII. The writer suggests Masaoka’s strategy of demonstrating loyalty through Nisei soldiers’ sacrifice ultimately proved successful for Japanese Americans’ standing in America.
• West Coast Nikkei, 1942-45, by Arlon R. Tussing, page 7. A reader seeks information about Japanese Americans who were exempt from relocation or internment and remained in Oregon or Washington during 1942-45. He is particularly interested in individuals who may have worked with his father in wartime intelligence services.

JACL

• JACL Thanks 2000 Convention Sponsors, page 6. JACL national director John Tateishi thanked corporate sponsors of the 2000 JACL National Convention in Monterey, including AT&T, Ford Motor Company, and Union Bank of California. The sponsors’ support was credited with sustaining JACL programs and chapters.
• Preserving Memories, Preserving a Legacy, by Ryan Chin, V.P. Public Affairs, page 6. Ryan Chin calls on JACL members to submit biographies of JACLers for a new Legacy column to preserve organizational history. He profiles Shigeko Uno, a longtime JACL leader and the first female president of the Seattle JACL chapter, detailing her decades of community contributions.

Obituaries

• Obituaries, page 7. This week’s obituary listings include tributes to several Japanese Americans including Fred T. Aoyama, Hiroshi Enoki, Yukio Ide, Bob Toshiyuki Kubota, and others, detailing their survivors and hometowns. Many of the deceased were born in California, Hawaii, or Japan and had long ties to their communities.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.