Nikkei youth gather in Little Tokyo; redress and Pearl Harbor concerns

Vol. 132, No. 8, May 4, 2001. 12 pages. View this issue

A first national conference for Nikkei youth, called [spectrum], brought more than 100 students to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. Tracy Uba reported on the weekend, which featured keynote speaker Yuri Kochiyama. Martha Nakagawa covered Congressman Patrick Kennedy’s support for H.R. 619, a bill to extend Civil Liberties Act redress to Japanese Latin Americans. Uba also reported on community leaders preparing for possible backlash over Disney’s film Pearl Harbor.

Coverage of the California tri-district conference in Reno ran across several pages, with reports by Martha Nakagawa and Caroline Aoyagi on the national board forum, Congressman Mike Honda’s keynote and the workshops. Harry Honda wrote about the Harada House in Riverside. Short items noted Poston’s auditorium on an endangered properties list and a planned Gila River cleanup. Letters to the editor took up Honda’s POW bill and the loyalty questionnaire at Tule Lake.

What’s in this issue

Community

• National Youth Conference [Spectrum] Draws Nikkei from Across the Country to Little Tokyo, by Tracy Uba, page 1. Over 100 Nikkei youth participants, mostly college and high school students, gathered in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles for the first national conference for, by and about Nikkei youth called [spectrum]. The weekend featured culturally relevant workshops and keynote speaker Yuri Kochiyama, and was organized by several Nikkei student groups and community organizations.
• Spokane JACL Chapter Holds Appreciation Luncheon, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Spokane JACL chapter held its annual Appreciation Luncheon at Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute with approximately 150 attendees, featuring speakers Floyd Mori and Harry Honda. Silver Pins were awarded to Susie Uyeno and Sue Shimizu, and Denny Yasuhara presented a $7,500 check to the National JA Memorial Foundation.
• Arizona Chapter Sponsors Trip to Laughlin, Nev., by P.C. Staff, page 5. Thirty-one members of the Arizona chapter-sponsored Chojukai made their annual bus trip to Laughlin, Nev., staying overnight at the Colorado Belle Hotel Casino. The trip was arranged by Chojukai president Sadayoshi Sasaki with assistance from several other members.
• ‘Talking Books’ Topic at Arizona Japanese Senior Center, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The April monthly meeting of the Japanese Senior Center hosted guest speakers from the Talking Book Library who spoke about talking books and news via telephone services. The event also included birthday celebrations, a white elephant sale and cash bingo.
• Gila River Cleanup Planned by Arizona JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Arizona JACL planned a cleanup detail at the former Japanese American Gila River Relocation Center for May 21, primarily at the Butte Camp #2 site. Annual right-of-entry permits are obtained from the Gila River Indian Community for the maintenance work.
• Merced-Based NSRCF Awards 34 Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Nisei Relocation Commemorative Fund will hold an awards ceremony recognizing 34 scholarship recipients, marking the first time special named scholarships honoring specific individuals will be presented. The NSRCF was established in 1980 by Nisei as ongaeshi to those who helped them during World War II.
• South Bay JACL to Host Forum With California Assemblyman George Nakano, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The South Bay chapter of JACL will host a community forum featuring Assemblymember George Nakano on May 10 at the Torrance Airport Meeting Room. Nakano will discuss the electricity crisis, reapportionment of assembly districts, and the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.

National

• Congressman Kennedy Gives Support to JLA Redress Bill, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, D-R.I., has voiced support for H.R. 619, the Wartime Parity and Justice Act of 2001, which would provide redress equity for Japanese Latin Americans and other groups denied compensation under the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Kennedy discussed the bill during a Los Angeles stop, emphasizing that the issue is fundamental to American values, not just a Japanese American concern.
• Community Leaders Brace for Backlash Over Disney’s ‘Pearl Harbor’, by Tracy Uba, page 1. JACL, JANM, Japan America Society and Japanese consul general representatives met to discuss potential backlash against Japanese Americans following the release of Disney’s ‘Pearl Harbor’ film. JACL leaders including John Tateishi and Floyd Mori expressed concern that the movie could reignite old prejudices, similar to recent anti-Chinese sentiment after the U.S. spy plane incident.
• Commission Faces Uncertainty as It Urges Bush to ‘Meet Needs’ of APIs, by Tracy Uba, page 3. The President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders gathered in Los Angeles to urge President Bush to ensure APIs have access to federal health-care resources, highlighting their interim report ‘A People Looking Forward.’ The commission faces uncertainty due to lack of an executive director and unclear support from the new Republican administration.
• Group Protests Actions of Japanese Government Over Textbooks and Comfort Women Ruling, by Martha Nakagawa, page 3. More than 200 people rallied outside the Japanese Consul General’s office in Los Angeles to protest newly-revised Japanese textbooks and a court ruling denying compensation to women forced into sexual slavery by Japanese Imperial troops. A petition signed by 130 organizations was delivered to the Japanese government protesting the revisions and the ruling.
• Hate Crimes Bill Passes Texas House, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Texas House of Representatives gave preliminary approval to the James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act, which enhances penalties for crimes motivated by hate including race, religion and sexual orientation. The bill passed 87-60 but faces obstacles in the state Senate due to objections over protections for gays and lesbians.
• Searching for Ancestors Gets Easier With Ellis Island Database, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Ellis Island officials and the Mormon church introduced a new searchable database containing arrival records for the 22 million immigrants who entered the port of New York from 1892 to 1924. The database will be available to visitors and online, providing immigrant names, origin, age, nationality and more.
• Alaska Governor Calls for Hate Crime Legislation, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Following a January paintball attack against Alaska Natives by three white youths, Gov. Tony Knowles proposed a hate crimes bill and created a commission to combat racism. The governor’s cabinet-level task force recommended prohibiting suspended sentences in hate crimes cases and mandatory minimum sentences.
• Poston on Arizona’s Most Endangered Properties List, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Poston auditorium in La Paz County, Ariz., built in 1943 by Japanese Americans interned at the Poston War Relocation Authority camp, was named one of Arizona’s most endangered historic properties. Weathering, lack of maintenance and vandalism have left the building susceptible to further deterioration.
• Monterey Park: Ground Zero in U.S. Asian Growth Boom, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Monterey Park, Calif., transformed from a postwar suburb into America’s first Asian-majority city, now 61 percent Asian among its 60,000 residents. Real estate agent Frederic Hsieh is credited as the driving force behind marketing the city to Chinese immigrants starting in the 1970s.

JACL

• Call to Increase Membership Focus of Calif. Tri-District, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. The NCWNP/CC/PSW tri-district conference held in Reno, Nev. focused on the theme ‘The Time is Now… A Call to Action’ with an emphasis on increasing JACL membership. About 120 people attended, with conference chair Robbie Teruya organizing sessions on membership recruitment at the national, district and chapter levels.
• Members Ask the Tough Questions at Nat’l Board Forum, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. With almost the entire JACL national board in attendance, participants at the California tri-district conference had the opportunity to question their elected leaders directly. The forum covered a range of topics including JACL’s financial status, membership recruitment, and controversial issues facing the organization.
• APA Elected Officials to Attend Leadership Academy May 10-12, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies and UCLA Asian American Studies Center selected 13 elected officials to participate in a leadership academy in Washington, D.C. The nonpartisan training program will cover staff management, fund-raising, public speaking and media relations, with speakers including Secretary Norman Mineta.
• Educational CD-ROM Available to California JACL Chapters, by P.C. Staff, page 5. An educational CD-ROM funded by the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program is now available to JACL chapters in California to help promote the JACL Curriculum and Resource Guide on Japanese American history. The CD was produced by Dianne Fukami and includes a presentation by Jan Matsuoka.
• JACL National Youth/Student Conference to be Held July 13-15 in Seattle, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The JACL National Youth/Student Council announced it will hold a conference in Seattle covering topics such as LGBT issues, AIDS/HIV in the APA community, and generation gaps. The National JACL Singles Convention will also be held Aug. 31-Sept. 2 at the Torrance Marriott Hotel.
• Honda Keynoter at Calif. Tri-District; Addresses Controversial Issues, by Martha Nakagawa, page 6. Congressman Mike Honda spoke at the California tri-district about the importance of JACL membership and discussed his controversial bill allowing former American POWs to sue Japanese companies for wartime slave labor. Honda also addressed concerns about backlash from the upcoming ‘Pearl Harbor’ movie and urged vigilance in combating hate crimes.
• Hate Crimes and Lobbying Just Some of the Workshop Topics at Calif. Tri-District, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 7. Attendees at the California Tri-District conference attended workshops on hate crimes, lobbying, inter-generational care-giving and other topics. A hate crimes workshop warned of growing anti-Asian sentiment online, while a lobbying workshop featuring John Tateishi taught attendees effective strategies for influencing legislation.

Commentary

• Very Truly Yours: The House on Lemon Street: Only This One Is in Riverside, Calif., by Harry Honda, page 8. Harry Honda writes about the historic Harada House in Riverside, Calif., recounting the story of Issei parents Jukichi and Ken Harada who bought a home despite discriminatory laws, resulting in a landmark court case. The house is now a National Historic Landmark, one of only two such designations in the region alongside the Mission Inn.
• Troubled in Paradise: Hollywood Stories, page 8. The column reflects on Japanese American portrayal in Hollywood films, marking the 50th anniversary of ‘Go For Broke’ and the 25th anniversary of ‘Farewell to Manzanar.’ The author discusses the strengths and weaknesses of ‘Go For Broke’ and describes a screening event organized in San Francisco and Sacramento chapters.
• Letters to the Editor: Kudos to Congressman Honda, JACL Bylaws Criticized, page 11. A letter praises Congressman Mike Honda for introducing legislation allowing former American POWs to sue Japanese companies over slave labor, while criticizing JACL for remaining neutral due to its bylaws. The writer argues JACL should be more proactive on human rights issues rather than following a ‘safe, politically correct path.’
• Letters to the Editor: A Beacon of Light, page 11. A letter mourns the passing of a prominent national JACL figure described as one of the beacons of light for the organization. The writer reflects on the individual’s contributions and legacy within JACL.
• Letters to the Editor: Re: Leo Hosoda’s Commentary, page 11. A letter responds to Leo Hosoda’s commentary about the resisters, drawing parallels between the experiences of war crimes interpreters and Japanese American resisters. The writer discusses commonalities in conviction and principle between different groups who resisted authority during wartime.
• Letters to the Editor: Re: Loyalty Question 28, page 11. A letter responds to Ann Muto’s story ‘A Happening at Tule Lake,’ addressing myths surrounding the wartime loyalty questionnaire. The writer seeks to clarify historical misunderstandings about the resisters and the camp experience.

Arts & Entertainment

• Lois-Ann Yamanaka Interview Praised, page 11. A letter writer praises a recent Pacific Citizen interview with controversial author Lois-Ann Yamanaka as excellent, passionate, perceptive and sensitive. The writer notes having initially cringed at the author’s early book choices but appreciated the depth of the interview.
• Nikkei and Politics, JA Basketball Among Workshops Offered at [Spectrum], by Lyndsey Shinoda, page 12. Workshop panelists including Keith Kamisugi and Mariko Nakanishi discussed getting involved in politics and community activism at the [spectrum] conference. A separate workshop on JA basketball leagues examined questions of eligibility, race, and the changing competitive nature of the leagues.

Obituaries

• Death Notice: Ruth Higa Nagao, page 11. Ruth Higa Nagao passed away on April 20, survived by husband Mataki Nagao, son Tim Nagao and his family, and several siblings. She was remembered for her love of nature, hiking, gardening, birdwatching and tennis, and for her ‘Words of Advice.’
• Lou Haruo Miyamoto Obituary, page 11. Lou Haruo Miyamoto was born Feb. 10, 1919 in Monmouth and lived in Fresno, Calif. The obituary details his life history and family background.

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