Re-creating the incarceration, and the JACL road to Las Vegas

Vol. 134, No. 8, May 3, 2002. 12 pages. View this issue

In Watsonville, Calif., three dozen participants re-enacted the 1942 evacuation of Japanese Americans, boarding a vintage bus and tagging their suitcases, in an event that drew debate over whether re-enactments help healing. Tracy Uba reported from the 33rd Manzanar pilgrimage, where over 500 people gathered. Martha Nakagawa covered the protests over Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirts that carried offensive Asian caricatures. The JACL national board’s plan to dissolve the Mountain Plains District and restructure its seats was reported by Caroline Aoyagi.

Ahead of the national convention in Las Vegas, John Tateishi and Prof. Eric Muller wrote about Resolution 3 and an apology to draft resisters, and Les Frosoda replied with a letter. Also inside: candidates for national office, a court ruling on redress for Robert Murakami, San Benito County rescinding a 1943 resolution, and a Topaz memorial marker fund-raiser.

What’s in this issue

National

• Japanese Americans Re-create WWII Internment Experience, by Associated Press, page 1. Three dozen participants in Watsonville, Calif., re-enacted the 1942 evacuation and internment of Japanese Americans, boarding a vintage bus and traveling to a mock internment site as part of a $35,000 production called ‘Liberty Lost: Lessons in Loyalty.’ The event drew over 1,000 attendees and honored those who served in the military while also sparking debate about whether re-enactments help or harm healing from the historical trauma.’
• APA Community Rallies Against Racist Abercrombie & Fitch T-Shirts, by Martha Nakagawa, Assistant Editor, page 1. Despite Abercrombie & Fitch issuing an apology and recalling a line of T-shirts featuring offensive Asian caricatures, Asian Pacific American activists and organizations including JACL say the company has not done enough to address the underlying issues. Protests erupted at campuses and stores nationwide, with organizers demanding a public apology, diversity training, and increased investment in the APA community, threatening an economic boycott if demands are not met.
• National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 3. This roundup covers several national stories: UConn’s diversity action committee recommendations, Debra Yang’s Senate confirmation as U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, Jonathan Ng’s election as University of Kansas’s first Asian American student body president, West Valley City’s new diversity-focused community center, California legislation by Assemblyman George Nakano on homeland security, and Sen. Daniel Inouye receiving the Thayer Award from West Point.
• Court Rejects DOJ’s Decision to Deny Redress to Murakami, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A U.S. Court of Federal Claims judge ruled that the Department of Justice must review a redress eligibility case for Robert Murakami, who was born in 1945 while his parents were interned, after previously denying his claim. The judge criticized the government’s narrow interpretation of the redress program and said the case should be reconsidered under the law’s broader provisions for those deprived of liberty.
• Abercrombie & Fitch Controversy Continues to Escalate Nationwide, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Despite Abercrombie & Fitch’s apology and removal of offensive T-shirts depicting Asian stereotypes, JACL and other organizations continue pressing for accountability, including diversity training and philanthropic investment in the APA community. Protests occurred at college campuses and stores nationwide, with organizers threatening an economic boycott and eBay pulling the shirts from its auction site amid high bidding.

In-Depth

• Manzanar 2002: Learning Yesterday’s Lessons Today, by Tracy Uba, Writer/Reporter, page 1. Over 500 people gathered for the 33rd annual Manzanar pilgrimage, commemorating the 120,000 Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII and honoring survivors of Heart Mountain and Rohwer camps, as well as Arab and Muslim Americans facing similar civil liberties violations after Sept. 11. The event marked the 10-year anniversary of Manzanar’s designation as a National Historic Site, with keynote speaker Taro O’Sullivan and Muslim Public Affairs Council representative Sam Hakim drawing parallels between historical and current injustices.
• JACL Chapters Fund-raise for Topaz Memorial Marker, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Three Utah JACL chapters are raising funds to rebuild the Topaz Memorial marker in Delta, Utah, which had fallen into disrepair after years of vandalism. The new memorial will feature etched photographs of camp life and aerial views, with construction scheduled to begin this summer as part of efforts to gain state and federal historic site designation.

JACL

• JACL National Board Proposes Plan for Redistricting and Restructuring, by Caroline Aoyagi, Executive Editor, page 1. The JACL national board voted to dissolve the Mountain Plains District, merging its chapters into the Intermountain and Midwest districts, and initially proposed reducing the national board from 16 to 14 seats. Following debate over eliminating a youth position, the board compromised by adding a fourth at-large member, keeping both youth positions intact, pending approval at the national convention in Las Vegas.
• Masaoka Fellowship Program Seeks Applicants, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL is seeking candidates for its 13th Mike M. Masaoka Fellowship program, which places students in congressional offices to learn about public policymaking, with an application deadline of June 1. Eligible students receive a $7,500 stipend and work in a senator or representative’s office for three and a half months during either fall or spring terms.
• JACL Wartime Leaders Tribute Set for June 28, by P.C. Staff, page 4. As part of the JACL biennial convention, a dinner event will be held June 28 at the Riviera Hotel to honor wartime national JACL leaders Mike Masaoka, Saburo Kido, and Hito Okada for their efforts during a difficult period. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta is the invited keynote speaker.
• National Board Members Discuss Budget, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Upcoming Convention at Quarterly Meeting, by Caroline Aoyagi, Executive Editor, page 5. At the April 20-21 national board meeting, officers discussed a budget surplus of over $110,000 for 2002, approved a balanced 2003-2004 biennial budget, and addressed public affairs issues including the Abercrombie & Fitch controversy and Japanese Latin American redress legislation. The meeting also covered membership growth, the Las Vegas convention plans, and the 2004 Hawaii convention dates.
• Anti-tobacco Advocate Reynolds to Keynote 2002 Youth Luncheon, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Patrick Reynolds, grandson of tobacco company founder R.J. Reynolds and prominent anti-smoking advocate, will keynote the JACL youth luncheon on June 27 at the national convention. Reynolds, who has spoken to over 100,000 students nationally about the dangers of smoking, is being honored following JACL’s decision last year to reject tobacco industry funding.
• JACL Announces Candidates for National Office, by P.C. Staff, page 6. JACL announced candidates for national leadership positions ahead of the June convention, including S. Floyd Mori for president, David Forman and Kenneth Inouye for vice president of public affairs, and multiple other candidates for various board positions. The article includes detailed candidate profiles covering their JACL background, community service, and vision for leadership within the organization.
• National Board Redistricting and Restructuring Debate Detailed, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Extended coverage of the national board meeting details the debate over eliminating a youth board position, with Youth Chair Tatsuo Nakata and others objecting strongly to the proposed cut. The board ultimately compromised by adding a fourth at-large member while preserving both youth positions on the 16-member board.

Commentary

• Las Vegas Countdown, by John Tateishi, JACL National Executive Director, page 2. Tateishi previews the upcoming JACL national convention in Las Vegas, discussing the board-approved restructuring proposal and the ongoing controversy over Resolution 3 and the apology to WWII draft resisters. He describes the historical context of the resisters’ issue and encourages members to register for the convention and hotel through official channels.
• Las Vegas Countdown Letters: Resolution 3 Debate Continues, by Les Frosoda, page 2. A letter to the editor from a Nisei veteran organization member argues that Resolution 3’s apology is flawed because it does not specify whether it refers to wartime JACL policy or post-war failure to recognize resisters. The writer details historical grievances of veterans groups against JACL wartime leadership while hoping for reconciliation between veterans and the resisters’ supporters.
• Resisters Due An Apology From JACL, by Prof. Eric Muller, North Carolina, page 2. Muller, author of a book on Japanese American draft resisters, argues that neither total denigration nor total glorification of resisters accurately describes their motivations, and that both resisters and compliers were complex human beings making difficult choices. He contends that JACL wartime leadership actively worked with federal officials to punish resisters and therefore an apology, regardless of individual motivations, is warranted.
• By the Board: Get Ready to Bid!, by Ryan Chin, V.P. Public Affairs, page 8. Chin encourages JACL members to participate in the organization’s online and in-person auction at the Las Vegas convention, highlighting items donated for the benefit of national, chapters, districts, and the Pacific Citizen. He suggests members consider bidding on items beneficial to their chapters, such as website creation services, even if they cannot attend in person.
• Quick Fixes, by Bill Hosokawa (Bill Marutani), page 8. Marutani reflects on a personal experience of racial profiling at a U.S.-Canada border checkpoint, contrasting his treatment with that of other travelers who passed through without scrutiny. He argues against sacrificing constitutional rights and equal protection in the name of wartime efficiency, warning against ‘quick-fix’ solutions that erode fundamental American principles.

Community

• Community Pulse: Local Heroes and Achievers Recognized, by P.C. Staff, page 4. This roundup highlights several Japanese American community members’ achievements, including Randolph Imai receiving an Asian Pacific American Heritage Local Hero Award, Samantha Nishimoto’s national academic honor, Kari Ochi winning the Nasdaq National Teaching Award, and Vincent Okamoto’s appointment as a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge by Gov. Davis.
• San Benito County Rescinds 1943 Anti-JA Resolution, by P.C. Staff, page 4. San Benito County supervisors rescinded a 1943 resolution that had protested the return of Japanese Americans from internment camps, following similar actions by other California counties. About 20 local Japanese Americans and community members attended the ceremony, with several speaking about the injustice they suffered and what returning to their community meant to them.
• Ceremony to Fete Medal of Honor Recipient Nishimoto, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A memorial dedication ceremony for Medal of Honor recipient Joe M. Nishimoto, a 442nd Regimental Combat Team member killed in action in France in 1944, will take place May 24 in Fresno. The ceremony will include placing a Medal of Honor headstone at Washington Colony Cemetery to honor his heroism in destroying enemy positions before his death.
• San Jose JACL to Co-Sponsor ‘Internment Evacuation Awareness March’ on May 18, by P.C. Staff, page 8. San Jose JACL is sponsoring a march commemorating the 60th anniversary of Japanese American evacuation and internment, featuring testimonials from former internees and speeches from Congressman Mike Honda and CAIR representative Helel Omeira. The march will proceed from San Jose State University to a Ruth Asawa memorial honoring JA history in the Bay Area.
• Livingston-Merced Chapter Receives Volunteer Recognition Award, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Livingston-Merced JACL chapter was awarded the Merced County Volunteer Recognition Award for their work mentoring Hmong students from sixth grade through college. The mentorship program, now in its third year, is a collaborative effort between the JACL chapter, UC Merced, and the Southeast Asian community.
• New England JACL Hosts Pearl Harbor and 9/11 Forum, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Nearly 200 people attended a forum at MIT bringing together Japanese Americans, Arab Americans, and Sikh Americans to discuss personal experiences of discrimination and civil rights violations following both Pearl Harbor and Sept. 11. Speakers included JACL members who shared wartime internment experiences alongside Islamic community representatives discussing post-9/11 government actions.

Obituaries

• Henri Takahashi, 87, San Francisco Businessman and Philanthropist, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Henri Hiroyuki Takahashi, co-founder of Takahashi Trading Corporation, died April 16 at age 87 after a career that included internment at Topaz during WWII where he edited the camp newspaper. He and his wife later built a successful import business and established a charitable foundation supporting local service, cultural, and educational institutions.

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.