Wen Ho Lee, the Confederate flag and TV diversity: January 2000

Vol. 130, No. 3, January 21, 2000. 8 pages. View this issue

Asian American activism around the Wen Ho Lee case ran through this issue. The Associated Press reported that advocates saw the Los Alamos scientist’s indictment as a turning point for the community, and Attorney General Janet Reno met with leaders in San Francisco about his treatment. Tracy Uba covered the minority media coalition of Norman Mineta, Kweisi Mfume, Esteban Torres and Sonny Skyhawk as it pressed NBC, CBS and Fox on diversity. The front page also reported on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in Columbia, South Carolina, against the Confederate flag.

Commentary by Gerald Yomada, Jack Herzig and William Hohri debated the Mike Masaoka quote on the National Japanese American Memorial. Sen. Bill Bradley wrote about race relations, and a news item reported that California’s Senate Bill 164 protects redress payments. Lori Fujimoto’s article reported on the Manzanar historical site’s fundraising goal. Chapter news came from Seattle, Sacramento, San Mateo and Florin.

What’s in this issue

National

• Protestors Urge Removal of Confederate Flag on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, by Associated Press, page 1. Thousands marched in Columbia, South Carolina on Martin Luther King Jr. Day demanding removal of the Confederate flag from atop the Statehouse. The NAACP has organized a boycott of the state over the issue, while South Carolina’s governor and presidential candidates avoided taking a firm stance on the controversy.
• Minority Coalition Resumes TV Diversity Efforts Despite Discord, by Tracy Uba, page 1. The four co-chairs of a minority media coalition held a press conference to address the lack of ethnic minorities on television, despite reports of internal discord among the group. The coalition, including Norman Mineta, Kweisi Mfume, Esteban Torres and Sonny Skyhawk, planned meetings with NBC, CBS and Fox to push for greater minority representation on and off screen.
• Asian American Activism on the Rise in Wake of Wen Ho Lee Indictment, by Associated Press, page 1. Asian Americans have rallied behind Wen Ho Lee, the Los Alamos scientist indicted on charges of mishandling nuclear secrets, viewing his case as a watershed moment for the community. Advocates argue Lee has been portrayed unfairly as a spy despite not being charged with espionage, and say activism has grown due to lingering effects of the 1996 campaign finance scandal.
• Japanese Americans Will Benefit From New Legislation, page 3. California Governor Davis signed Senate Bill 164, closing loopholes that previously allowed the state to seize redress payments from Japanese Americans through Medi-Cal recovery claims. The law ensures federal redress payments remain protected and are not considered assets for Medi-Cal or student financial aid eligibility.
• Minority Coalition Fights for TV Diversity, page 8. The Asian Pacific American Media Coalition and its partners continued efforts to negotiate with NBC, CBS and Fox for greater minority representation despite reports of a rift after NAACP president Mfume announced a deal with NBC without full coalition participation. Coalition leaders including Mineta, Torres and Skyhawk affirmed unity and optimism about achieving equal representation for all minority groups on television.
• Reno Meets With APA Leaders on Wen Ho Lee Case, page 8. Attorney General Janet Reno met with APA community leaders in San Francisco to discuss concerns about the treatment of Wen Ho Lee, including denial of bail and harsh incarceration conditions. Leaders including Nancy Choy of NAPABA expressed appreciation for Reno’s attentiveness to the community’s concerns about Lee being portrayed as a spy despite not being charged with espionage.

JACL

• 80-20 Endorses Bradley for President, page 3. The Asian Pacific American political group 80-20 announced its endorsement of presidential candidate Bill Bradley after polling its supporters. The group estimates its decision could bring 200,000 additional votes to Bradley in the national primary.
• Mike M. Masaoka Fellowship Fund Seeks Fellow Candidates, page 3. The Mike M. Masaoka Fellowship Fund is seeking applicants for its ninth Congressional Fellow Program for the 2000-2001 term, offering a $7,500 stipend for a three-and-a-half month fellowship in a congressional office. The fund honors the legacy of Mike Masaoka and aims to encourage public service among Japanese Americans.
• Manzanar Historical Site Needs Support, by Lori Fujimoto, page 6. The Manzanar National Historical site faces a challenge to raise $150,000 by January 30 to receive a matching $15,000 grant from the National Park Foundation. The funds will support restoration efforts including barbed-wire fencing, a guard watchtower, barracks, and an education program featuring identification cards for former internees.
• Seattle Chapter to Celebrate 78th Annual Dinner “2000: Achieving Social Justice”, page 6. The Seattle chapter of JACL will hold its 78th annual installation banquet on January 29, featuring keynote speaker Washington Trade Director Martha Choe and emcee Lori Matsukawa. The chapter highlighted its recent achievements including bringing Aki Sogabe murals to a local site and renaming Sharples Middle School to Aki Kurose Academy.
• PSW Presents 2000 District Oratorical Contest, page 7. The JACL Pacific Southwest District will hold its 2000 District Oratorical Contest on February 27 at the JACCC in Los Angeles, with contestants competing to represent the district at the Min Yasui Oratorical contest. This year’s topic asks how the Japanese American community would differ today if Japanese Americans had not been interned during World War II.

Commentary

• An Open Letter in Support of Masaoka Quote, by Gerald Yomada, page 4. Gerald Yomada submitted a letter to the Commission of Fine Arts defending the inclusion of a Mike Masaoka quote on the National Japanese American Memorial, countering allegations that Masaoka proposed branding and stamping Japanese Americans. The letter cites congressional tributes to Masaoka’s civil rights record as evidence against the claims made by Professors Yamamoto, Iijima and Takahashi.
• NJAMF Disregarding Concerns of the JA Community, by Jack Herzig, page 5. In an open letter to NJAMF Chairman Melvin Chiogioji, Jack Herzig criticized the foundation for ignoring community input on the memorial’s inscriptions and for excluding mention of various veteran units and wars. Herzig also raised objections from Hawaii veterans groups regarding the inclusion of Mike Masaoka’s name on the monument.
• A Response to NJAMF’s Chairman Chiogioji, by William Hohri, page 5. William Hohri rebutted statements made by NJAMF Chairman Melvin Chiogioji, addressing issues of board travel expenses, voting procedures, and disputing claims about Masaoka’s role during the internment era. Hohri argued that Masaoka’s Tolan Committee testimony showed acceptance rather than resistance to mass imprisonment of Japanese Americans.
• Honk, Honk!, by Christina Shigemura, page 6. Christina Shigemura reflects humorously on driving in Los Angeles and the life lessons learned from her old 1983 Toyota Corolla before upgrading to a used Honda Civic. She discusses the challenges of buying a salvaged car and the array of theft-deterrent devices now available, including LoJack.
• One Nation: Improving Race Relations for a Better America, by Sen. Bill Bradley, page 6. Presidential candidate Bill Bradley recounts his college friendship with a Japanese American roommate whose family was interned during World War II, and the racist reactions he encountered when discussing it publicly. Bradley argues that presidential leadership is essential to improving race relations and fostering tolerance in America.

Community

• Montana Hosts Teacher Training Workshop, page 5. JACL members including Dr. Sharon Ishii Jordan, Greg Marutani and Hero Shiosaki led a teacher training workshop on the Japanese American experience at the Montana Education Association’s convention in Missoula. The workshop covered topics from Japanese immigration history through World War II internment and the formation of the 442nd Regiment.
• Sacramento JACL Holds Community Service Recognition Dinner, by Toko Fujii, page 7. The 1999 Sacramento JACL Community Service Recognition Dinner honored Midori Hiyama, Percy and Gladys Masaki, Shigeru Shimazu, Anne Rudin, Union Bank of California, the Sacramento Bee and the FBI. National JACL director John Tateishi installed the 2000 officers, and Attorney General Bill Lockyer delivered the keynote address.
• San Mateo Chapter Announces Annual Scholarship Program, page 7. The San Mateo chapter of JACL and the Tomodachi Senior Women’s Group announced their 1999 scholarship program, offering up to $2,000 to deserving high school seniors from San Mateo County planning to attend higher education in Fall 2000. Applications are due by March 1, 2000.
• Florin Chapter Donates $5,000 to NJAMF, page 7. Joanne Iritani of the Florin chapter presented a $5,000 check to Toko Fujii on behalf of the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation. The donation brings the total raised in the Sacramento area to more than $115,000.

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