Vol. 130, No. 16, April 21, 2000. 8 pages. View this issue
The national JACL board named John Tateishi as its new national director at the quarterly meeting in San Francisco on April 14-16. Martha Nakagawa reported that Tateishi, a former Manzanar internee who led the redress campaign from 1978 to 1986, had been serving as interim director. She also covered a U.S. Commission on Civil Rights study, released April 11, which found that percentage plans are not a substitute for affirmative action. On the front page, Lyndsey Shinoda profiled Keri Nishimoto, a Cal State Long Beach volleyball setter with a 3.947 GPA.
Elsewhere are news of the Wen Ho Lee case, a bill naming a Chino Hills post office after Joseph Ileto, and details on Nikkei 2000 registration and the JACL national convention web site. Hiroshi Miyamura is honored ahead of a veterans reunion. Naomi Hirahara writes an “Ode to the Gardener.” Letters address memorial errors and Resolution 13.
What’s in this issue
Sports
- Keri Nishimoto Making an Impact at Cal State Long Beach, by Lyndsey Shinoda, page 1. Keri Kiyoko Nishimoto, a 20-year-old setter for Cal State Long Beach’s women’s volleyball team, was inspired to attend the school after watching its 1993 national championship win. She helped lead the 49ers to a 31-4 record and NCAA semifinals appearance while maintaining a 3.947 GPA as a computer science major.
- Nishimoto Making an Impact at CSULB (continued), by Lyndsey Shinoda, page 8. The continuation of Keri Nishimoto’s profile details her family background, including her Sansei father and English/Swedish mother, and her Christian faith which has led her on mission trips to Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland. She discusses her competitive nature, plans to coach volleyball, and her goal of graduating from Long Beach State within another year.
National
- U.S. Commission on Civil Rights: Percentage Plan No Substitute for Affirmative Action Programs, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. A U.S. Commission on Civil Rights study released April 11 found that percentage plans, which guarantee college admission based on class rank, are not viable alternatives to affirmative action. JACL National Director John Tateishi and others criticized percentage plans as insufficient to ensure equal opportunity for people of color.
- Evidence Suggests Secrets Downloaded by Lee Were Not Classified, by Associated Press, page 3. Prosecution evidence shows that most of the data fired Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee is accused of illegally copying was not labeled ‘restricted data’ but rather PARD, a lower security designation. Experts say this could affect the prosecution’s case, though DOE officials maintain all data on classified networks should be treated as classified.
- Bill to Name Post Office After Hate Crime Victim Joseph Ileto, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 3. President Clinton signed a bill on April 14 naming a Chino Hills post office after Joseph Ileto, a former Chino Hills resident and postal worker shot and killed in August 1999 by an admitted white supremacist. Ileto’s brother Ismael expressed gratitude to the community, Congress, and the President for the honor.
- Percentage Plan No Substitute for Affirmative Action Programs (continued), by P.C. Staff, page 8. The continuation of the front-page story details Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s ‘One Florida Plan’ and criticism from civil rights commissioners including Cruz Reynoso, who argue percentage plans fail to address underlying educational disparities. The report found significant achievement gaps in Florida schools serving minority and low-income students, with many lacking Advanced Placement courses, mirroring similar disparities in California and Texas.
JACL
- John Tateishi Named JACL National Director, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. The national JACL board of directors officially named John Tateishi as the organization’s new national director at their quarterly meeting in San Francisco on April 14-16. Tateishi, a former Manzanar internee who led JACL’s redress campaign from 1978 to 1986, had been serving as interim national director and was praised by board members for his skills and commitment.
- Now Available: JACL National Convention Web Site, by P.C. Staff, page 4. JACL has launched a website with information about the upcoming national convention, including workshop participants, schedules, registration and hotel information, sponsor listings, and updates. Larry Oda, convention co-chair, is available to answer questions about the site or the convention.
- Deadline Extended for Nikkei 2000 Registration, Registration Fees Kept Low, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Due to generous corporate sponsor contributions, Nikkei 2000 conference organizers announced registration fees will remain low at $65 general and $40 student/low income, with registration accepted until April 24. Close to 400 conference participants had already registered, including attendees traveling from Japan.
- Memorial Foundation Seeks Public’s Help to Assure Accuracy of Military List, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Major Gen. James H. Mukoyama Jr. appealed to the Japanese American community to help verify the accuracy of over 800 names of military personnel who died in WWII service, to be inscribed on the Japanese American National Memorial to Patriotism in Washington, D.C. The honor roll combines three major documents and Mukoyama spent over two years cross-checking names with help from other researchers.
Community
- Royal Manaka: Training Partner of Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World Joe Louis and Local Hero, page 4. An article profiling Royal Manaka discusses his connection as a training partner to heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis. The piece highlights his role as a local community figure of note.
- UCLA Announces Summer Program on Hawaii’s API Communities, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The UCLA Asian American Studies Center, with the University of Hawaii’s American Studies Department, will offer a six-week Multicultural Summer Program in Honolulu for students to study Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The program, running from July 3 to August 11, 2000, includes classroom presentations, field trips, and community internships.
- JAKVW to Host All-Veteran Reunion April 27-30, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A special tribute will honor Korean War hero Hiroshi ‘Hershey’ Miyamura, the only living Japanese American recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, with keynote speaker Sen. Daniel K. Inouye. The article details Miyamura’s heroic actions during the Korean War, his time as a POW, and his life after receiving the medal from President Eisenhower in 1953.
- Twin Cities JACL Holds 53rd Annual Meeting and Installation Banquet, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Twin Cities JACL chapter held its 53rd annual meeting and installation banquet with special guests Bill and Carol Yoshino. The presentation of colors was made by Toshio Abe and Sam Honda representing the Japanese American Veterans of Minnesota, with MDC Regional Director Bill Yoshino as a featured guest.
Commentary
- Three Degrees of Separation: Reflections on the OCA/JACL D.C. Leadership Conference, page 6. A participant reflects on the OCA/JACL Washington D.C. leadership conference, describing it as a gathering of 30 Asian Pacific Americans for presentations and speakers on civic engagement. The piece explores personal impact as a participant and as a member of the community.
- Ode to the Gardener, by Naomi Hirahara, page 6. Naomi Hirahara pays tribute to Japanese American gardeners as the community’s ultimate independent businessmen, who relied only on determination and physical labor to build futures for their families. She describes how gardeners invested in their communities by supporting local banks, Japanese schools, and community centers, and prioritized their children’s education over luxuries.
- Letter: American Memorial Errors Remain Uncorrected, page 7. A letter details ongoing historical inaccuracies on the Japanese American memorial in Washington D.C., including misnamed camps, distorted facts about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team’s origins, and omissions of important camps like Santa Fe Internment Camp. The writer expresses hope that construction delays will allow for corrections to ensure historical accuracy and inclusiveness.
- Letter: Re: Hate E-mail, by Mike Kawamoto, page 7. The writer expresses distress over having to constantly defend against hate mail, questioning why people should have to defend their culture to be accepted in America. He calls instead for greater respect for all people regardless of background.
- Letter: On JACL Resolution 13 and Draft Resisters, page 7. The letter discusses the national JACL council’s 1990 adoption of Resolution 13, ‘Recognition of Draft Resisters,’ and questions why the national board failed to implement it as required by JACL’s constitution and bylaws. The writer references the May 15, 1999 national board meeting and implementation requirements under Article VII of the JACL Constitution.
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