Vol. 133, No. 8, October 19, 2001. 8 pages. View this issue
Japanese Americans responded to the aftermath of Sept. 11 by speaking up for their Arab and Muslim neighbors. Martha Nakagawa reported on an FBI town hall where Japanese Americans drew parallels to the World War II incarceration (often called internment). Mas Hashimoto, Christina Shigemura and a Dayton JACL president wrote columns warning against scapegoating, and the paper tallied hate crimes across California and beyond.
Also in this issue: the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from plaintiffs who had been denied redress payments. Gov. Gray Davis signed SB 307, the Japantown preservation bill, covering San Francisco, San Jose and Little Tokyo. Other pages cover efforts to rename places containing racial slurs, a golf tournament, and a Lodi reading program built around Farewell to Manzanar.
What’s in this issue
National
- JAs Lose Appeal Seeking to Sue U.S. for WWII Imprisonment, by Associated Press, page 1. The Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal by Japanese American and Japanese Latin American plaintiffs seeking to sue the U.S. government for discrimination related to WWII incarceration, after the 9th Circuit ruled the suit was filed too late. The plaintiffs, including Kay Sadao Kato, Jane Natsue Yano and the Ogura family, had each been denied the $20,000 redress payment for various technical reasons.
- Gov. Davis Signs SB 307 – Japantown Preservation Bill, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 1. California Gov. Gray Davis signed SB 307, authored by Sen. John Vasconcellos, to preserve remaining Japantowns in San Francisco, San Jose and Little Tokyo, though he cut the $450,000 General Fund appropriation. Community leaders called it a partial victory and are now pushing for AB 1602, which would provide $267.5 million for cultural preservation if approved by voters in March 2002.
- FBI Meets with Arab and Muslim Americans in Effort to Allay Fears, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. FBI assistant special agent Stephen Steinhauser answered questions for over two and a half hours from Arab and Muslim Americans concerned about the FBI’s post-Sept. 11 investigation tactics. He apologized for any overzealous conduct, addressed concerns about secret evidence and detentions, and Japanese Americans including Rev. Art Tsuneishi spoke in solidarity, drawing parallels to WWII incarceration.
- Agencies Tally Hate Crimes Against Arab Americans, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 1. California Attorney General Bill Lockyer reported more than 230 anti-Arab hate crimes under investigation across six major cities following the Sept. 11 attacks, prompting a new toll-free hotline and outreach campaign. The state’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing is translating hate crime information into Arabic, Farsi, Hindi and Punjabi to assist victims.
- APA Groups Work to Change Geographic Names Containing Racial Slurs, by Associated Press, page 3. Asian Pacific American advocacy groups including JACL and OCA are campaigning to rename geographic features across the U.S. that contain racial slurs like ‘Chinaman’ and ‘Jap,’ following a successful renaming of Chinks Peak in Idaho to Chinese Peak. Efforts continue in Texas to rename Jap Road, though local county commissioners say there’s no local support.
- National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 3. Newly released documents in the Wen Ho Lee case reveal the Justice Department subpoenaed UCLA in 1999 for lists of Chinese and Taiwanese students, raising racial profiling concerns; Rep. Mike Honda attended a memorial for United Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl; and Gov. Davis signed AB 1312, Assemblyman George Nakano’s bill establishing California’s first state-sponsored Asian Pacific Islander Anti-Hate Crimes Program.
- FBI Continued: Steinhauser Addresses Secret Evidence and Detentions, by Martha Nakagawa, page 4. Continuing coverage of the FBI town hall meeting, Steinhauser faced skepticism over secret evidence used to detain individuals, including the case of Dr. Mazen Al-Najjar, held for years without seeing the evidence against him. Japanese American speakers including Ron Wakabayashi and Wayne Fukuda drew comparisons to WWII incarceration and urged continued vigilance against government overreach.
- Hate Crimes Continue Against Arab Americans and Others Nationwide, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 4. An Arab American convenience store owner in Fresno County, Abdo Ali Ahmed, was shot and killed in what his family believes was a hate crime, while gas station owner Balbir Singh Sodhi’s killer pleaded not guilty in Arizona. Additional incidents include arson at an Indian-owned store in Vermont, part of a wave of hate crimes following the Sept. 11 attacks.
Commentary
- The True Strength of America / We Stand United, by Dayton JACL President, page 2. The Dayton JACL president reflects on the emotional aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and warns against repeating the mistakes of WWII internment by scapegoating innocent people based on ethnicity or religion. The piece calls for America to demonstrate strength through protecting civil rights and human rights rather than only military might.
- Letters to the Editor, by Randall Tehida, page 2. A reader from Sacramento reflects on American diversity and consumer culture, noting that freedom was briefly taken away on Sept. 11 but the nation came together afterward. He argues Americans must judge each other as humans rather than by race, now more than ever.
- Reflections, page 2. A personal reflection spanning from the author’s birth during WWI, through the WWII bombing of Pearl Harbor when he was classified an ‘enemy alien,’ to the Sept. 11 attacks decades later. He resolves to work for peace, understanding and forgiveness, and vows to resist war as he did during the Vietnam War.
- Home-grown Terrorists Attack, by Mas Hashimoto, page 3. The author draws parallels between post-Sept. 11 attacks on Arab and Muslim Americans and the WWII-era mistreatment of Japanese Americans, condemning scapegoating of innocent citizens based on ethnicity or religion. He highlights numerous notable contributions of Arab Americans to the nation and calls for unity against enemies of liberty while protecting all Americans’ rights.
- No More Scapegoats, by Christina Shigemura, page 6. The author describes NCRR’s (Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress) efforts to support Muslim and Arab Americans after Sept. 11, including a candlelight vigil attended by over 300 people and community meetings addressing anti-Muslim hate crimes. She urges Japanese Americans to use their historical knowledge of wartime scapegoating to help prevent similar injustices from recurring.
Community
- Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School Opens in Maryland, page 4. The Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School opened as the first school in the Washington D.C. metro area and all of Maryland to be named after an Asian Pacific American. The photo caption notes the historic naming honor.
- Arizona JACL Members Attend Candlelight Vigil, page 5. About 250 people including over 30 Arizona JACL members attended a candlelight vigil at Arizona State University, sponsored by the Asian/Asian Pacific American Student’s Coalition. The chapter donated 500 lapel flag pins to raise funds for families of New York City rescue workers.
- Monterey JACL to Screen ‘Uncommon Courage’, page 6. The Monterey Peninsula JACL will host a free screening of the MIS documentary ‘Uncommon Courage: Patriotism and Civil Liberties’ on Nov. 3, marking the 60th anniversary of the Defense Language Institute. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring MIS veterans from the original graduating class.
- Lodi Hosts ‘Farewell to Manzanar’ Reading Event, page 7. The Lodi Arts Commission announced a series of community events promoting Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston’s book ‘Farewell to Manzanar,’ including a Fred Korematsu documentary screening, oral history projects, and free film screenings about the Japanese American WWII experience. The program culminates in March 2002 with speaking events and a book signing by the Houstons.
- As in the News: Awards, Appointments, Announcements, page 7. Matt Fong was appointed chairman of the PBGC advisory committee by President Bush; Matt Kelley of The Mavin Foundation was profiled among Seattle’s top minority leaders; and George Yutaka Komure was posthumously honored with a new elementary school named after him in Manteca. Additional appointments include a Merced County Superior Court judge and an American Cancer Society planned giving officer.
Sports
- Mt. Olympus Holds Golf Tourney, page 5. Mt. Olympus JACL sponsored its sixth annual Utah JACL Golf Classic, with proceeds benefiting the local JACL scholarship program and relief efforts in New York and Washington, D.C. Winners across multiple flights and categories are listed, including closest to the hole and longest drive contests.
JACL
- Hassle-free Christmas Shopping, by Ryan Chin, page 6. JACL Board VP of Public Affairs Ryan Chin promotes online holiday shopping through JACL’s ‘shop and earn’ website section, which allows members to contribute a portion of purchases to the organization at no extra cost. He explains the three-step process and highlights the convenience, tax savings, and easy returns of internet shopping compared to traditional mall shopping.
Obituaries
- Obituaries, page 7. This issue’s obituary listings include tributes to community members such as James Y. Izumizaki, a member of the 100th Battalion and 442nd RCT, and George Nomura of Spokane, among many others. Survivors, hometowns, and brief biographical details are provided for each individual.
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