Vol. 139, No. 3, August 6, 2004. 12 pages. View this issue
A racial slur in public life ran through the front page of this 12-page issue. Caroline Aoyagi reported that Jefferson County, Texas renamed a road that carried the slur, and that advocates were now turning to a similar lane in neighboring Orange County. Lynda Lin wrote about a Los Angeles radio host who used the same word on air, and about the debate over free speech and accountability on talk radio. JACL National President Floyd Mori wrote an open letter to former scholarship recipients as the organization marked its 75th anniversary.
Elsewhere, Yumi Sakugawa covered the band Visiting Violette and the L.A. Tofu Festival in Little Tokyo. A special section profiled Asian American and Pacific Islander athletes headed to the Athens Olympics, with a Q&A with badminton players Howard Bach and Kevin Han. Lynda Lin interviewed actress Bai Ling, and Harry Honda looked at Japan’s changing military role. The paper also reported the death of former JACL National President Clifford Uyeda.
What’s in this issue
Arts & Entertainment
- A Visit from Visiting Violette, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 1. Visiting Violette, an Asian American band composed of Lee Takasugi, Glenn Suravech and Shin Kawasaki, performed at the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles as part of an eight-week competition sponsored by WorldAsia Television. The band discussed the challenges of breaking into the mainstream music industry despite a lack of perceived market for Asian American artists.
- Violette (continued), by Yumi Sakugawa, page 4. The continuation covers Visiting Violette’s performance strategy at the Knitting Factory competition and their upcoming plans, including opening for the Yoshida Brothers during Nisei Week and finishing a new album titled ‘Jellyfish.’ Band member Glenn Suravech expressed pride in the band’s authenticity despite not winning the competition.
- This Woman’s Work: Bai Ling Interview, by Lynda Lin, page 9. In a candid interview, Chinese American actress Bai Ling discusses her diverse film roles, learning multiple languages, past struggles including time in a mental hospital, and her experiences witnessing the Tiananmen Square massacre. She also reflects on typecasting, racism in Hollywood auditions, and her upcoming book about Tibet.
Commentary
- Mori Memo: An Open Letter to Former JACL Scholarship Recipients, by Floyd Mori, page 1. JACL National President Floyd Mori writes to former JACL scholarship recipients, urging them to become JACL members as the organization celebrates its 75th anniversary. He notes declining membership and asks former recipients and current leaders to help grow membership through gift memberships and outreach.
- Letters: Role of Buddhism, page 2. A reader thanks the Pacific Citizen for a front-page article recognizing the vital role Buddhist temples played in Japanese American communities, especially during and after World War II internment. The letter details how temples provided spiritual and cultural refuge and continue to serve the community today.
- Letters: Re: Parcells’ Use of ‘Jap’, by Etsuko Furumatsu, page 2. A reader from San Diego criticizes Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells for his use of the term ‘Jap Plays,’ calling it an ignorant and bigoted act. The brief letter expresses disdain for the comment as a ‘slack-jawed hick play.’
- Letters: A Yonsei Inspiration, by Biki Fujita, page 2. A reader praises a Youth Forum article written by Jessica Kawamura, a young JACL Berkeley chapter member, calling her a role model for Yonsei, Sansei and Nisei alike. The letter commends her maturity and insight despite her youth.
- Letters: JA Homage to President Reagan, by Dave Tani, page 2. A reader adds context to a prior Pacific Citizen article on President Reagan’s signing of the Civil Liberties Act, noting Reagan’s words are inscribed at the Japanese American Memorial in Washington D.C. The letter recounts how the memorial’s message of admitting past wrongs resonated with a 2001 solidarity rally against hate crimes following 9/11.
- Wanted: Single Asian Woman Seeking Sexy Asian Male Actors, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 5. In this Youth Forum column, the author reflects on the lack of Asian American male sex symbols in mainstream media compared to the sexualized image of Asian women. She critiques Hollywood’s tendency to typecast Asian men as martial artists or asexual figures rather than portraying them as desirable romantic leads.
National
- Groups Savor End of ‘Jap Road,’ Focus Now Shifts to Renaming ‘Jap Lane’, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. After more than a decade of effort and a federal discrimination complaint, Jefferson County, Texas renamed ‘Jap Road’ to Boondocks Road, and advocates are now turning attention to renaming ‘Jap Lane’ in neighboring Orange County. Orange County officials have taken some action, including designating a nearby road ‘Kishi Road,’ but have not yet committed to renaming ‘Jap Lane’ itself.
- Hate Radio, by Lynda Lin, page 1. KFI 640AM radio personality Paul ‘The Wall’ Charfauros used the slur ‘Jap’ on air on July 5, 2004, prompting complaints to the FCC and advertisers, though the station only issued private letters of apology rather than an on-air apology. The article explores KFI’s history of racially insensitive incidents and the broader debate over free speech versus accountability for hate speech on talk radio.
- Judge: S.F. Violated State’s Ban on Race and Sex Preferences, by Lisa Leff, page 3. A California Superior Court judge ruled that San Francisco’s affirmative action program for public contracting violates Proposition 209’s ban on race and gender preferences. The city plans to appeal the decision, which resulted from a lawsuit brought by the Pacific Legal Foundation on behalf of two construction companies.
- Members of President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs Sworn-in, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A White House ceremony swore in 14 new members of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, established by Executive Order under President Bush. Commission chairwoman Betty Wu said the group aims to address issues facing AAPI communities and promote economic growth.
- Unlike Hispanics, Surging Asian Population Lacks National Political Clout, by Genaro C. Armas, page 3. Despite being the country’s second fastest-growing minority group, Asian Americans have far less national political influence than Hispanics due to lower voter registration and citizenship rates. Activists are pushing for voter registration drives as both political parties largely overlook courting the Asian American vote.
- U.S. Armed Forces Commissions First Buddhist Chaplain, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The U.S. Armed Forces commissioned Rev. Jeanette Shin of the Buddhist Churches of America as the first Buddhist chaplain in a ceremony at the Pentagon. Shin, a former Marine, was ordained in Kyoto and will serve in the U.S. Navy.
- National Newsbytes, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. A roundup of national news briefs covers Japanese women setting a new record for longest life expectancy, a Sikh student detained by Secret Service at Boston College, a discrimination settlement for women and minorities at West Virginia’s Division of Highways, an ACLU complaint over interpreter shortages in Rhode Island, and donations for Hmong refugees in Wisconsin.
- APAs in the News, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Grant Hirabayashi, a WWII veteran of Merrill’s Marauders, was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Georgia. Also featured is Van Tran, an Orange County city councilman poised to become the first Vietnamese American elected to the California Legislature.
- Jap Lane (continued), by Caroline Aoyagi, page 4. The continuation details ongoing efforts to rename ‘Jap Lane’ in Orange County, Texas, including JACL Houston chapter president George Hirasaki’s push to rename it ‘Kishi Lane’ after his pioneering family. Advocates are weighing whether to file a federal discrimination complaint similar to the one used in Jefferson County, while another ‘Jap’ road has been discovered in Fort Bend County.
- Hate Radio (continued), by Lynda Lin, page 12. The continuation details KFI’s history of controversial remarks, including incidents involving Hispanic and Asian Pacific American communities, and contrasts the station’s lenient treatment of Charfauros with Howard Stern’s firing by Clear Channel for indecency. Media watchdogs and free speech advocates weigh in on the responsibility of radio hosts and stations regarding racially charged language.
Community
- Soy Dreams, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 5. The 9th annual L.A. Tofu Festival in Little Tokyo drew crowds with a tofu-eating contest won by actor Yuki Matsuzaki and creative tofu dishes ranging from tacos to gumbo. Event organizers say the festival helps bring diverse visitors into Little Tokyo while raising funds for the Little Tokyo Service Center.
- U of Idaho Conducting Project on WWII Army Programs, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The University of Idaho’s Asian American Comparative Collection is researching Asian American students who participated in the Army Specialized Training Program and Army Specialized Training Reserve Program during 1943-45. Researchers are seeking participants or their associates to share information for the project.
Sports
- Olympics 2004 Special Section: Athletes to Watch, by Compiled by Lynda Lin and the U.S. Olympic Committee, page 6. This special section profiles numerous Asian American and Pacific Islander Olympic athletes competing in Athens across sports including wrestling, table tennis, softball, volleyball, decathlon, gymnastics and diving. Athletes featured include Stephen Abas, Tela O’Donnell, Gao Jun, Khoa Nguyen, Tawny Banh, Whitney Ping, Lovieanne Jung, Logan Tom, Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, Bryan Clay, Mohini Bhardwaj and Kimiko Hirai Soldati.
- Q&A with U.S. Badminton Team’s Howard Bach and Kevin Han, page 7. Olympic badminton players Howard Bach and Kevin Han discuss their partnership, strategy, and the challenges of competing as underdogs in a sport many Americans don’t take seriously. Bach also addresses being named one of People magazine’s ‘America’s 50 Hottest Bachelors’ and his hopes to compete again in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
In-Depth
- Land of the Rising Gun — a ‘9/11 Look’ at Japan, by Harry Honda, page 8. Columnist Harry Honda reflects on an Economist article about Japan’s shifting foreign policy and military posture, including sending troops to Iraq for the first time since WWII. He also reviews Franklin Odo’s book ‘No Sword to Bury,’ which chronicles the Japanese American experience in Hawaii during World War II and the story of the Varsity Victory Volunteers.
JACL
- Former Nat’l JACL Pres. Uyeda Passes, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Former JACL National President Clifford Uyeda died on July 29 at age 87 after battling bone cancer, having led the organization during the launch of the redress campaign in 1978. Uyeda was present at the White House signing of the first redress bill and was remembered by JACL executive director John Tateishi as an exceptional leader of few words but tremendous action.
Obituaries
- In Memoriam, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This compilation lists Japanese American community members who recently passed away, including their birthplaces, survivors, and community ties. Entries include Toshiko Hirashima, Kenneth Iwao Hiroshima, Hatsuye Kadoya, Roy Minoru Kamibayashi, and others.
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