Watada, a racial slur in Minnesota and a JACL headquarters debate

Vol. 143, No. 7, October 6, 2006. 12 pages. View this issue

The JACL national board and the case of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada shaped much of this 12-page issue. Caroline Aoyagi-Stom reported on the board’s debate over how strongly to support Watada, who refused deployment to Iraq, and readers wrote in to thank him or to defend him. Lynda Lin covered a Minnesota campaign staffer’s use of a racial slur, which revived memories of Vincent Chin, and the board’s vote to study moving JACL headquarters to Washington, D.C. Fumiko Hayashida, 95, testified before Congress for a Bainbridge Island memorial tied to the Minidoka Internment National Monument.

Also inside: Peter Leung, the first Asian American president of a local NAACP chapter, and civil rights groups, including JACL, criticizing detainee and immigration legislation. Wally Yonamine was honored by the 49ers on the sports page, and Yumi Sakugawa’s column went temple-hopping in Singapore. An interview with Jet Li ran on page 9.

What’s in this issue

National

• Chinese American Has Found a Home at the NAACP, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. Peter Leung, 57, is the first Asian American to serve as a local NAACP chapter president, having broken barriers in 2000 in Corvallis, Oregon. He continues his work bridging Asian American and African American communities through the civil rights organization.
• Minnesota Campaign Staffer’s Use of Racial Slur Revives APA Community’s Spices, by Lynda Lin, page 1. Mike Osskopp, district director for Rep. John Kline, was caught on camera yelling ‘another Jap car’ twice outside a campaign event, reviving painful memories of the 1982 murder of Vincent Chin. Osskopp later apologized but remained on Kline’s staff, angering APA community leaders who say the incident reflects ongoing racism tied to auto industry anxieties.
• Oldest Internment Camp Survivor Urges Passage of Bainbridge Memorial, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 3. Fumiko Hayashida, 95, the oldest living Bainbridge Island internment survivor, testified before a House committee urging Congress to include the Bainbridge Island site as part of the national park system. A bill sponsored by Rep. Jay Inslee would make the Eagledale Ferry Dock a satellite of the Minidoka Internment National Monument.
• Voter ID Bill is Another Burden for APAs, Critics Say, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Federal Election Integrity Act (HR 4844), which passed the House, would require voters to show government-issued identification, a measure critics say burdens minorities, the elderly, students and people with disabilities. JACL and the Asian American Justice Center oppose the bill, saying it undermines recent Voting Rights Act gains for Asian American voters.
• APA Groups Denounce House-Passed Immigration Provisions, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. Asian Pacific American groups are pressuring the Senate to reject three House-passed immigration bills they say could lead to racial profiling of APAs and harm immigrant communities. The bills include the Community Protection Act, Immigration Law Enforcement Act, and Border Tunnel Prevention Act, seen as piecemeal attempts to revive the failed HR 4437.
• Civil Rights Groups, JACL Condemn Detainee Legislation, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 4. Civil rights groups including JACL condemned Senate-approved legislation establishing military tribunals and allowing aggressive interrogation of terrorism suspects, drawing parallels to the unjust treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II. JACL Executive Director John Tateishi warned the legislation could undermine due process and American judicial values.
• Parents of 1st Lt. Watada to Tour Southern California in October, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Bob and Rosa Watada will tour Southern California through Oct. 19 speaking on behalf of their son, organized by Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress, to build public support for Lt. Ehren Watada as he awaits court-martial. Bob Watada, himself a Vietnam-era war objector who served in the Peace Corps, hopes to create a ‘court of public opinion’ against the Iraq war.
• Racial Slur Incident Revives Old Wounds, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Community leaders including Helen Zia and JACL’s John Tateishi continue to challenge Mike Osskopp over his use of a racial slur, drawing connections to the 1982 murder of Vincent Chin amid anti-Japanese auto industry sentiment. Minnesota APA community leaders say the incident reflects broader invisibility and ongoing racism faced by Asian Pacific Americans in the state.

Obituaries

• Iva Toguri, Accused of Being Tokyo Rose, Dead at 90, by Nate Hernandez, page 1. Iva Toguri D’Aquino, who was wrongly accused of being World War II propaganda broadcaster Tokyo Rose, died Sept. 26 in Chicago at age 90. She spent six years in prison before being pardoned by President Gerald Ford in 1977 after journalist Ron Yates uncovered that her accusers had been pressured to lie.
• In Memoriam – 2006, by P.C. Staff, page 11. This compilation lists Japanese American community members who recently passed away, including WWII veterans and long-time residents across California and other states. Entries include survivors’ names and brief biographical details for each individual.
• Tamiko Nishikawa, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Tamiko Nishikawa passed away peacefully in San Jose on Aug. 26, 2006 at age 86, predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Sam L. Nishikawa. Born in Watsonville and raised in Japan, she was incarcerated in Poston, Arizona during WWII and later volunteered for over 25 years with San Jose Yu-Ai Kai after retirement.

JACL

• National Board Debates Watada Controversy, by Caroline Aoyagi-Stom, page 1. The national JACL board met in San Francisco and debated whether to strengthen its support for 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, who refused deployment to Iraq, ultimately voting to reaffirm its earlier statement of concern rather than issue stronger support. Berkeley JACL chapter members pushed for a stronger stance, but board members wanted more input from veterans groups before deciding.
• JACL Closes Third Quarter with Another Surplus, by Lynda Lin, page 1. JACL closed the third quarter with a surplus of $138,481, marking the third consecutive year revenues exceeded expenditures, but National President Larry Oda says this indicates the organization isn’t hiring enough staff. The board is working to fill the Pacific Southwest regional director position and replace outgoing Executive Director John Tateishi.
• JACL Headquarters in Washington, D.C.?, by Lynda Lin, page 1. The national JACL board unanimously approved forming a committee to study moving JACL’s national headquarters from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. National President Larry Oda also wants to explore establishing a legislative office in Sacramento.
• JACL Headquarters Move Would Reshape Organization, by P.C. Staff, page 12. JACL Executive Director John Tateishi discusses the complexities of potentially moving national headquarters to Washington, D.C., including questions about the historic San Francisco building and how the move could reshape the organization’s identity and priorities. Board members are weighing the pros and cons of being closer to legislative activity versus staying near the West Coast APA community.

Commentary

• Reader Thanks Watada, by Roy Shuyo Matsumoto, page 2. A Vietnam war veteran writes to express respect and support for 1st Lt. Ehren Watada’s refusal to deploy to Iraq, calling him a man of high moral character. The writer thanks Watada for standing up for truth amid what he calls ongoing lies and hypocrisy in society.
• Don’t Condemn One of Our Own, by Margaret, Denver, CO, page 2. A letter writer argues that Lt. Watada’s objections to Iraq military service should not divide JACL, and that President Bush’s actions are the real issue dividing the community. The writer believes Watada has First Amendment rights to dissent and may be vindicated by history.
• Unconditional Support for Watada, by Radama, Marina del Rey, CA, page 2. A letter writer expresses unconditional support for Lt. Watada as he faces court martial, arguing his actions demonstrate courage rather than cowardice. The writer challenges critics to define courage under similar circumstances and suggests Watada’s case could set a legal precedent challenging future illegal wars.
• Changes in National Dues, by Edwin Endow, page 8. National JACL Vice President of Membership Edwin Endow outlines dues increases effective Jan. 1, 2007, including a $5 increase for individual, couple/family, and youth memberships, plus increases to Thousand Club and Century Club Life Trust one-time payment amounts. He also recaps the successful national convention hosted by the Arizona chapter and thanks members for their continued support.
• Temple-Hopping in Singapore, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 8. Columnist Yumi Sakugawa recounts a day in Singapore’s Bughis shopping district where she visited both a Hindu temple and a Buddhist temple amid the bustling commercial area. She reflects on the universal nature of prayer and the odd juxtaposition of spiritual devotion within a shopping district.

Community

• PSW District Honors its Selfless Volunteers, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. The Pacific Southwest District of JACL held its 10th annual awards dinner honoring 14 dedicated volunteers from various chapters for their decades of service to the organization and community. Honorees included Ted Namba, sisters Kaleigh and Kimberly Komatsu, Janet Okubo, May Doi, and several others recognized for leadership roles and community contributions.
• GLAS Awards Hana Uno Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Greater L.A. Singles JACL sponsored a fundraiser scholarship dance honoring Emily Mayemura as this year’s winner of the Hana Uno Scholarship, given to a graduating senior from a single parent home. Mayemura raised $800 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society after her father’s death and will attend UC Irvine to pursue teaching.

Sports

• Yonamine Honored by 49ers, Unity Award, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The San Francisco 49ers announced the Joe Perry/Wally Yonamine Unity Award honoring the team’s 60th anniversary season, named for Yonamine who in 1947 became the first player of Asian descent to play professional football. Yonamine later went on to a 12-year career in Japanese baseball and was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994.
• Former Blue Jay Pitcher Nakamura Sets Save Record in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Michael Nakamura recorded his 39th save on Sept. 27, setting a new single-season record in Japan’s Pacific League. Nakamura, who also played for the Minnesota Twins, helped the Nippon Ham Fighters secure first place in the league standings.
• Hawaii Winter Baseball Back in Action, by Jaymes Song, page 7. Hawaii Winter Baseball returned Oct. 1 after a nine-year hiatus, featuring 126 prospects from Japanese professional teams and Major League organizations. The league previously helped develop stars like Ichiro Suzuki and Jason Giambi during its run in the mid-1990s.
• Kelly Inouye-Perez to Take Over as UCLA Softball Coach, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Assistant coach Kelly Inouye-Perez will become just the third head coach in UCLA softball’s 32-year history, taking over from retiring coach Sue Enquist. Inouye-Perez, a former catcher on UCLA’s championship teams, will be joined by a staff including Olympic gold medalists Lisa Fernandez and Natasha Watley.

Arts & Entertainment

• Jet Li Talks Retirement, Lawsuit and APAs, by Lynda Lin, page 9. In an interview, Jet Li discusses his film ‘Fearless,’ which he says will be his last martial arts period film, and addresses a lawsuit filed by descendants of Huo Yuanjia who claim the biopic misrepresents their ancestor. Li also comments on Asian American representation in film and the importance of supporting Asian cinema through box office support rather than pirated copies.

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