Vol. 139, No. 7, October 1, 2004. 12 pages. View this issue
A profile of performer Kristina Wong, creator of bigbadchinesemama.com, led the issue, written by Lynda Lin. Alongside it, JACL Executive Director John Tateishi took on Michelle Malkin’s book ‘In Defense of Internment,’ arguing that it misreads history to justify post-9/11 policies. The Associated Press reported from Little Rock, where hundreds of former internees and families gathered to look back at Arkansas’s Jerome and Rohwer camps. Caroline Aoyagi covered Florida’s law requiring places with racist names, including ‘Jap Rock,’ to be renamed.
On page 3 are stories on Jimmy Meng, expected to be the first Asian American in the New York Legislature, and an Amnesty International report on racial profiling. Elsewhere: a conference on the Korematsu and Endo rulings, a San Diego veterans memorial, Julia Chiang on the JACL Junior Olympics, sports news, Harry Honda’s column, and a bill to restore Angel Island.
What’s in this issue
Arts & Entertainment
- Kristina Wong: The Woman Behind Bigbadchinesemama.com, by Lynda Lin, page 1. Assistant Editor Lynda Lin profiles performer and provocateur Kristina Wong, creator of bigbadchinesemama.com, exploring her use of satire to confront stereotypes of Asian women. The interview delves into Wong’s artistic motivations, her performance work including ‘Fannie Wong,’ and her views on identity, sexuality and activism.
- APA Talent? The Good, Bad and Ugly, by Lynda Lin, page 9. The ‘Kollaboration’ talent show held auditions in Los Angeles, drawing a wide range of Asian Pacific American performers including singers, dancers and rappers. Creator Paul Kim discusses the show’s mission to showcase the diverse talents of APAs beyond common stereotypes.
Commentary
- Until the Fat Lady Sings, by John Tateishi, page 1. JACL Executive Director John Tateishi criticizes Michelle Malkin’s book ‘In Defense of Internment’ for misrepresenting history to justify post-9/11 policies. He argues that racism underlies the appeal of such revisionism and calls on JACL members to continue combating these views.
- From J-School to JA Identity, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 5. In this Youth Forum column, UCLA student Yumi Sakugawa reflects on her experience attending rigorous Japanese language school and how it shaped a Japanese identity distinct from a Japanese American one. She describes her journey toward understanding her place within the JA community after attending Nisei Week in Little Tokyo.
- What the JACL Junior Olympics has Meant for Me, by Julia Chiang, page 7. High school student Julia Chiang reflects on ten years of competing in the JACL Junior Olympics track and field program, culminating in her winning the Outstanding Athlete of the Meet award. She credits the experience with teaching her hard work, self-motivation, and building lasting friendships within the JA community.
- A Whirling Weekend at ‘Baghdad-by-the-Bay’, by Harry Honda, page 8. Columnist Harry Honda recounts a nostalgic weekend in San Francisco reconnecting with old friends and attending a Japanese Cultural and Community Center fundraiser honoring six Nikkei journalists. He also recalls a reunion event celebrating the history of the Buchanan Street YMCA and its role in the Japanese American community.
National
- Florida’s ‘Jap Rock’ Among List of Places That Will Require Name Change, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. New Florida legislation requires cities and counties to identify and rename places with racist or ethnic slurs, including a site called ‘Jap Rock’ in Highland Beach. The move follows similar efforts in Texas, where JA activists successfully pushed for renaming roads containing the slur ‘Jap.’
- University of Virginia to Get Asian American Studies Program, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The University of Virginia Student Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the creation of an Asian American Studies program after a decade-long push by the Asian Student Union. Organizers now plan to seek course approval and faculty hiring to build a full department.
- Study Shows Racial Profiling a Growing U.S. Problem, by Siobhan McDonough, Associated Press Writer, page 3. An Amnesty International USA report finds nearly 32 million Americans have experienced racial profiling, with the practice worsening since 9/11, particularly against Middle Eastern, South Asian, Muslim and Sikh communities. The report criticizes weak state laws and warns that profiling undermines national security by diverting attention from all potential threats.
- Queens Poised to Produce First Asian American State Legislator, by Joel Stashenko, Associated Press Writer, page 3. Jimmy Meng, a Taiwanese immigrant, is expected to become the first Asian American elected to the New York state Legislature after winning a Democratic primary in Queens. The article examines New York’s slow progress in Asian American political representation compared to California and discusses the growing influence of the state’s Asian population.
- U.S. House Committee Approves Angel Island Restoration Bill, by Associated Press, page 12. The U.S. House Resources Committee approved legislation to provide up to $15 million in federal funds toward restoring the historic Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco Bay. The site, known as the ‘Ellis Island of the West,’ processed more than 1 million immigrants between 1910 and 1940, many of whom faced detention under the Chinese Exclusion Act.
In-Depth
- Arkansas Internment Camps Revisited, by Melissa Nelson, Associated Press Writer, page 1. Hundreds of former internees and their families gathered in Little Rock for a conference examining the long-neglected history of Arkansas’s Jerome and Rohwer internment camps. The event, organized with the Japanese American National Museum, included exhibits of children’s wartime artwork and personal testimonies from survivors like Marian Takagi.
Community
- High School Senior Puts Bilingual Skills to Use, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. Seventeen-year-old Nicole Adams founded ‘Your Memoir,’ a nonprofit that helps elderly Issei translate their memoirs from Japanese to English for their families. Adams, who is half-Japanese and bilingual, has translated several memoirs, including one for a woman who passed away shortly after the project’s completion.
- Conference to Look at Legal Ramifications of World War II Civil Liberties Cases, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The University of North Carolina School of Law, UCLA Asian American Studies Center, and the Japanese American National Museum are hosting a conference marking the 60th anniversary of the Korematsu and Endo Supreme Court rulings. Speakers will include Judge A. Wallace Tashima, litigant Fred Korematsu, and other scholars and historians.
- San Diego Nikkei Veterans Memorial Planned, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Japanese American Historical Society of San Diego is building a memorial honoring Japanese American veterans, inspired by Carlsbad resident George Furuya Jr. in memory of his father, a 442nd veteran. The committee aims to dedicate the monument on Memorial Day 2005 and is raising funds for its construction.
Sports
- Karate, Four Other Sports in Running for Olympic Inclusion, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 7. The International Olympic Committee is reviewing karate, golf, rugby, squash and roller sports for potential inclusion in the 2012 Olympics. The IOC plans to finalize the sports program and select the host city in July 2005.
- Kawashima Defends WBC Super Flyweight Title, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 7. Japan’s Katsushige Kawashima defeated Mexico’s Raul Juarez by unanimous decision to retain his WBC super flyweight title. It was Kawashima’s first successful defense since winning the belt from Masamori Tokuyama in June.
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