The Gilroy hot springs, the ‘no-nos’ and a Tule Lake pilgrimage

Vol. 149, No. 2, July 17, 2009. 16 pages. View this issue

A resort that welcomed Japanese American families after the war was the subject of the front-page story. Leslie K. Tamura reported that the Gilroy-Yamato Hot Springs could close if California’s budget crisis shuts down Henry W. Coe State Park. Barbara Takei wrote about organizing the 2009 Tule Lake pilgrimage, which drew 400 people, and about the 12,000 “no-nos” who protested the World War II incarceration (often called internment) through the loyalty questionnaire. Her column continued on page 13.

Other stories covered Nalea J. Ko on Lisa Ling’s vigil for her sister Laura Ling and Euna Lee, a new Ellis Island exhibit on the 100th Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and JACL’s first Collegiate Washington, D.C. Leadership Conference. Harry K. Honda wrote about Steven Chu and Togo Tanaka, and an obituary remembered Tanaka. JACL thanked lawmakers for more funding to preserve Minidoka and Heart Mountain.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Remembering the Legacy of the ‘No-Nos’, by Barbara Takei, page 2. Barbara Takei reflects on organizing the 2009 Tule Lake pilgrimage, which drew 400 pilgrims including many elderly former internees who endured demanding conditions with patience and gratitude. She explains the long-hidden history of the 12,000 ‘no-nos’ who protested their wartime incarceration through the loyalty questionnaire, arguing they deserve honor rather than the stigma of disloyalty they have carried for decades.
• Admiring Chu, Remembering Tanaka, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Harry Honda praises Energy Secretary Steven Chu’s innovative approaches to energy policy, including alternative energy ideas like a ‘global glucose economy’ and reflective rooftops to combat global warming. He also remembers the late Togo Tanaka, a pioneering Nisei journalist who named Honda’s column and became a legendary figure in the JA community.
• The World is Watching Iran, by Peter Shigeki Frandsen, page 8. Peter Frandsen contrasts a peaceful candlelight vigil in Santa Monica supporting Iranian protesters with the violent images emerging from Iran’s disputed election aftermath, including the death of Neda. He reflects on how social media has empowered the Iranian resistance movement and expresses hope for their pursuit of freedom.
• Takei: Remembering the Legacy of the ‘No-Nos’ (continued), by Barbara Takei, page 13. Continuing her reflection, Takei argues that the ‘no-no’ protesters have been unfairly stigmatized as disloyal while the ‘loyal’ Nisei myth was used to manipulate public opinion after the war. She calls for honoring the courage of these civil rights activists and welcoming their stories back into the community after 67 years of silence.

National

• State Budget Crisis Threatens Another Part of JA History, by Leslie K. Tamura, page 3. The Gilroy-Yamato Hot Springs, a historic resort that served as a post-WWII refuge for Japanese American families resettling from internment, faces closure as California’s budget crisis threatens to shut down Henry W. Coe State Park. Advocates like Laura Dominguez-Yon and the nonprofit Friends of Gilroy Hot Springs have been working to restore and reopen the site, but Gov. Schwarzenegger’s proposal to close 222 of 279 state parks could halt that progress indefinitely.
• Lisa Ling Says U.S. Clemency Could Free Imprisoned Journalists, by Nalea J. Ko, page 4. Journalist Lisa Ling led a vigil supporting her sister Laura Ling and colleague Euna Lee, who were sentenced to 12 years hard labor in North Korea after admitting to breaking the law while reporting near the China-North Korea border. Supporters are rallying for U.S. government intervention and amnesty amid rising tensions including a suspected North Korean cyberattack on U.S. websites.
• Filipino WWII Veterans Honored, by Associated Press, page 5. About 140 Filipino veterans of World War II received commemorative medals at a Honolulu ceremony honoring their service, decades after being promised U.S. citizenship and benefits that were rescinded in 1946. Congress recently passed legislation awarding surviving veterans payments, though many, like Salome Calderon, say the promised checks have yet to arrive.
• Bill Introduced to Name S.F. Chinatown Post Office After Lim Poon Lee, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced legislation to name San Francisco’s Chinatown post office after Lim Poon Lee, the nation’s first Chinese American postmaster who was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Lee, who died in 2002, helped open the post office in 1977 and worked to diversify its staff during his tenure.
• New York Assemblywoman Wants to Bar Use of ‘Oriental’, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 5. New York Assemblywoman Grace Meng introduced legislation to eliminate the word ‘Oriental’ from state documents, calling it a racist relic of a bygone era. The bill, spurred by a constituent being labeled ‘Oriental’ on a police document, passed the Assembly unanimously and awaits a Senate vote.
• WWII Internment Led to Ornate E. Oregon Temple, by Associated Press, page 6. The Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple in Ontario, Oregon, which traces its roots to Japanese Americans who resettled there after WWII internment, faces declining membership as its aging congregation dwindles. Rev. Joshin Dennis Fujimoto and community members reflect on the area’s history as a welcoming haven and the challenges of maintaining Buddhist practice among younger generations.
• Lt. Dan Choi Will Fight Discharge, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A military board recommended that Lt. Dan Choi, a gay New York National Guard officer, be discharged under the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. Choi has vowed to fight the recommendation, which would make him the first New York Guard member discharged under the policy.
• Site of Riverside’s Former Chinatown Still in Limbo, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A judge ruled that the Riverside County Office of Education did not follow proper laws when it sold the site of the city’s former Chinatown to a developer, though the city itself did not violate environmental laws in approving the project. Preservationists continue to fight to protect the historic site, which is rich with artifacts from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
• Uighur Protesters March in D.C. to China’s Embassy, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer accused the Chinese government of inciting rising tensions and repressing peaceful Uighur demonstrators. About 100 protesters marched to the Chinese Embassy in Washington amid ongoing ethnic violence reports.
• Feds Could Seize Calif. Parks if Closed by Budget, by P.C. Staff, page 6. California officials are trying to prevent the federal government from seizing six state parks, including Angel Island, which could be closed as part of Gov. Schwarzenegger’s plan to save $143 million amid a $26 billion budget deficit. Angel Island, known as the ‘Ellis Island of the West,’ served as an immigration facility for many Asian immigrants.
• City May Reconsider Renaming a Street After Filipino Hero, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Carson City Council postponed a decision to rename Moneta Avenue to Jose Rizal Avenue after residents opposed changing their official addresses. The proposal, made by Councilman Elito Santarina, has been referred to a signage committee.
• Union Posthumously Honors Hawaii Activist, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. The National Education Association posthumously honored late Hawaii activist Ah Quon McElrath with a human and civil rights award named after Cesar Chavez. McElrath had pushed the state legislature to improve unemployment benefits and workers’ compensation.
• House Committee Vote on Akaka Bill Delayed, by Associated Press and P.C. Staff, page 7. A key House Natural Resources Committee vote on the Akaka Bill, which would grant Native Hawaiians self-governance rights similar to American Indians, was postponed for coordination purposes. The Native Hawaiian Bar Association has criticized provisions granting the federal government broad immunity from claims regarding land taken during the 1898 annexation.
• Minorities are Majority in 7 W. Wash. Districts, by Associated Press, page 7. Seven Seattle-area school districts, including Kent, now have minority-majority student populations as part of a demographic shift driven by immigration and higher minority birth rates. Educators say the growing diversity has significant implications for teaching methods and requires more support for staff and students.
• Actor Kal Penn Starts Work as White House AAPI Liaison, by Associated Press, page 7. Actor Kal Penn began a new role as associate director in the White House Office of Public Liaison, focusing on connecting the Obama administration with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Penn, who will use his given name Kalpen Modi while working for the administration, said the job has nothing to do with his acting career.

JACL

• New York JACLer Receives Order of the Rising Sun, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. Longtime New York JACL member Dr. Setsuko Matsunaga Nishi was honored by the Japanese government with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, for her contributions furthering U.S.-Japan relations. She was a sociology professor at Brooklyn College and CUNY Graduate School from 1965 until her 1999 retirement.
• Diablo Valley JACL Awards Chapter Scholarship, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. The Diablo Valley JACL awarded its 2009 chapter scholarship to Justin Batcheller, a recent graduate of Campolindo High School, at a luncheon in Walnut Creek. Batcheller will attend Brown University in the fall.
• Watanabe Heads Census Bureau’s Advisory Committee, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. Paul Watanabe, director of the Institute for Asian American Studies at UMass Boston, was selected to serve on the U.S. Census Bureau’s Advisory Committee on the Asian population. He will help advise on achieving a more accurate count of APAs in the 2010 Census.
• JACL Hosts First Collegiate D.C. Leadership Conference, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 12. Thirteen students from across the U.S. participated in JACL’s inaugural Collegiate Washington, D.C. Leadership Conference, interacting with White House officials and community leaders while attending workshops on ethnic identity and public policy. The conference, sponsored by the UPS Foundation, included sessions on APAs in the Obama administration and hate crimes.
• JACL Thanks Lawmakers For Supporting Camp Preservation, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 12. JACL recognized Rep. Mike Honda and other lawmakers for increasing federal funding for the preservation of WWII Japanese American internment camp sites from $1 million to $2.5 million. The organization also thanked Rep. Norman Dicks and Rep. Mike Simpson for their support of Minidoka and Heart Mountain preservation efforts.
• JACL Unveils New Scholarship Directory for APA Students, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 13. JACL, State Farm, OCA, and the University of Maryland’s Asian American Studies Program collaborated to create a directory of scholarships, internships, and fellowships for APA students, unveiled at a July 14 Washington D.C. briefing. National director Floyd Mori said the resource aims to provide APA youth access to opportunities often hidden from view.

Community

• API Equality-LA Wins City of Los Angeles Pride Award, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. API Equality-LA was recognized as part of Los Angeles’ LGBT pride celebration for its organizing work in APA communities. The coalition works to build support for equal marriage rights and fair treatment of LGBT people.
• JA Leaders Receive Congressional Recognition, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard presented Certificates of Congressional Recognition to honorees at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center’s 29th anniversary celebration, including photographer Archie Miyatake and actor Masi Oka. The JACCC is described as the preeminent presenter of Japanese and APA performing and visual arts nationally.
• S.F. Luncheon on U.S.-Japan Relations to Feature High Power Lawmakers, Diplomats, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 11. Sen. Daniel Inouye and Japan Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki will keynote a July 18 luncheon in San Francisco as part of the Japanese American Leadership Delegation Summit. The event will address U.S.-Japan relations and the role Japanese Americans can play in strengthening bilateral ties.
• Inouye Institute Hosts Creative Arts Camp, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 12. The 20 grandchildren of Charles Inouye and Bessie Murakami hosted their third annual creative arts camp in Gunnison, Utah, themed ‘Making History,’ serving 96 participants in music, art, and drama classes. The camp continues the legacy of the couple, who met at Heart Mountain and later built a farm in the rural Utah community.
• At 84, Murata Finally Gets High School Diploma, by Associated Press, page 13. Takeshi Murata, drafted into WWII military intelligence service at 18 before completing high school, finally received his diploma at age 84 after a teacher tracked down his records decades later. University of Northern Colorado President Kay Norton presented Murata with the diploma, which his old school had previously denied him.
• Marching For More Perfect Unions, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 13. San Francisco JACL members joined the API Equity Coalition in the city’s Gay Pride Parade under the theme ‘To Form a More Perfect Union,’ with Community Grand Marshal Helen Zia and her spouse Lia Shigemura participating. Greg Marutani noted the historical significance of overturned anti-miscegenation laws for mixed marriages in the Asian American community.

Arts & Entertainment

• Not So Angry Little Asian Girl, by Nalea J. Ko, page 9. Artist Lela Lee turned childhood experiences of racism into the successful ‘Angry Little Asian Girl’ cartoon franchise, which expanded into ‘Angry Little Girls’ featuring diverse characters. Her work, now on YouTube, has resonated with audiences seeking authentic representation and empowerment for Asian American women in media.

Obituaries

• He Knew How to Give Because of the Gift He was Given, by Lynda Lin, page 10. Todd Sato, former JACL national youth representative, died of heart failure at 29 after receiving a heart transplant at 18 and dedicating his life to organ donation advocacy. He donated his kidneys, cornea tissue, and heart valve upon his death, continuing his legacy of giving even after passing.
• Togo W. Tanaka: JACLer Was an ‘Uncompromising Advocate For Civil Rights’, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 15. Togo W. Tanaka, longtime JACLer and journalist who helped launch the Manzanar Free Press, died at 93 of natural causes. Despite advocating cooperation with camp authorities and becoming a target of internee anger, Tanaka remained a vocal critic of the policies that created the internment camps throughout his career.
• Margaret Misao Yasuda, page 15. Margaret Misao Yasuda, born in Seattle in 1923, died May 29, 2009 at age 85 after a career as a public health nurse with the King County Public Health Department. She was interned at Minidoka during WWII and was active in numerous Japanese American community organizations including JACL and the Nisei Veterans Committee Women’s Auxiliary.
• Fumio Toya, page 15. Fumio Toya, a native of Hawaii and U.S. Army veteran of WWII and Korea, died June 28, 2009 at age 83. A UC Berkeley graduate and avid reader, he published his own novel in 2008 and was survived by his wife Vivian and their children and grandson.
• Johnny Katsui Sakioka, page 15. Johnny Katsui Sakioka, a California-born resident of Newport Beach, died peacefully at home on June 19 at age 82 surrounded by family. Memorial services were held at Mesa Verde Country Club, officiated by Rev. Noriaki Ito, with survivors including his wife Grace and three children.

In-Depth

• New Exhibit To Feature Japanese American WWII History, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 10. Historian Eric Saul is developing an exhibit for Ellis Island Immigration Station Museum chronicling the WWII experience of Japanese American soldiers in the 100th Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and Military Intelligence Service. The exhibit, requiring community-donated photographs and memorabilia, will examine how Nisei veterans influenced postwar civil rights and later tour to Los Angeles and beyond.

Sports

• A Ceremonial First Pitch Honor For ‘Fibber’, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 11. Satoshi ‘Fibber’ Hirayama was honored at Stockton Ports’ JA Baseball Heritage Night, throwing a ceremonial first pitch nearly six decades after becoming one of the first Japanese Americans signed to a professional baseball contract in 1952. Hirayama went on to play in Japan’s Nippon Pro Baseball league before becoming a scout and educator.

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