Jeremy Lin, Congressional Gold Medals and JACL’s new national director

Vol. 154, No. 5, March 16, 2012. 16 pages. View this issue

Reaction to Jeremy Lin ran through the March 16, 2012 issue. John Tateishi wrote about the racist commentary around his rise in the NBA, and a news story followed the radio hosts who asked listeners for racist jokes about him. Priscilla Ouchida, JACL’s new national director, was interviewed by Nalea J. Ko about her career and her priorities. Two stories covered ceremonies in Monterey and Portland where Nisei veterans of the 442nd Regiment and 100th Battalion received Congressional Gold Medals.

Also inside: Nalea J. Ko’s report on why many Asian Pacific Americans do not get tested for HIV/AIDS, an interview with special effects artist Sue Lee, and a Maui school band invited to Carnegie Hall. James Kumpel wrote about a life of remembrance, and the Northern California Time of Remembrance marked 70 years since Executive Order 9066. Efforts to preserve the Honouliuli incarceration site in Hawaii are also covered.

What’s in this issue

Community

• Monterey JACL Chapter Honors Local Nisei Vets, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Monterey JACL Chapter and Nisei VFW Post #1629 hosted a ceremony honoring 35 Nisei WWII veterans with Congressional Gold Medal replicas, since many could not attend the November 2011 Washington D.C. ceremony. Veterans from the 442nd Regiment, 100th Battalion and Military Intelligence Service were recognized, with keynote speaker Tom Graves praising their role in fighting discrimination and integrating the military.
• Oregon Honors Congressional Gold Medal Awardees, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Twenty Nisei WWII veterans received Congressional Gold Medals at a ceremony organized by the Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Oregon Nisei Veterans in Portland, attended by over 450 people. Congressman Earl Blumenauer and retired military generals presented the medals, with speeches and a video tribute honoring Oregon’s Nisei veterans.
• APAs in the News, by P.C. Staff, page 11. A roundup of news about Asian Pacific Americans including NJAHS honoring WWII veterans Tom Sakamoto and Lawson Sakai, Mike Reynolds named superintendent of Tule Lake and Lava Beds National Monument, Salu Hunkin-Finau entering the American Samoa governor’s race, and Todd Park appointed as the White House’s new Chief Technology Officer.
• N. California Holds Time of Remembrance, by Andy Noguchi, ‘My P.C.’ Contributor, page 11. About 200 people attended Sacramento’s Northern California Time of Remembrance event marking the 70th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, with discussions drawing parallels to the recently authorized indefinite military detention provisions of the NDAA. The event featured the California premiere of the documentary ‘Prisoners and Patriots’ about DOJ internment camps and honored community members with Mary Tsukamoto Daruma Awards.
• JA Delegation Meets With Japanese P.M. Noda, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The 2012 Japanese American Leadership Delegation met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who expressed gratitude for Japanese American community’s earthquake relief efforts. The delegation also toured the Tohoku region, delivered messages of hope from American children, and met with Japanese government and business leaders.
• JAVA Presents WWII Books to Public Schools, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The Japanese American Veterans Association donated WWII internment-themed children’s books, ‘Hello Maggie’ and ‘A Boy of Heart Mountain,’ to all public schools in Montgomery County, Maryland to help preserve the legacy of Nisei veterans. Both books were written by internment survivor Shigeru Yabu and illustrated by Willie Ito, a fellow internee.
• New Mexico Symposium to Explore WWII Internment, by P.C. Staff, page 12. A two-day New Mexico Centennial Symposium in April will explore the WWII experiences of Japanese Americans imprisoned in Department of Justice camps, particularly at Santa Fe and Lordsburg. The event commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Santa Fe Internment Camp Historical Marker and features survivors and descendants as presenters.
• Hohri Honored by Chicago, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The City of Chicago presented William Hohri with a resolution recognizing his instrumental role in securing restitution for Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII, as well as his contributions as an early computer programmer. Mayor Rahm Emanuel signed the resolution, which was accepted by Hohri’s wife Yuriko.

In-Depth

• Ending the Silence: APAs Urged to Increase HIV/AIDS Testing, by Nalea J. Ko, Reporter, page 3. Despite Asian Pacific Americans representing only 2.8 percent of California’s HIV/AIDS cases, one in three APAs living with HIV doesn’t know their status, often due to stigma and lack of culturally competent testing services. The article follows personal stories of Philip and Randy, two APA men living with HIV/AIDS, highlighting barriers to testing and treatment in their communities.
• Maui H.S. Band to Bring Local Talent to Carnegie Hall, by Christine Fukushima, Correspondent, page 5. Maui’s Saint Anthony Junior Senior High School band has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in April 2013, a remarkable achievement for a program that grew from two dozen students to about 60 under band teacher Everett Yamashita. The band is fundraising the roughly $125,000 needed for the trip and plans to showcase Hawaiian music and hula alongside classical repertoire.

JACL

• Meet Priscilla Ouchida, JACL’s New National Director, by Nalea J. Ko, Reporter, page 4. Priscilla Ouchida became the first woman national director in JACL history, beginning her role March 1 and planning to relocate to Washington, D.C. in May. In this interview she discusses her career in the California legislature, her family’s internment history, her legislative work on redress, and her priorities including financial stability for JACL.
• Silicon Valley JACL Donates $2,200 to Nat’l JACL, by ‘My P.C.’ Contributor, page 11. The Silicon Valley JACL chapter donated $2,200 to the national organization to help address its fiscal challenges, funds raised from the chapter’s annual basketball fundraiser. The donation follows an initiative started after the 2011 national convention encouraging chapters to help ‘jump-start National JACL.’

National

• JACL and Direct Relief Report on Japan, One Year Later, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Direct Relief and JACL released an interactive online map detailing how $3.9 million in Japan Relief and Recovery Fund donations were spent across more than 250 projects following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The funds supported emergency response, elderly and disability care, debris removal, orphanage support, and job creation for displaced workers.
• Nation Prepares for 100th B-Day of Cherry Blossoms, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The nation is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Japan’s 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, D.C., with a five-week festival planned this year instead of the usual 16 days. Events including parades, museum exhibits, and commemorative stamps will mark the occasion in D.C. and other cities like San Francisco and Brooklyn.
• Asian Americans Take Part in Reenactment of Historic 1965 Selma Voting Rights March, by Associated Press, page 7. Asian Americans joined African Americans and Latinos in a six-day, 50-mile reenactment march from Selma to Montgomery protesting Alabama’s voter ID and immigration laws. Korean American organizers said the march connected their community’s civil rights struggle with those of black and Latino communities facing modern discriminatory laws.
• Hawaii Senate Committee Passes Bill to Preserve Honouliuli, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Hawaii’s SB 2678, which passed the Senate Ways and Means Committee, provides funding to preserve the historic Honouliuli internment camp and plan a new education center. The bill is supported by Honolulu JACL, the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, and other organizations working to ensure the WWII internment history is not forgotten.
• As Jeremy Lin Continues to Showcase His Basketball Skills, Racist Jokes Keep Coming, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Radio hosts Artie Lange and Nick DiPaolo asked listeners for racist Asian jokes about Jeremy Lin, prompting MANAA to demand an apology and resulting in the hosts being placed on indefinite probation by DirecTV. The article also notes other racist incidents targeting Lin, including ESPN’s ‘Chink in the Armor’ headline and comments by Jason Whitlock.
• National Newsbytes, by Associated Press and Pacific Citizen Staff, page 10. A roundup of national news briefs including Philadelphia restaurant owners agreeing to change the racist name ‘Roundeye Noodle Bar,’ Alameda Free Library seeking former internees for an oral history documentary, a lawsuit against fashion designer Alexander Wang for labor violations, NYC Comptroller John Liu’s campaign treasurer arrested on fraud charges, and a report on delayed autism diagnosis in minority children.

Commentary

• For the Record: Reactions to Linsanity, by John Tateishi, page 8. John Tateishi examines the racist commentary surrounding Jeremy Lin’s NBA rise, including the infamous ‘Chink in the Armor’ ESPN headline, and questions why racial slurs against Asian Americans seem tolerated in sports media. He also explores reactions from some African American sports figures who seemed threatened by an Asian American breaking into a sport they’ve dominated.
• The Right Place: Life of Remembrance, by James Kumpel, page 8. James Kumpel reflects on his family’s internment history and argues for practicing a continuous ‘life of remembrance’ rather than just observing the Day of Remembrance once a year. He honors his grandfather’s resilience after internment and his mother’s role in educating him about JA history and Redress, alongside his wife’s family’s story as Vietnamese refugees.
• How I Challenged Tucson’s Removal of Ethnic Books, by Leslie Tamura, page 16. Leslie Tamura reflects on discovering the lesser-known history of Nisei dissenters through college coursework, drawing parallels to Tucson Unified School District’s removal of Mexican American Studies books amid political controversy. She joined activists and students at the Arizona state capitol to read aloud from the challenged books, emphasizing the importance of access to diverse historical narratives.

Arts & Entertainment

• Sneaker Aficionado Sue Lee Stomped Out by ‘Face Off’ Competition, by Nalea J. Ko, Reporter, page 9. Korean American special effects artist Sue Lee was the last woman standing on Syfy’s ‘Face Off’ before being eliminated, showcasing her makeup skills and personal fashion style including her signature sneakers. In this interview, Lee discusses her path into special effects, her parents’ reactions, and her plans to continue working with indie films in New York.

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