Korematsu Day, Ellison Onizuka and the debate over the JACL name

Vol. 152, No. 2, February 4, 2011. 16 pages. View this issue

Fred Korematsu Day and the Challenger anniversary led the news. Christine McFadden reported on California’s first Fred Korematsu Day at UC Berkeley, where Rev. Jesse Jackson was the keynote speaker. Joseph Craig looked back on astronaut Ellison Onizuka 25 years after the Challenger disaster. Three commentaries by Ken Yamamoto, Edwin Mitoma and T. Ted Yoneda argued over whether JACL should drop “Japanese” from its name. A second story by McFadden tied Day of Remembrance events to the post-9/11 experience of Muslim Americans, with comments from Norman Mineta.

Other pieces include Nalea J. Ko’s account of finding the Girl Scouts pictured in a 1945 Poston photo, and an interview with boxer Cara Castronuova of The Biggest Loser. Arkansas received memorabilia from the Rohwer camp. JACL announced its Bridging Communities program for high school students. Also inside are an obituary for Medal of Honor recipient Barney Hajiro of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and a Japan trip report from Nicole Horiuchi Gaddie.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Taking the ‘Japanese’ Out of JACL is Detrimental, by Ken Yamamoto, page 2. A Silicon Valley JACL member argues against removing ‘Japanese’ from the organization’s name, citing Census data showing the Japanese heritage population has actually grown. He contends the chapter’s success in gaining members stems from shared Japanese heritage and cultural activities, not broader inclusivity.
• Keep ‘JACL’, by Edwin Mitoma, page 2. A letter writer argues that changing the JACL name would destroy the organization as currently known and broaden its mission in ways that could reduce its effectiveness for the Japanese American community. He warns it might attract some non-JA members while alienating current JA members.
• A Rose By Any Other Name, by T. Ted Yoneda, page 2. A Stockton JACL member compares the organization to a rose, arguing that JACL is nationally recognized and doesn’t need a name change to attract members. He suggests focusing on recruitment and retention strategies instead of renaming the organization.
• One Oshogatsu that the Bunny (2011) Battered, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Harry Honda recounts a harrowing New Year’s road trip complicated by highway closures and storms, alongside reflections on 2010 travels including the JACL convention in Chicago and Hershey Miyamura’s cruise fundraiser. He also shares an anonymous year-end letter from a longtime JACL member reflecting on health, aging, and life priorities.
• Purpose in Death, Purpose in Life, by Peter Shigeki Frandsen, page 8. Reflecting on the Tucson shooting tragedy, the author explores how public tragedies surface private grief and losses that many carry. He argues that the proper response to tragedy is not political opportunism but a renewed personal commitment to living purposefully in honor of those who died.
• A Japan Trip to Remember, by Nicole Horiuchi Gaddie, page 16. The Min Yasui oratorical contest winner recounts her prize trip to Japan, where JACL Japan chapter members showed her around Tokyo and explained the differences in focus between the U.S. and Japan JACL chapters. She highlights how Japan JACL emphasizes social networking, while U.S. JACL focuses on civil rights and WWII remembrance.

National

• Civil Rights Leader Celebrates California’s First Korematsu Day, by Christine McFadden, page 3. Rev. Jesse Jackson keynoted California’s first Fred Korematsu Day at UC Berkeley, calling Korematsu a ‘founding father of the new America’ alongside figures like MLK and Chavez. The sold-out event, organized by the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, featured Korematsu’s daughter Karen, lawmakers, and the legal team who helped vacate his wartime conviction.
• Remembering Parallel Experiences 10 Years After Sept. 11th, by Christine McFadden, page 5. As Day of Remembrance events approach their 10th anniversary theme tying WWII Japanese American incarceration to post-9/11 Muslim American discrimination, former Sec. Norman Mineta reflects on his own incarceration experience and efforts to prevent racial profiling after 9/11. JACL and community organizations continue to build bridges between JA and Muslim American communities through programs like Bridging Communities.
• Hawaii Senate Passes Same-Sex Civil Unions, by Mark Niesse, page 7. The Hawaii Senate passed a bill creating civil unions for same-sex couples, moving Hawaii toward becoming the sixth state to grant such rights without full marriage. Supporters call it a civil rights matter while opponents cite religious objections and concerns about undermining traditional family structures.
• APA Leaders Demand Limbaugh Apology, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 7. Asian American leaders including state Sen. Leland Yee are demanding an apology from Rush Limbaugh after he mocked the Chinese language during a radio broadcast about President Hu Jintao’s visit. Yee has organized a boycott of Limbaugh’s advertisers and reported receiving racist death threats afterward.
• Bill Seeks Full Benefits For WWII Filipino Veterans, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. Rep. Jackie Speier introduced the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2011 to restore full benefits to Filipino soldiers who served under the American flag in WWII. The bill would grant pensions, medical care and burial services after Congress stripped these veterans of their status in 1946.
• Civil Rights Coalition Asks Court to Block More of Arizona’s Immigration Law, by P.C. Staff, page 10. A coalition including JACL and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center has asked a federal court to block additional provisions of Arizona’s SB 1070 targeting day laborers, arguing the law violates workers’ free speech rights. The JACL previously voted to join legal efforts opposing the law at its national convention last July.
• National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 10. Brief news items cover South Carolina’s proposed anti-illegal immigration law, an Idaho highway named for Medal of Honor recipients, Wyoming’s gay marriage recognition bill, a Philadelphia disability discrimination lawsuit, Rhode Island’s language interpreter services agreement, Korean American Day celebrations, and hate graffiti targeting Orange County churches.
• Tiger Mom’s Memoir Meets Ferocious Roar, by Leanne Italie, page 11. Yale professor Amy Chua’s memoir on strict ‘Chinese style’ parenting sparked intense backlash and debate among Asian American parents and adult children. Chua defends her approach as self-deprecating while critics say her methods risk perpetuating stereotypes and causing lasting emotional harm.
• Federal Agencies Publish Plans to Increase Participation of Asian Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 11. The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders released agency plans aimed at increasing APA access to federal programs and services. The plans stem from an October executive order signed by President Obama restoring the initiative and its advisory commission.
• AAs Saw No Gains in Homeownership Rates After Foreclosure Crisis, by P.C. Staff, page 12. A new study by AREAA and UCLA found Asian Pacific Americans suffered the greatest loss of home equity following the foreclosure crisis despite having higher median incomes than the general population. Language barriers were cited as a contributing factor, with 71 percent of APAs speaking a language other than English at home.

In-Depth

• Remembering Ellison Onizuka, by Joseph Craig, page 4. On the 25th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, friends, family and colleagues recall astronaut Ellison Onizuka’s humility, dedication to education, and legacy as a role model for youth. Efforts continue to refurbish a memorial statue of the shuttle in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo in his honor.

Community

• Finding Poston’s Girl Scouts, by Nalea J. Ko, page 6. An Arizona historian’s research into Girl Scout troops at WWII internment camps led to the identification and reunion of women pictured in a 1945 photo from the Poston camp. The women, now in their late 70s, shared memories of camp life and their scouting activities after being reconnected decades later.
• Fred Korematsu Day Proclamation, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Berkeley JACL members attended an Alameda County Supervisors meeting where Supervisor Keith Carson presented a proclamation establishing Fred Korematsu Day. Carson also read a history of Korematsu’s civil rights contributions.
• Eat Rich, Eat Right for Chinese New Year, by Associated Press, page 10. Traditional Chinese New Year dishes carry symbolic meanings for prosperity, longevity and family unity, from long noodles to whole fish and dumplings. Food writers and cookbook authors share memories of preparing these dishes with family, reflecting on how the holiday’s meaning has evolved from childhood excitement over red envelopes to adult appreciation for gathering with loved ones.
• APAs In the News, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Brief items highlight Asian American achievements including Utah Councilwoman Jani Iwamoto’s appointment as minority leader, JANM receiving a National Medal for museum service, JAVA installing new officers, Justice Fernande Duffly’s confirmation to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Edwin Lee becoming San Francisco’s first Asian American mayor, Warren Furutani’s re-election as API Caucus chair, and George Nakano’s election as Go For Broke chairman.
• NPS to Offer $3 Million in JA Confinement Sites Grant Program, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The National Park Service is accepting applications for grants to preserve and interpret WWII Japanese American confinement sites, with a March 1 deadline. The program has already awarded nearly $4 million to 42 projects across 16 states since 2009.
• Nikkei Community Internship Program is Accepting Applications, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The California Japanese American Community Leadership Council’s Nikkei Community Internship program, now in its 10th year, is accepting applications with a March 4 deadline. The program pairs interns with JA community organizations in Los Angeles and the Bay Area and provides educational scholarships up to $2,000.
• JA Leadership Delegates to Head to Japan in March, by P.C. Staff, page 13. Thirteen Japanese American leaders will participate in the 11th annual Japanese American Leadership Delegation visit to Japan from March 4-12 to strengthen U.S.-Japan relations. The delegation includes business, education and government leaders who will visit Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka for exchanges with high-level officials.
• APFC Launches $20,000 Verizon Scholarships Program, by P.C. Staff, page 13. The Asian Pacific Community Fund partnered with Verizon to establish a scholarship program supporting students pursuing degrees in math, science and related fields. Twenty $1,000 scholarships will be awarded in 2011 across three application cycles targeting different student levels.
• Arkansas Center Gets Memorabilia from Rohwer Internment Camp, by Associated Press, page 13. Rosalie Gould donated a collection of hundreds of artworks and documents from the Rohwer internment camp to the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies. The collection includes materials from art teacher Mabel Jamison Vogel and 185 handwritten autobiographies of internees documenting camp life.
• JACL Announces ‘Bridging Communities’ for H.S. Students, by P.C. Staff, page 16. JACL is accepting applications for its Bridging Communities program, now expanding to San Francisco and Seattle in addition to Los Angeles. The program partners with CAIR and NCRR to bring together Japanese American and Muslim/Arab American youth to explore shared histories and visit WWII confinement sites.

Arts & Entertainment

• Boxer Cara Castronuova in the ‘The Biggest Loser’ Ring, by Nalea J. Ko, page 9. Professional boxer Cara Castronuova discusses her role as a new trainer on ‘The Biggest Loser’ season 11, describing the emotional bonds she forms with contestants. She shares her personal history of overcoming her father’s death from obesity-related illness and her mother’s later death in a car accident, which fuels her dedication to helping others fight for their health.

Obituaries

• Barney Hajiro, Medal of Honor Recipient, Passes, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 15. Barney Hajiro, the country’s oldest living Medal of Honor recipient, passed away Jan. 21 in Honolulu at age 94. He earned three Distinguished Service Crosses while serving with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Europe, one of which was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 2000.
• Dr. Tsukasa Matsueda, page 15. Dr. Tsukasa Matsueda, a UC Berkeley graduate and Fulbright Scholar who taught for 33 years, passed away peacefully on January 28, 2011 at age 85. A former Rohwer and Tule Lake internee and 525th MIS Army veteran, he is survived by his wife of 54 years, June, and his children and grandchildren.

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