Vol. 82, No. 14, April 9, 1976. 4 pages. View this issue
Executive Order 9066 and the wartime incarceration (often called internment) ran through this four-page issue. On the front page, Washington JACL Representative Wayne Horiuchi criticized former President Nixon for defending the idea that Presidents may commit illegal acts, citing the order as an example that cannot be justified. The front page also reported the start of JACL’s Project Responsiveness, which aimed to win private foundation funding for Japanese American communities.
The television movie Farewell to Manzanar drew several responses. Elaine and Karl Yoneda wrote as former Manzanar evacuees, and Frank Chin compared the movie with the 1951 film Go for Broke! Edison T. Uno asked readers to urge a presidential pardon for Iva Toguri d’Aquino, and Bill Hosokawa wrote about Vietnamese refugee students. Lee Ruttle profiled Wendy Yoshimura, and chapter news came from Seattle and San Mateo.
What’s in this issue
Incarceration & Redress
- Nixon Criticized for E.O. 9066 View, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Former President Nixon was criticized by Washington JACL Representative Wayne Horiuchi for defending the belief that Presidents may commit illegal acts under certain circumstances. Horiuchi cited Executive Order 9066 and the internment of Japanese Americans as examples that cannot be justified.
Community
- Project Responsiveness Starts, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL launched Project Responsiveness to pursue private foundation funding for Japanese American and minority communities. Workshops were planned in several cities to help communities identify problems that foundation funding could address.
- Installation, page 3. Seattle JACL installed John H. Matsumoto as its new president at a February ceremony attended by officials including the Japanese Consul General. Speakers discussed Bicentennial contributions and local civic programs.
- San Mateo JACL Community Service and Youth Programs, page 4. The San Mateo chapter runs a low-cost food sale for seniors, a Vietnamese bilingual self-help program, and a youth scholarship program. The chapter also works with a senior citizens group, Ikoi No Tomo.
Commentary
- Editorial: The Price of Postage, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The editorial warns that proposed postal rate increases, with a first-class stamp projected to reach 34 cents by 1984, threaten the Pacific Citizen’s delivery. It urges readers to contact Congress during hearings on postal rates.
- Concentration Camps, page 2. A letter writer responds to Lillian Baker’s campaign to remove the Manzanar plaque by arguing that the term concentration camp is historically accurate. The writer contends her criticism undermines Japanese American interests.
- Let Freedom Ring, page 2. Excerpts from The Patriot’s Bible argue that various American groups have been mistreated, including Japanese Americans interned during World War II. The piece calls for continued work to correct racial injustice.
- Grandeur of Study, by Bill Hosokawa, page 2. Hosokawa compares the academic dedication of recent Vietnamese refugee children to that of Nisei students decades earlier. He sees in both groups a strong work ethic supported by families who value education.
- Farewell to Manzanar, by Elaine and Karl Yoneda, page 2. Former Manzanar evacuees praise the TV movie Farewell to Manzanar for reaching millions of viewers despite its shortcomings. They note omissions regarding racism and the Manzanar riot and suggest improvements.
- Who Cares?, by Edison T. Uno, page 2. Uno argues that Iva Toguri d’Aquino was wrongly convicted of treason and calls on readers to urge President Ford to grant her a presidential pardon. He describes the new evidence that witnesses were coerced and testimony was distorted.
Arts & Entertainment
- Another Side of Wendy Yoshimura, by Lee Ruttle, page 3. Lee Ruttle profiles Wendy Yoshimura, who faces trial on weapons and explosives charges, describing her childhood in Manzanar and Japan and her views on humanity and society. The article portrays her as warm and thoughtful, contrary to the media labels placed on her.
- ‘Go for Broke!’ vs. ‘Farewell to Manzanar’, by Frank Chin, page 3. Frank Chin compares the 1951 MGM film Go for Broke! with the 1976 TV movie Farewell to Manzanar, criticizing Go for Broke! as racially timid and distorted. He argues the film sidelined the Japanese American experience in favor of a white protagonist’s education.
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