Bob Hope’s apology for a racial slur, and JACL’s work with other Asian groups

Vol. 77, No. 9, August 31, 1973. 6 pages. View this issue

Comedian Bob Hope apologized through his public relations director for using a racial slur in a joke at the national Boy Scout Jamboree in Idaho. The apology followed a protest from Seattle JACL chapter president Ben Nakagawa and a call from National JACL headquarters. A related story profiled Shosuke Sasaki, credited with persuading the American Newspaper Guild in 1952 to ban the word from print. National JACL President Henry T. Tanaka wrote about chapters joining other Asian American groups, and President-Elect Shig Sugiyama criticized HR 982, a bill on hiring illegal aliens.

Elsewhere in these six pages: Senator Daniel Inouye’s stop in Los Angeles to back George Takei’s City Council race, a reunion of the Heart Mountain camp newspaper’s staff, and a column by Toshiko Kamada on a forgotten Japanese colony in Java. JACL membership stood at 26,115 as of June 30, and a legislative summary listed federal bills affecting Japanese Americans.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Hope Apologizes for Comedian’s Use of Slur at Boy Scout Jamboree, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Comedian Bob Hope apologized through his public relations director for using the term “Jap” in a joke at the national Boy Scout Jamboree in Idaho. The apology followed protest from Seattle JACL chapter president Ben Nakagawa and a call for apologies from National JACL headquarters.
• Record JACL Membership Assured, by P.C. Staff, page 2. JACL membership for 1973 appears set to surpass the 1972 record, with 26,115 members as of June 30. Several chapters and districts reported large percentage gains toward their membership goals.

Commentary

• Joint Activities With Other Asian Groups, by Henry T. Tanaka, page 1. National JACL President Henry Tanaka praises chapters for working with other Asian American groups on shared concerns. He highlights the Eastern District Council panel and asks chapters to report their coalition programs.
• Right to Work, by Shig Sugiyama, page 1. National JACL President-Elect Shig Sugiyama criticizes HR 982, which would penalize employers for hiring illegal aliens, arguing it threatens basic human and civil rights. He warns the bill would force employers to scrutinize workers’ legal status.
• Forgotten Colony, by Toshiko Kamada, page 2. The author describes Japanese emigrant communities in Southeast Asia cut off from Japan under the Tokugawa isolation policy. She focuses on Japanese women married to Dutch men who were exiled to Java in 1690 and their letters longing for home.
• Together: JAYs and JACL, by Pat Nakano, page 2. Pat Nakano reports on her work with the National Youth Coordinating Council since the June National Board meeting. She discusses declining JAY membership and the need for clearer program objectives and stronger senior-junior chapter cooperation.
• Gerontology, Medically Speaking, by James M. Watanabe, page 2. PNWDC Governor James Watanabe discusses the meaning of gerontology and the JACL Gerontology Project. He argues that services for the elderly are needed but that further study of aging, health, and service use is also necessary.
• Nisei Week Luminaries, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Three Issei pioneers were honored as the Nisei Week queen and court visited. The honorees received scrolls of commendation from the mayor.
• Gold Hill Trip, by Harry K. Honda, page 4. Editor Harry Honda describes a family trip through San Francisco, Napa Valley, and Sacramento, including a visit to the Wakamatsu colony memorial at Gold Hill. He recommends that JACL maps of historic Japanese American landmarks include directions to the site.
• Vietnam Orphans, by Gail Nishioka, page 4. Gail Nishioka urges support for legislation aiding Vietnamese orphans and children affected by the war. She argues that only a small fraction of U.S. child-related aid reaches orphaned, crippled, and maimed children.

Community

• Bannai Enters First Bills in State Assembly, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Assemblyman Paul Bannai introduced AB 2624 to allow coroners to test for amphetamine derivatives in accident victims and AB 2607 to let counties fund free libraries. Both bills were introduced in the California State Assembly.
• Samoans in Hawaii Organize to Dispel Negative Ethnic Stereotype, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Samoans in Hawaii have organized to counter negative ethnic stereotypes. The group works to improve public perception of Samoan people.
• Should There Be JACL Guidelines on Health Plans?, by P.C. Staff, page 1. National JACL considered whether to issue guidelines on health insurance plans sponsored by chapters and districts. National president Sugiyama said a national JACL plan was not feasible or practicable at this time.
• Utah Sends First Exchange Student Group to Nagoya, by Alice Kasai, page 2. The University of Utah sent a group of students to Nagoya University for a month of study, following over a decade of Nagoya students attending its summer school. The students were honored by the local Japanese community and Governor Calvin Rampton.
• Fremont JACL Helps Out Charity Bazaar, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Fremont JACL chapter donated $536 to the city to restore its water fountain in front of city hall. Other nonprofit groups also contributed.

National

• Inouye Stops in LA, Gives Takei Boost, by Kats Kunitsugu, page 1. Senator Daniel Inouye met with George Takei, a candidate for the 10th City Council seat in Los Angeles, during a stopover. Inouye praised Takei’s compassion, courage, and record as a credit to his profession.
• Teacher Insults JACL Guest Speaker, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Salt Lake City high school teacher repeatedly interrupted a Sansei guest speaker, Ron Aramaki, who was describing Japanese American wartime incarceration. Salt Lake JACL president Tom Sutow protested the incident and asked the National JACL Board to reaffirm its public relations efforts.

Military & Veterans

• Shosuke Sasaki: Pioneer in Effort to Eliminate Use of ‘Jap’, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Shosuke Sasaki, a Seattle resident, has been recommended for an FCC vacancy by Asian American organizations. He is credited with persuading the American Newspaper Guild in 1952 to ban the word ‘Jap’ from print media.
• Hibakusha Assistance Legislation Summary, by P.C. Staff, page 5. This legislative calendar summarizes federal bills affecting Japanese Americans, including retirement credit for WWII internees, Social Security coverage, legal aid, and atomic bomb medical relief. It lists bill numbers, sponsors, and current status.

Incarceration & Redress

• Sentinel Staff Reunion at Heart Mountain, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Former staff of the Heart Mountain camp newspaper, The Sentinel, held a reunion in San Pedro after 30 years apart. The Sentinel had helped sustain community morale during incarceration.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.