Vol. 72, No. 5, February 5, 1971. 6 pages. View this issue
Jobs and civil liberties led this six-page issue. Raymond Uno, national JACL president, reported on a voluntary Sacramento agreement that sets a 15 percent minority employment goal in the building trades by 1976 across a seven-county area. Rep. Spark Matsunaga reintroduced legislation to repeal the Emergency Detention Act, and Al Yamada reported from Washington on the flood of bills at the start of the 92nd Congress. Faith Greaves profiled Wilson Makabe, a 442nd veteran who helps disabled veterans at a VA office in Reno.
Also inside: Ray Ikeda on a $2.9 million budget for Little Tokyo redevelopment, and Roland Kadonaga on national director Mas Satow’s address at an Alameda JACL installation. Two Bay Area JACLers were running in Berkeley elections. The commentary page carries Robert M. Takasugi on remarks by J. Edgar Hoover, Don Hayashi’s column “Color Me Success,” and an open letter to Senator Inouye.
What’s in this issue
Military & Veterans
- Makabe Overcomes Disability to Serve Fellow Veterans, by Faith Greaves, page 1. Wilson Makabe, a 442nd veteran and amputee, works as a VA rehabilitation official in Reno, helping disabled veterans adjust through therapy and employment. He credits his own determination and the 442nd’s example for his approach to life.
National
- Sacramento Backs Plan for Minority Jobs in Building Trades, by Raymond Uno, page 1. A voluntary Sacramento agreement sets a 15 percent minority employment goal in building trades by 1976 across a seven-county area. JACL leaders describe the plan as a good-faith effort to expand opportunity for minorities.
- Matsunaga Re-introduces Repeal of Title II Emergency Detention Act, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Rep. Spark Matsunaga reintroduced legislation to repeal the Emergency Detention Act, which he calls a concentration camp law. He argued the act threatens citizens’ constitutional protections.
- Opening Days of Congress Bring Flood of New Bills, by Al Yamada, page 2. Washington correspondent Al Yamada describes the bill-introduction rush at the start of the 92nd Congress, including HR 1 Social Security measure. He notes several Emergency Detention Act repeal bills and Rep. Annunzio’s resolution to abolish the Internal Security Committee.
JACL
- JACL-CPS Health Plan May Cover Northwest District, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Pacific Northwest District Council asked to join the NC-WNDC group health plan, with enrollment open through March 31. Other Pacific coast councils are already participating in the program.
Commentary
- War Crimes Trial Decision Haunts U.S. Military, by Frank Reel, page 1. Defense attorney Frank Reel argues the Yamashita case set a precedent that could apply to Gen. Westmoreland over My Lai. He calls the post-war trials exercises in vengeance rather than law.
- Color Me Success, by Don Hayashi, page 4. Portland JACL president Don Hayashi reflects on whether Japanese Americans have truly achieved success and what drives the Nisei and Sansei toward acceptance. He argues young Asian Americans are becoming aware of their identity through ethnic studies and coalition work.
- Plight of a ‘Minority’ Minority, by Register-Pajaronian, page 6. An editorial argues that discrimination in scholarships and loans affects some non-favored minorities, including Japanese Americans, who are not counted as minorities. It calls for equal opportunity for every young person regardless of group.
- Eighty-Six, by Robert M. Takasugi, page 6. National JACL legal counsel Robert Takasugi condemns FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover’s racially inflammatory remarks about Chinese, Mexican and Puerto Rican Americans. He compares the rhetoric to the pre-evacuation climate that led to the 1942 removal.
- Heroes No More, by Jim Henry, page 6. Tokyo correspondent Jim Henry examines unrest among American servicemen returning from Vietnam, citing a riot at Iwakuni Marine Base. He describes the difficulty of reintegrating veterans into a skeptical American society.
- Letter: Health Centennial Issue Photos Criticized, by Raymond Okamura, page 6. Raymond Okamura criticizes the California’s Health centennial issue for portraying Chinatown mainly through vice-related photos with inaccurate captions. He explains the historical roots of opium addiction among Chinese immigrants.
- An Open Letter to Senator Inouye, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A reader criticizes Senator Inouye’s defense of the book Japanese Americans: The Untold Story against complaints of anti-Buddhist bias. The writer argues the book promotes assimilation through Christianity and devalues Japanese culture.
Community
- Medical Magazine Cites Two Nisei Researchers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Modern Medicine honored Dr. Paul Terasaki and Dr. Joseph Ogura among ten 1971 Distinguished Achievement award recipients. Terasaki is noted for tissue typing work and Ogura for laryngeal research.
- Two Bay Area JACLers Run in Berkeley Elections, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Ron Lai is running for Berkeley city council and James Louie for the board of education in the April elections. Lai is the first Asian American to seek a council seat in Berkeley.
- Little Tokyo Redevelopment Budget Pegged at $2.9 Million, by Ray Ikeda, page 3. Project manager Kango Kunitsugu outlined a $2.9 million budget and 1971 schedule for Little Tokyo redevelopment. Plans include the Moline Alley shopping area, a senior citizen housing project and a Japanese American cultural center.
- Mas Satow Starts 25th Year in JACL by Addressing Alameda Installation, by Roland Kadonaga, page 4. National director Mas Satow installed Alameda JACL officers and reviewed the organization’s history from its founding through the evacuation. He noted membership has grown to 25,000 today.
Obituaries
- Saga of a Grand Issei Mother, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The story traces the life of Toyono Watanabe Yamamoto, who emigrated from Japan to California’s Santa Clara Valley and endured the evacuation at age 74. She lived to 102, remaining close to her family.
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