Civil rights in Congress and a Nisei debate over the establishment

Vol. 66, No. 14, April 5, 1968. 6 pages. View this issue

The fight over the Civil Rights bill ran through much of this six-page issue. National President Jerry Enomoto wrote on the front page about the “expensive business” of politics and urged JACL members to look at their own employment and housing practices. Dr. David Miura, JACL’s national 2nd vice-president, published an open letter asking the House to pass the Senate version quickly, and Roger Nikaido described President Johnson’s meeting with foreign-language editors at the White House.

The opinion pages also carried a running exchange among Jeffrey Matsui, Ronald S. Iseri and Elaine Uchiyama on the Nisei dilemma and Jr. JACL. Bill Hosokawa wrote about his new electric typewriter, and a Chicago reader asked whether she overreacted when a band instructor questioned her sons about Pearl Harbor. Chapter news covered the reactivated Columbia Basin JACL and plans for reorganizing the national executive.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Expensive Business, by Jerry Enomoto, page 1. National President Jerry Enomoto reflects on the costs and value of political engagement for Nisei and JACL, citing the Civil Rights bill struggle. He urges JACL members to examine their own employment and housing practices as part of the broader fight against discrimination.
• View Inside the White House, by Roger Nikaido, page 2. Washington correspondent Roger Nikaido describes President Johnson addressing foreign-language newspaper editors at the White House while facing mounting congressional opposition. He lists the administration’s challenges on Vietnam, fiscal policy, crime, and civil rights.
• You and Me, Brother, by Alan Kumamoto, page 2. Alan Kumamoto reflects on a prejudice symposium he attended and on conversations with public agency directors about Japanese Americans’ roles in human relations. He argues Orientals must confront their own ethnic stereotypes and growing pains alongside other minority groups.
• The Electric Touch, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa describes acquiring an electric typewriter from his daughter and reflects on the writing tools he has owned over the years. He discusses the relationship between a writer and his machine.
• Two ‘Dissident’ Groups, by Mark Shishida, page 4. A columnist observes that mainland Nisei and Hawaii’s local Japanese Americans have made notable progress in understanding one another. He notes that friendships and personal contact have narrowed a once wide cultural gap.
• In Answer to Michael, by Elaine Uchiyama, page 4. Midwest District Youth Council representative Elaine Uchiyama responds to a Chicago JACLer article criticizing Jr. JACL apathy on civil rights. She argues early social contacts between Japanese and Negro youth are important first steps and reflects on interpersonal relations learned in college.
• Sounding Board: In Answer to Michael, by Jeffrey Matsui, page 4. Jeffrey Matsui addresses the Nisei dilemma, arguing that Japanese Americans’ shared stance against lawlessness does not make them part of the establishment. He also questions claims of prejudice as the sole cause of individual failure.
• Not a Dilemma (II), by Ronald S. Iseri, page 6. Ronald Iseri replies to Jeffrey Matsui’s column on the Nisei dilemma, disputing claims that Japanese Americans seek to join the establishment. He also challenges conclusions drawn from a small survey on Japanese American acceptance.
• Oversensitive?, by Berry Suzukida, page 6. A Chicago reader describes her sons being questioned by a band instructor about Pearl Harbor and her decision to confront the school. She asks whether she overreacted to what the teacher called a trivial incident.

Community

• Columbia Basin JACL Reactivated as Pacific Northwest’s 8th Unit, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Columbia Basin JACL, reactivated February 18, held a successful membership potluck at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake. The chapter, now the 92nd active JACL unit, also hosted screenings of films about the 442nd and Japanese American history.
• Ethnic Make-up of L.A. Schools Bared, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A second state-mandated ethnic survey of Los Angeles city schools found 41.7 percent of pupils belong to a racial or ethnic minority. The survey also broke down ethnic representation among teachers, administrators, and classified employees.

National

• U.S. Supreme Court Adds Teeth into Civil Rights Act, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that businesses practicing discrimination must pay plaintiffs’ attorney fees when injunctions are won. The decision arose from a case against South Carolina drive-ins refusing service to Negroes.
• Shimoda Calls for ‘Cooperation’ at S.F. Center Rites, by Yosh Hotta, page 2. Japanese Ambassador Takeso Shimoda addressed San Francisco business and community leaders at the dedication of the Japan Cultural and Trade Center. He emphasized cooperation, reduced trade barriers, and the role of Japanese Americans in US-Japan understanding.
• Swift Action Urged to Have House Pass Civil Rights Bill, by Dr. David Miura, page 2. National 2nd Vice-President David Miura published an open letter urging the House of Representatives to quickly approve the Senate version of the Civil Rights Act. He argued that the bill would help reduce the likelihood of riots and urban unrest.

JACL

• JACL’s Executive Reorganization, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The final draft of the JACL Planning Commission’s executive reorganization proposal recommends a president-elect, a National Executive Committee, and departments under national vice-presidents. The plan aims to make national operations more efficient and is to be reviewed before the August convention.
• Updating Asked, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A national JACL ad hoc committee chaired by Dr. Warren Watanabe will review outdated documents including the Preamble, installation ceremony, and Statement of Policy. Recommendations will go to the National Council at its summer San Jose convention.

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