JACL at work in summer 1971: Little Tokyo funds and a teacher’s tenure case

Vol. 73, No. 3, July 16, 1971. 6 pages. View this issue

Raymond Uno, the JACL National President, opened the issue by joking that JACL business never winds down, even in summer. News on the front page included an estimated $6 million in federal funds for the Little Tokyo Redevelopment Project, and Norman Mineta’s swearing-in as mayor of San Jose. JACL also stepped into the case of Temple City teacher Linda Basconcillo, who was denied tenure, with Robert M. Takasugi writing about it on pages 1 and 2. Miyako Hotel in San Francisco apologized for its treatment of minority educators.

Elsewhere in these six pages, Bill Hosokawa criticized a study of newspapers in the wartime camps, and Ron Wakabayashi reported on 16 winners of National JACL scholarships. San Diego JACL showed the film Manzanar to local audiences, and Warren Furutani wrote about the Manzanar Committee’s preservation work. Harry K. Honda’s editorial praised the Community Involvement Program.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Winding Down?, by Raymond Uno, page 1. JACL National President Raymond Uno jokes that, like President Nixon’s promised wind-down of the war, JACL business never seems to slow down. He notes that despite summer vacations, the organization stays active year-round, which shows it is a working organization.
• Letter: Kobayashi Objects to Newsweek Article, by George Kobayashi, page 1. Gardena businessman George Kobayashi wrote to Newsweek objecting to a final paragraph of a June 21 article that he says distorted his comments on race in Gardena. He insists Japanese Americans want no part of outwhiting Whites as racists.
• Youth and Politics, by David Ushio, page 2. Washington representative David Ushio discusses the 26th Amendment granting 18-to-20-year-olds the vote and its potential political impact. He also reflects on meeting Asian American Presidential Scholars and JACL staff, and on the need for national programs such as a drug abuse campaign to engage Junior JACL.
• Takasugi: Temple City Teacher Case Continued, by Robert M. Takasugi, page 2. Continuing the Basconcillo case, JACL’s counsel criticizes the Temple City superintendent’s reasons for denying tenure, including disability and the senior teacher’s influence. He vows JACL will pursue due process.
• From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Bill Hosokawa critiques John Stevens’ Journalism Quarterly article on freedom of the press in WRA camp newspapers, faulting its superficiality and its failure to credit the Pacific Citizen. He argues the study ignores the difference between assembly centers and relocation centers.
• Book Review: The Films of Akira Kurosawa by Ronald Richie, by Richard Girma, page 5. Richard Girma reviews Ronald Richie’s study of Akira Kurosawa’s films, praising its analysis of technique and the director’s achievements. He notes the book’s coverage of twenty-two films and its usefulness as a reference.
• CIP Wins Its Spurs, by Harry K. Honda, page 6. Editor Harry Honda praises JACL’s Community Involvement Program for defusing the Miyako Hotel discrimination controversy and for its wide range of community work. He credits field coordinator Ron Kobata for handling the case.
• He Spoke Humbly, With Pride, Humor on Minority Crisis, by Karen I. Capp, page 6. Karen Capp describes Warren Furutani’s talk to San Diego State teachers on minority education, in which he challenged stereotypes of Asian Americans and identified racism as the core problem. The teachers responded enthusiastically.
• Letters: On Racial Slur, JACL Personnel, Use of Trademark, Token of Gratitude, by P.C. Readers, page 6. Readers debate whether to challenge the term ‘Jap,’ defend David Ushio’s appointment against criticism of his Mormon faith, comment on a court ruling on the trademark use of a slur, and thank the PC for coverage of a Japanese donor to Eugene, Oregon.
• Manzanar Committee, by Warren Furutani, page 6. Warren Furutani describes the Manzanar Committee’s educational and physical preservation work, including teach-ins and cemetery visits. He explains the project’s goal of candidly confronting camp history.
• On Second Thought, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A columnist responds to the Newsweek article ‘Outwhiting the Whites,’ arguing that the final paragraph reflects attitudes among some Nisei. The author urges Japanese Americans to avoid complacency and to support other minorities.
• Revives Memories of Fourth of July, by Joe Hamanaka, page 6. Joe Hamanaka recalls Seattle’s Nihonmachi Fourth of July baseball tournaments, hotel gatherings, and the businesses that thrived before the Evacuation. He also laments the loss of major league baseball in Seattle.

National

• Little Tokyo Redevelopment Project Receives $6 Million in HUD Funds, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Little Tokyo Redevelopment Project will receive an estimated $6 million in federal funds for 1971-72, including $2.5 million earmarked to accelerate acquisition of earthquake-damaged properties. The funds follow a successful Washington lobbying trip by a citizens task force and will enable construction of Little Tokyo Towers senior housing.
• Temple City Teacher Arbitrarily Denied Tenure; JACL Intervenes, by Robert M. Takasugi, page 1. Filipino Hawaiian American teacher Linda Basconcillo was recommended for dismissal and denied tenure by the Temple City School District after a disciplinary dispute and a disability rating. JACL representatives met with the superintendent, and the National Legal Counsel says the organization will pursue the matter to ensure due process.
• Matsunaga Urges U.S. Recognition of Mainland China and Plebiscite in Taiwan, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Hawaii Rep. Spark Matsunaga proposed diplomatic recognition of the People’s Republic of China and a UN-supervised plebiscite in Taiwan to determine its future. He argued that Taiwanese people deserve self-determination.
• Oregon Governor Vetoes Farm Labor Bill SB 677, by Don Hayashi, page 3. Oregon Governor Tom McCall vetoed Senate Bill 677, which restricted farm labor organizing and boycotts, after an attorney general opinion found parts unconstitutional. The veto followed opposition from UFWOC, Chicano groups, clergy, and citizens.
• The 26th Amendment, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Pacific Citizen welcomes the swift ratification of the 26th Amendment lowering the voting age to 18. The editorial suggests Junior JACL chapters with voting-age members could petition for regular chapter charters.

Community

• Miyako Hotel Apologizes for Bias Against Minority Educators, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Management of San Francisco’s Miyako Hotel publicly apologized to delegates of a minority educators’ conference for inconsiderate and discriminatory treatment during the June 25-27 weekend. JACL’s Ronald Kobata had criticized the poor service in a letter, and letters of apology were to be sent.
• Norman Mineta Sworn In as San Jose Mayor, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Norman Yoshio Mineta took the oath of office as mayor of San Jose on June 30, promising to meet the urban crisis head on. He pledged to work with the council as a team and encourage community involvement.
• Interim JACL Board Session Sets Plans, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The National JACL interim board met to consider organizational business. The article reports on the schedule of board activities for the coming weeks.
• Dayton JACL: Great Meeting, Rough Trip, by Jerry Hawkins, page 4. Dayton JACL chapter president Jerry Hawkins recounts attending the Midwest District Council spring meeting in St. Louis and praises the discussions. He also describes a difficult return trip marked by car breakdowns and a snowstorm.
• Tri-District Jr. JACL Focus: Bits and Pieces, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Tri-District Jr. JACL conference planning column covers shirt design winners, registration prices, program events such as Liquid Theater and Jungle Ball, and thanks to contributing senior chapters. It previews the August conference at Riverside.
• Central Cal Youth Hold Pre-TDC Rally, by Karen Okada, page 4. Central California DYC members gathered for a camping rally at Pine Flat Dam ahead of the Tri-District Conference. Youths from Northern and Southern California also attended.
• Bay Area Community JACL Walking History Project, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Bay Area Community JACL planned a Walking History of Asian Americans and a photographic kiosk on WWII incarceration for the Oakland Museum Asian American Festival. The festival would bring together Asian community groups in the Bay Area.
• Seabrook JACL Installs John Nakamura, by Ellen Nakamura, page 4. Seabrook JACL held an installation dinner honoring Sansei graduates and installing John Nakamura as president for a second term. New Jersey official James Hurley and Dr. Richard Ikeda spoke at the event, and Mike Minato received a service pin.
• Hawaii Takabuki Controversy and Bishop Estate Trustee Appointment, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Hawaii’s Ad Hoc Committee for a Hawaiian Trustee criticized the appointment of attorney Matsuo Takabuki to the Bishop Estate board, questioning his AFL-CIO endorsement and religious qualification. Takabuki’s office response and alternative candidate suggestions were also reported.
• Asian Input Sought on Radio-TV Station Compliance, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Community Coalition for Media Change in Oakland is checking Bay Area radio and TV stations for compliance with FCC community-service standards before license renewals in September. Asian community input is being sought.
• Mayor Mineta’s Message, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The editorial reviews San Jose Mayor Norman Mineta’s first State of the City message, which emphasized citizen participation, housing, youth, and crime. It notes that the proposals will need budgetary support from the new council.

JACL

• JACL Credit Union Declares 5½% Half-Year Dividend, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The National JACL Credit Union declared a 5½% per annum dividend for the first half of 1971, disbursing nearly $36,000 to members. Loans in the first half reached a record $392,250.
• 16 Win National JACL Scholarships, by Ron Wakabayashi, page 3. Sixteen high school graduates were selected from 56 chapter nominees for 1971 National JACL Freshman Scholarships. The awards, judged in Fresno, include memorial and corporate-sponsored scholarships to students across the country.
• JACL International Affairs Committee Policy Enunciated, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The JACL International Affairs Committee explained its two-fold purpose: to inform members about international affairs affecting Japanese Americans and to adopt positions on controversial issues. It plans articles on topics such as the atomic bombings and U.S.-China policy.

Incarceration & Redress

• San Diego JACLers Speak on Evacuation, by P.C. Staff, page 4. San Diego JACL showed the film Manzanar and provided speakers to local schools and the Poway Human Relations Commission. The chapter also acquired Bob Nakamura’s photographic kiosk on evacuation and helped launch a summer Asian American studies curriculum project.

Arts & Entertainment

• Wartime Niihau Drama Recounted, by Allan Beekman, page 5. Allan Beekman recounts the Pearl Harbor-era Niihau incident in which Japanese pilot Shigenori Nishikaichi and Nisei Yoshio Harada terrorized the island. Beekman casts doubt on the official account and presents a photograph of the pilot.

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