Vol. 73, No. 25, December 17, 1971. 6 pages. View this issue
Raymond S. Uno, National JACL President, led the front page with a look at the treaties broken with Ute and other Indian nations and the cultural loss they still face. Also on page one were recommendations from the Asian American session of the White House Conference on Aging, including a call for Social Security credit for wartime camp time, and an update on the JACL-Japanese American Research Project manuscripts.
Inside are Bill Hosokawa’s column on a magazine portrait of Japantown, reviews of Lawson Fusao Inada’s poems and the ABC movie If Tomorrow Comes, and Allan Beekman’s look back at the Massie case in Hawaii. Victor Shibata and Warren Furutani each asked what the future holds for JACL. Plans for the 1972 national convention in Washington, D.C. appear on page six, along with two fishing derby reports.
What’s in this issue
National
- Uno: Treaties Broken, Indian Culture Under Siege, by Raymond S. Uno, page 1. National JACL President Raymond Uno reflects on the broken treaties and historical injustices suffered by Ute and other Indian nations, and the continuing cultural destruction they face. He also describes a Salt Lake Junior League panel on minority problems where Indian and Chicano issues were discussed.
- Nixon Sends Pens to Asian American Conference Participants, by P.C. Staff, page 1. President Nixon sent pens used to sign the Title II repeal to Asian American delegates at the White House Conference on Aging. Delegates, including Henry Tanaka and Joselyn Geaga, pressed for attention to the needs of Asian American elderly.
- Supreme Court to Hear Case of Visa Overstayer, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of Jovencia Arce Vitales, a Filipino woman who entered on a visitor visa and stayed permanently. The INS argues the ruling would encourage fraudulent evasion of immigration laws.
- Hakujin Dies After Gulping Bottle of Sake, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Earl D. Lovell died after downing a fifth of sake while competing in a drinking match at a bar in Redwood City. The incident was reported as a brief news item.
- Senate Confirms Mrs. Banuelos for U.S. Treasurer, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Senate unanimously confirmed Romana Acosta Banuelos of Los Angeles as United States Treasurer despite AFL-CIO opposition over illegal alien workers at her food factory. Her signature will appear on new U.S. paper currency.
JACL
- History Project Manuscripts Well on Way Toward Completion, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL-Japanese American Research Project manuscripts are progressing, with several UCLA authors’ works nearing submission and a paperback of Nisei planned for fall 1972. Funding efforts and committee matters were also reported to the National JACL Executive Committee.
- 1972 JACL Convention Planned for Washington, D.C., by P.C. Staff, page 6. The 22nd biennial National JACL Convention will be held in Washington, D.C. in late June 1972, with a Congressional Dinner and tributes to the Issei planned. Chartered flights are being arranged.
Incarceration & Redress
- White House Conference on Aging: Asian American Recommendations, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Asian American Special Concerns Session of the White House Conference on Aging adopted recommendations on family support, housing, health, income, training, transportation, and nutrition for elderly Asian Americans. The recommendations also call for redress of wartime camp time in Social Security benefits.
Community
- Shigeki Ushio’s Son Reflects on Father’s Influence and JACL Service, by David Ushio, page 2. David Ushio, writing from Washington, D.C., reflects on how his father’s example in JACL and his values of faith and understanding shaped his own civic commitment. He connects these lessons to his coming role as a father.
- Gift from Inada, by George Tokei, page 4. Tokei describes the book by Inada as a personal gift and a hopeful step toward an Asian American cultural expression. He encourages readers to buy it.
- Alameda JACL Fishing Derby Won by Woman Angler, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Mrs. Marsha Tsujimoto won the first prize in the 16th Alameda JACL Fishing Derby with a 25-pound, 10-ounce catch, a first for a woman. Other winners and prize donors were also listed.
- Contra Costa JACL Derby Winner Lands 19-Pound Bass, by P.C. Staff, page 4. A 19-pound bass won the top prize at the Contra Costa JACL fishing derby in November. Other winners were recognized and leftover prize money was set aside for a special award.
Commentary
- Bill Hosokawa: From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa critiques a San Francisco Examiner magazine piece on Japantown that portrays Japanese Americans as split between Nisei and Sansei. He argues that generational generalizations about Japanese Americans are misleading.
- Future of Jr. JACL, by Victor Shibata, page 6. Shibata examines why Junior JACL has lost relevance, arguing that changing youth attitudes, shifting parental permissiveness, and social issues require the organization to adapt. He calls for a reassessment of its purpose.
- Platonic Justice, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A poem reflecting on the endurance of Issei and Nisei under injustice, using images of seeds, roots, and banana imagery. It contrasts resignation with pride.
- Letter from High School Teacher on Internment Curriculum, by Dr. Ray L. Ferguson, page 6. Ferguson thanks the PC for publicizing his efforts to write a curriculum unit on the wartime internment and describes the limited response from people willing to share personal recollections. He plans to complete the work himself without federal funding.
- Cabinet Committee Proposal for Asian American Affairs, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A reader writes that a proposed Cabinet Committee for Asian American Affairs could help with needs assessment and funding but warns against competition with other ethnic groups. Cooperation and coordination with other groups should be part of its mission.
- 25 Years Ago: Congress Repeals Emergency Detention Act, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The column recalls the 1950 Emergency Detention Act, which the House voted to repeal, and criticizes its violation of Bill of Rights protections. It acknowledges the earlier newspaper’s support for wartime detention of Japanese Americans.
- Question Box: Student Loans for Japanese American Students, by P.C. Staff, page 6. A student asks about loans for Japanese American students, and the answer directs readers to campus financial aid counselors. No specific Japanese American loan program is identified.
- On Second Thought: JACL Is Changing, by Warren Furutani, page 6. Furutani argues that JACL is at a critical fork as Asian American communities and youth change. He calls on the organization to adapt its approach to the needs of its members.
Arts & Entertainment
- If Tomorrow Comes: A Flawed Portrayal of Japanese Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The ABC Movie of the Week If Tomorrow Comes is criticized for historical inaccuracies, exotic stereotyping, and white-centered storytelling about the Japanese American evacuation. The writer urges Japanese Americans to tell their own stories.
- Lawson Fusao Inada’s Before the War Reviewed, by George Tokei, page 4. Tokei praises Lawson Fusao Inada’s poetry collection Before the War, the first book of poems by a Sansei writer, as a unique and powerful expression of the Japanese American experience. He recommends the book as a gift.
Sports
- Herb Wakabayashi Joins Japan’s Olympic Hockey Team, by Mar Manbo, page 5. Herb Wakabayashi, a Canadian-born hockey player with the Seibu Railway team, received Japanese citizenship to play for Japan at the Sapporo Winter Olympics. Japan’s team faces a difficult qualifying round against Czechoslovakia.
In-Depth
- Judd and the Massie Case Revisited, by Allan Beekman, page 5. Beekman reviews the 1931-32 Massie rape case in Hawaii, in which Gov. Lawrence M. Judd commuted sentences of defendants accused by Thalia Massie. The case fueled racial hysteria and remained a sensitive issue for Hawaii’s residents.
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