Co CALENDAR 10 home Allen Say's ':fIi1usic For Alice" Mets Debuts in Portland . Since 1929 Vee Returns Home ITIZEN See page 3 The National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League JACL Signs on to Amicus Brief in 'Dirty Bomber' Case By CAROLINE AOYAGI In addition to JACL; other indi­ was passed after the Emergency Executive Editor viduals and organizations signing Detention Act of 1950 was on to the amicus brief are: Fred repealed, a decision largely based In a continuing effort to chal­ Korematsu, the Bar Association of on the unlawful detention of the lenge the merits of the US.A. San Francisco, Asian Law Caucus, JA community during World War Patriot Act, the JACL announced Asian American Bar Association n. that is has signed on to an amicus For the Greater Bay Area, and Asian And it is this argument that is brief in the Jose Padilla enemy Pacific Islander Legal Outreach. used in the recently filed amicus combatant case, better known as Jose Padilla was arrested shortly brief. the "dirty bomber" case. after the Sept. 11, 200 1, terrorist The JA community· has been The JACL is questioning the attacks by Federal agents under a vocal in its opposition to the authority of the US. government material witness warrant in coimec­ U.S.A. Patriot Act which allows to detain U.S. citizens indefinitely tion with a grand jury investigation for increased governmental pow­ under provisions of the Patriot Act of the attacks. Later, the Department ers including increased search and and calling the detention of Padilla of Defense took custody of Padilla, detention powers. unconstitutional. an American citizen, and for the JAs are quick to see the similar­ "We're questioning whether the next 18 months he was not allowed ities between their own forced government, under the authority of to have contact with his counsel, incarceration during WWII, where the US. Patriot Act, can detain an family, or other non-military per­ 11 0,000 Americans of Japanese Success of 'American Idol' Castoff William American citizen indefinitely and sonnel. After two years Padilla has ancestry were placed in American Hung a Mixed Bag for AA Community whether the President has authori­ been held indefinitely without hav­ concentration camps, and the cur­ ty to order such detention within ing been charged with any crime. rent targeting of Arab and Muslim By CAROLINE AOYAGI From an Asian American the borders of the country," said · The U.S. Court of Appeals For Americans in the fight against ter­ Executive Editor Perspective." "He's a non-threaten~ John Tateishi, JACL executive the Second Circuit said Padilla rorism. ing image of an Asian American. director. should have been allowed contact JACL and the other amici state He's got millions of fans, a gig on Our community is growing, we have "It's important for our members with his attorney and that his deten­ in the brief: "No once can dispute '''The Tonight Show" and a recently more than our share at the great uni­ to understand that we place no tion was unwarranted. The U.S. the horror inflicted upon the released album, but the phenomenal versities like Cal and Harvard. judgment on guilt or innocence in government than appealed the Nation on that date. However, as success of "American Idol" castoff People have anxieties about Asian this case, but feel compelled to court's decision to the US. Supreme illustrated by the Japanese William Hung is a mixed bag for AmeJican males. Hung's innocence question the authority of the gov­ Court. American detention and Congress' members of the Asian American let's people deal with it." emment to act in a manner that The Second Circuit's decision response over the past fifty years, community. With little AA representation, echoes the detention of Japanese was largely based on the Non­ it is important to carefully balance Hung's off-tune rendition of male or female, in the mainstream Americans during World War n." Detention Act which states that no our concerns of safety and security Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" did media today, whether in film, radio, . The amicus brief was fil~d in the American citizen can be detained with those of our freedoms and nothing for the "American Idol" or TV, some AAs question the mass U.S. Supreme Court in Donald without the authorization of the U.S. civil liberties. That is the price we judges except to elicit belly-aching hysteria surrounding this awkward Rumsjeld vs. Jose Padilla. Congress. The Non-Detention Act pay for democracy." • laughter. But for the legions of fans youngman. watching the popular FOX TV show, "If it were truly balanced we including many AAs, the Hong wouldn't care. And there'd be noth­ Engri~h.com: Comedy or Racism? Kong born, UC Berkeley civil engi­ ing to question. But, things are so far neering student's honest and seem­ . out of balance we are sensitive to By LYNDA LIN thousand ingly serious approach to the audi­ what little we have, and therefore Assistant Editor tion was an "idol" performance also much more critical and suspi­ vertising slogans prompting William Hung fan clubs cious," said Chris Tashima, actor and For some, the price of a chuckle is take on a whole dif­ and various websites across the director whose film "Visas and . too high if it means paying with ferent meaning in country. VIrtue" won anAcademy Award. your dignity. That's why a popular Japan. (Top) A sign But for some AAs, the main­ "I do wonder what those record Web site featuring a photo album of that appeared in a stream community's embrace of label execs were thinking," said bad Japanese grammar is making hair salon; (bottom) Hung's bucktoothed, accented and Tashima. "We all know how 'Asian' some people say, Prease don't make examples of spelli­ awkward performance harkened he looks - he's such a nerd - and fun of my Engrish. ng mistakes. back to the days of the "Breakfast at if he were hunky and sexy, and still The Web site, www.engrish.com. Tiffany's"-type racist portrayal of sang like that, nothing would have contains pictures of bad Japanese the Asian male ~tereotype, once caught on, I don't think. So, it's-con­ English in very public places like again placing the spotlight on an venient that he's so geeky, and he store fronts and electronic instruc­ Asian for comic relief. tion manuals - every thing from a See WILLIAM HUNG! page 2 "I think racism has a big part to do menu advertising "Hot Bowel Soup" to a patriotic t-shirt with the . with his popularity," said Emil SPRING CAMPAIGN Guillermo, a radio and TV commen­ enigmatic message, "Not tator and author of "Amok: Essays Our Lifeline Waming/Make LovedIFor Peace World." And no, it is not a haiku. By MAYA YAMAZAKI In existence since 1999, the Web P.C. Youth Board Member site is constantly updated by con­ that the Web site attributes in its ing even though it can be proof- tributors from around the world. "What is Engrish?" section to the read:" "China! Chinita!" the people The site is organized into sections Japanese emphasis on graphic "I am a Japanese national ... so I called after me. A quiet afternoon including, ·"Books and Magazines," design over spelling and grammati­ am used to things like this, " said in Havana which features a photo of "Feel .cal accuracy. Yuka Yamamoto. had turned Up" Magazine and the section with But for some individuals who However, the content of the Web into a circm~ the most expansive collection have visited or lived in Japan, site is leaving a bad taste in the featuring "SignslPosters," where you can Engrish is a widely-known phe­ mouth for some and making others me, the lone view a close-up photo of a female nomenon and a source of entertain­ cry foul. Asian, a head over laid with the message, ment. "Sites like this can be fodder for curiosity for "Happiness blows on me." "I personally think that [the Web people looking for excuses to all to gawk The site contains over 25 cate- site] is humorous," said David Kim. ridicule people of other ethnicities at. My first . gories with pictures of real life "Coming from an Asian back­ and countries of origin. It also rein­ time living in Latin America for examples of poor English from dif­ ground, as a second generation, it's forces the notion that only an extended period had become a ferent countries, but most of them . funny that English, the universal . See SPRING CAMPAIGN! page 2 come from Japan - a phenomenon language, can be broken up in writ- See ENGRISH.COMI page 12 2 PACIFIC CITIZEN, APR. I6-MAY 6, 2004 WILLIAM HUNG what Asians want as a role model. ---------------------~---------------~ There's no basis to what they are 'i\acilic (Continued from page 1) SPRING CAMPAIGN clUzen saying." Your donation will go towards the continuous Y can't help but be promoted for what Columnist Guy Aoki is taking a operation of the Pacific Citizen. 7 Cupania Circle, he is, or how he looks." "the glass is half-full" approach to Monterey Park, CA 91755 Hung's album "Inspiration" Hung's current pOpularity, assuming 0$50 0 $100 0 $200 0 Other Tel: 3231725-0083,800/966- (KOCH Records and FUSE) was people are being sincere in their sup­ 6157, Fax: 3231725-0064 released in stores nationwide April 6 E-mail: [email protected] port of the popular singer.