Pacific Citizen Staff to Achieve Revenue Goals
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PACIFIC Closer to Victory Filipino WWII veterans are a step closer to final CITIZEN ly getting their benefits. A memorial to JA pioneers is resurrected. -PAGE 6 The National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League NATIONAL PAGE 3 #31021 Vol. 146, No.1 0 ISSN: 0030-8579 www.pacificcitizen.org JUNE 6-19, 2008 Another Case of APA AlI1nesia?• The town hall was touted as and ideas are exchanged. Instead, the towards voting fQr McCain. She an historic event where can candidates for the United States' tQP has riot been fQllowing the primar didates would address APA elected .post were either beamed in ies, sO. she attended the event to' issues. Their absences were through satellite, telephQne Qr nQt at. learn sQmething new abQut the resounding. all fQr the histQric event presented by candidates' PQsitiQns Qn hut buttQn APIAVote. issues. By LYNDA LIN For emphasis, no candidates Instead, she alQng with Qther Assistant Editor showed up to the frrst ever presiden attendees stared at large projection tial town hall put together by Asian . screens with rotating images Qf IRVlNE, Calif.-It was a presi Pacific American lea.ders during Obama while he answered questiQns dential tQwn hall meeting withQut APA Heritage MQnth with the by phQne. Clinton, Qn the other hand, any of the candidates, so. Cindy expressed purpose Qf having a dia read and answered her Qwn ques Yang wondered if the May 17 event IQgue about APA specific issues. tiQns in a satellite video.. And eQuId even be described as a town No. Hillary ClintQn. No. Barack McCain sent a surrogate speaker hall. Obama. No. JQhn McCain: At least, . because he was taping a cameo. Qn TraditiQnally, a tQwn hall involves not in persQn. "Saturday Night Live." a face-tQ-face meeting between ''Not having any of the candidates ''It was disappointing and discQur- AN EMPTY PODIUM: The candidates for the top elected post in the U.S. community members and elected there defeats the purpose of a town beamed into the May 17 APA presidential town hall via satellite, over Qfficials where opiniQns are voiced hall," said Yang, who is leaning See APIA VOTElPage 13 the phone or not at all. 1st Lt. Watada's Future Still a Mystery From France to Texas: WWlI Belly Tanks Nat'l Bd. Passes Seven months after a trom 'Lost Battalion' Saga Discovered in Proposed federal judge prevented Vosges Mountains, Donated to U.S. Museum the Army from a 2009-10 Budget second court-martial, no The next biennial budget new paperwork has been relies on everyone from filed. the national board to the JACL members and staff By Pacific Citizen Staff to achieve revenue goals. In the past several mQnths the Gerome Villain (left) By LYNDA LIN name of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada stands beside the JA Assistant Editor deplQy to. Iraq with his unit in June has seen very little press time. That's WWII memorial. Above is Qf2006. a majQr change frQm last NQvember one of the belly tanks. The JACL national board has when the JA officer's name was a U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. passed a 2009-10 budget that frNuent presence in both the main Settle ruled that a secQnd trial WQuid requires full participation from the stream and Japanese American viQlate Watada's cQnstitutiQnal With the help of a local French historian and FedEx, the artifacts will help tell the story of the 442ndllOOth ReT board, staff and the Qrganization's press. rights, essentially agreeing with the members to help curb the.negative and their role in helping rescue members of the 36th Texas It was seven months ago that a Qfficer's attQrneys who. argued dQu membership trend. federal judge blocked the U.S. Army ble jeopardy - that a person could Division. The prQposed next biennial frQm cQnducting a secQnd CQurt nQt be tried twice fQr the same crime. budget, which was passed during a martial Qf..JVatada fQr refusing to Although the Army had indicated By CAROLINE AOYAGI-STOM May 16 conference call with a dis-: Executive Editor its intention to file paperwork to pre senting vote from JACL vent the federal judge's injunction Secretarylfreasurer Mark Koba For as long as Gerome Villain, 34, can remember, the people Qf his home frQm becQming permanent, no. yashi. includes: tQwn Qf Beaumenil, France have extolled the stQries Qf their CQmmQn heroes: paperwQrk has been fiJed to date. • An elimination of the $2 mem the American sQldiers who. helped liberate their small village during WQrld It's left the 30-year-old Hawaii bership dues increase. Warn. officer in a state Qf limbo. • A major drive with full partic At family dinners with his grandfather Qr as elders gathered to. reminisce, "I kind of think it's like ipation from all members and staff the stories Qf the 36th Texas DivisiQn and the Japanese American sQldiers Qf to stop the loss in members. see WATADAlPage 10 the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team became the stuff of legends. • An increase of 151 and 448 "In the area Qf Bruyeres and new paid members (compared to BiffQntaine, everybody here IQves WEEKS end of year ?1XJ7 numbers) in 5 them! And I can tell· YQU, there is July 16-20 2009 and 2010, respectively. Registration fonn Page 7 See BELLYTANKSlPage 11 See BUDGETlPage 10 INDEX YouTube Darling T-Shirt Lawsuit Letters ........................ 2 Marie Digby used the Manufacturers sue the NatiQnal ..................... .3-5 Chicago Cubs for the Community ................. 6-7 popular video sharing Web site as her launch pad. right to produce Calendar..................... 14 'Horry Kow!' shirts. Obits ........................ 15 NATIONAL PAGE 5 2 JUNE 6-19, 2008 LElTERS/SPRING CAMPAIGN PACIFIC !II CrnzEN ~.PACIFIC NATIONAL DIRECTOR'S REPORT SPRING CAMPAIGN ~."'CITIZEN See You in Salt Lake City . - Good to the Last Drop 250 E. First Street, Ste. 301 , By FLOYD MORI By LISA HANASONO Los Angeles, CA. 90012 Tel: 213/620-1767, The 2008 National JACL Convention is just around the comer. This As a graduate student on a tight budget, I usually try to limit my indul 800/966-6157 will be a special experience for all JACLers and friendS who are able to gences. However, there are some things that I cannot live without. One Fax: 213/620-1768 E-mail: [email protected] attend the convention July 16-20 at the Downtown Marriott Hotel in special indulgence is my "Monday Morning Routine." Each Monday www.pacificcitizen.org Salt Lake City, Utah. We hope YOU are planning to participate. morning, I ease into the work week by brewing a strong pot of Maxwell Executive Editor: The Sayonara Banquet to be held on Saturday House coffee and connecting to the world through Caroline Y. Aoyagi-Stom evening, July 19, is the final major event of the my trusty Toshiba laptop. While sipping on a cup Assistant Editor: convention. After a few days of lively business of Joe, I . drink the latest news on the Pacific Lynda Lin sessions and infonnative plenary sessions, work Citizen's Web site (www.pacificcitizen.org). Otfi~e Manager: shops, exhibits, elections and socializing, conven With a few swift clicks of my mouse, I catch up Brian Tanaka Circulation: Eva Lau-Ting tion attendees and locals will come together for on top stories about the Asian Pacific American the culminating dinner and program, the Sayonara community. In the time it takes to down a mug of Publisher: Japanese American Banquet. coffee', I am able to digest the latest scoop of infor Citizens League (founded 1929) 1765 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA With the convention theme of "Legacy of mation from the p.es Web site. Simply put: my 94115, tel: 4151921-5225 fax: 4151931- Leadership," it is fitting to have a young Japanese American leader as a "Monday Morning Routine" is good to the last drop. 4671, www.jacl.org highlight of the convention. Dan Tani, a NASA astronaut whose family' Although your Monday morning routine may differ from rnine, I hope JACL President: Larry Oda has a long history with the JACL, will be the keynote speaker for the that we l?oth share an appreciation for the P.e. For nearly 80 years, this Nat'l Director: Floyd Mori Sayonara Banquet. He is a great role model for the youth of the JACL nationaHy recognized newspaper has been keeping the APA community Pacific Citizen Board of Directors: and an inspiration to all. Dan will participate in other aspects of the con connected through the dissemination of pertinent infonnation and fasci Gil Asakawa, chairperson; Margie Yamamoto, EDC; Lisa Hanasono, vention as well. We look forward to hearing from him and being able to nating stories. Young professionals in California and retirees in Florida MDC; Kathy Ishimoto, CCDC; Judith walk and talk with this giant of a man. alike have been able to learn about nnportant issues facing the APA Aono, NGWNPDC; Justine Kondo, The outgoing national JACL board members who have served well community by reading the latest P. e. issue. PNWDC; Jeff Itami, IDC; Ted Namba, the past two years will be thanked at the Sayonara Banquet, and the Each year, the P. e. holds its Spring Campaign to assist with the finan PSWDC; Naomi Oren, Youth. newly elected board will be installed. Special thanks to those who have cial demands of publishing a top quality newspaper and maintaining a r-----------------~----------, given their time freely to serve on the national board. dynamic Web site (a site that is not currently being funded by the nation I NEWS/AD DEADLINE: FRIDAY BEFORE DATE OF ISSUE. Thanks to the Utah JACL chapters, committee chairs and members, al JACL).