Pacific Citizen Staff Commissioners Voted 2 to 1 in Favor Dants Who Have Long Opposed the Requiring South View Dairy, the of the 13,OOO-Heifer Feedlot
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~PACIFIC Recognition for Vets ~ Filipino WWII vets win some '-"I CITIZEN compensation as House bill passes. New honor for the Go For Broke regiments?-PG. 4 :rhe National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens.League :-.(,\TIONAI. I'A( ; ~ ; 3 #31101 Vol. 147, No.7 ISSN: 0030-8579 www.pacificcitizen.org OCT. 3-16, 2008 Ordinary Family, Extraordinary Legacy Sixty years ago, California Kajiro,who immigrated to the U.S. between long pauses. 'This is my took away their land. By in lQ14 from the Wakayama country. I'm a citizen and you take suing and winning, Kajiro Prefecture, was an "alien ineligible my land away." and Fred Oyama started for citizenship" and therefore pro- Instead of accepting this fate, hibited from owning land, so he sim- Kajiro and Fred with the help of the .the fight for equal rights ply deeded the property to his JACL and the American Civil that is still beihg waged American born son. Liberties Union, took their battle today in Florida. "I didn't know why I was there," against injustice all the way to the With the help of the ACLU and the JACL, Fred Oyama (far left) and said Fred, now an 82-year-old retired Supreme Court. In the highest court Kajiro Oyama (seated, center) sued California for taking their land. By LYNDA LIN junior high math teacher, about the in the land, the Oyamas were vindi Assistant Editor day he and his father filed the paper- cated. Their 1948 case, Oyama v. "My role was my name. California Institute of Technology work for the land. California, has been called a turning Everything that happened was and perhaps becoming an engineer. Fred Oyama was six years old But innocence turned into anger point for equal rights for Asian because of my dad." "But it didn't work out that way," when he first became a landowner. It when the U.S. government seized Pacific Americans and the country's said Fred with a chuckle. When was about six acres of Chula Vista, the Oyama land anyway during .. immigrant communities. Kajiro arrived in his adopted home Calif. fannland - a gift of necessity World War IT, saying it had been pur- But 60 years later, even with a Injustice Atop Injustice land, he was handed a pair of Levis from his Issei father, Kajiro Oyama. chased with intent to evade the Alien splashy ACLU event commemorat Kajiro was a man of few words. and told go to work in the field. So Back then racism was written into Land Law. ing the landmark case, Fred prefers He came to the U.S. at the age of 15 law, and the only solution was a gift. "I was so angry," said Fred in to duck the spotlight. with dreams of attending the See ALIEN LAND LAWJPage 11 Lessons in English, Explorations in JA Identity Little Tokyo Takes a Crucial Step Many younger generations in Building a Neighborhood Gym of Japanese Americans are heading to Japan to teach English and rmding it's a HOME COURT: great way to explore their Tournaments like SanTai own identity. San may now have its By CAROLINE AOYAGI-STOM own venue. Executive Editor The project finally gets a Now with the city council's For many Yonsei like Geoff approval, the JA community is one Tsudama, 25, trying to envision their green light, but faces its next obstacle - a $15 step closer than it's ever been to hav ancestral home of Japan, images of August. His taxi ride to his new explore their own identities. ing a recreational center built within all-night pachinko parlors, wall-to million capital campaign. home for the next few years revealed "In California, Japanese the boundarit:S of its historic neigh wall skyscrapers, and endless lush green rice fields amid a sparse Americans have a great grasp on By LYNDA LIN borhood. crowds of people in highway wide populace living a life of tranqUility. what they think Japanese culture is It's been a longtime dream for Bill crosswalks are usually the first to Assistant Editor Geoff, like many Yonsei and like. We always eat Japanese food, Watanabe, executive director of the come to mind. Sansei these days, recently left and some may even listen to For decades Japanese American Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC). But those frenzied images were Southern California to teach English Japanese music, but you don't really leaders in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo He has always envisioned a place quickly put to rest when Geoff in Japan. And many of these younger understand Japanese culture until have stressed the same point - that would attract young Asian arrived in Kashiwa, Japan in late generations of Japanese Americans you come here," he said. build a recreational center and the are finding it's a great opportunity to See REC CENTERlPage 13 SeeJAIDE~~ge16 youth will come. Jerome County Commissioners Give Final Approval lor Feedlot Near Minidoka The JACL national board fmal approval for a controversial Friends of Minidoka. "We support agriculture ... but passes a resolution vowing feedlot to move just over a mile The decision to approve the the feedlot is in the wrong loca to oppose the controversial from the Minidoka National confined animal feeding operation tion." decision. Historic Site in Southern Idaho. (CAFO) stunned many former To lessen the feedlot's impact On Sept. 22, Jerome County Minidoka internees and descen on the 'area the commission is By Pacific Citizen Staff Commissioners voted 2 to 1 in favor dants who have long opposed the requiring South View Dairy, the of the 13,OOO-heifer feedlot. The facility fearing odor, waste man new owners of the permit for the Despite last minute appeals decision was approved with some agement and airborne pathogens. Big Sky Farms feedlot, to provide from concerned citizens and minor editing changes still needed, "Friends of Minidoka is very a "pull-off' area for school buses preservation groups, Jerome said Emily Momohara, chair of the disappointed," said Momohara. See FEEDLOTJPage 6 County Commissioners gave their like Bruce lee Issei Speed Skater Commu~ ty ............ ..... .....6-7 East West Players' new Issei Kashima is making Voices .......... ..................... ..... 8 play puts a spin on a an impact in the Junior Calendar ........ .. ........... .14 kung fu legend. Hockey League. Obits .... ... .................. 15 Sf'ORIS 1'.Hit 10 2 OCT. 3-16, 2008 COMMENTARY PACIAC =CmzEN ~.PACIFIC PSW GOTV Says 'No' to Proposition 8 "';1.'"" CITIZEN By PSW GOTV Committee cent of all same through "marriages" to opposite-sex couples 250 E. First Street, Ste. 301, sex couples in and "civil' unions" to same-sex couples, Los Angeles, CA. 90012 On Nov. 4, millions of AIpericans will go California are wouldn't this just be a form of segregation all Tel: 213/620-1767, out and vote in a historic election where, for API. It is critical over again? It's not just an issue of seman 800/966-6157 the frrst time in the history of the United for our commu tics. Past segregation laws of separate but Fax: 213/620-1768 States, we can vote for an African American nity to be aware equal have proven themselves to be uncon E-mail: [email protected] www.pacificcitizen.org president or a female vice president from the of this issue and stitutional. Why then, would it be acceptable major political parties. In addition, act in the best to apply this notion to the gay and lesbian Executive Editor: Californians will have another important interest of those community? Caroline Y. Aoyagi-Stom decision to make that day - whether or not who are directly Proposition 8 is reminiscent of the anti Assistant Editor: "only marriage between a man and a woman affected by this miscegenation laws that formerly applied to Lynda Lin is valid or recognized in California." proposition. communities of color in the United States. Office Manager: Tht proposition would eliminate the right Many argue Many of these laws, especially in California, Brian Tanaka of gay and lesbian couples to many, which the "sanctity of were targeted at Asian immigrants to make it Circulation: Eva Lau-Ting effectively takes away a right thatthese cou marriage" as difficult for them to marry, establish families, ples currently have. Proposition 8 is a con one of the primary reasons why marriage build communities and integrate into Publisher: Japanese American Citizens League (founded 1929) 1765 Sutter Street, tentious proposition. Supporters of the should be solely between a man and a American society. It was not until 1967 that San Francisco, CA 94115, tel: 4151921- proposition argue that marriage should only woman. Civil marriage is a state-sanctioned all race-based legal restrictions on marriage 5225 fax: 4151931-4671, www.jacl,org be between a man and a woman. Those union of individuals, so there's really no reli were eliminated in the U.S. with the land JACL President: Lany Oda against the proposition argue for equal gious issue to debate here. We feel that, like mark civil rights case Loving v. Virginia. Nat'! Director: F\ayd Mori rights, including the right to many, for any everyone else who is entitled to obtaining JACL supported the Lovings in this case Pacific Citizen Board of Directors: Margie and all committed and loving couples. civil marriages at their local city halls, the for the same reason why it has joined the "No Yamamoto, chairperson; Vacant, EDC; Usa PSW JACL's Get Out the Vote (GOTV) gay and lesbian community in California on Prop 8 Equality for All" Campaign - Hanasono, MDC; Kathy Ishimoto, CCDC; Judith Aono, NCWNPDC; Justine Kondo, Committee opposes Proposition 8 because it .