Aas Celebrate Defeat of Prop. 54, the Racial Priva Y Initiative Pacific
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Newsstand: 25¢ $1.50 postpaid (U.S., Can.) / $2.30 (Japan Air) #30021 Vol. 137, No. 8ISSN: 0030-8579 National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) OCT. 17-Nov. 6, 2003 AAs Celebrate Defeat of Prop. JA City Council Candidate Won't Be . Deterred by Hate Mail 54, the Racial Priva�y Initiative By CAR OLINE AOYAGI hate and confusion," said Suzuki. English among peers. ... Kindly By Associated Press is a great victory because it helped Executive Editor If he was given the opportunity to return to 'your' Asian nation to and PacificCitizen Staff to save lives which would have respond to the individual who sent seek leadership. Your people need been threatened if medical If Peter Suzuki is successful in the hate letter he said he would you." . Asian . Americans across research could not be conducted his campaign for city council in explain "that America is a nation Suzuki has received a great deal California helped deliver a under· the limits of Proposition Summit, N.J., he will become the of immigrants and that the true of support from the AAcommuni resounding' "no" vote on 54," he said. "This is also a great first Asian American ever to hold American spirit is to welcome ty in response to the hate letter, Proposition 54, the controversial victory because so many of our the seat, so he's not about to includiQg the local JACL measure calling for the end of community organizations re let hate mail deter him in his chapter and the Asian efforts. American Political Coalition racial data collection by the gov sponded. to the call to. defeat ernment. Proposition 54." Suzuki, a Sansei lawyer . (AAPC). The contentious Racial Privacy Exit polls showed that an over from Los Angeles who has "I strongly condemn the Initiative that would have banned whelming majority of AAs voted lived in Ne'!V Jersey the past ignorant, mean-spirited, anti state and local govemments from against the measure. According to 20 years, said he was "sad Asian, anti-immigrant, and tracking race in everything from a poll conducted by the Korean dened" and "disturbed" by racist sentiments expressed in preschools to police work was Resource Center, 94 percent of the hate letter he recei ved a letter sent to Mr. Peter defeated in the Oct. 7 recall elec Korean Americans voted against Sept. 23 in response to his Suzuki," said Sumi Koide, tion by a nearly 2- 1 margin. Proposition 54. In addition, phone historic campaign for the JACL New York chapter pres The defeat of the measur@ is a banks conducted in the Los Summit Common Council ident. "It is abhorrent that dis resounding victory for AAs, said Angeles area showed 66 percent seat. respectful, hateful, degrading, Mike Eng. Monterey Park City "I am saddened by the let stereotypically racist and truly Council member. "Proposition 54 See PROP. 54/page 2 ter. I didn't expect to generate 'un-American' . thoughts are such a hateful reaction to my felt and expressed in this great candidacy," said Suzuki in an democratic nation, which has interview .with the Pacific Summit, N.J, city council candidate Peter its origins from immigrants Citizen. "The author of the Suzuki with his wife Teri and their son Mitch. from all nations of the world." letter made racial slurs The New York chapter against me, against Asian immigrants as new members of recently made an official state Americans in general and against the American family." ment in SUPPOlt of Suzuki's cam immigrants to America." Although the sender included paign and denounced the sender of Suzuki immediately passed on his/her signature and name on the the hate letter. the hate letter to the Summit hate letter Suzuki declined to give "It is unfOitunate that in this Police Department so they would the indiyidual's name. Part of the great state of New Jersey, diversi have a record of the incident. He letter states: "People like you ty continues to encounter this has chosen not to respond to the sneak in to the United States degree of blatant racial igno hate letter and refuses to make the knowing how to speak two words rance," said Hemant Wadhwai, letter an issue in his campaign. of English - political asylum. AAPC president, who called for "The incident reminded me that Your political agenda is fabricated an apology from the letter's Voters head to the polls in Monterey Park, Calif., to cast their ballots in it is important to have compassion just· like your personal fa�ade. the Oct. 7 recall election which included a vote on Proposition 54. for people who are so filled with Underneath is an Asian - broken See HATE MAIUpage 9 Stephenson Apologizes for AA Creator of 'Ghettopoly' Board Game Stirs Anger Comments in Magazine Article By CAR OLINE AOYAGI erty pieces such as Westside this regard," said Rev. Glenn Executive Editor Liquor, Smitty's XXXPeep Show Wilson, referring to the game By ASSOCIATED leaving without talking to the PRESS' and Tyron's Gun Shop, and board figures labeled "Malcum media. The Asian American creator of . "Hustle" and "Ghetto Stash" cards X" and "Martin Luthor King Jr." Hawaii-Golfer "After hearing the statement KAHUKU, "Ghettopoly," a board game mod that tell players: "You are, a little "There's no way that game could Jan Stephenson issued a written read back to me prior to the release eled on the traditional Monopoly short on loot, so you decided to be taken in any way other than that apology to the Asian community of it, I requested that the editor game, is causing outrage among stick up a bank. Collect $75':' and this man had racist intent in mar Oct. for criticizing Asian reword that portion," said 11 both African Americans and Asian "You got yo whole neighborhood keting it." female players in a recent maga Stephenson, who became the first Americans who call the game addicted to crack. Collect $50 The community groups are also zine mticle. woman to play on the Champions racist and demeaning. from each player." outraged with Urban Outfitters, Stephenson said in a story for Tour Oct. 10. The board game includes prop- "Ghetto pol y" the national the November issue of Stephenson said Oct. she Golf 10 is the brainchild store chain that top-earning Asian helped promote the LPGA when Maga�ille of David that carries players are "killing" the LPGA she was younger and is annoyed MORIMEMO Chang, a 28- the product. Tour by not making themselves there are some who don't do the year-old Members of more available for promotional same .. She has won tourna A Commitment 16 Taiwanese the African purposes. She cliticized them for ments, including three majors, to Our Future Amelican from American playing tournaments and then See STEPHENSO N/page 9 By FLOYD MaRl Pennsylvania, community JACL Nat'l President and· he's been held a side- getting quite a tongue-lashing walk protest Oct. 8 in front of the It seems that the adage that "it is from both the African American company's corporate headquarters Inside the never too early to start planning" and AA communities who want - ·in Philadelphia calling for the is overtaking us again. We speak a him to stop making the game. immediate removal of Pacific Citizen lot of the need to plan for the "These kinds of games promote "Ghettopoly" from all its stores. future, whether it is in our person discrimination and hate .crimes. In "It is outrageous that Urban Letters ....... .......2 al lives, our 2003 we need to move beyond . Outfitters, a large and successful community, stereotypes," said Karen Narasaki, public company, would sell the National News .....3·4 our 'nation, or president and executive director· of overtly racist board game the organiza- the National Asian Pacific 'Ghettopoly,'" said Congressman Community News . 5·6 tions with American Legal Consortiurn. Mike Honda, D-San Jose. "By which we "David Chang, the creator of the selling this game, the company Sports . .... .... 7 affiliate. The game, was reported saying that seems to be condoning these false . future is what Ghettopoly is only a game, but in and damaging stereotypes of Columns, we do now fact, it is a flash pointfor increased African Americans. I urge the and how well we envision the racial tensions among communi company to be responsible and Cartoon .............8 needs and wants of generations ties of color," said Raymond remove these games from their not yet here. And yes, we do have Wong, president of the store shelves immediately." Calendar ..........10 an obligation to think of the lega Organization of Chinese So far, Urban Outfitters has cy and the opportunities that we Americans. remained silent on the issue. Obituaries ........ : 11 give to our posterity. Too much ''This is beyond making fun, to Chang did not retum e-mails . use the caricature of Dr. King in See MORI MEMO/page 2 See GHETTOPOLY/page 9 2 • PAC IFIC CITIZEN, OCT. 17·Nov. 6, 2003 today and in the past? Is there a the Aloha of Hawaii. Bring your overwhelming success. Many MORIMEMO need to update the stmcture of our . entire family and encourage your thanks to the PSW planning com "i\acliflC (Continued from page 1) organization? Is now the time to friends to join you. mittee. our honored guests. and c . lizen begin revamping the manner in It was many months ago that the many from throughout the r focus on the matters of "today" which we finance the programs of John Tateishi. JACL executive nation who supported the event. 7 Cupania Circle, with no respect for what we leave JACL? Does there need to be a director, and I sat down over There have been many who have Monterey Park, CA 91755 those who follow is a guarantee restmcturing of staff and staff lunch and agreed that a major spoken to me �ince the event and Tel: 323/725-0083, 800/966- of a rocky and unpleasant future.