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Killed by Hate? A Second Court Martial Satendar Singh was 1st Lt. Ehren Watada pre allegedly beaten to pares again to defend his death by a group decision not to go to Iraq. yelling anti-gay slurs. NATIONAL NEWS PAGE 4 NATIONAL NEWS PAGE 3 CITIZEN Golf phenom Tadd smce1929PACIFIC Fujikawa makes the decision to go pro. SPORTS PAGE 7 The National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League #3083/Vol. 145, No.2 ISSN: 0030-8579 WWW.PACIFICCITIZEN.ORG JULY 20-AUG. 2, 2007 A Waking Nightmare The tumor embedded in Maria to see a neurologist and get the appropriate tests. Watanabe's brain went undetected for Each request was denied with the explanation that years. All the symptoms were there, but Maria's condition did not meet "medical necessity she contends her health insurance com criteria." pany denied her care. The survivor is "I was still scared," said Maria, but since the med waging a war against her HMO. ical director of her health maintenance organization (HMO) didn't seem to-think anything was amiss, she thought "maybe there's nothing wrong with me." ByLYNDALIN So in July 2003, Maria, along with her husband Assistant Editor Hiroyoshi and their two daughters Yurika and Mika, traveled to Tokyo. Her pain intensified, so family PASADENA, Calif.-For almost two years start members took Maria to a local hospital where she ing in October 2002, Maria Teresa Watanabe suf described to the doctor her symptoms and her med fered from increasingly intense headaches and dizzi ical history. He ordered a magnetic brain imaging ness that robbed her of sleep and basic daily func (MRI) scan the same day. tions. She had blurry vision spells and blackouts that 'The same day," she repeated. 'This is the test that once made her fall down a flight of stairs with her I have been waiting so long for [in the United baby cradled in her arms. '/ don't want to die and leave my family, ' wrote a States]." What could it be? She had a nagging feeling that distraught Maria Teresa Watanabe (above with The scan revealed her worst nightmare: Maria had her symptoms were similar to a cousin's who died of daughter Mika) in a July 21, 2003, letter to her pri a brain tumor. a brain tumor, so the mother of two confided in her mary care doctor after being diagnosed with a brain primary-care physician who repeatedly requested tumor in Japan (left). from Maria's health insurance company to allow her See MARIA WATANABElPage 4 Remember Little Manila? Hearings Set for • The Stockton community ~~rtrnillftv.~ ..~ was once the home of the ONCE A HOTSPOT: Pioneering Filipino largest community of Feedlot Near Minidoka farm workers in'the Filipino Americans in the 1920s-30s lived at Jerome County commissioners have set aside Aug. 14 nation. But like many other the Hotel Mariposa and 15 to debate the Big Sky permit application. ethnic enclaves, it's being (far right), danced Concerm of fonner internees will be heard only at the threatened by change. Now at the Rizal Social hearings, making it necessary for elderly JAs to make a a preservation group is hop Club next door and trip to Idaho. ing to save the last three ate at the Emerald original buildings. By CAROLINE AOYAGI-STOM Restaurant (far left). Executive Editor ByLYNDALIN Assistant Editor PHOTO: DillON DELVO The hearing dates have now been set for a controversial 13, 188 heifer feedlot just a mile and a half away from the Minidoka Internment The lingering pain of a World War ~erre, who arrived in Stockton in reminders of the district's historic National Monument. But if former internees want to have their con II bullet wound keeps the almost 80- April 1994 by driving through the past as a Filipino hotspot for farm cerns heard, they will need to physically show up at the hearings in . year-old Alberto Alerre confined to city's Little Manila. Although the workers and zoot suit clad manong Idaho. the walls of his Steamboat Landing district is a shadow of its former self, (literally "respected elder") are three The Jerome County Commissioners have set aside Aug. 14 and 15 to Apartments in Stockton, Calif. But he felt a sense of comfort. dilapidated buildings: the Emerald hear from Big Sky Farms LLP owned by Don McFarland who want to the Filipino WWII veteran manages "Be it ever so humble there's no Restaurant, the Rizal Social Club build the controversial feedlot. Residents who live.within a one-mile to escape every once in awhile place like home," said Alerre. and the Hotel Mariposa on Lafayette radius of the proposed feedlot will still be able to write in their concerns through a tunnel in his memory and "Anything that is something to do Street. One local preservation group beforehand and can also present their testimony at the hearings. songs from his homeland. with the Philippines gives us a sense wants to save and transform the But Japanese American former internees - many today in their early Over the phone, he warbles a of nostalgia." to late 80s - will have to . haunting refrain about Little Manila These days, the last physical See LITTLE MANILAlPage 12 fmd a way to physically get See MINIDOKA FEEDLOTlPage 2 and laughs. "My memory is hazy," said Pittsburgh H.S. Students Create' Anti-Asians Anonymous' Group on Facebook.com The AA community protests Pirates or the new Harry Potter flick - it was an anti-Asian group they the group, forcing it to be Anti-Asians Anonymous Ci shut down. Unfortunately, cheekily called "Anti-Asians similar hateful sentiment Anonymous." '"1.. ' .... "'11... still remains on the popular "I ate your dog, but I'm not Grnup Infa sorry! !!" is the bubble quote beside a Anti··A5ians Anonymous networking site. Geography - Ridl.s.harin.g & Traosp;ortoati<:!rl generic photo of a young Asian man. WI! rerm.ln secret to combat theylre Jedr .... wannabe~s aka nlnjDS. And under "Recent News" there are By CAROLINE AOYAGI-STOM fake news titles like: "Pearl Harbor: Gf1kc. Executive Editor 0.11", Our only mistake was stopping at two. Tom Brokaw reports" and When some students at Fox "Another Chinese hideout in a giant japan has lost.an Islandm (iue.ss ~o? Chapel Area High School in bowl of urine. Where'd they go?" Pearl Harbor: Our ontv mtst.1ke was. stopping at tYo!O. Tom Brokaw Vi-ew f:Xs<uuIOi'l So.;ud Pittsburgh, Penn. decided to start reports. Jo:n 'tb-is G"o~p Among the 25 group members, 16 oIR~p<lr:t Croup their own group on the popular Anime...(ra.ck (ocaine for the soul are identified as currently attending ~ Facebook.com networking site, their fix th~lr eyes using only boiling watu ".d postage .tampsl! Ask Share +1 Creator ror details choice of topic wasn't the Pittsburgh See FACEBOOKIPage 6 N~Xf wef'k~ a tour inside. the Chinese- PETA Happy runli~ Processing Ploot- fr... iblets tor kldsl 2 NATIONAL/LEITERS PACIFIC CITIZEN, JULY 20-AUG. 2, 2007 f' PACIRC CmZEN ~ NAT'L DIRECTOR'S REPORT 2005 WINNERI ~ NEW AMERICA V'MEDIA The Never-ending Fight for Civil Rights ~ Awards In Writing .A By FLOYD MORI ment is a "civil right" in a developed groups that have been meeting with most effective way to present the nation such as the United States. The members of congress to educate internment camps as an educational Almost daily I find myself reciting JACL is a charter member of this them on the dangers that our civil element for our nation's history. PACIFIC CITIZEN in meetings or to the press the prestigious organization and main liberties face. This working task Legislation to allow a study for the description of JACL as "the oldest tains a seat on LCCR's executive force has been effective in ie-educat Tule Lake campsite is moving 250 E. First Street, Ste. 301, and largest Asian American civil board. ing congress about the meaning and through congress. Further legislation Los Angeles, CA. 90012 rights organization in the nation." When we are in bad health it is need to maintain the right to habeas to expand the Minidoka National Tel: 213/620-1767, 800/966-6157 We who have a long history with difficult to fully take advantage of corpus even during times of war. Monument site has hi-partisan sup Fax: 213/620-1768 JACL often look at "civil rights" as the liberties afforded us by our legal While the Redress movement was port and is moving through the leg E-mail: [email protected] our legally system. Therefore, the JACL will a great accomplishment of the islative process with the support of www.pacificcitizen.org defined rights in press forward to advocate for reduc- JACL, it remains relevant to many JACL. Executive Editor: the laws and in ing the health disparities which of the issues we deal with today. The The legislative maneuvering Caroline Y. Aoyagi-Stom the Constitution affect the Asian American communi- movement to preserve the intern that has blocked the progress of Assistant Editor: of this great ty. ment camps is witness to the fact that the Comprehensive Immigration Lynda Lin nation. The JACL also continues to advo- many today see the lessons learned Reform legislation has been a Office Manager: I would like cate for a legal system that preserves from having permanent educational major disappointment to its sup Brian Tanaka to broaden civil our basic right to due process. reminders of the value of civilliber porters.