Pacific Citizen

MID-YEAR CAMPAIGN HISTORIC RND GNINGBACK Support the national ~~~~:I Madison, Idaho NY designer makes Chicago JACL pre JACL and its programs hopes to preserve wedding dreams come pares to host bi-dis with your donation! Japanese school. true at a discount. trict, July 21-24. PAGE 2 PAGE 4 PAGE 9 PAGE 10 Since 1929 ___________________________________ INSIDE Michelle Wie fails to make history at John ITIZEN Deere Classic. The National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League PAGE 7 #30401 Vol. 141. No.2 ISSN: 0030-8579 JULY 15·AuG. 4, 2005 As :Supreme Court Justice Replacement Talks Take Place, Where Are the AAs? BY CAROLINE AOYAGI ment generally." Executive Editor So far the odds are not stacked in their favor. Never in the history of the Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's U.S. Supreme Court has an AA sat on ·announcement of her retirement recently shocked nor even been considered as a nomi both sides of the philosophical aisle and now conser nee for the post by a U.S. president. vatives and liberals, women,· and minorities are As the list of possible nominees con scrambling to have their say in President George tinues to leak, there is no mention of Bush's choice for her replacement. But in the midst an AA candidate although two of all the rhetoric, Asian Americans are raising their .Hispanics, an African American, and voices and asking: isn't it about time for an AA three women have so far been short Supreme Court Justice? listed; dominating the list are White "It is only a matter of time before we see anAsian men. Pacific American on the U.S. Supreme Court," said And it's not that there is a shortage Attorney John C. Yang, immediate past president of of qualified AA judges and lawyers to NAPABA (National Asian Pacific American Bar replace O'Connor who announced Association) and chair of the group's Judiciary her retirement July 1. AAs have been Committee. "The selection of a Supreme Court rising in the ranks and several hold Justice is in part a political decision." esteemed judgeships and academic He adds, "It's a two-way street. Asian Pacific positions throughout the country. Americans. must continue to do a better job of Last October, The New York Times becoming active politically ... At the same time, the ran an article with possible Supreme WORTHY CANDIDATES: (clockwise, top righ~ Yale Law School Dean Harold Koh, District current political leaders must recognize that there is Court Judge Ronatd S.W. Lew, Circuit Court Justice A. Wallace Tashima and District Court Justice nominees and Harold an appalling lack of Asian Pacific American repre Court Judge Denny Chin. Many more Asian Pacific Ame~ican judges and lawyers may sentation in the judiciary and upper levels of govem- not even be considered for a Supreme Court post. See SUPREME COURT/Page 3 Texas Approves 'Jap Lane' Name Changes Smart, Young and Running for City Council B Pacific Citizen Staff This university student knows he's an unlikely Orange County, Texas' "Jap Lane" road signs have finally been candidate, but he's pas taken dowlJ. sionate about change. After a protracted battle with local residents, Orange County By LYNDA LIN workers removed the sign many Assistant Editor considered to be racially insensitive last month. Eugene Kang has his mihd set In its place, new names have been on becoming a city council mem chosen by "Jap Lane" residents to ber this summer. For the Aug. 2 reflect the character of the commu election in his hometown of Ann nity. To replace the racial slur, they Hirasaki testified that his brother and Arbor, Michigan, Kang is work chose three names for different seg sister suffered from racial slurs. John ing with a campaign manager and ments of the road: Duncanwoods Dubose, Orange County Precinct 3 volunteer staff at campaign head Lane, Japanese Lane and Cajun Commissioner gave Hirasaki two Photo courtesy of Eugene Kang Way. street signs: "Japanese Lane" and quarters (his house) to make signs YOUNG POWER: Eugene Kang, 21, is ready to take office. Orange County Commissioners "Jap Lane," according to the and go door-to-door. He tells vot wants to improve the communica Rapundalo, a former Republican approved the name changes during Enterprise. ers he champions affordable tion between the university and the mayoral candidate who later their July 5 commissioners court Hirasaki along with many other housing Opti9ns and vehemently city. meeting. JAs and civil rights organizations opposes instating more taxes. changed sides to become a Kang is 21. He is a senior at the JACL Houston chapter member have been fighting for a name He also wants to reform the Democrat, to represent his section University of Michigan majoring in George Hirasaki told the Beaumont change for over a decade. Last year, University of Michigan's reputa of the city, Ward 2. English and Philosophy. During his Enterprise that as a child growing civil rights groups successfully sued tion, which he says sufferS from If elected, Kang will ~ the fIrst summer break, he's not on vacation up near "Jap Lane," racism was a for a name change in neighboring headline-grabbing incidences like Korean American council mem common occurrence and the word or parked in front of PlayStation II Jefferson County, where last year fraternity hazing and sorority ber in his municipality. "Jap" was often the weapon of "Jap Road" became "Boondocks - he's planning to beat out Stephen marijuana scandals. If elected, he choice. Road." See CITY COUNCIUPage 3 At the commissioners meeting, Dubose said he led the effort to rename "Jap Lane" in order to avoid a lawsuit and bad publicity.• JA Activist Yuri Kochiyama Nominated lor Nobel Peace Prize By AMY E. IKEDA ing to be 'funny, playing a joke. But women working for peace around COMMENTARY Special to the Pacific Citizen it turned out to really be a woman the world. I researcher for the Nobel Peace Prize Three women have already been Redress Legacy Yuri Kochiyama, 84, may appear Committee." selected by the project committee By JOHN TATEISIll a typical friendly Japanese Kochiyama and will represent the 1,000 JACL Execll-tive Director American grandmother, but she has is one of the . women. As a symbolic nomination, lead anything but an average life. women nomi their identities will not be released It's been 17 years since Ronald This grandmother of nine was nated for the unless one wins. Since the fIrst Reagan signed the Civil Liberties recently nominated· for the Nobel Nobel Peace Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 only 12 Act, providing Peace Prize, an honor in recognition Prize through women have won. redress to of her work for over four decades at the "1,000 Kochiyama' is among the 40 Japanese the forefront of social justice move Women for women nominees from the United Americans for the ments alongside activists such as the Nobel Peace Prize 2005" proj States. -If the 1,000 women nomi World War II MalcolrnX. ect. The $3.8 million project, initiat nees are awarded, Kochiyama will internment. In "Getting a Nobel Peace Award ed by Gaby Vermont-Mangold, a be the first Japanese American those 17 years, would be the last thing I would think member of the Swiss Parliament, woman recipient. various groups of," said Kochiyama. "I found out collectively nominates 1,000 "Yuri is someone who has dedi- and people have taken and been through a phone call that I was nom women to signify the underrepre See REDRESSIPage 2 inated. I thought someone was try- sented accomplishments of tireless See NOBEL PRIZEJPage 11 2 COMMENTARY /LITrERS PACIFIC CITIZEN, JULY I5-AUG. 4; 2005 COMMENTARY imJXlrtant comings' and goings of The wartime incarceration shaped PACIFIC CITIZEN chapter members. In this, and many the lives of Lily and Pat in funda Remembering Lily and Pat Okura other ways, she created real and last mental ways. They once shared with 7 Cupania Circle, ing connections between and me that when they married, they Monterey Park, CA 91755 By EMILY MURASE Washington, D.C. on a fellowship to among chapter members. vowed not to bring children into this Tel: 323/725-0083, join the Clinton White House. I had Pat played an integral role in ori world, a wQrld where their govern 800/966-6157, Fax: It is with great sadness that I been a member of the JACL Japan enting participants in the ment could imprison its own citi 323/725-0064 leamed of Lily Okura's de~th in chapter while working in Tokyo just Washington, D.C. Leadership zens solely on the basis of race. E-mail: [email protected] June, just months following that of before moving back to the States Conference. I vividly r~all a work Instead of having children of their letters2pc@ aol.com her lifelong part and was looking forward to joining shop he organized about the early own, the two adopted every new Executive Editor: ner and husband the Washington, D.C. chapter after days in the fight for redress. Since JACL member as family and I was Caroline Y. Aoyagi Patrick. Anyone hearing that it was a well-organized Pat had served as a former national certainly a beneficiary. Assistant Editor: who had ever group. president of JACL, I naively consid The legacy Lily and Pat Okura Lynda Lin enjoyed the warm That fall, I attended a chapter ered him part of the leadership have left to the Washington, D.C. Office Manager: "establishment." I was very sur JACL chapter as well as to the Brian Tanaka hospitality of Lily board meeting that Lily and Pat Circulation: Eva Lau-Ting and Pat Okura at hosted and was immediately wel prised to learn of his protracted national organization will undoubt Intern: Amy E.lkeda their lovely home comed as the newest member of the struggle to persuade JACL to pursue edly continue for generations.

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