Wsu to Examine the Internment of Japanese Americans. JACL
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ER OF _== _L wsu to Examine the JACL Searching for Nisei Sriracha Makers Internment of Japanese Injured in 1965 Alabama Reopen Operating Plant Americans. Demonstrations. in Irwindale. Page 4 Page 5 Page 9 #3240 I VOL. 159, No.5 ISSN: 0030-8579 WWW.PACIFICCITIZEN.ORG 2 Sept. 5-18. 2014 NATIONAL/LETTERS PACIFICO CITIZEN HOW TO REACH US WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A Email: [email protected] Online: www.pacificcitizen.org Tel: (213) 620 ·1767 PERSON OF COLOR IN AMERICA? Fax: (213) 620·1768 Mail: 25OE.FirstSt..Suite 301 Los Angeles, CA90012 By PrisciUa Ouchida STAFF J A CL N aiional Director Executive Editor Allison Haramoto ichael Brown. Trayvon Martin. Vincent Chen. Three deaths on a roll call of what it means to be Assistant Editor colored in America. As I watch events in Ferguson, Mo., tmfold, I connect to the emotions that are Tiffany Ujiiye tied to a system that led to the shooting of Michael Brown - a death linked to negati ve stereotypes M Business Manager about young African American males - the same kind of racist stereotype that threw 120.000 Japanese Susan Yokoyama American men, women and children into prison during World War II. This is not the first conversation about racism and racial disparities. Unfortllllately, it will not be the last. As the Japanese American Gtizens Production Artist Marie Samonte League is well aware. this is not just a black-and-white issue. It is yellow. brown. red and black It is the reality of racial profiling and being a person of color. Circulation Eva Ting What does it mean to be a person of color in America? As a Japanese American, it is a personal story of pervasive racism. Grandpa immigrated to California with a desire to be an American. He would never realize his goal. Just as full citizenship was denied The Pacific Citizen newspaper » See COLOR on page 9 (ISSN: 0030·8579) is published semi- monthly (except once in December and January) by the Japanese American Citizens LETTERS TO THE EDITOR League, Pacific Citizen, 250 E. First St., Suite 301, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Dear Editor} itself to be a human and civil rights Dear Editor} Periodical postage paid at L.A., CA was saddened to read that organization, then some of the topics POSTMASTER: Send address Keep John Tateishi·s column going I As a longtime supporter of changes to National JACL, 1765 John Tateishi decided to discontinue John mentions in his colwnn should JACL and subscriber of the Pacific Citizen. his column is the first Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94115 writing his column in the Pacific be addressed. I read. It is fresh. relevant and brash. What makes his writings Citizen. I have been a regular reader John's articles have current events JACL President: David Lin appropriate to the P.C. is their consistent llllderlying concern for National Director: Priscilla Ouchida of his and will miss his informative relevance. His writings contribute accountability. justice and integrity. and insightful comments. to offset the sometimes staid and P.C. EDITORIAL BOARD stodgy image of JACL. Address Aloha, Carol Kawamoto, chairperson; In his last column. I·m not quite Leona Hiraoka, EDC; Kevin sure I llllderstand John's statement ing these social justice issues in the WaUy Fukunaga Miyazaki, MDC; Roberta Barton, that many of the issues on his com P.C. could grab the attention of some Honolulu} Hawaii CCDC; Jim Duff. NCWNPDC; Gabrielle Nomura, PNWDC; Gil puter. over 20. won·t get published yOllllg people we are encouraging to become active JACLers. Asakawa, IDC; John Saito Jr., because they don·t fit what the P.C. PSWDC; Kevin Mori, youth rep. So. I beg to differ with John that Dear Editor} should be about. SUBSCRIBE I got excited when he enwner the topics he mentions are not quite I've been away for a while In fact. I wanted to thank you Get a one-year subscription of the Pacific Citizen newspaper at: ated some of the topics he would of the right fit for P.C. and JACL. (Berlin. QM2) and am just personally. so at the San Jose Perhaps P.C. could consider an open www.pacificcitizen.org or call liked to have written in his colwnn, catching up on my mail. Got to Convention (my first). I asked (800) 966·6157 forwn space for readers to contribute for example, the feeble response the P.C. and went immediately to President David Lin whether or ADVERTISE articles that are relevant to today·s of Congress in the aftermath of the your column to find "My Final not you were coming (he did not To advertise in the Pacific Citizen, issues. And John. I would like to Column." I read it to make sure know). and I was disappointed to call (800) 966·6157 or .·mail: Newtown tragedy regarding gun [email protected] registration. how Wall Street contin see you write an occasional colwnn and am sturmed. disappointed. not meet you. expressing your opinion on matters LEGAL ues using the system for their self very let down but am coming to Anyway. I will miss your No part of this publication may be ish economic advantage, the NSA's that demand our attention. my senses. column greatly and thank you for reproduced without the express questionable overreach into our As John so aptly states. ·nuff said. I wish you a happy retirement; your beautiful writing. permission of the Pacific Citizen. Editorials, news and the opinions private lives. John goes on present I look forward to seeing you in expressed by columnists other than ing a litany of topics that I think Sincerely} a different format. Thank you. Sincerely} the national JACL president or national director do not necessarily reflect are very germane to the Japanese Harry Kawahara thank you for your insightful Dorothy Yanagi Altadena, Calif. JACL policy. Events and products American commrnrity. JACL touts writing. advertised in the Pacific Citizen do not carry the implicit endorsement of the JACLor this publication. We reserve the right to edit articles. © 2014 Donate $150 or more to become a WALL OF FAMER; '200 or Periodicals paid at Los Angeles, Calif. and mailing office. more for a chance to win a cruise! 0$50 0$100 0$150 JACL member? [7] [j] 0$200 oother __ JACL MEMBERS Change of Address Name ......................................................................................................................... If you've moved. pi ease send new Address .................................................................................................................... information to: CHy ________________________________ _ National JACL 1765 Sutter S1. Francisco. CA 94115 State ......................................................... Zip ...................................................... ress changes. Phone ........................................................................................................................ avoid interrup tions in delivery. Email .......................................................................................................................... please notify your postmaster to FOR MORE INFORMATION: -<,r',incllJrIA periodicals Pacific Citizen Help the P.C. complete 250 E. First 51., Suite # 301 (BOO) 966-6157 in your change of Los Angeles, CA. 90012 www.pacificcitizen,org our archive. address (USPS • Form 3575) PACIFIC. CITIZEN COMMENTARY Sept. 5-18, 2014 3 NIKKEI VOICE IF YOU HAVE THESE YOU MUST BE JA By Gil Asakawa 11 the lapaneseAmericans I know have all sorts plant a cherry tree in the front yard (they don't grow so well of us might accompany our stone lanterns with carefully of ways to show their cultural roots. It may not in Cololado). Instead, he got a new stone lantern and put it trimmed bonsai trees (we also trim our aspen trees to look A be evident when you meet them, but the signs are by the front door. like cute lollipops). there, in their homes. I've noticed since then that many Japanese Americans Do you have a display of Chinese zodiac figures? When I was a kid living in Japan, it never occurred to have stone lanterns in front of their homes. We have one, A framed kanji character or, better yet, a han ging scroll me that the stuff in our house was ... well, Japanese. And albeit a small one, even today, proudly proclaiming that of calliglaphy? These could be generally Asian, or when we moved to the U.S., we took a lot of our stuff with JAs live in our home. specifically Japanese. us - folding screens, small artworks, dolls, dishware, There are many signs of Japanese culture that surround Do you bring out Hanafuda cards when someone pottery, chopsticks and cooking utensils, plus a lot more. us, in our families and communities. On the one hand, mentions card games? Is your kitchen cabinet jammed with Once we moved into a suburoan Northern Virginia home these traditional artifacts may serve to sepalate us, like the regular plates but also a full set of chawan bowls for rice in the mid-1960s, we set about fitting in to our all-American bento box lunches we constantly had to explain to othelS in or lacquer bowls for miso soup? And, of COUlSe, is there a ''Wonder Years" life: nice ranch home, big backyard, all glade school. But on the other hand, they're a reflection of bottle of shoyu on your table next to the salt-and-pepper our Japanese stuff inside. Oh, except for my dad built a our pride in our roots, even if we're Sansei, Yonsei or even shakelS, probably with the red (or low-sodium green) tops? Japanese rock gamen in the backyard complete with a stone Gosei. Ifwe announce our ethnicity to neighbolS with a 1-1aybe your jewelry box has a drawer for little Japanese lantern, and he planted a cherry blossom tree in the front stone lantern, it's because we're proud to be Japanese, talismans, called netsuke. Or in your closet alongside yard, which bloomed every spring at the same time as the to be Asian.