So. Calif. Jaclers Throw Spotlight on Nisei WWII Draft Resistance Movement
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• 1989 JACL SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS SPECIAL: ic citize11 Newsstand: 25¢ National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens Leogue (7Se PostpaId) # 2,542 Vol. 109 No.6 tSSN: 0030-8579 941 East 3rd St. Suite 200, Los Angetes, CA 90013 (213) 626-6936 Friday, September 8, 1989 HEART MOUNTAIN'S FAIR PLA Y COMMITTEE: So. Calif. JACLers Throw Spotlight on Nisei WWII Draft Resistance Movement By George Johnston A flyer clarifying the difference be resented Hirabayashi , Korematsu and LOS ANGELES - An offer from the tween the no-no boys and the FPC draft Yasui , has agreed to represent any of coram nobis legal team to represent Ja resisters was available atthe forum. Ac the draft resisters shou ld they wish to panese Americans convicted of conspir cording to the handout, those who try and have the criminal convictions acy to violate the selective service act answered "no" did so as a gesture of resulting from the draft resistance cases during WWIJ was made by Peter [rons defiance at the governments actions to removed. Irons said that despite the fact at a panel di cussion sponsored by the ward Japanese Americans, or because there was a presidential pardon in 1948 Pacific Southwest District of the JACL of family obligations. Also according for all those convicted of draft offenses before a packed second floor confer to the flyer, however, most of the FPC in 1942. (260 resisters from all the ence room of the JACCC. resisters answered "yes" to both ques camps), it didn't wipe out the criminal The public forum, held Aug. 27. was tions. convictions still on the books. He also titled "Understanding Ihe Fair Play According to Irons, about 10,000 of said it would be up to theJACL whether Committee and Drafl Resi ters During the 75,000 of the adults ordered to fill or not to support this action . WWlI." It was held to educate PSWDC out the questionnaires answered to "no" Emi's Turn JACL members and the general public to one or both of the que Lions, or qual Frank Emi was the next speaker, and Pacific Citizen Photo By George Johnston about the draft resi ters, the Heart ified the answers in such a way that the he gave some background on the history FAIR PLAY-Sitting on the Aug. 27 panel discussion sponsored by the Mountain Fair Play Committee (FPC) govemment considered them disloyal. and fonnation of the Fair Play Commit Southern California Japanese Americon United Methodist Caucus and and the position the WWD-era JACL Fair Play Committee tee. Saying that volumes had been writ the JACL PSWDC were, from the left, Peter Irons, PSWDC Gov. J.D. took toward them. The Fair Play Committee (fPC) was ten about the internment experience, he Hokoyama, Frank Emi, Mits Kochiyama, Art Emi and George Uyeda. The panelis~ were [ron~, an attomey begun at the Heart Mountain camp by noted how very little had been done to and legal hi torian who worked on the Kiyoshi Okamoto in late 1943. The document the draft resisters situation. coram nobis legal cases; Frank Emi, committee's ex istence created a con f1ict As a result, he said, "Most Sansei and FPC member; and Mits Kochiyama of in the camp between the JACL leader- some younger Nisei are totally ignorant Initial Redress Notices Being San Jose, a draft resister. J.D. Hoko hip, which Irons said controlled both of this phase of the internment." yama. govemor of the PSWOC, mod the Heart Mountam Sentinel and the "We felt that the application of the Mailed to Those Aged 90 and Up erated the panel. camp governing bodies established by draft in these concentration camps was Charges of "di loyalty" by wartime the WRA (War Relocation Authority). not only unreasonable and unjust but SAN JOSE - Rep. Norman Y. Mineta burse all fund appropriated for the JACL leaders towards draft re i ters and the resisters. legally questionable," said Emi of the (D-Calif.) announced Aug. 31 that the compensation proces for Fiscal Year have long been sore point, according The government eventua1ly indicted FPC. The comminee eventually passed a resolution which read. "We, members Department of Justice's Office of Re- 1990, which will begin on Oct. I," to draft resisters and their supporters. 85 people from Heart Mountain and dress Administration (ORA) is in the Mineta said. According to [rons, however, the heart most were sentenced to serve time in of the Fair Play Committee, hereby re process of notifying approximately The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 au of the issue was what an individual' federal pri n. The conviction were fuse to go to the phy icaJ examination I ,300 individuals of their potential thorized an individua1 compensation obligati n to the government i during later 'ustained by a coun of appeals. or to the induction . in order to con test the issue." eligibility for compensation under the payment of $20,000 to each of an e ti wartime if one is involuntarily confined Irons, who said he was "proud to be Civil Liberties Act of 1988, Public Law mated 60,000 Americans of Japanese in a penal camp. a card carrying member" of the Amer Seven members were ubsequently charged with conspiracy to violate the 100-383. ancestry who had been interned by the "00 you have a re ponsibility to ican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ex selective service act, and aiding, abet These individuals, who are aged 90 U.S. government during the wwn. obey the law like everybody outside the pressed hi di pleasure with its wartime ting and counseling others 10 resist the and above, will be the first to receive The act was signed into law on Aug. camp wa.<; expected to if you were pre tance. Okamoto wrote a lener to Roger draft. They were OkalTlQ(O, Emi. Paul eligibility notices from ORA. The fmt 10, 1988. sumed by virtue of being behind barbed Baldwin, then director of the ACLU, Nakadate, Sam Horino, Ben Wakaye, 500 notices were mailed by ORA on "We have now celebrated the flISt wire of being di loyal to thi countryT asking for upport for the FPC; the Minoru Tamesa and Guntaro Kubota. Friday, Aug. 25. The remaining notices anniversary of the historic enactment he asked, ''The vast maj rity of those ACLU refu.'ied. Quoting Baldwin's response, which Of those, only Emi and Horinoare alive in this first group are expected to be in of the Civil Liberties Act. UnfortU who refused service were in fact loyal appeared in the April 15 , 1944 Hetul today. the mailstream shortly. nately, and despite ORA' progress, the citizens." tated Irons. "The timely beginning of the notifi- appropriations needed to implement the Mountain Sel1JillLl. [ron said, '''Men James Omura was also indicted as a cation process is very encouraging law fully are lagging," Minela Loyalty Questionnaire who counsel others 10 resi t military ro<Onspiralor for publishing anic\ news, and offers a clear indication that explained. "The House has now acted [rons said that in hi view as a non service are not within their rights and and editorials in the Rock)'Shimpo. "He the ORA will be able to promptly dis- Continued on Page 10 participant, oUlSideobserver. and hi to mu t expect severe treatmenl.' There h uld never have been indicted," said rian, theituation created bitter animos i some indica.ti n, at least in Richard Emi, who then criticized the Pacific Japan Military Build-upWrong, Speakers Note ity. Thi was evidenced by edit rial on nnon ' (author of Kteptr oflIre Con Citizen of the time, as well as the HfflFI that appeared in the camp new paper, cenlrtllioll Camps rese~h, that MOllfllain Senrinel, for their "scathing HONOLULU-Japan should ignore fense as istance because of the trade the Heart Mounlain Sentinel, edited by Baldwin was ru ked to write thi letter editorial" criticizing the FPC. Al those who say it should assume a larger imbalance, Haruo lmura, which advocated cooper by Mike Masa ka. who was then in though Omura was acquitted because role in defending itself, two speakers Koichi Kalo, a member of the Japa ation with the draft, and the Denver all La.ke City at the J CL Headquar of hi, First Amendment defen ,the said at the U.S.-Japan Relations in the nese Diet. noted the issue h hotly-de based Rocky himpo, which wa\ edited ters ." seven \\ere ' ntenced t 4O)ears in 1990s symposium at East-West Center bated, despite the fact that il~ con~litu by James Omura. which felt that the Duress fedeml pri n The Tenth Circuit Court on Aug. 27. tion and the U.S .-Japan Security Trcaty government had no right to draft per In the Heart M untain trial. Judge of Appeal ' ovenurned the cn\'1 ti ns James Kelly, fonner special assistant permit Japan 10 have only the capability sons illegally imprisoned. T. Blake Kennedy did not N OgOilC after I months. for National Security Affairs to Presi to defend itl;clf. One solution, he ~aid. One of the catul ,Is ((l the inlen-.c that dure , wa, a mal r fn tor in the Kochiyama peaks wa~ dent Reagan, said forcing Japan into a for Japan was 10 strengthen ib defen\c feelings Ihat arose lhe "loyalty a lion, or the re",ler., according 1\) ht~ Kochivama, a Korean War \et more assertive power role would work through economic cooperation, peace quc'ilionnnirc" Iron, ,aid, ,vfho,e of a cording (0 Imns. Judge UI~ ,ood Crall. begun by acknowledging hi: re against America's interest in the long keeping opeJ"'.ltion, and non-military you in the camps al the lime remember man, however, In thl: "ding of Ililtll 'pt.'C1 to i-.ei vel ran' wh ned in run.