Manzanar Still Matters
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THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER OF THE JACL Sept. 8-21, 2017 Manzanar Reunion attendee Harry Nakada celebrated his 93rd birthday on Aug. 16. He is pictured here with his daughter, Patti Kimura. » PAGE 6 MANZANAR » PAGE 2 STILL MATTERS JACL Disappointed The 72nd Manzanar Reunion By Decision to reminds attendees that their story End DACA. remains as relevant as ever. » PAGE 5 NPS Awards More JA Confinement Sites Grants. PHOTO: CHARLES JAMES WWW.PACIFICCITIZEN.ORG #3306 / VOL. 165, No. 5 ISSN: 0030-8579 2 Sept. 8-21, 2017 NATIONAL HOW TO REACH US JACL Disappointed By Decision to End DACA Email: [email protected] Online: www.pacificcitizen.org he JACL is deeply disappointed by the Repeal of DACA protections will create un- For many in the Japanese American commu- Tel: (213) 620-1767 Mail: 123 Ellison S. Onizuka St., Trump administration’s decision to necessary chaos in the communities as families nity, our immigration occurred many years ago Suite 313 end the Delayed Action on Childhood will be torn apart. Additionally, America will with our Issei generation. Our community is Los Angeles, CA 90012 TArrivals (DACA) program. experience significant losses to the economy. built upon their dreams. STAFF DACA has supported nearly 800,000 young The cost of workforce replacement alone is It is with this knowledge of what the Ameri- Executive Editor immigrants, or Dreamers, who have worked estimated to cost American businesses $3.4 can dream has meant for our community, and the Allison Haramoto hard to fit the program’s strict requirements. billion in turnover costs. dreams of the Issei who have immigrated more Senior Editor As a nation, we have always prided ourselves The overall impact to the economy is estimated recently, that we stand with the immigrant com- Digital & Social Media on protecting the innocent. In this case, we have to be $460.3 billion in lost GDP over the next munity today in opposition to DACA’s repeal. George Johnston failed the children who were brought to this 10 years. We are a nation of immigrants, with the dream Business Manager country by their parents, have created full lives This disruption and chaos the repeal of DACA of building a better life, both individually and for Susan Yokoyama Production Artist as Americans and have done nothing wrong as will create is reminiscent of when 120,000 Japa- our country. Marie Samonte they fulfilled their parents’ dreams. To take away nese Americans were uprooted from their com- We urge Congress to find common ground in Circulation these children’s dreams is especially cruel and munities, homes and businesses during World preserving the American dream and pass the Eva Ting vicious. War II and placed in concentration camps. bipartisan Dream Act of 2017. The Pacific Citizen newspaper — JACL National (ISSN: 0030-8579) is published semi-monthly (except once in December and January) by the Japanese American Citizens League, Pacific Citizen, 123 As DACA Termination Looms, Advancing Justice-LA, Among Ellison S. Onizuka St., Suite 313 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Others, Focuses on Urgent DACA Renewals and Vows to Periodical postage paid at L.A., PHOTO: ADVANCING JUSTICE-LA CA POSTMASTER: Send address changes to National JACL, 1765 Fight for All Immigrants Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94115 LOS ANGELES — United States Justice-LA. “It has been a true JACL President: Gary Mayeda Attorney General Jeff Sessions an- lifeline for these young people Executive Director: David Inoue nounced Sept. 5 the termination of — most of whom know no other Interim Assistant Executive Director: Stephanie Nitahara the Deferred Action for Childhood country — allowing them to work P.C. EDITORIAL BOARD Arrivals (DACA) program effecti- above ground and contribute ful- Gil Asakawa, chairperson; Jody ve March 5, 2018. In response, Asi- ly to their families, communities Mitori, MDC; Joy Goto, CCDC; Jim Duff, NCWNPDC; Chip Larouche, an Americans Advancing Justice and economy. Now, with the end PNWDC; Kayla Watanabe, IDC; — Los Angeles and other organi- of DACA looming ahead, we are John Saito Jr., PSWDC; zations spoke out to explain what committed to helping as many as Juli Yoshinaga, Youth rep. the termination means — what was possible and fighting for their place Advancing Justice-LA and community leaders vow to fight SUBSCRIBE Get a one-year subscription of announced, what those eligible for in our democracy.” for all immigrants following the Trump administration’s the Pacific Citizen newspaper at: renewal can and should do, other Since its creation in 2012, DACA announcement to terminate the DACA program. www.pacificcitizen.org or call (213) 620-1767 options for current DACA recipi- has transformed the lives of nearly ADVERTISE ent and state and federal legislative 800,000 young people by providing protection under DACA. • Current DACA recipients who- To advertise in the Pacific Citizen, responses. Advancing Justice-LA temporary relief from deportation Important points included in the se work authorization expires call (213) 620-1767 or e-mail: will provide free legal assistance and work authorization. Califor- U.S. Department of Homeland between Sept. 5 and March 5, [email protected] for current DACA recipients, inclu- nia is home to more than 200,000 LEGAL Security’s memorandum rescin- 2018 can renew their work per- No part of this publication may be ding those seeking renewal. “DACAmented” immigrants, with ding DACA include: mits, but must submit their rene- reproduced without the express “In the five years since the crea- the largest group living in the Sout- permission of the Pacific Citizen. • No new DACA applications will wal applications before Oct. 5. Editorials, letters, news and the tion of DACA, Advancing Justice- hern California region. Among be accepted as of Sept. 5 • No new applications of “advance opinions expressed by columnists LA has helped thousands of young the DACA recipients affected by other than the national JACL • Current DACA recipients will parole” will be approved, allo- president or national director immigrants secure DACA status the termination are many Asian continue to have their deferred wing DACA recipients to travel do not necessarily reflect JACL and emerge from the shadows,” and Pacific Islander immigrants. policy. Events and products status and work authorization outside of the U.S., and current advertised in the P.C. do not said Stewart Kwoh, president and Between 2012 and 2017, more than until they expire. carry the implicit endorsement of executive director of Advancing 16,000 Asian immigrants received >> See DACA on page 4 the JACL or this publication. We reserve the right to edit articles. © 2017 Periodicals paid at Los Angeles, Calif. and mailing office. JACL MEMBERS Change of Address If you’ve moved, please send new information to: National JACL 1765 Sutter St. San Francisco, CA 94115 (415) 921-5225 ext. 26 Allow 6 weeks for address changes. To avoid interruptions in delivery, please notify your postmaster to include periodicals in your change of address (USPS Form 3575) COMMENTARY Sept. 8-21, 2017 3 (nudge nudge) to the vicious Japanese officer from the 1957 movie “The Bridge on the River Kwai.” In a hilarious scene, NIKKEI VOICE the movie pays homage to “The River Kwai” with Hayakawa overseeing the building of a bridge over a koi pond. ‘Walk, Don’t Run’ Japan Through Hollywood’s Most people probably don’t remember this 1966 comedy starring Cary Grant, Jim Hutton and Samantha Eggar as three westerners (two Brits and an American) who cross Lens Over the Decades paths in Japan during the Tokyo Olympics. Grant is a bu- But this bit of “cross-ethnic yellowface” doesn’t ruin the sinessman; Hutton is an architect who happens to be on the By Gil Asakawa film. It’s a classic. It resonates all the more for me because U.S. Olympic team for a little-known sport, speed walking. my dad was in the Army during the Korean War, and he was Eggar lives in an apartment, and first Grant, then Hutton, end ll the recent controversy over “whitewashing” — discouraged from having a relationship with my mom, who up as her roommates because all the hotel rooms are filled. Hollywood’s habit of casting white people in Asian he met while he was stationed in Hokkaido. They had to have Comedy and romance ensue, with Grant playing the part of roles — got me thinking about how Japan has been a series of meetings with superiors before they were allowed a dapper matchmaker. Tokyo is depicted pretty accurately Aportrayed in films. to marry. and respectfully (including the crowded narrow street where Because I was born in Japan, my earliest movie memories ‘The Geisha Boy’ the apartment is located), and the movie’s a breezy enter- are chambara, or samurai (and especially ninja), movies The late comedian Jerry Lewis was no stranger to racist tainment. that I watched in black and white on television. My mom Asian stereotypes. You can find photos of him online with ‘The Yakuza’ used to take my brother and me to Disney features when thick glasses and buck teeth, playing an over-the-top version This late-career film noir triumph by Robert Mitchum is a they opened, riding the trains with us to the cinema. As I of a Japanese person. But his 1958 movie “The Geisha Boy” 1974 introduction to the culture of the yakuza, the Japanese grew up, I treasured American films that were set in Japan. is a little gem. version of the mafia. Mitchum is asked by an old Army bud- There haven’t been a whole lot, but it’s interesting to see how Lewis is the “Great Wooley,” a hapless magician who dy to help clear a yakuza debt when the buddy is threatened.