Berkeley Conference on WW2 Internment Held Fundraising I Done by Primarily Much Publicity About This Injustice Asian
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aci ic citize11 National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League Newsstand: 25¢ (60e Postpaid) # 2,458 Vol. 105 No. 13 ISSN: 0030-8579 941 East 3rd St. Suite 200, los Angeles, CA 90013 (213) 626-6936 Friday, October 23,1987 Inouye Opposes Studies Fuel Admissions Controversy By Ron Wakabayashi The development of this issue is Bork Nomination BERKELEY, Calif - The Stanford signifIcant in several different as University Academic Senate issued pects. On a community level, it WASHINGTON - Senator Daniel a report over a year ago which would be most difficult to identify K Inouye (D-Hawaii) said Oct 5 that raised the concern that "uncon bias on an individual basis. Prior to he will oppose the confIrmation of scious bias" in their admissions pr<r 1985, a student not accepted ata par Judge Robert Bork as Associate J us cess discriminated against Asian ticular university would have sim tice of the Supreme Court American students. More recently, ply concluded that other factors af Inouye, who met privately with Dr. John Bunzel, former U.S. Com fected that action Now, Asian Bork Oct 2, said he was impressed mission on Civil Rights member, re American students are better in by the judge's accomplishments, leased his study which reached the formed on the subjective factors academic record and technical same general conclusions. I partici that might be an influence on their knowledge of the law. pated on a task force on U.C. Ber acceptance. A larger issue is the ''However,'' the senator stated, "I keley Admissions, which released public perception of Asian Amer cannot understand or accept his the initial report in 1985, calling at icans, which is the foundation for very narrow assumptions about the tention to this concem The study concerns that a university admis intentions of those who founded our by the California auditor general, sions process, or employment and nation. I believe the framers dif Pacfflc Citizen Photo by George Johnston released on October 8, 1987, fuels promotion practices in the mar fered on too many issues to resolve SHAKA DEMOCRATS-Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and JACL continued concern regarding the ketplace, is biased. The issue lays a them in detail. Accordingly, they de National Director Ron Wakabayashi were present at the convention admissions controversy. foundation for an evolution and ex liberately used language that invites of the National Democratic Council of Asian & Pacific Americans, held Berkeley, the flagship of the Uni- pansion of the issue. us to continue the process of shap- in Los Angeles Oct. 16-18. versity of California system of9 cam 'Various Interpretations' . j.ng a just and decent society. I am puses, is likely to be the most pr<r The complexity ofundeiWa,duate certain that they expected us to be Target '88 gressive and sensitive of those in the admissions does not lend to simple flexible, realistic, sensitive and system. As a public institution it is conclusions that are easily managed compassionate. NDCAPA Convention Flexes Might subject to greater oversight than are in the media Even while the auditor ''The Supreme Court," Inouye By George Johnston Inouye, chairman of the Senate private institutions. Findings of ad general's report concluded that ~ continued, "through the years, has LOS ANGELES - Asian and Pacific Committee on Indian affairs, re mission rate disparity at this institu of 49 group samples showed Asian embraced these values to uphold American Democrats flexed their cently became an honorary member tion would have a special signifi- students with higher test scores hav not only the words but also the spirit newfound collective might at the of the Navajo nation, and he spoke cance. • ing lower admission rates than of our Constitution The court has fIrst national convention of the Na at length about the plight of Native The formation of an Asian Amer whites applying for those same col been called upon when the execu tional Democratic Council of Asian Americans. He also talked about ican Advisory Committee at Ber leges within Berkeley, various in tive and legislative branches of gov & Pacific Americans (NDCAPA), how America needs to put educa keley was announced in the week terpretations take place. The Los emment either refused or lacked held at the Los Angeles Airport tion at the top of its list of priorities. immediately preceding the release Angeles TImes article found the re courage to act Hyatt Hotel, Oct 1&-18. Despite statistics showing Asian of the auditor general's report The port inconclusive. The OaklafUi. "Most respectfully, I believe that The convention, entitled ''Target Americans as a community doing announcement was obviously a tool Tribune said the report cited bias. Judge Bork's view of the court di '88 - Margin of Victory," drew many well educationally, Inouye stressed invented to diffuse community con Chancellor Heyman of Berkeley an minishes its responsibilities and of the Democratic party's top-gun that since 'the strength of a chain cerns in anticipation of reaction to nounced that he was relieved that trivializes our system As Supreme presidential contenders, such as is determined by its weakest link," the report's release. The formation no quotas were proven Asian Amer Court Justice Oliver Wendell Massachusetts Gov. Michael America must make sure all of its of such committees has been at the ican groups, including JACL, felt Holmes said, 'The life of the law is Dukakis, Rev. Jesse Jackson and citizens receive good educations. heart of our recommendations from strongly that the numbers validated not logic, but experience.' Judge Sen. Paul Simon of illinois. Other Players, Not Spectators early on, and I am hopeful that this our concerns. They certainly did not Bork may be a superior legal techni well-known Democrats taking part Asked what the point of such a precedent expands to other cam relieve them Probably, the general cian, but unfortunately he has not were Sen. Alan CranstOn of Califor convention was, NDCAPA Execu puses. effect is that Asian Americans have displayed an appreciation of the nia, Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii tive Director Susan Lee answered Coverage Expanded caused higher education institu need for compassion, sensitivity and and Rep. Robert Matsui of Califor that the purpose was to get Asian As an issue, we have seen our in tions to become introspective of justice in constitutional interpreta nia and Pacific Americans to play more itiall985 report spread from cover these concerns and hopefully, more tion." Inouye Speaks of a major role in electing a Dem<r age in the ethnic press into higher responsive. Concluding his remarks, Inouye Inouye's anecdote-fUled speech cratic president in the 1988 election, education journals and finally into Several meetings involving Asian said, '1 do not support the nomina touched upon many topics, includ increasing the number of delegates the mainstream press. The efforts to Americans in higher education tion of Judge Bork to serve on the ing Asian American unity, and his for the 1988 National Democratic elevate this local issue into a na have taken place at our San Fran United States Supreme Court" role in the lran-contra investigation. Convention, building coalitions and tional one have been successful. cisco offices. A conference is being This announcement, which has al He described a forthcoming bi-par increasing voter registration. ''We're The coverage in recent months by planned to pull together people in ready been predicted by most lob tisan report on the investigation as basically recognized by Democratic Newsweek, TIme and a host of major the fIeld What is likely to occur in byists and other vote-counters in the "honest" Nevertheless, lnouye pre leadership that we're a population metropolitan newspapers reflects this set of meetings is further media Conlinued on page 6 dicted that Reagan wouldn't like it onUnucd on page 2 the degree of expansion of the issue. Continued OIl page 10 percent are Chine eAmericans and icans. "It's a different world now the other~ percent are Caucasians. than it \Va in 19U. There's beenso Berkeley Conference on WW2 Internment Held Fundraising i done by primarily much publicity about this injustice Asian. We still have a lot of work that it would be inconceivable with: By Mark J. Jue Internment Cases. ''There is no better has honored the Constitution by out causing a great uproar," opined BERKELEY, Cali£ - With the way to celebrate the Signing of the passing H.R 442," reflected peakeI' John Dower, a professor of.Japa House passage of H.R 442 and the Constitution than to examine its fail Gordon Hirabayashi, on of the nese History at nc. San Diego and recent bicentennial celebration of ings," Irons added. plaintiffs in the carom rwbis ca es. the author of War Without Mercy: the signing of the U.S. Constitution, ''The Supreme Court unani "It's not the Constitution that I have Race and P01ver in the Pacific War. interest at a conference on Japa mously upheld the Hirabayashi de the greatest quarrel with-it's the ''There is a problem of rising vi<r nese American Internment was cision. These included liberal jus people who enforce it. We have the lence against Asians and other high. tices such as Hugo Black, William responsibility oflooking aftel' that," minQritie because they are een as The conference entitled: "Views O. Douglas and Frank Murphy. It he asserted. economic threats, but I do not be from Within: The Japanese Amer took years of political struggle and ''Even before WW2 we were pow lieve this i directly related to re ican Wartime Experience" was held a bloody Civil War to extend the Bill erless. Discrimination was legal.