aci ic citizen National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League Newsstand: 25¢ (60¢ postpaid) Whole No. 2,398 Vol. 103 No.3 ISSN: 0030-8579 941 East 3rd St. #200, Los An eles, CA 90013 213 626-6936 Frida, Jul 18,1986 Blacks, Koreans Coalition to fight English initiative assess relations SAN FRANCISCO - Charging bigotry, divisiveness and resent­ that the "English Only" initiative ment by J.K. Yamamoto which qualified June 25 for the 'The sponsors obviously can­ WS ANGELES-Panelists from November state ballot is "seek­ not tolerate the ethnic differ­ the local Korean and Black com­ ing to promote bigotry, fear and ences in our state population. munities, speaking June 24 at intolerance between groups,' a Since they cannot make us all KCET-TV studios, stressed the coalition of civil rights groups look alike, they could punish us need to iron out differences be­ has vowed to fight it for not talking alike." tween the two groups and charged The coalition includes Ameri­ 'The sponsors intend to elimi­ that media coverage has contrib­ can Civil Liberties Union, Mexi­ nate all forms of government­ uted to existing problems. can American Legal Defense sponsored bilingual services, in­ The murder of four Korean Fund, JACL, Chinese for Affmn­ cluding bilingual education, bal­ merchants in as many weeks dur­ ative Action, Asian Law Caucus, lots, social services, and perhaps ing robberies in South Central Panelists Tong Soo Chung of Korean American Coalition and Pam Moreland and Latino Democratic Club. even emergency 911 calls, regard­ Los Angeles has renewed media of Black Journalists Assn. of So. Calif. at forum on Black-Korean relations. Entitled "English as the Offi­ less oftheir effectiveness or need interest in friction that has arisen going in the community. There' and hundreds of people working cial Language of California," the in the community," said Ed Chen as more and more Korean immi­ a lot of Korean churches, for in- in those areas whose lives might initiative is sponsored by Califor­ of ACLU of No. Calit: grants have moved into a predom­ stance, who give scholarships to be endangered by some person nia English Campaign, an arm of ''The initiative could threaten inantly Black area. Black schools. I haven't seen one or persons who might have read the nationwide U.S. English or­ even direct or indirect govern­ Economic Issue story in any newspaper on that, the story and believed it ... I ganization chaired by fonner ment support of organizations Jarrette Fellows, publisher and other than my own." could not help being angered by Sen S.l Hayakawa and programs involved in pre­ editor of California Sonshine, Larry Aubry, a member of the the irresponsible journalism." "Members of the board of U.S. serving or enhancing cultural or ethnic heritage." dismissed the suggestion that the LA County Human Relations He added that the Sentinel has English have been or are present­ murders were racially motivated. Commission who has been deal- since "become much more ac­ ly on the boards of anti-immigrant Dorothy Ehrlich, also of ACLU, ''If you read the pages of the LA ing with Black-Korean relations cepting and tolerant of the differ­ organizations throughout the said, "Rather than promoting na­ Sentinel [a Black-owned news­ for the past two years, felt that ent backgrounds of the different country," charged Francisco Gar­ tional unity as its sponsors imply, paper], you would know that there in general there has not been bal- people that live in the South cia ofMALDEF. 'These interlock­ this measure is divisive and a are as many Blacks being killed anced or accurate coverage of Central Los Angeles area" ing directorates make clear the serious inroad into civil rights also. I don't believe that young the issue. He cited an April 1985 Sources of Tension xenophobic thrust and general and equal protection It breeds thugs are out to get Koreans. I LA Times headline, 'Tensions .. anti-immigrant and racist con­ intolerance of racial, ethnic, and Grow," as an example of sen- . Aubry attributed .eXJsting .ten- tow'S of the 'English Only' move­ religious groups that do not quite believe that it's a matter of eco­ S IO~ nomics." sationalism. "There wa nothing to stereotyplCal .notion ment" look or speak like mainstream in that article to substantiate that and Jgnorance on both SIdes. America" Korean American Journalists Coalition members say the ini­ headline." Ch~ refuted as totally fal e Similarly worded initiatives Assn president K W. Lee, who tiative seems innocuous but He did note some improve- the behef amo~ some Bla~ks comes with a hidden agenda have already passed in the cities covered the civil rights move­ ment; the most recent feature on ~at Korean busmesse receive ment in the South in the late "Everyone knows that English is, of Fillmore and Los Altos. and the ubject, which ran May 18, mterest-~ lo~ He also in fact, the official language of conflict over such resolutions 19508 and early 19605, also down­ wa titled 'Tale of 2 Cultw-es," thought it unfaIr that Korean played the racial angle, calling it the United States," said JACL na­ has swfaced in Monterey Park, mom-and-pop store were ac- South Gate and Alhambra a "sideshow." He said the real 'Irresponsible Jotmtalism' tional director Ron Wakabayashi cu ed of not hiring Blacks. Mom­ ''But what this initiative will do The Los Angeles County Com­ issue is, "How has police protec­ Tong Soo Chung of Korean and-pop operations, regardless is divide this state along racial mission on Human Relations has tion ... in Watts been extended to American Coalition said that t11e of ethnicity, tend to hire family and ethnic lines and encourage Continued OIl page 6 residents and those who do com­ Black pre ha al 0 exploited members, he aid. merce in Watts?" the issue in the pa t A eries of "There seem to be an a ump­ "Most people in the Black com­ articles published by the en­ tion, or almo t a demand," he Chinese American participation in politics munity didn't know there was a tinel in 1983 suggested, among commented, "that KOI an bu i­ main issue at ~CA's national convention problem until they started read­ other things, that Black custom­ nesses in the South Central ru-ea ing the articles in the Times and ers received di respectful treat­ owe something to the Black com­ NEW YORK - Chinese Ameri­ Americans, on!. 3OO,<XXl are reg­ the Sentine~" said Fellows, who ment and paid higher prices at munity. There are often demand cans, "who do so well in bu iness istered was part of a delegation of Black KOl-ean busine es. The rep<nts made that donations be given, and science," were urged to be­ Also di cussed was the issue, pastors that visited South Korea "were very biased in my opinion UppOlt be given for this or that come more involved in politic 'Are \ e Chinese American or last year. '1 think what they've ... often based on mi infonna­ cau e ... I cannot help but won­ by Delaware 11. Gov. Shien Biau American Chinese? ' Some took done is create something in the tion, not complete research. der, are these arne demand Woo during his July 11 keynote th.e position that with cultural as- minds of people ... I like to play "When I read those articles made of other people doing busi­ address to the national conven­ imilation and intennaniage, Chi­ up the positive aspects of what's and thought about the hundreds n in South CentralLo Angeles tion of the Organization of nese AmeIicans would eventually or in any other parts of the city?" Chinese Americans (OCA) at the become just Ameri.cans; others Fellows aid he could under­ Vista International Hotel. uch as Betty Lee Sung, profes­ Bills introduced to stop relocation stand the K rean point of view, Woo, a Shanghai-born physi­ or of Asian tudies at City Col­ but added, "You've got to be en­ cist, warned that to be elected, it lege ofNew York, said that ince WASmNGTON-Two bills pending in Congress would temporarily sitive to the fact that you did is necessruy to IUn for office not physical appearances pre ent halt the forced removal of Navajos from their Ariwna homes. Continued 00 Back Page as a minority candidate, but "as Chinese from being completely The relocation was mandated by Public Law 93-531, passed by an American candidate who hap­ accepted as Americans, they Congress in H174 to settle an alleged land dispute between the Navajo pen to be Chinese American" must identmrwith both cultures. and the Hopi by declaring part of the Navajo reservation to be Hopi Author Daniels to The lack of politician among "Champions of Excellence" land Opponents charge that the dispute was fabricated by energy the ranks of Chinese Americans awru'ds were presented to East companies that want access to the mineral-rich land. keynote at dinner was a theme addressed often by Coast Chinese Americans., in­ RR 4872, introduced by Rep. Bill Richardson <D-N.M.) on May 21, CHICAGO-Roger Daniel, a the 3X) gathered for the conven­ cluding: Roderick G.w. Chu, NY. would place a on~year moratorium on the relocation and establish professor of history at University tion In his opening remarks, Commissioner of Taxation and a presidential commission to investigate the financial, psychological of Cincinnati, will be the keynote OCA national president Dr. An­ Finance; Dr. William Wei-lien and cultural impact of the relocation on the Navajo. The commission speaker at the July 21 Kickoff drew Chen asked, ''Why are we Shaw, chief micro-surgeon at would include traditional Navajo and Hopi elders and members of Dinner at the JACL National the oldest and also the largest Bellevue Hospital, and Shirley the two tribal councils.