•• •• aCl lC Cl lzen Newsstand: 25e ,National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League l60¢ postpafd) ISSN: 0030-8579 I Whole No. 2,361 I Vol. 101 No.16 941 E. 3rd St. #200, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (213) 626-6936 Friday, October 18,1985 HR 442 gets 1st Calif. GOP backer WASIllNGTON-Among six new California Republicans to join co-sponsors ofHouse redress bill the redress effort HR 442 is Rep. Charles ''Chip'' In a letter to Matsui, Pashayan Pashayan, who on Oct 4 became said he reached his decision "af­ the first Republican representa­ ter giving a great deal of thought tive from California to support over a considerable time." such legislation. He represents ''What the Roosevelt Adminis­ the 17th district, which includes tration did to Japanese Ameri­ King and Tulare counties and cans in WW2 would, if done to.­ parts ofKern County and Fresno. day, most likely be held uncon­ ''Chip Pashayan," said Rep. stitutional by the Supreme Court Nonnan Mineta (D-Calif), "has While it is true that the nation joined the growing list of mem­ was at war, it was an unfair and Photo by J.K. Yamamoto A volunteer takes a blood pressure reading during the 14th annual Uttte bers of Congress who understand a wrong policy to single out a Tokyo Health Fair, held Oct. 5 at Union Church in Los Angeles. Other the injustice of the internment whole group of people ... That is Rep. Charles Pashayan (R-Calif.) and who have now pledged pu1:r a policy of discrimination, which services offered to local seniors included electrocardiogram, vision, dental Relations, where the bill has and foot checks, and seminars on diabetes, cancer and hypertension. licly to support fonnal govern­ has no place in America I now mentrecognition ofthat injustice." feel that it is Congress that been since it was introduced in ''It takes courage and commit­ should act to remedy the wrong." January. 'Slant eyes' remark causes stir in Iowa ment to be first," said Rep. Rolr Other co-sponsors, listed with - Rep. Lane Evans (D) of the ert Matsui (D-Calif.). ''By co-spon­ the dates they signed on, are: 17th district of illinois, which in­ soring redress, Chip Pashayan has cludes Rock Island, Moline, Gales­ DES MOINES, Iowa-State Agri­ the tenn "slant eyes," but only -Rep. Frederick Boucher (D) shown that he is a leader among burg, and some suburbs of P~ culture Secretary Robert Louns­ after committee member B.J. of the 9th district of Virginia, his peers and a legislator ofgreat ria, on Oct 4. berry apologized Oct 3 for having O'Dowd did so. (O'Dowd denied which includes the Appalachian principle." ~Rep. Raymond McGrath (R) referred to the Japanese as "slant thi saying he only remembered area in the southwest part of the Pashayan's co-sponsorshIp is state, on Oct 9. He is on the Judi­ of the 5th district of New York, eyes," a slur he had initially de­ saying ''Nipponese.'') which includes the part of Long niedmaking. ''It did strike a sensitive chord seen as a major development be­ ciary Subcommittee on Adminis­ cause it may encourage other trative Law and Governmental Island closest to New York City, The McCallsburg Republican when he [O'Dowd] said we should on Sept~ . made the comment Sept 30 dur­ take note of our slant-eyed - Rep. Steny Hoyer (D) of the ing a meeting of the Iowa Dept friends," said Lounsberry. ''I said 5th district of Maryland, which of Agriculture's newly fonned I, too, had a problem of overcom­ Councilmen ousted after party switch includes most of King George's Blue Ribbon Committee, a citi­ ing distrust because of my exper­ County., on Sept ~ . zens' advisory panel on market­ ience in WW2." He stressed that HONOLULU-City Councilwom­ involves honor and honesty . I - Rep. Tommy Robinson (D) of ing Reacting to an earlier discus­ he has since participated in an Patsy Mink and Sen Daniel would not have solicited your the 2nd district of Arkansas, sion oftrade with Japan and other trade missions to Japan and Inouye emerged as big winners support [for Akahane] if I knew which includes Little Rock, on Asian nations, he said, 'Talking helped set up a Japanese display in the Oct 5 special city council that he would be changing his July 31 about the slant eyes, I still don't at the Iowa State Fair during his recall elections, which saw city party in the middle of his term" Mineta said the fact that both trust them . .. But I still try to 17 years in office. councilmen George Akahane, Ru­ In the last weeks of the cam­ Republicans and Democrats have work with them" He declined to apologize, say­ dy Pacarro and Toraki Matsu­ paign, Inouye appeared on tele­ recently become co-sponsors ''il­ He explained that he had been ing, "If I had something to apolo­ moto recalled from office. vision calling for the recall ofthe lustrates the broad range of sup­ shot at by the Japanese as a com­ gize for, I would ... but I do not The three councilmen, elected the three. port for redress." bat pilot during WW2, but that think what I said deserves an ppol­ as Democrats, switched parties Gov. George Ariyoshi and other 'The momentum for redress is much progress has been made ogy because it wasn't derogatory." June 6, enabling Republicans to Democratic leaders joined the building," added Matsui 'The since then in developing U.S.­ After meeting privately with gain control of the City Council campaign as they sensM an issue latest additions represent a sig­ Japan trade relations. Japan is Gov. Terry Branstad, a fellow Re­ and to oust Mink as council chair. which could unite the oft~vided nificant breakthrough." Iowa's number one trading part­ publican, to discuss the incident, The new majority reorganized Hawaii Democratic Party. ner, having imported $733.5 mil­ Lounsberry said he didn't recall the council and elected Akahane In the fmal week of the cam­ lion worth of agricultural prod­ making the remark Later that chainnan. paign, the Republicans countered cited as a reason for the success­ ucts last year. day, however, he issued a state­ Mink, who was out of town with President Ronald Reagan ful recall ''We always felt the On Oct 2, Lounsberry said, ''1 ment apologizing for the remark when the switch was announced, urging voters, via televised ads, lower turnout would be benefi­ may be prejudiced, but it makes he "allegedly made." quickly returned and immedi­ to vote "no" on the recall 'The cial for us because we are in an impression on you ifyou have He said that he has "no ani­ ately called for the recall ofAka­ right to switch parties for princi­ enemy territory," Republican gone through that [WW21" But he mosity towards the Japanese and hane, Pacarro and Matsumoto, ple is as American as the Stars ParW Chair Patricia Saiki said added, ''I didn't mean to make any I apologize for any embarrass­ charging that they had violated and Stripes. I've done it myself," ''When you have an area esta~ slurring remarks ... I didn't refer ment my remarks may have the public trust by switching in said the President lished as leaning to one side, a to those people as slant eyes." caused them or my fellow mid-term But in the end, the traditional higher turnout will always ben­ Others who were present re­ Iowans." The switch in parties by the Democratic muscle carried the efit the dominant party." membered differently, however. He explained his comment by three was linked to the national day, and.in doing so, probably It is unclear what the election Varel Bailey, board chair and reiterating his initial apprehen­ Republican "Operation Open put a temporary hold on future results mean for the council past president of National Corn sion ofthe Japanese. ''I think any­ Door" program to bring Demo­ "defections." Council Vice-chair Tony Nar­ Growers Assn., said, ''1 very much one who lived through the Sec- crats into the party, and what had Matsumoto, considered the least vaes, a Republican, said follow­ recall that comment Embar­ . ond World War ... will share my been a local issue soon took on controversial of the three until ing the election, ''I now consider rassed very much describes my feelings, especially if they were a much larger significance. hit with a $5 million sexual harass­ myself acting chainnan" with the feelings at the time. I look at it shot at or had loved ones die in Inouye, the Senate's third­ ment suit early in the recall cam­ departure of Akahane. as an unfortunate incident" battle. However, WW2 is long ranking Democrat, joined the re­ paign, was recalled by a 5347 % Fonner chair Mink said she R W. Fischer, president of Soy­ over and the Japanese have be­ call effort in late June, producing vote. foresees no attempt by Demo­ pro International Inc., who also come our friends." and paying for radio spots in Akahane was recalled by a 64- crats to take over the council re­ recalled the statement, said that Branstad's press secretary, which he criticized Akahane for 36 % vote, while Pacarro, thought organization until the three va­ Lounsbeny's intent was ''to make Susan Neely, said that the gover­ deceiving the voters. ''I don't ques­ to have the best chance to re­ cancies are filled it off the record. It was not ger­ nor feels ''Bob meant well, even tion George's right to change main in office, lost by a mere 81 Welcome Fawcett, Democrat­ mane to the substance of the if his choice of words was political parties," he told his votes.