Newsstand: 25¢ $1.50 postpaid (U.S., Can.) / $2.30 (Japan Air) #30011 Vol. 137, No.7 ISSN: 0030-8579 National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) OCT. 3-16, 2003 Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans JACL to Join ACLU Lawsuit Challenging U.S.A. Patriot Act Launches Anti-Recall Website By CAROLINE AOYAGI ly allows the government to make Arbor (MCA); American-Arab Executive Editor personal searches without a war­ Anti-Discrimination Committee The group Coalition of Asian Recall. and California Arts rant and to obtain information (ADC); Arab Community Center Pacific Americans (CAPA) has . Council member Dr. Jerrold In a bold move, the JACL about a person's reading habits, for Economic and Social Services; launched a website asking Asian Hiura. announced that it will be joining Internet usage, or religious affilia­ Bridge Refugee and Sponsorship PacificAmer icans to vote "no" on "APAs can play a pivotal role in an ACLU lawsuit challenging the tions. Also, once served with Services; Council on American­ the recall of Gov. Gray Davis Oct. this close election and should not merits of the U.S.A Patriot Act. Section 215 orders, a person is not Islamic Relations; and The Islamic 7. remain silent when their own "My decision to join the ACLU allowed to tell anyone about it. Center of Portland, Masjed As­ The site (www.AsianAmericans future is at stake," said Dale in the lawsuit is based on one The ACLU argues that these Saber. AgainstRecall.org) includes infor­ Minami, CAPA president and co­ essential fact: It's the right thing to increased government powers are The lawsuit names Attorney mation on why the recall is bad for founder. "Not only is this election do for us as a civil rights organiza­ a violation of the U.S. General John Ashcroft and FBI APAs in California, lists more an affront to our democracyand a tion. If we stood by and did noth­ Constitution. Director Robert Mueller as defen­ than 150 APA leaders opposed to waste of tens of millions of dollars ing, it would be a shame on us," "Ordinary Americans should dants in the case. the recall. and asks supporters to better spent on education and said John Tateishi, JACL execu­ not have to worrythat the FBI is JACLjoins the lawsuit knowing pledge their "no" vote on the site. social services, but APAs need to tive director, who announced the rifling through their medical that there may be greater scrutiny The recall opponents include recognize that Gov. Davis has organization's decision at a nation­ records, seizing their personal of the organization by the U.S. Rep. Bob Matsui, Rep. Mike provento be an ally and supporter al board meeting Sept. 12 in Los papers, or forcing charities and government, said Tateishi, such as Honda, State Board of of our issues and for the fair repre­ Angeles. advocacy groups to divulge mem­ the possibility that JACL's mem­ Equalization member John sentation of APAs in government In the next two months the bership lists," said Ann Beeson, bership list could be targeted. Still, Chiang, state Assembly majority and politics." JACL will file an amicus brief to associate legal· director of the he believes the JA community has leader Wilma Chan, "Because of the way the recall ACLU's lawsuit, essentially join-· ACLU and lead attorney in the an obligation to challenge the U.S. Assemblywoman Carol Liu, works, the next governorcould be ing several other groups as a sup­ lawsuit. "Investing the FBI with government when it violates the· Assemblywoman Judy Chu, elected by 20 percent of the vote, porting organization to the court unchecked authority to monitor U.S. Constitution. Assemblyman George Nakano, or even less," said Maeley Tom, a case. the activities of innQCent people is "I've said it many times, that As semblyman . Leland Ye e, CAPA co-founder. "There is no The ACLU lawsuit challenges an invitation to abuse, a waste of Japanese Americans of any seg­ Appointments Secretary Michael guarantee that the next governor Section 215 of the Patriot Act, resources, and is certainly not ment of this nation's population Yam aki. and community leaders who would immediately take which expands the power of the making any of us any safer." should understand how dangerous such as Stanley M. Toy. Jr.. chair FBI to secretly obtain records and The ACLU lawsuit was filed in it is to allow any wing of the gov­ ot Chinese Americans Against the See WEBSITE/page 9 personal belongings of U.S. citi­ federal court July 30 on behalf of ernment to take over the lives of­ zens and permaneDt residents sus­ six Arab American advocacy and Americans without adhering to the pected of terrorist activities. community groups: Muslim APAIC to Continue VOWS Section 215 of the act essential- Community Association of Ann , See PATRIOT ACT/page 9 Fight Against Prop. 54 JACL to Explore Holding Constitutional Convention in Asian Pacific Amelicans for an machines." 2005 Informed California (APAIC) Sheila Chung, executive direc­ By CAROLINE AOYAGI director, agreed that some Ribbon Committee report was vowed to continue fighting against tor of Bay Area Immigrant Rights Executive Editor changes will need to be made if commissioned during the last Proposition 54, an initiative that Coalition, said, "A March election the organization is to thrive biennium. Although several rec­ would ban the government from date would have allowed more Looking to develop a strong financially in the future. "There ommendations were made, "it collecting racial data, in the wake time for voter education on the foundation for the future of has to be some changes some­ didn't go very far," he said. JACL, Floyd Mori, JACL where downstream or we are He noted that part of the rea­ of the Sept. 23 COUlt decision to measure's harmful effects on the reinstate the Oct. 7 special recall Asian Pacific American commu- national president, announced always going to struggle," he son why certain things, such as electIon. nity. The more people learn about his intent to the Blue The Ninth Circuit Court of this initiative, the less they support explore the Ribbon Appeals overturned an earlier it." possibility of Committee holding a con­ COUlts' decision to halt the recall, APAIC, a statewide coalition of report, get left citing the large amount of AA leaders and organizations in stitutional con- behind is resources already invested in the public service, health, education, venti on in because JACL election scheduled for Oct. 7, civil rights and business, expects 2005. always seems while also noting that some votes the proposition to be soundly This conven- to run in "crisis would go uncounted because of defeated on Oct. 7. tion will help mode" since error-prone punch card ballots. "Regardless of [the court's] us "focus our finances are "We are extremely disappointed decision. we have been ready and attention on the always a strug- that ballots in six California coun­ will continue to be ready to defeat possibility of gle for the ties may be counted less than other Proposition 54," said Manjari m a king organization. ballots, or not counted at all." said Chawla, staff attorney for the changes to the After much Phil Ting, executive director of the Asian Pacific American Legal constitution," discussion and Asian Law Caucus. "Each voter Center. "We are confident that said Mori, at a debate Mori has a light to make their voice Asian American voters will go to national JACL appointed a heard, and that right should not be the polls on October 7th and will board meeting Floyd Mori (right), JACL national preSident, speaks at the national board committee to meeting Sept. as Art hampered. by antiquated voting in Los Angeles 12 Koga, national secretary/treasurer looks on. explore the· See APAIC/page 9 Sept. 12. "We ------------------------possibility of as leaders have to be leaders. We said. holding a 2005 constitutional can't just keep up the status "This is bigger than a consti- convention and to "take the Inside the quo." tutional issue, it's an organiza- vision to reality," he said. The He noted that over the past tional issue," said Gil Asakawa, committee members are: Pacific Citizen few years, several questions Pacific Citizen board chairper- Hayashi (who will head the have been raised regarding. son, who echoed the thoughts of committee); Mark Kobayashi, Letters . 2 .. ........... JACL's mission statement, elec- other national board members NCWNPD governor; Paul tion of officers, and the current who wanted to dissect the issues Uyehara, EDC governor; Ryan National News . 3-4 structure of the organization and more closely. Chin, vice president of member- ... its staff, but many of these David Masuo, PNW governor, ship; Reiko Yo shino, MPDC Community News 5, issues cannot be dealt with with- noted that the older JACL mem- governor; Ben Ezaki, MDC .... out changes to the organiza- bers are not generally big on governor; and Josh Spry, nation- Sports 7 tion's current constitution and change while the younger mem- al youth representative. The ............. bylaws. bers want · to make changes. committee is to submit a report Columns, If JACL continues to operate "There are divisive challenges of their findings within three the way it has been, "[JACL] is we need to overcome," he said. months. going to wilt on the vine," said "It is difficult to get the young Cartoon 8 *** ............. Mori . "We always talk about people involved because The national board also final­ changing things" but to make [JACL] doesn't pertain to ized the schedule and budget for Calendar 10 .......... real changes JACL is going to them." the Aug.