PACIFIC JACL continues its strong CITIZEN support of same-sex APAs want an apology for slant-eye photos. -PAGE 3 The National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League 9/11 Seven Years Later: APA ,Leaders Say Civil, Human Rights is Needed for All JA leaders contiIiue to draw parallels between about being threatened with the death present day war policies and the WWII intern­ penalty. In his Navy brig solitary cell, he ment had to come to grips with being falsely convicted. "That was a reality for me." By LYNDA LIN All criminal charges against Vee were Assistant Editor eventually dropped and he received an honorable discharge in 2005 along with a It felt like just yesterday that James Vee was at Guantanamo. second Army Commendation medal for The 40-year-old former Muslim Army chaplain spent less than "exceptionally meritorious service." The a year at the infamous U.S. detention center, but the memories irony isn't lost on the Olympia, Wash. res­ still haunt him. Such is the typical experience of those who ident - he says his clean slate is proof come to know the place, especially for Vee who has been both that the military made a mistake. a minister to the prisoners and an accused terrorist spy. "I'm still expecting an official apolo­ It's been five years since Vee, a West Point graduate and third LOOK FAMIUAR?: Many say wartime policies at Gitmo are echoes of the past. gy," he said. But to get the U.S. to apolo­ generation Chinese American, was arrested Sept. 10, 2003, and gize for anything, he added, is not easy. accused 'of espionage by his own government. In the years candidate'as a delegate in Denver. It took over 40 years for America to recognize and redress its between, life has moved on. Vee has written a book about his But his voice still crackles with anger when he joumeys back mistakes in the roundup and mternment of Japanese Americans ordeal, traveled all over the U.S. to lecture about human rights to this dark spot in his memory. abuses, and recently helped nominate a Democratic presidential "I was in fear for my life," said Vee to the Pacific Citizen See SEPT. 11THlPage 10 Bridging the APA Divide ~~~~ APA Groups Blast LPGA New Rule 'FOB' and 'Twinkie' are gle. The dividing factor Requiring Inti. Players to Speak English derogatory labels some seemed to be accultura­ tion - the Asians ver­ The LPGA has taken tol­ APAs affix on others to erance and diversity create subgroups. It's an sus the "Americanized" APAs. So Lee wrote an back several giant steps, example of internalized said JACL National . racism, experts say. article for her student newspaper calling for Director Floyd Mori. the barriers between the By LYNDA LIN two groups to come By P.e. Staff and Assistant Editor down. Associated Press "I think there is an PHOTO: BRIAN TANAKA Look closely at any community underlying assumption Starting in 2009, the Ladies and the fracture lines begin to show. that because we are of DIVERSITY: Shin Issei Yo Miyamoto (foreground) Professional Golf Association Hyein Lee, 19, noticed one day that with Gosei Stacy Iwata and Yonsei Sean Takai. the same racial her- (LPGA) will suspend players Angela Park believes the new policy the Asian Pacific American students r itage, we will 'naturally that cannot speak English well is good for the tour and its players. at her university had carefully divid­ get along' on some common umbrella of community, smaller enough to pass an oral evalua- ed themselves into smaller social ground," said Lee, a junior at NYU subgroups can form based on any­ tion. groups. majoring in sociology and history. thing from national origin and eco­ The LPGA Tour boasts players from all over the world, and Asian Pacific One usually gathered in front of But human beings are social ani­ nomic status to simple preferences American groups are speaking out against the new rule, which many say tar­ the -New York University library , mals that tend to group together of pop music over rock. gets South Korean players. while the other hung out at student based on similarities. Under the There are 121 international players See SPEAK ENGLlSHlPage 12 lounges in another part of campus. See APA DIVIDElPage 11 Rarely did the two groups ever min- Animal Feedlot Near Historic Minidoka Site Gets Commission's Approval ~ 6:" !'"~ With a 2 to 1 vote, Jerome County mile downwind from the Minidoka Internment " was excited when I heard that [the feedlot] ~~ Commissioners reverse an earlier Historic Site in Southern Idaho. was turned down," said Dale Watanabe, a Sansei cn_ decision and approve the Big Sky The Aug. 11 vote was prompted by a district who recently attended the Minidoka pilgrimage. -='..,cn_ Farms permit. judge's ruling in ' June that ordered the "I was surprised by the latest tum of events and Commission to revisit the issue, this time focusing am shocked that they have now approved it." iilnc.> ~n r-_ By CAROLINE AOYAGI-STOM on existing county zoning and feedlot ordinances Many of Watanabe's family members - g-t Executive Editor instead of the county's comprehensive plan. including all of his aunts and uncles - once »- The approval of the Big Sky Farms confmed called Minidoka home, a facility that housed close ~N An unwanted neighbor may soon be moving in. animal feeding operation (CAFO) permit stunned to 13,000 Japanese Americans dUling World War ~Z :;;'" In a reversal of an earlier decision, the Jerome many former·Minidoka internees and descendants IT and was the largest of the 10 interment camps. » County Commissioners voted 2 to 1 to approve a who have long. opposed the facility fearing odor, He believes the Commission's recent vote is <C C> controve~ial ~ 13,OOO-heifer feedlot just over a waste management and airborne pathogens. stomping on the See MINIDOKAlPage 13 N ' ... _ He's Back! Still Racist National ..................... .3-5 Community...................... 6-7 Filmmaker Wayne Wang APAs in Sac'to protest a Voices .................................... 8 talks community, family showing of offensive 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.' Calendar........ .............. 14 and new projects. Obits .... ................... .15 ENTERTAINMEIloT PA(;E 9 NATIONAL PAGE 4 2 SEPT. 5-18, 2008 LmERS/ COMMENTARY PACIFIC ill cmZEN COMMENTARY ~'" PACIFIC ~1Ii CITIZEN A Si~ver L_ining to a Legacy of Leadership 250 E. First Street, Ste. 301, By BRANDON MITA defends the right to vote, the freedom to immi­ Los Angeles, CA. 90012 grate to this country, and to live without fear of Tel: 213/620-1767, In the late 1920s, a generation of Japanese oppression. 800/966-6157 The examples I have listed are not strictly Fax: 213/620-1768 Americans, many of whom were still in their E-mail: [email protected] infancy of adulthood, took it upon themselves Japanese American issues. Yes, they may have www.pacificcitizen.org to fonn a vision. This vision was to be the been the things that JACL cared deeply for guiding light for their people as they attempt­ upon its conception, but today JACL repre­ Executive Editor: ed to traverse the murky waters of discrimina- . sents the voice of oppressed peoples every­ Caroline Y. Aoyagi-Stom tion and injustice. where. JACL represents the liberty that we are Assistant Editor: willing to risk everything for. Lynda Lin Its culmii1ation led to the fonnation of the Office Manager: Japanese American Citizens League in 1929 At this past national convention in Salt Lake Brian Tanaka - an organization that was established to City, students and young professionals, not Circulation: Eva Lau-Ting defend the rights of the Issei and Nisei. much different in age than those that came Brandon Mita urges support of the North In those dark days, the JACL paved the way together to fonn this organization and those Korean resolution at the JACL national Publisher: Japanese American Citizens so that our ancestors could remove themselves that died on the battlefields in Europe, stood convention in Salt Lake City. League (founded 1929) 1765 Sutter Street, together to mark a new chapter in JACL San Francisco, CA 94115, tel: 4151921- from the shadows and emerge in the sunlight. 5225 fax: 4151931-4671, www.jacl.org It was there that JACL became that beacon of activism. We, the National Youth/Student Council (NY/SC) and the JACL youth, raised slaves. Thousands more are imprisoned in JACL President: Lany Oda hope, the light that would guide a community. Nazi-like work camps. The most saddening Nat'l Director: Floyd Mori our collective voices to bring to light an issue That generation endured internment, racist part, millions of North Korean children are Pacific Citizen Board of Directors: Margie anti-immigrant legislation, and a hatred that that touched upon our humanity. Yamamoto, chairperson; Vacant, EOC; Usa ran deep in American society. In the end, they In North Korea, there are those that are not See MITAlpage 14 Hanasono, MOC; Kathy Ishimoto, CCOC; able to share in the freedom that we hold dear. Judith Aono, NCWNPOC; Justine Kondo, prevailed as Americans. PNWDC; Jeff Itami, IOC; Ted Namba, As JACL progressed; · it incorporated the In fact, there are many millions of people in CORRECTION PSWDC; Naomi Oren, Youth. struggles of the various eras. During the civil North Korea that are living without basic In the Aug. 1-14, rights movement, JACLers linked arms with necessities that neither you nor I think about on 2008, Pc. issue r----------------------------, a daily basis. They are denied necessities like the incorrect photo NEWS/AD DEADLINE: FRIDAY African Americans as they marched peaceful­ BEFORE DATE OF ISSUE.