aci ic citizen National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League Newsstand: 25¢ (60¢ postpaid) Whole No. 2,418 Vol. 103 No. 23 ISSN: 0030-8579 941 East 3rd St. #200, Los Angeles;CA 90013 (213) 626-6936 Friday, Dec. 5, 1986 Racial Tension Raised Immigration Bill Shop Owner New Series a Unique Chance for JA Actors Attorneys Try Pleads Guilty by Nonnan Cohen and Rick Momii It was an interesting atmosphere in which to to Decode New in D.C. Dispute hold an interview. We sat at a long kitchen table in a friend's old-fashioned, but smartly reno­ WASHINGTON - The Chinese vated, Hollywood home with three actors, all of Technicalities American owner of an Anacostia us talking into a small Sony tape recorder. cany-out, accused of brandishing These three actors-Gedde Watanabe, Sab by J.K Yamamoto a gun at a Black patron during a Shimono and Patti Yasutake, recreating their LOS ANGELES - Anticipating dispute, pleaded guilty Nov. 25 movie roles in Paramount Network Television's a great deal of confusion and mis­ to reduced charges in the two­ "Gung Ho"-had recently heard the good news: understanding over the recently month-old incident that has ex­ Their series is scheduled to debut on ABC today passed immigration bill a panel acerbated tensions between (Dec. 5) at 9:30 p.rn. PST (check local listings for of attorneys explained the provi­ Black residents and Asian mer­ exact air times), opposite NBC's "Miami Vice" sions of the law to social service chants in that neighborhood. and CBS's "Dallas." As we talked about the show agencies and the ethnic media Cheung Hung Chan pleaded and their expectations, the air was filled with at the Asian Pacific American guilty in D.C. Superior Court to an ex.citing mix of jocularity, anticipation and Legal Center on Nov. 24. one count of failure to register a apprehension. ''If you're confused, believe firearm. He was arrested Sept Z7 Conflict Between Cultures me, you're not the only one," said Linda Wong of Mexican Amer­ after a customer, Sara Carter, We first askpd what the series was about and complained that he had chased ican Legal Defense and Educa­ were greeted by a choms of answers. Watanabe, tion Fund. ''INS knows less about her outside his restaurant and who plays Kaz, one of the two leads, answered threatened her with a gun this new law than you do ... Only first: ''It's about an Amelican auto plant that is now are they beginning to trans­ Protests Continue scheduled to close. The Japanese are invited to late that infonnation into the Since the incident, protesters take over the management because of their in­ field offices." have held daily demonstrations dustrial success and of course, clashes between Employer Sanctions outside Chan's Good Hope Carry­ the two cultures ensue." Out in an effort to keep the busi­ 'That's the plot," interrupted Shimono, "and Photo by RIck Momii The employer sanctions provi­ ness closed. The Rev. Willie Wil­ also where the conflict pagins. The characters Nikkei regulars on "Gung Ho" include Gedde Wata­ sion makes it unlawful for an em­ son, leader of the protest and must discover how to get along with each other. nabe (seated), Patti Yasutake and Sab Shimono. ployer to knowingly hire, recruit pastor of Union Temple Baptist The two cultures have to meet somewhere in or refer for a fee an alien who is Church, has accused Chan and the middle and learn to work together." Yasutake added that she uses her "own ex­ not authorized to work in this other Asian merchants of taking "And that's where the growth is," concluded periences, personal and professional, to shape countly, she said, and it applies profits out of the Black commu­ Yasutake. Umeki [ber character] into a unique, individual regardless of the number of em­ nity while treating Black custom­ The inevitable question arose early in the ill­ woman" ployees in the workforce and in­ ers rudely. terview: How do Japanese Americans play J apa­ Shimono said that he uses his father as a posi­ cludes people hired on a tempo­ With a translator at his side, nese national , foreigners? "Actually, aliens;' tive image, but summed it all up: "We tly to rary or part-time basis. As for Chan acknowledged to Judge quipped Shimono. approach our characters as human beings." non-profit agencies, her 'tenta­ Harold CUshenbeny that he had Japanese Sensibilities We asked them about demographics, TV's fa­ tive interpretation" was that they a pistol that day, but challenged Watanabe said that he still has a lot of the vorite audience measure. What audience seg­ would not be covered. the prosecution's version of what Japanese sensibilities he felt as a boy growing ment would ''Gung Ho" appeal to? Much of the In order to protect themselves, happened up. Some of his thought processe are the am humor is deli ed from the struggle between the employers must ask for documen-' Prosecutor Andrew Fois told as Kaz's. Consequently, being J apane e Amer­ working classes. "What fm curiou about," said tation that proves identity and the judge that if the case had ican was helpful in developing hi character. ''1 Ya utake, "i how middle America responds.." authorization to work in the nit­ gone to trial. the government ex- flnd a lot of Gedde in Kaz," he remarked . ed States. A green card. a natural- Continued on n :\1 page CooIinued 00 Page 11 Continued OIl Nul PIIIfl Asian Plans to Run in L.A. 's 'Latino District' 'Pearl Harbor' Demo Planned Union Pickets Japan Embassy by J.K. Yamamoto LOS ANGELES - An Asian to Protest Toyota's Policies American has declared his can­ didacy for the new 1st District WASHINGTON -More than 300 sary of the Pearl Harbor attack. seat on the City Council, chal­ members of the AFlrCIO picket­ Leadm ofsome non-eonstruc-­ lenging the widely held belief ed the Japanese embassy Nov. 17 tion union have privately ex­ that the seat is intended for a to protest the hi1;ng of non-union pressed fear that the Pearl Har­ Hispanic. bor Day rally might be percei ed Leland Wong, 29, made his an­ workers by Toyota. Chanting 'Toyota hould play as appealing to racial prejudice nouncement at a Nov. 19 press by American mIes," the protest- conference in Chinatown He 'Not Racists' 1 d nounced the corporation's will be competing with Assembly­ us of non-union constmction woman Gloria Molina and School workel at its $000 million a em­ Board member Larry Gonzales bly plant in Georg town, Ky. in a special election scheduled for Feb. 3. "J pan compani are com- The district, which includes ing to thi country and attempt­ Chinatown, Echo Park, Cypress ing to liminat coll ctiv bar­ Park, and parts of Highland Park gaining ag'l'eem nls," said J eph Malon , cretary-tr a ~ w r f and Mount Washington, was creat­ ~ ed by the City Council earlier this th AFL-CIO Building Trad D pru.tm nt. "To, ota i h ll-bent year in response to a Justice De­ partment lawsuit alleging that the on d troying th tandard fli ­ city's district boundaries weak­ ing that middle-da Am rican ened the voting power ofLatinos. hav wOl;k d y ru to achie ." Non-Latino Can Run Non-Union Hiling But the redrawing of district lines to include more Latinos in the 1st District "does not insure or guarantee an elected office" to a member of that group, said Wong in an interview with PC. He charged that the local press has been ''unfair'' in implyingtilat the seat is reserved for a His­ panic. "People in this district are 'beyond looking at race," he said, Pl1010 hy Jon T knStlgl R lu 1111111>0 ConUnuro on pa.l(I' 12 Leland Wong announcing his candidacy at Chinatown press conf r nc . O,"timl< I on \" ' t' 12 2 -PACIFIC CITIZEN I Friday, December 5, 1986 No. 2,418 Allow 6 weeks advance notice to report address change with label on front NEW IMMIGRATION BILL ----- '87 Journalism If you are moving / Wish to subscribe, Continued from Front Page Write New Address below. Effective date ............................................................... .. 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