aci it citize11 National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League Newsstand: 25¢ (60e postpaid) # 2,428 Vol. 104, No.8 ISSN: 0030-8579 941 East 3rd St. Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (213) 626-6936 Friday, February 27,1987 Opposed Internment Congressmen Urge Hearings Bill's Backers Optimistic Judge Known on Violence Against Asians for Civil Rights WASHINGTON - Reps. Robert Matsui and Norman Mineta Sen. Wilson of Mineta Sets (both D-Calif.) have asked the chair of a House subcommittee Work Dies at 80 to hold hearings on violence against Americans ofAsian ancestry. 'The recent large inflUx of Asian immigrants, in conjunction California Is September PORTLAND - u.s. District with the renewed global economic competitiveness of the Far Judge Gus Solomon, whose civil East, has created an extremely volatile situation," the congress­ rights work during his 58-year men said in a Feb. 20 letter to Rep. Don Edwards (D-Calif.), Co~Sponsor Target Date legal career included opposition who chairs the Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil and Constitu­ to the wartime internment of J a­ tional Rights. panese Americans, died Feb. 15 "Amelicans of Asian ancestry have become an easily recog­ of complications resulting from nizable scapegoat for feelings of hostility and fear." cancer. He was 00. Matsui and Mineta said that cases of anti-Asian violence Born in Portland, Solomon at­ reported to the Justice Department increased 62 percent from tended Reed College, University 1984"to 1985. They cited the 1982 killing of Vincent Chin as the of Washington, University of Chi­ most notorious example of the trend. cago, Columbia University Law "Infamous for its almost casual treatment by the Detroit School, and Stanford University COUl1:s, Mr. Chin's case stands as glaring testimony to the need Law School He was in private for increased civil rights action," the letter read. 'The age-old practice from 1929 until Presi­ mistrust of the unfamiliar has contributed to elevated suspi­ dent Truman appointed him to cions and tension. We have a clear duty to investigate this the federal bench in 1949. important and pressing problem." Acted on Behalf of JAs DuringWW2, Solomon defend­ ed local Japanese Americans by publicly opposing their intern­ ment, protesting the boycott of JACL Reacts to INS Plan to their produce and intervening on their behalf with labor and Sen. Pete Wilson Rep. Norman Mineta farm groups. He helped organize Put Arabs in Detention Camp the Committee to Aid Relocation when Japanese Americans were by J.K Yamamoto The existence of an INS option on their ancestry, is repugnant WASHINGTON - Sen. Pete Wil­ by Robert Shimabukuro allowed to return to the area to the .fmest aspirations of our son (R-Calif.) is the latest co-spon­ SAN JOSE-Speaking at the an­ "He was sincere in tIying to paper that provides for the round­ up and detention of Arab and American democracy .... sor of the redress bill which Sen. nual Day of Remembrance ob­ help Niseis," recalled former servance, Rep. Norman Mineta Iranian. immigrants is an indica­ 'The documentation of gov­ Spark Matsunaga (D-Hawaii) Portland JACL president George ernment plans calling for a de­ plans to introduce. (D-Calif) called prospects for re­ Azumano. tion that another mass intern­ ment is in the making, JACL na­ tention camp in Oakdale, La, is During a late afternoon Senate dress "bright' and saw hope of ''He always spoke out in sup­ a frightening renewal of a direc­ session on Feb. 19, Matsunaga passage of the redress bills by port of Japanese Americans," tional director Ron Wakabayashi said Feb. 19. tion that 45 years ago resulted in made a statement to commemo­ Sept 17, when the country will said attorney Peggy Nagae, not­ the greatest failure of our Consti­ rate the 45th anniversary of the begin its celebration of the bi­ ing that Solomon filed a brief in "On this date 45 years ago, Pres­ ident Franklin D. Roosevelt ... tution. In this year celebrating signing of Executive Order 9066, centennial of the Constitution. the late Min Yasui's case, which the bicentennial of the founding which led to the internment of Mineta urged the approximate­ tested the constitutionality of the authorized the detention of aliens and Americans of Japanese an­ of our Constitution, we ought to Japanese Americans. ly 300 persons attending cere­ wartime curfew imposed on per­ pay special attention to repairing "As we celebrate the bicenten­ monies at the Buddhist Church sons of Japanese ancestry. cestry based upon fears of espio­ nage and sabotage by members damage done to our national guid­ nial of the United States Con­ Betsuin of San Jose on Feb. 15 "He was one of those lonely ing document" stitution this year," he said, "it is to continue forward "with strength voices that stood out against the of this ethnic community," Waka­ bayashi said in a written state­ Deportation Case most appropriate that we act to and detennination. camps and was a man of princi­ The INS document, entitled l'emove once and for all this sin­ Smithsonian Exhibit ·pIe," former NationalJACL pres­ ment 'The sole criterion for the forced removal from our homes "Alien Terrorists and Undesira­ gular blot upon the greatest of Mineta also hailed the WW2 identJim Tsujimura said ofSolo­ bles: A Contingency Plan," was human-written documents, and mon. 'Tve been thinking over the into desolate camps, surrounded veterans who wel'e honored in the by barbed wire and secured by drafted in May 1986. It was pub­ that we solemnly resolve that evening's program and asked the last few years that we should be licized last month by attorneys such a ma denial of protection doing an awards dinner or some­ armed military guards, was eth­ audience to attend the opening of nic ancestry. for seven Palestinians and a Ken­ guaranteed by that document the Smithsonian Institution's ex­ thing for him, but unfOltunately yan who the government was at­ 'Repugnant to Democracy' shall never again occur in the hibit commemorating the bicen­ we never got around to it" tempting to deport because ofal­ United States of America." "Americans with Middle East­ tennial which will focus on the "After revocation of the evacu­ leged ties to the PLO. ern ancestry are faced with a Plea to Colleagues Japane e Amelican experience. ation orders," remembered for­ Following a Feb. 17 hearing in mer Pacific Northwest District similar public perception .... In­ Matsunaga urged. his colleagues Katliel Schory's "Yankee Sa­ ternational terrorism is abhon'ent Los Angeles, U.S. Immigration to join him in introducing the re­ mUl'ai," a film about the 442nd JACL governor Homer Yasui. Judge Roy Daniels freed five of "Gus Solomon, while still an at- to our tradition. Equally, the trans­ dl'ess bill. At the end of the es­ Regimental Combat Team' ex­ ference of the abhorrence of ter­ the detainees on their own recog- sion, Wilson infon-ned Matsunaga ploits and their 40th anniversary QlotimIed (II Page 3 rorism to American Arabs, based Continued on page 2 that he would be a co-sponsor. l'eunion with the townspeople of The Senate bill now has 42 co­ Bru.veres, France, wa a featured sponsors. Others who have re­ part of the program. cently signed on are Max Bau­ Inb:oductOlY remru'ks Wel'e Teacher Continues Battle With School District cu (D-Monl), John Breau.x (D­ made by Rudy Tokiwa, a 442nd La), Robert Dole (R-Kan.), Ben­ veteran, and Eric Saul, advi or nett Johnston (D-La), Patrick to the N ational Japanese Ameli­ MERCED, Calif - Arguments about a month. IfTakahashi loses, Brannan had never taught th Leahy (D-Vt), James Sa er (D­ can Historicat Society/Go For were heard Feb. 23 in a civil suit her attorneys will consider an 8th grade and based his opinion Tenn.), Paul Simon (D-Ill.), and Broke, which pon ored the fllm brought by teacher Mitsue Taka­ appeal; if the school district loses, on 45 minutes of observation. Steven Symm (R-Idaho). (Se showing. hashi, who is charging the Living­ a trial will be held. LUSD Superintendent Harold F b. 6 PC for other 33 spon 01 .) 'Fighting and Suffering' ston Union School District with Fired in 1980 Thompson claimed that Takaha- racial discrimination and viola­ The case dates back to 1900, hi's ability to control student be­ Contacts.With FalmeI'S tion of her civil rights. when Takahashi, an 8th grade havior had been suspect for 10 Wilson, a fIrst-term nator Attorneys Peter Lucey and teacher with 20 years of experi­ years; Takahashi's supportel and f01111 r mayor of San biego, Angela Kreta, representing the ence, was fired for incompetence. said testimony from tud nts and wa gu st p aker at the Ni ei school district, said the case was An administrative hearing panel teachers contradicting that claim Frum I Leagu' 16th annual without merit because Takahashi upheld the fIring in November was restricted dluing the hearing banquet ill FI no on F b. 6. had, already had her day in cowt 1980 by a 2r 1 vote. Takahashi was the first teach- Wilson told the audience of Takahashi's attorneys, Mary Dun­ Takahashi, who had received r in alifornia to b dismi d more Ulan 500 that he oppo ed lap and Thomas Sannar, con­ positive evaluations from admin­ for incompctenc under the SUlll tl'ad prot ctioni m and Ulat he tended that the school district istrators up to that time, ques­ Act, which requires school di - succ ssfully tabli h d a gu t had yet to address the merits of tioned the qualifications of the tricts to stabli h standards to work r provi ion in the 11 w im­ the case.