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Japanesë-Âmericans seek financial redress
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By Gregory L. Gudger
A lth o u g h chances fo r federal
fin an cia l restitu tion fo r Japanese-
Americans are considered slim “ at
th is tim e ,’ ' Japanese-Am erican
C itiz e n 's League representatives
said recently, that it is o f paramount
im portance that the U nited States
p u b lic ly expose the wholesale
v io la tio n o f Japanese-Am erican
c iv il rig hts d u rin g W o rld W ar II
th ro u g h the studies o f the C o m
mission on Wartime Relocation and
Internment o f Civilians.
Established by an act o f Congress
durin g the last year o f the C arter
A d m inistration, fo llo w in g years o f
pressure from the JA C L , the nine-
member commission w ill review the
facts and circumstances su rro u n
ding the u p ro o tin g and in c a r
ceration o f 120.000 mainland-based
Japanese-Americans from 1942-45
fo llo w in g the signing o f Executive
O rder 9066 by then President
F ra n klin D. Roosevelt. The C om
m ission w ill re p o rt its fin d in g to
Congress and the President in 1981,
as well as making recommendations
for redress.
“ This is not only for us but for all
Am erica...a crusade we all need to
engage in , ” emphasized M in o ru
Yasui, head o f the JA C L Redress
C om m ittee and the Denver,
C o lo ra d o C om m ission on C om
m unity Relations. The work o f the
Wartime Relocation and Internment
Commission and the support o f its
efforts is “ so im portant” even after
39 years because “ an injustice done
that is not corrected remains an in
justice fo re v e r," said the ebuillicnt
Yasui, noting the obvious “ fra ilty ”
o f even constitutional guarantees.
Representative Norm an M ineta,
fo u rth -te rm
D em ocrat
fro m
C alifornia and the main sponsor o f
P .L . 96-317 which established the
comm ision, explained that the new
com m ission’ s role as being sim ilar
to that o f previous commissions -
the Kerner on c iv il disorders, the
Eisenhower on police b ru ta lity and
the Scranton on campus unrest - in
e lic itin g the facts fo r p u b lic
education and policy change. In his
key note address to the 150 persons
attending the JA C L workshop, “ A
Broken P rom ise: A Case For
Redress” at Lewis and C lark
College, Representative Mineta said
the upcom ing com m ission report
“ forces us to concentrate on the
fa c ts ...s trip s away conspiracy
theories as being based on the war-
Professor Gordon Hirabayashl; Representative Norman Minata;
Mrs Susie Sakai; Dr. Arthur Flemming; national JACL President Dr.
James Tsosimura; Minoru Uasorl participate In discussion on
restitution to Japanese.
tim e hysteria o f the tim e s .. .(and)
guarantees public exposure so that
h is to ry w ill be a ccurate ly re c o r
ded.”
M ineta and Yasui disagree, as do
o th e r m embers o f the Japanese-
A m erican co m m u n ity on whether
the U .S . w ill make fin a n c ia l
reparations sought by the 30,000-
member J A C L fo r the estim ated
S400 m illio n lost by Japanese-
Am ericans durin g the internm ent,
only 10 percent o f which was ever
retu rne d. M in e ta noted th a t the
“ probabilities are very m in im a l"
fo r such redress given the n a tio n ’ s
econom ic status and the c u rre n t,
conservative pow er s tru c tu re .
Y asui, a native o f H oo d R iver
whose co nviction fo r v io la tin g the
m iltia r y ’ s ra cia lly-b a se d cu rfe w
(along w ith the co nviction o f G o r
don H irabayashi) was upheld by a
Supreme C o u rt ru lin g , stood firm
on the JA C L p o s itio n dem anding
m onetary redress. Regardless o f
Reagan economic policies, "w e w ill
strive and we shall not yield,” Yasui
explained. He ind icate d th a t pay
ment could be either individual pay
m ents, “ B lo c k ” paym ents put
to w a rd c u ltu ra l program s and
scholarships or a combination o f the
two.
According to the J A C L , the >25
b illio n re s titu tio n paym ents West
G erm any has made to Jews and
Jewish in s titu tio n s fo r the in c a r
ce ra tion and m urde r o f Jewish
citizens by the T h ird Reich sets a
precedent for the J A C L ’ s demands.
Ironically, the U.S. and other allied
powers im posed the concept on
Germany.
Both M ineta and Yasui are reluc
tant to second-guess the commission
regarding its recommendations, and
both agree that “ ...th e real battle
w ill be (fo r the U.S.) to carry out the
reco m m en d atio ns made by the
commission.”
D r. A rth u r Flemming, Chairm an
o f the U .S . C o m m issio n on C iv il
Rights and a presidential appointee
to the W a rtim e In te rn m e n t and
R e lo ca tio n C o m m is s io n , urged
Japanese-American conferees not to
“ sell the process s h o rt...it can have
m e a n in g fu l e ffe c ts as fa r as yo ur
c o m m u n ity is concerned, o the r
m in o rity com m unities are concer
ned, and the future o f the nation is
co n c e rn e d .” F le m m in g , fo rm e r
President o f the U n iv e rs ity o f
O regon and veteran o f num erous
n a tio n a l com m ittees and c o n
ferences on c iv il rig h ts , said the
W artim e Com m ission’ s recommen
d a tio n power is at the “ h e a rt' o f
the body’ s fu n ctio n . And although
its recom m endations “ may not be
accepted q u ic k ly ,” by those “ in
terested in m a in ta in in g the status
q u o ,” historical precedent dictates
that “ they (recommendations) even
tually w ill make it into law .”
Flemming also did not speculate
on what the commission w ill present
to the President and Congress in
1982, but assured “ When you
fin a lly do set up a com m ission o f
th is n a tu re , it is not an idle
g estu re ... it does lead to some
tangible results.”
S im ila r demands fo r rep aratio n
have not fo llo w e d fro m Blacks or
o the r A m e rica n m in o ritie s , but
backers n o f f the
the commission
comm ission allud
alluded
to the im p o rta n c e o f Black and
other m in o rity support o f the study
group’ s e ffo rt.
Both Representative M ineta and
Dr. Flemming noted that the plight
o f Blacks led to the establishment o f
earlier commissions and subsequent
n a tio n a l p olicie s d irected to w a rd
Black and o th e r m in o r ity needs.
M any o f these p olicie s are s till
struggling through the “ implemen
ta tio n stage,” F lem m ing said, ex
plaining that Euro-A m erican Tears
and the desire to m aintain a white-
dominated status quo have been the
prim ary stum bling blocks to effec
tive im p lem en ta tion o f c iv il rights
m andates, and the ro o t o f racist
policies enacted in the nation.
In o rd e r fo r the W a rtim e C om
m is s io n ’ s reco m m en d atio n to be
successfully tra n s itio n e d
in to
government policy, said Flemming,
“ pressure fro m o th e r m in o rity
groups as w ell as the Japanese-
A m e ric a n c o m m u n ity may be re
quired.”
D u rin g a panel discussion in the
JA C L
w o rk s h o p ’ s a fte rn o o n
session, p an elist Susie S akai, re
sponding to a question regarding a
B la c k /J a p a n e s e -A m e ric a n c o a li
tio n , said, “ Japanese-Am ericans
must be cognizant o f w h a t’ s going
dn around u s ...c o a litio n s are our
way o f addressing problems.”
Support from at least one Black,
fo rm e r U .S . S enator E dw ard
B ro oke , w o u ld be s ig n ific a n t.
Brooke was appointed to the W ar
tim e C om m issio n by the Senate.
When asked about the appointment
of
B ro oke ,
C o-com m issio ne r
F lem m in g said, “ ...S om e people
fe lt...h e w ou ld take a p o s itio n o f
desirability.”
Besides F lem m ing and B rooke,
other appointees to the Commission
on W artim e R elocation and In te r
nment o f C ivilians include: Joan Z.
Bernstein, Father Robert I . Drinan,
form er Am bassador A rth u r G o ld
berg, F ather S .V . G r o m o ff,
R epresentative D aniel Lundgren,
Judge W illia m M . M a ru ta n i and
former Senator Hugh B. M itchell.
and, on top o f this, I was just trying
to do my best on the exam ."
When the Bar results came, they
held another setback: M onica was
in fo rm e d she had flu n k e d . I he
passing score was 65 and she was in
form ed she had fa lle n sh ort by
0.124®7o! She had been given a score
o f 64.876«7o. Since she was w ell
w ith in the a llow able 3 p o in ts , she
p etitioned and, in January o f this
year, she was in fo rm e d there had
been a mistake, she had passed after
all.
A t the m om ent, M o n ic a L ittle ,
JD, is w orking fo r H U D in Seattle
doing legal research w hile lo o kin g
for a job as a private attorney in the
P o rtla n d area. L ik e every o the r
community, Black people also draw
up wills, file lawsuits, draw up con
tracts and make use o f the e ntire
spectrum o f legal services. N ot all
TOWN MEETING
w ith Congressm an Ron W y d e n
WHERE:
WHEN:
Cafetorium
King Neighborhood
11 a m - 1 p m
Saturday
April 4, 1981
Facility
4815 N t 7th
" I need your views on issues facing our
district, our State and Congress. Drop by
our town meeting and let me know what's
on your mind: high energy prices, inflation,
jobs, M edicare.. or any other topic. I'LL
MAKE NO SPEECHES - just listen to you
and try to answer your questions."
Black people use the lo w -in c o m e
and subsidized Legal Services or the
Public Defender. There are lots o f
Black people who can a ffo rd private
attorneys and M onica L ittle hopes
soon to be able to cater to just such
clients.
Soon there w ill be someone in the
c o m m u n ity to w hom we can tu rn
when we need the services o f a
lawyer. For those who may be con
sidering Law School, Mrs. L ittle has
some words o f advice. She says one
has to und ersta nd the e ffe cts o f
racism , the negative self-im age
that most o f us grow up w ith. As a
sm all p art o f the p o p u la tio n , we
need to co n s ta n tly re in fo rc e each
other.
“ Do not be a fra id ; do not be
talked out o f it. Law school is not
h a rd ; it is the pace and you can
d is c ip lin e y o u rs e lf fo r ju s t fo u r
years. It also helps a great deal if
you can go out and w ork in a legal
environment because that gives you
a feel fo r the demands and respon
s ib ilitie s o f the jo b . You need a
good fo u n d a tio n in w ritin g sk ills
and you must train yourself to think
lo g ic a lly fro m A to B to C and so
on. I w o u ld c e rta in ly hope that
m ore people take up law as a
profession. We need it badly, she
concludes.
The P o rtla n d O bserver and the
c o m m u n ity jo in
to ge th er in
co ng ra tu la tin g M rs. M onica L ittle
on this very im portant achievement.
We wish her the best as she embarks
on this new, exciting and influential
career and hope th a t her success
w ill encourage m ore students to
fo llo w in her fo o ts te p s . It is the
lawyers who w ill tell us when we are
being shortchanged.
Once m ore: C o n g ra tu la tio n s !
M a k o ro k o to !
A m h lo p e !
Feliciations!
" O p e r a " i t a shortened
form of the Italian opera
in mumea meaning "musical
w ork."
Säi
I
■ENOW'S
FOR
BR A N D S you know
VA R IK TIK S yo u lik e
SIZES y o u w a n t
The Friendliest
I
Steret In Tew
Since 190«
.
o
•
o
M l I » .I X
M
I • I ««I »
SS»h A ! • • •
• 3 3 rd A N . l . H e m » « «
122 n d A N . l O hsen
• 3R»h A • I . Otvtsten
N U tm b erd « O r t l e y e 2 3 rd A
•v rr» .« d .
• S e t e ij h Hill» S t e s e
• L e te O » ~ * e* Q© S A* •
• tS 3 n d • * 1 1 Otvtsten
• K in « C ity
• O ak O rw o
i u o m i or « * ’ ! • « x i n
EXODUS
d u c a /u ru d a n d d t s d m e n / Werdet
1639 N E. Alberta
PORTLAND. OREGON 9721 1
284-7997
Little joins law profession
(Continued from Page I Col 1)
the firs t place, in the exam ination
room, there were only a handful ol
m inorities as usual. Adding to that
ominous intim ida tion was the con
stant rem inder she had heard
th ro u g h o u t.h e r fo u r years o f law
school o f how many m in o rity
students flu n k the bar exam. Law
studies are not hard i f you do not
mind the relentless pace, she says.
“ W hat is so hard is co n sta n tly
being reminded that as a m in o rity,
your chances o f making it through
are almost non-existent. Every year
so many students flunk the bar but
it is the names o f the m in o rity
students that are waved in your face
every time. Needless to say, if your
confidence is easily shaken, it can
drive you to quit. A ll these anxieties
plagued me as they must have
plagued all other m in ority students
E
SHOP
From the Front Door
BY TO M BO O THE
FROM THE FRONT DOOR, I have received many phone calls and In person
com m ents regarding the March 19th and March 26th, from the Front Door
publication in the P o rtla n d Observer. All com m ents have been positive and
s u p p o rtiv e o f m y p o s itio n re g a rd in g B lack "O n T im e ” p a rtic ip a tio n in
Political processes and I have been encouraged to w rite more on this subject.
My feelings are, "O nce you speak and are heard, to keep saying the same
thing ends up being counter productive.” However, I have a proposition for
all who are supportive.
If each person w h o is supportive w o uld get your neighbors inform ed "O N
TIM E” and into the voting booth "O N TIM E” would you believe we would be
SOLVING the problem; as opposed to just TALKING about it. THEN LET's
DO IT, OK?
Another thing which I am concerned about is our attitude regarding our im
mediate com m unity where we live. Many of our citizens will go dow n tow n,
or in other parts of the city and behave respectfully and clean, then come
home where we live and throw BEER BOTTLES on the streets and leave our
streets and sidewalks littered w ith broken glass, paper and fast food boxes.
There is no excuse for complaining and critizing littered conditions, when it is
us who are allowing our neighbors to be irresponsibe to our com m unity.
Here is an area w h ich we as in dividuals can greatly im prove, w hen w e all
decide to do so.
During February, I published a model of w hat I think should be a base regard
ing the establishm ent of a Policy of Principal, published as BLACK POLICY
OF PRINCIPLE." It's contents were:
"C leanliness, W holesom eness, H o n esty, T ru th fu ln ess and R espect
shall be my policy of principle in all my relationships from this day forw ard;
And I shall communicate this Policy of Principle w ith a Postive attitude to all
whom I encounter."
Lets practice Cleanliness the rewards are pure and genuine.
Again, you ca n't spend your tim e or money fo r a better purpose; Join w ith
the Exodus Youth M ental Health Offensive, building our com m unity in to a
better and safer place to live and raise our child en.
Brought to you m a public service by House of Exodus