| Program Summary | |
| Six months after President Ronald Reagan signed into law the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 and the Japanese American community held a victory celebration, over 450 persons attended the Day of Remembrance commemoration in the Los Angeles Trade Tech auditorium just south of downtown Los Angeles. On a rainy Sunday afternoon many rushed into the auditorium just in time to hear the Zenshuji Zendeko taiko drummers start off the program. Outreach to the greater Los Angeles community was good and many organizations signed on to co-sponsor or endorse this year’s DOR program. DOR Guest speakers included Representative Bob Matsui, Assistant Attorney General James Turner, and Office of Redress Administration Director Bob Bratt. They spoke about the reparations bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on August 10, 1988. Although there was no money allocated in fiscal year 1989 and only $20 million included in the fiscal year 1990 for reparations payments, Matsui urged the crowd to press the House and Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees to raise the amount allocated for former internees. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General James Turner reaffirmed the strength of the Constitution and praised Japanese Americans for fighting for their rights and forming coalitions to obtain redress. He also acknowledged that it was important for the nation to have recognized the wrong that was committed during World War II. Director Bob Bratt said that the Office of Redress Administration was formulating eligibility guidelines and had collected at least 52,000 names of possible redress recipients. He also revealed that there were several cases in the “gray area” that might be eligible for payments. These cases included veterans who were unable to visit their incarcerated parents, the Japanese Peruvians, and children in orphanages. After the money is appropriated, the ORA would start writing checks to the eldest internees first. He said that his office was continuing to identify possible redress recipients by putting ads in American and Japanese newspapers. With the current presidential budget limited to $20 million for redress, NCRR spokesperson Bert Nakano exclaimed that the former internees could not wait 10 years or more for redress payments. The Reagan bill had provided for up to $1.2 billion for redress, but it would be appropriated over 10 years. Already over 1,200 former internees had died since the Civil Liberties Act was passed. Nakano said that the Japanese American community had to push for a more rapid payment schedule. Nakano's words were reiterated by NCRR co-chair Alan Nishio who said that a wrong had been recognized and acknowledged by the U.S. Government but that the wrong had not yet been redressed. |
|
| President Ronald Reagan signed..., LA Times, 8/88 | |
held a victory celebration..., Pacific Citizen, 9/2/88 (PDF) |
|
| Outreach letter..., NCRR, 1989, Outreach letter (PDF) | |