Mike Masaoka

The passing of Mike Masaru Masaoka on June 26 should be noted. Described by Readers Digest as “Washington’s most successful lobbyist” and commended by President Nixon for his “exceptional service to others in the finest American tradition,” Mike’s life was a source of strength for all of us. He turned down munificent offers to be a lobbyist for commercial interests to remain in the service of the Japanese American Citizens League at the small salary that organization could pay.

His skill in bringing together persons of disparate views was demonstrated by his convincing the delegates to an emergency meeting of the league called at the outset of World War II in the face of the impending evacuation of the entire Japanese population, citizen and non-citizen alike, to take a position of constructive cooperation. Though imprisoned behind the barbed wire of the Manzanar concentration camp, his was the spark that resulted in the all-Japanese, 442nd Regimental Combat Team in which he and his three brothers, one of whom was killed, served with distinction.

His lobbying efforts resulted in the passage of the Japanese Evacuation Claims Act of 1948, which partially compensated for actual proven losses. His crowning achievement was the repeal of the infamous Oriental Exclusion Acts, which had discriminated against Asians in the matter of immigration to and naturalization in our country and the substitution of legislation that recognized the right of all persons irrespective of race or national origin to be a part of our nation.

And, not surprisingly, he successfully campaigned for the repeal of Title II of the Internal Security Act, passed during the McCarthy-communist scare period, which had provided for the reinstatement of concentration camps in our midst.

In his later years, though ill, he responded to the call to assist in convincing the legislature to pass the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 in which “Congress apologize(d) on behalf of the nation” for the treatment of the Japanese during the war and provided a $20,000 token redress payment to the internees still living.

Mike Masaoka was a giant of a man. His service in the cause of justice should serve as an inspiration.

FRED OKRAND

Van Nuys