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Show FROM LILLIAN BAKER (213) 329-2619 FOR 4 ISTOR'C U CCURACY America UNITED REPORT ON THE HEARING AT SONO~~, CALIFORNIA, NOV. 6 , 1975 RE: HISTORIC PLAQUESlr-~RKERS -.,. FULLY TAPED FO DEAR CONCERNED AMERICAN: I am here to report on what I cal . "THE CALIFORNIA COVER-V T How did the proposed marker at Manzanar come about? It was first proposed, Wl good and sincere intentions , by Mr. Henry ~)M), Director of the Eastern California Museum, Independence, Calif. (Owens Valley). The landmark was suggested to commemorate "the heroic adjustment of a group of people during WWII", a people called upon to make considerable sacrifice along with other Americans during wartime. Mr. Robb was joined by Assemblyman Gene Chappee, and the people of Owens Valley, and the Landmarks Commission who agreed to mark the site of the WWII relocation camp at Manzanar, even though such marking would violate the !r50 year rule" which precluded the marking of historic sites "within the memory of livir.g man". Because of the ideal in mind, and with no bitterness whatsoever, it was agreed that members of the JACL (Japanese-American Citizens League), members of the Dept. of Parks & Recreations, and others, should come up with suitable wording and then the Commission would vote on it. WHEN THE DEMEANING WORDS "CONCENTRATION CM-Ip!!, :TRACISM", !!ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION l1 , etc., was presented, the wording was UNANI MOUSLY VOTED .QOHN BY THE HISTORIC LANDMl\RKS COMt-1ITTEE, delegated as ADVISORS to the Dept. of Parks & Rec., and appointee by the Governor as qualified persons in their fields to act as such advisors. It was approved OVER THE HEADS OF THE CCl1MISSION, because' otherwise tIthe budget would suff er ' A group of Japanese-American dissidents, calling , themselves THE MANZANAR COrvWITTTEE , used the propoga nda term !!raci sm!! a s a tool to win over the libera 1 poli ticia ns in ~ramento -- namely, then Speaker of the House, Bob Moretti -- who, with Dills of "f:i;4W&.,e.'f1t-.4,..", used political "persua sion!! against Director, Wm. Penn Mott of the Parks & Recrea tion Dept. to insta II that hideous marker ll,:;AINST THE UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE ADVISORY BOARD , and in secret. The Commission KNEW NOTHING about the landmark being marked by the plaque until Dr. R. Coke Wood, a member of the Commission fo r II years, read about it in the Inyo Re g ister newspaper. NOT ONE PERSON WHO ORIGI NALLY PROPOSED THE SITE BE MARKED, WAS INVITED TO THE INSTALLING CEREl'10NIES! The bi tternes~ of the people of Owens Valley is such that Dr. Wood told me that the marker "will be torn from its moorings". BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO USE THE SAl'lE UNLAWFUL TACTICS AS OUR OPPOSITION. We now know that the COt-'IMISSION WAS OF THE SAME OPINION AS WE VvERE ... but \ole were lied to! The Manzanar Committee has said the wording is IlState approved!! .. . because it was !!State policy" by political machinations -- the Historic Land marks Commission NEVER APPROVED IT , even after 5-10 attempts over the past 5 years to g et the term "corlCentra tion camp I T approved. THE. WORDING \VAS REFUSED OVER AND OVER AGAI N, and at the hearing in Sonoma, Nov. 6, 1975, the wording for another plaque to be placed at Tule Lake WAS ALSO REFUSED, but it was tabled for further discussion at a hearing in Santa Ana , Calif., on January IS, 1976. REMEt-1BER THAT DATE ... and LET AFHA SHm'll UP IN FORCE. AND WRITE LETTERS TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, TO THE GOVERNOR, TO THE DEPT. OF PARKS AND RECREATION, AND ADVISE THEM THAT NOW YOU KNOll] OF THE CALIFORNl i COVER -UP, and the political tricks used to install a landmark plaque which is demeaning to ALL MvIERICANS! WE HAVE HAD A VICTORY ••• WE ARE NOT ALONE! MARK YOUR CALENDAR! SPREAD THE WORD! of meeting will be announced later. JAN. 15, 1976 ... plac , ~~ l"~~~ •• ~ ----~~~v}l I have an 11 page ' (single-spaced) transcript from the fb tapes of that historic hearing! Please send 50¢ in >1-' . ·-,'I·j, stamps or coin to ~ \~~1 ~ I ~ Ba ker 15'231 Chanera Ave,Gard ... o CA 9_0249 cover cost of ~ . copies & mailing. ", . w.~ //..' Yamas hI·t a 810!o.615t.,hn Di. g oCA~2114 - ..I tIs an EYE- OPENER! -... ' . GiDept. of Parks & Recreation bud g et. t~.J m .,.b'1# Many thanks for your support which made possible ~:' ta R)JnY~a~'Laofl~~ a t Scnorna - - 2nd God ",li lli ng , 'C ll be at Sa nta ADa, ,-,U 1 '-'-1. n h,t . ~~.' ~~ ~ Ij/~~ l~ ~ 'C;'- I :i;fh) l/. .... i '" |
