Bill Text: CA ACR114 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 114 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Day of Remembrance.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 43-21)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-11-30 - From Senate committee without further action. [ACR114 Detail]

Download: California-2009-ACR114-Amended.html

BILL NUMBER: ACR 114	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  FEBRUARY 25, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Bradford
    (   Coauthors:   Assembly Members 
 Ammiano,   Anderson,   Arambula,  
Beall,   Bill Berryhill,   Tom Berryhill, 
 Blakeslee,   Block,   Blumenfield,  
Brownley,   Buchanan,   Caballero,  
Charles Calderon,   Chesbro,   Conway,  
Cook,   Coto,   De La Torre,   De Leon,
  Emmerson,   Eng,   Feuer,  
Fletcher,   Fong,   Fuentes,   Furutani,
  Gaines,   Galgiani,   Gilmore, 
 Hagman,   Harkey,   Hayashi,  
Hernandez,   Hill,   Huber,   Huffman,
  Jeffries,   Jones,   Knight,  
Lieu,   Bonnie Lowenthal,   Ma,   Mendoza,
  Miller,   Monning,   Nava,  
Nestande,   Niello,   Nielsen,   John A.
Perez,   V. Manuel Perez,   Ruskin,  
Salas,   Silva,   Skinner,   Solorio,
  Audra Strickland,   Swanson,  
Torlakson,   Torres,   Torrico,  
Villines,   and Yamada   ) 

                        FEBRUARY 3, 2010

   Relative to a Day of Remembrance.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 114, as amended, Bradford. Day of Remembrance.
   This measure would declare February 19, 2010, as a Day of
Remembrance in order to increase public awareness of the events
surrounding the internment of Americans of Japanese ancestry during
World War II.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
signed Executive Order 9066, under which 120,000 Americans and
resident aliens of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated in internment
camps during World War II; and
   WHEREAS, Executive Order 9066 deferred the American dream for
120,000 Americans and resident aliens of Japanese ancestry by
inflicting a great human cost of abandoned homes, businesses,
careers, professional advancements, and disruption to family life;
and
   WHEREAS, Despite their families being incarcerated behind barbed
wire in the United States, approximately 33,000 veterans of Japanese
ancestry fought bravely for our country during World War II, serving
in the 100th Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the
522nd Field Artillery Battalion; and
   WHEREAS, The 100th Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team,
and the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion heroically suffered nearly
10,000 casualties and are honored as being among World War II's most
decorated combat teams, having received seven Presidential
Distinguished Unit Citations, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, 588
Silver Stars, 5,200 Bronze Stars, and 9,486 Purple Hearts; and
   WHEREAS, On June 21, 2000, President William Jefferson Clinton
elevated 20 Japanese Americans who served in the 100th Battalion and
the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and were among 52 individuals who
received the nation's second highest award--the Distinguished Service
Cross--to receive the nation's highest military honor--the Medal of
Honor--bringing the total number of recipients who so received the
Medal of Honor to 21; and
   WHEREAS, Nearly 6,000 veterans of Japanese ancestry served with
the Military Intelligence Service and have been credited for
shortening the war by two years by translating enemy battle plans,
defense maps, tactical orders, intercepted messages and diaries, and
interrogating enemy prisoners; and
   WHEREAS, Nearly 40 years subsequent to the United States Supreme
Court decisions upholding the convictions of Fred Korematsu, Min
Yasui, and Gordon Hirabayashi for violations of curfew and Executive
Order 9066, it was discovered that the United States War Department
and Department of Justice officials had altered and destroyed
evidence regarding the loyalty of Americans and resident aliens of
Japanese ancestry and withheld information from the United States
Supreme Court; and
   WHEREAS, Dale Minami, Peggy Nagae, Dennis Hayashi, Rod Kawakami,
and many attorneys and interns contributed innumerable hours to win a
reversal in 1983 of the original convictions of Korematsu, Yasui,
and Hirabayashi by filing a petition for writ of error coram nobis on
the grounds that fundamental errors and injustice occurred; and
   WHEREAS, On August 10, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed into
law the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, finding that Executive Order
9066 was not justified by military necessity and, hence, was caused
by racial prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political
leadership; and
   WHEREAS, The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 apologized on behalf of
the people of the United States for the evacuation, internment, and
relocation of Americans and permanent resident aliens of Japanese
ancestry during World War II and provided for restitution to those
individuals of Japanese ancestry who were interned; and
   WHEREAS, February 19, 2010, marks 68 years since the signing of
Executive Order 9066 and a policy of grave injustice against American
citizens and resident aliens of Japanese ancestry; now, therefore,
be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California
declares February 19, 2010, as a Day of Remembrance in this state to
increase public awareness of the events surrounding the internment of
Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the Governor, the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, the State Library, and the State Archives.