sbp
11-15-2002, 06:01 PM
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E989643,00.html
They had survived bombs at Pearl Harbor and torpedoes across the Pacific -- but say they were nearly sunk by political correctness in the city of Los Angeles.
City officials who had barred veterans of Pearl Harbor from commemorating the attack on Dec. 7 by attending a showing of the 1970 film "Tora! Tora! Tora!" at a city-owned movie theater did an about-face Wednesday.
Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who Tuesday said "I wanted to be very sensitive to the Japanese-American community," changed her mind Wednesday in the face of outrage from veterans' groups and called for "disciplinary action" against theater officials for discriminating against veterans.
"I'm very pleased, the show will go on," said Joe Janesic, a director at the Fort MacArthur Military Museum in San Pedro and an organizer of the Dec. 7 event.
"The public has spoken: We as Americans have the right to determine what is appropriate for us to see."
The plan had seemed simple enough. And as innocent as Pearl Harbor before the Japanese attack in 1941.
Ushers would don the uniforms of World War II. Vintage Jeeps would putter up to the curb of the historic Warner Grande Theatre. A searchlight would crisscross the skies.
And hundreds of veterans would fill the seats during a 61st Pearl Harbor anniversary Dec. 7 for a rare showing of the film, "Tora! Tora! Tora!"
Organizers say they had the go-ahead from the city Department of Cultural Affairs, which owns and operates the 1,200-seat theater.
They had found a rare 35-mm print of what many consider to be the most accurate Pearl Harbor re-enactment ever produced. (The movie won an Oscar for special effects in the scenes of the Pearl Harbor attack.) They had printed invitations to veterans accustomed to commemorating their comrades at an annual event at the city-owned Fort MacArthur park.
"I thought, what a great way to promote both city-owned facilities," said Bob Meza, 49, of Santa Clarita, a vintage movie theater and searchlight buff who volunteered to help run the museum fund-raiser expected to raise $12,000 for the cash-poor battery museum.
"Every hurdle (theater officials) thought of was overcome."
Then theater officials waffled.
First they said the projector was old, that it could ruin the film, event organizers said. Then they said the day was booked -- first by a screening of "Boys Town," with a special appearance by actor Mickey Rooney, then by Gladys Knight and the Pips, then by a private party held by Mayor James Hahn, the San Pedro councilwoman's brother. Aides to the mayor denied he had any involvement in the controversy.
Finally, organizers say city officials told them the event was barred because it would be offensive to Japanese-Americans.
"They've been telling so many lies they can't even keep track," said Meza, an NBC broadcast engineer. "They're covering their ---. They've got so much flak on this that they were forced into (backing down)."
The issue has raised racial sensitivities still smarting six decades after the attack.
Councilwoman Hahn said she discussed the event with Japanese-Americans -- including Assemblyman George Nakano, D-Torrance -- who described the classic-car searchlight extravaganza as offensive to families placed in internment camps after the attack.
"December 7 is a day that lives in infamy. It's not a celebratory day," said Chris Komai of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. "There is a sense of dread when that day comes around, especially for those in the Japanese community of my parents' generation.
"I can understand the desire of WWII veterans wanting to see that film, but does it have to be done on that day?"
Movie organizers said they had talked with Japanese-American groups who said they had no problem with the event.
A spokeswoman for the Cultural Affairs Department did not respond to a request for comment.
Lee Sweet, manager of the Warner Grand, would only say a news account published Tuesday in the Torrance Daily Breeze was "narrative, it's not factual."
"I am very upset," said Councilwoman Hahn, who now says veterans were mistreated by officials from the Warner Grande. "We found it wasn't booked.
"This group, in my opinion, was treated unfairly by a city employee of a city facility ... I think there needs to be some disciplinary action, to send a message to all city employees: We cannot treat different groups differently."
To veterans, the whole affair leaves a bad taste.
"This is a political hot potato," said Jack Stecker, post chaplain for the Veterans of Foreign Wars post No. 1622 in Wilmington.
"I had shipmates that were killed at Pearl Harbor -- this is political correctness."
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more links: http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204%257E23168%257E992141,00.html
http://www.dailybreeze.com/content/bln/nmtora14.html
Comment: fsck political correctness.
They had survived bombs at Pearl Harbor and torpedoes across the Pacific -- but say they were nearly sunk by political correctness in the city of Los Angeles.
City officials who had barred veterans of Pearl Harbor from commemorating the attack on Dec. 7 by attending a showing of the 1970 film "Tora! Tora! Tora!" at a city-owned movie theater did an about-face Wednesday.
Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who Tuesday said "I wanted to be very sensitive to the Japanese-American community," changed her mind Wednesday in the face of outrage from veterans' groups and called for "disciplinary action" against theater officials for discriminating against veterans.
"I'm very pleased, the show will go on," said Joe Janesic, a director at the Fort MacArthur Military Museum in San Pedro and an organizer of the Dec. 7 event.
"The public has spoken: We as Americans have the right to determine what is appropriate for us to see."
The plan had seemed simple enough. And as innocent as Pearl Harbor before the Japanese attack in 1941.
Ushers would don the uniforms of World War II. Vintage Jeeps would putter up to the curb of the historic Warner Grande Theatre. A searchlight would crisscross the skies.
And hundreds of veterans would fill the seats during a 61st Pearl Harbor anniversary Dec. 7 for a rare showing of the film, "Tora! Tora! Tora!"
Organizers say they had the go-ahead from the city Department of Cultural Affairs, which owns and operates the 1,200-seat theater.
They had found a rare 35-mm print of what many consider to be the most accurate Pearl Harbor re-enactment ever produced. (The movie won an Oscar for special effects in the scenes of the Pearl Harbor attack.) They had printed invitations to veterans accustomed to commemorating their comrades at an annual event at the city-owned Fort MacArthur park.
"I thought, what a great way to promote both city-owned facilities," said Bob Meza, 49, of Santa Clarita, a vintage movie theater and searchlight buff who volunteered to help run the museum fund-raiser expected to raise $12,000 for the cash-poor battery museum.
"Every hurdle (theater officials) thought of was overcome."
Then theater officials waffled.
First they said the projector was old, that it could ruin the film, event organizers said. Then they said the day was booked -- first by a screening of "Boys Town," with a special appearance by actor Mickey Rooney, then by Gladys Knight and the Pips, then by a private party held by Mayor James Hahn, the San Pedro councilwoman's brother. Aides to the mayor denied he had any involvement in the controversy.
Finally, organizers say city officials told them the event was barred because it would be offensive to Japanese-Americans.
"They've been telling so many lies they can't even keep track," said Meza, an NBC broadcast engineer. "They're covering their ---. They've got so much flak on this that they were forced into (backing down)."
The issue has raised racial sensitivities still smarting six decades after the attack.
Councilwoman Hahn said she discussed the event with Japanese-Americans -- including Assemblyman George Nakano, D-Torrance -- who described the classic-car searchlight extravaganza as offensive to families placed in internment camps after the attack.
"December 7 is a day that lives in infamy. It's not a celebratory day," said Chris Komai of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. "There is a sense of dread when that day comes around, especially for those in the Japanese community of my parents' generation.
"I can understand the desire of WWII veterans wanting to see that film, but does it have to be done on that day?"
Movie organizers said they had talked with Japanese-American groups who said they had no problem with the event.
A spokeswoman for the Cultural Affairs Department did not respond to a request for comment.
Lee Sweet, manager of the Warner Grand, would only say a news account published Tuesday in the Torrance Daily Breeze was "narrative, it's not factual."
"I am very upset," said Councilwoman Hahn, who now says veterans were mistreated by officials from the Warner Grande. "We found it wasn't booked.
"This group, in my opinion, was treated unfairly by a city employee of a city facility ... I think there needs to be some disciplinary action, to send a message to all city employees: We cannot treat different groups differently."
To veterans, the whole affair leaves a bad taste.
"This is a political hot potato," said Jack Stecker, post chaplain for the Veterans of Foreign Wars post No. 1622 in Wilmington.
"I had shipmates that were killed at Pearl Harbor -- this is political correctness."
------------------
more links: http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204%257E23168%257E992141,00.html
http://www.dailybreeze.com/content/bln/nmtora14.html
Comment: fsck political correctness.