I met Todd Endo in 2013 at the 50th anniversary of MLK’s March on Washington. It’s the event which featured King’s “I have a dream” speech. Endo marched in 1963, and he was at King’s other big march, the one two years later in Selma, 1965.
Funny how few people conflate the DC march and Selma. Or how people don’t really understand that Selma was two years after the “Dream” speech, and a year after the Civil Rights Act. Even after that momentous bit of legislation, 1965 required the Voting Rights Act, which Selma helped bring about.
As we approach the 50th anniversary of Selma, we must constantly relearn the history. Or as we’ve found out, society begins to march backwards.
Authorizing the Secretary of War to Prescribe Military Areas
Whereas the successful prosecution of the war requires every possible protection against espionage and against sabotage to national-defense material, national-defense premises, and national-defense utilities as defined in Section 4, Act of April 20, 1918, 40 Stat. 533, as amended by the Act of November 30, 1940, 54 Stat. 1220, and the Act of August 21, 1941, 55 Stat. 655 (U.S.C., Title 50, Sec. 104);
Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of War, and the Military Commanders whom he may from time to time designate, whenever he or any designated Commander deems such action necessary or desirable, to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be excluded, and with respect to which, the right of any person to enter, remain in, or leave shall be subject to whatever restrictions the Secretary of War or the appropriate Military Commander may impose in his discretion. The Secretary of War is hereby authorized to provide for residents of any such area who are excluded therefrom, such transportation, food, shelter, and other accommodations as may be necessary, in the judgment of the Secretary of War or the said Military Commander, and until other arrangements are made, to accomplish the purpose of this order. The designation of military areas in any region or locality shall supersede designations of prohibited and restricted areas by the Attorney General under the Proclamations of December 7 and 8, 1941, and shall supersede the responsibility and authority of the Attorney General under the said Proclamations in respect of such prohibited and restricted areas.
I hereby further authorize and direct the Secretary of War and the said Military Commanders to take such other steps as he or the appropriate Military Commander may deem advisable to enforce compliance with the restrictions applicable to each Military area hereinabove authorized to be designated, including the use of Federal troops and other Federal Agencies, with authority to accept assistance of state and local agencies.
I hereby further authorize and direct all Executive Departments, independent establishments and other Federal Agencies, to assist the Secretary of War or the said Military Commanders in carrying out this Executive Order, including the furnishing of medical aid, hospitalization, food, clothing, transportation, use of land, shelter, and other supplies, equipment, utilities, facilities, and services.
This order shall not be construed as modifying or limiting in any way the authority heretofore granted under Executive Order No. 8972, dated December 12, 1941, nor shall it be construed as limiting or modifying the duty and responsibility of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with respect to the investigation of alleged acts of sabotage or the duty and responsibility of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice under the Proclamations of December 7 and 8, 1941, prescribing regulations for the conduct and control of alien enemies, except as such duty and responsibility is superseded by the designation of military areas hereunder.
Lawson Sakai, 442 vet and Congressional Gold Medal awardee.
Throwing out the first pitch on this night was a man who was playing third base for his college baseball team during the Pearl Harbor attack.
Lawson Sakai was a student at Compton College in Los Angeles, but when Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps during the war, his family was sent to live in Manzanar. While in camp, he volunteered for the Army where he served with the celebrated 442nd. The late Senator Dan Inouye was one of his company mates.
Sakai said he was saddened when his close friend died last year in December. “He said Hawaii would lose so much if he retired,” said Sakai. “So he died with his boots on.”
left to right: Col. Brian Shiroyama; USAF Capt Kiyo Sato; Asa Hanamoto; Sakai; Terry Nakanishi, Women’s Army Corps, MIS; Dr.Howard Kline, physician to Nisei vets.
Sakai, 90 in October, is retired and living in the South Bay, where he is a Giants fan and often reflects on what the 442nd accomplished.
“We were really outcasts, in 1943,” said Sakai. “If the Nisei didn’t join the 442nd and fight the Germans, we (Japanese Americans) would not be here today.”
89-year-old Sakai throws out the first pitch
Now for the other pitches of the night in the actual game.
Oh yeah, the game.
This was supposed to be a pitching duel between the Phillies’ Cliff Lee, and the Giants’ best pitcher of the season, Madison Bumgarner.
In addition, the Giants came into this game euphoric with a six-game streak after sweeping the Dodgers. The Giants are now also the official comeback kids of the National League, tied with the Orioles in the Majors with 11 late rally victories.
That’s a lot of drama.
So you know it was OK to spot the Philadelphia Phillies for 3 runs in the 2nd.
They would come back, right? Even with Cliff Lee, who’s been 3-0 with a 0.51 ERA at AT&T Park?
Big question marks.
For the Giants, only Hunter Pence stayed streaky hot. He homered in the bottom of the 2nd, and scored the Giants second run after a double in the 8th.
He was the lone offensive spark on a night the other Giants couldn’t get on base.
So there was no drama. This was more an informercial for Phillies starter Cliff Lee.
The night belonged to Lee, who scattered five hits (including the Pence HR), and kept the Giants at bay with 6 strikeouts.
Bumgarner had 7 strikeouts, but the Phillies were hitting him hard all night.
S’not his night, you might say.
Bum’s line: 8 hits, 5 runs, one homer run, 2 wild pitches, 100 pitches in all.
That really might have been enough to win if the Giants were hitting like they did in the Dodger series.
No such luck with the Phillies, not when Cliff Lee is on his game to shut down the drama.
UPDATE-5-8-2013 Giants doppleganged as Phils win again 6-2
On the anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants’ arrival to the U.S. (May 7, 1843), the coincidence of having a Filipino American starting pitcher may have seemed like the stars were aligned for the Giants on Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
But Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick doesn’t know much about history—as Sam Cook would say.
He created his own history against the Giants, facing them for the first time and making them look foolish at the plate
In 7 innings, Kendrick gave up just 6 hits, 2 runs, and posted six strikeouts, with no walks.
Getting to be a similar story each Lince-start. Signs of brilliance, but it takes a while for it to show in a game. If he’s not on right away, he starts losing it. Runs score, maybe a big inning. And then he settles, is good. And then it’s up to the hitters. That’s the pattern.
Pitching wise, Lincecum doesn’t talk mechanics so much as his “rhythm.” His rhythm is like a dancer’s. If he’s out of step, he’s all left feet. In ballet, in baseball, it’s subtle but noticeable.
Still, it may have been a good enough effort to win, if the Giants’ batters were able to solve Kendrick.
They weren’t.
The Giants were out-pitched, out-hit, 12-7, and with 2 errors, out-played.
This early in the season, all you can say is, “Next.”
I met Todd Endo in 2013 at the 50th anniversary of MLK’s March on Washington. It’s the event which featured King’s “I have a dream” speech. Endo marched in 1963, and he was at King’s other big march, the one two years later in Selma, 1965.
