By Frank Iritani, Human Relations Chair

The matter of JACL and Resisters of Conscience continues&emdash;in the Pacific Citizen and Japanese American papers. It was brought up at our last Board meeting, September 2. Even the Wall Street Journal of June 25, 1999 had a lengthy article on the front page: "Battle Scars - A Legacy of War Still Haunts Japanese Americans." A headline of the Sacramento Bee (August 19) article was "Should the JACL apologize to the Japanese?" (Some media still do not distinguish between "Japanese" and "Japanese Americans").

This is a serious and complex issue that includes our beliefs and politics so we need to see it whole if we are to achieve healing, wholeness and peace. There needs to be a desire for harmony and reconciliation. We need to believe that hurt people can be healed and broken lives can be restored&emdash;that there can be unconditional love and rebirth of compassion. Everyone stands in need of forgiveness. however blameless his life may seem to him to be. Heretofore, most of the comments in the various media futilely seek an apology not easily forthcoming, leaving unfinished business. Let me quote from "Dying Well" by Kenneth & Sarah Vaux, Garrett Evangelical Seminary, Evanston, Illinois:

"Dying well is to end one's days in old age, relieved of pain, surrounded by, friends and family, attended by sensitive caregivers, reconciled with all persons, in justice with humanity and the world, at peace with God/Higher Being.