• About
  • Photo Contest: AAPI Heritage Month
  • Community Calendar
  • Advertise
  • Subscriptions
  • Contact
  • Seattle Chinese Post

Northwest Asian Weekly


  • Community
    • Names in the News
    • Local
    • Business
    • Pictorials
    • Obituaries
  • Nation
  • World
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Columns
    • On the Shelf
    • At the Movies
    • A-POP!
    • Publisher Ng’s blog
    • The Layup Drill
    • Travel
    • Wayne’s Worlds
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentary
    • Publisher Ng’s blog
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Astrology
  • Classifieds
  • Community Calendar
You are here: Home / Opinion / Editorials / EDITORIAL: JACL, 90 years of doing the right thing

EDITORIAL: JACL, 90 years of doing the right thing

February 16, 2012 By Northwest Asian Weekly

The Seattle chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) recently had its 90th annual banquet. That’s right — 90th! It’s a number that no other Asian American organization can lay claim to. Notably, the Seattle chapter was actually conceived before the greater JACL, which was formed in 1929.

In 1921, a group of youth Nisei in Seattle formed the Seattle Progressive Citizens’ League, paving the way for the formation of  JACL.

JACL was created to protect the rights of Japanese Americans, during a time when those of Japanese ancestry were widely discriminated against. It spearheaded the campaign for redress from the U.S. Congress for the internment of Japanese Americans with the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Over the years, it has fought for the civil rights not only of Japanese Americans, but of all people of color.

Throughout its history, the organization has been known for being vocal in its stances against injustice. It’s been frankly brave, often at the forefront when it comes to standing up for the disadvantaged.

After 9/11, JACL was one of the first institutions to condemn the discrimination against Muslim Americans. As early as 1994, JACL was the first national civil rights organization to publicly stand up for the right of same-sex couples to marry.

Let’s not forget JACL’s role in our community. Let’s do our best to follow its example and lead in providing our communities the greatest amount of empathy. (end)

Share:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Editorials Tagged With: 2012, Asian American, Civil Liberties Act, JACL, Japanese Americans, Muslim Americans, Seattle Progressive Citizens League, Vol 31 No 8 | February 18 - February 24

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Find us on Issuu!

Subscribe to our e-news

Front pages

Biden awards Medal of Honor for Vietnam heroism

Lori Matsukawa: Recipient of Japanese Emperor’s Rising Sun Award—A celebration of the Japanese Americans’ achievements

Local community benefits from man’s pickleball passion

Norman Mineta, transportation secretary in 9/11 era, dies

UW bioethicist calls for justice in distributing global COVID treatments

Community members urge support for SPD hiring bonuses

PICTORIAL: AAPI Heritage Celebration

“Celebrate Asia” 2022 encourages a community to move forward, together

Biden COVID coordinators leaving in April, Jha to take over

Long COVID: the disease that cannot be described

More of Last Week's Front Page

© 2022 NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
412 MAYNARD AVE. S., SEATTLE, WA 98104
206-223-5559 | INFO@NWASIANWEEKLY.COM