The following is a statement from JACL Seattle.
The Seattle Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) condemns the bigotry and violence of ‘alt-right’ white supremacist groups in Charlottesville, Virginia. We are horrified by this tragic weekend. While free speech is decreed by the Constitution, blatant racism, bigotry, and violence are hate crimes and have no place in our country.
JACL continues our long history of opposing hate crimes and standing in solidarity with our fellow Americans.
- In August 1963, we marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in the March on Washington to demonstrate its commitment to the full civil rights of all Americans,
- In August 2012, we provided written testimony to the United States Senate for hearings on hate crimes and the threat of domestic extremism following the Oak Creek, Wisconsin massacre of six people at a Sikh Temple.
In our 96 years of civil rights advocacy, both Seattle Chapter and National JACL have fought and collaborated with our partners in the dismantlement of hate groups and discriminatory policies. The Japanese American Citizens League affirms the fundamental civil and human rights of everyone.
For more information about the fight against hate groups please visit the website of our coalition partner The Southern Poverty Law Center.
The Seattle Chapter JACL is a non-profit, grassroots civil rights organization dedicated to empowering our local community through high-quality programs and strategic partnerships focusing on activism, education, and youth leadership development. As a chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, we strive to be a leading Asian American advocacy group for civil and human rights while promoting and preserving the values and cultural heritage of Japanese Americans.
