Rob Buscher
As I write this letter, the pillars of democracy are being actively dismantled by unscrupulous legislators who value party politics over the good of our nation. In recent weeks, we have witnessed the most important part of the Voting Rights Act curtailed and defanged by the Supreme Court, paving the way for wholesale disenfranchisement of Black and Brown communities in the South.
Now is the time we must stand with our African American brothers and sisters, to block further efforts to dismantle the Black electorate. In these troubled times, we must use every weapon in our arsenal to fight injustice and speak truth to power. The Pacific Citizen is a valuable platform we can use to educate and mobilize our Japanese American communities nationwide.
As JACL National continues to navigate the budget deficit, it is more important than ever that the P.C. demonstrates its ability to generate revenue to sustain its own operating expenses and support other program areas of the JACL.
At a time when even the largest and most prominent publications are under attack, P.C.’s role is all the more important in giving a voice to the concerns of our community.
In the words of pioneering African American investigative journalist and antilynching crusader Ida B. Wells, “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”
In these dark times, the P.C. can be our guiding light, but only with your continued support. If you, too, believe in the democratic principle of freedom of press, please consider contributing at any level that is meaningful to you.
Rob Buscher is EDC Representative for JACL, a member of the P.C. editorial board and the JACL Philadelphia Chapter board.