Dear friends,
As you may know, I was recently honored at NACLA’s 45th Anniversary Benefit Gala with the 2012 Latin America Peace and Justice Award. It was a wonderful and moving occasion, where we were joined by nearly 200 supporters from different movements and multiple generations to celebrate NACLA’s long commitment to fighting for justice in the Americas.
At the event, Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman asked me in an interview to reflect on what gives me hope. I explained that although consistently ignored by mainstream U.S. media, Latin America has ushered a wave of changes over the last decade that cannot help but inspire. And keeping in mind how NACLA continues to bring us hope from across Latin America through its valuable reports about progressive social and political movements, as well as in-depth analysis about U.S. policy in the region, immigration, among other issues, I want to invite you to join me in supporting NACLA’s ongoing mission to inform and educate journalists, activists, teachers, and students throughout the hemisphere.
During the interview with Amy, I described how the U.S. media focused mainly on the Secret Service prostitution scandal at the April Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, while overlooking the fact that for the first time in half a millennium, Latin America has substantially freed itself from Western domination and control, specifically the United States. The hemisphere had gathered together to discuss two major issues concerning Cuba and drugs, but the countries could not reach an agreement. Both the United States and Canada refused Cuba’s admission to the summit while the rest of the hemisphere supported it. And similarly, all of the countries called for a debate about the decriminalization of drugs without the support of the United States and Canada.
This opposition between U.S. policy and the rest of the hemisphere reminds me of the importance of NACLA’s work, which has used media-based activism and popular education to bring under-reported stories to light for 45 years. In recent years, the NACLA Report has informed readers that while the United States supports the war on drugs in Mexico, the demand for drugs and the supply of arms is in the United States. Similarly, while the United States maintains its embargo against Cuba, NACLA has reported on the way that popular movements of indigenous peoples, workers, students, and others, have been extremely successful in changing policy in the Americas. I would like to ask you today to join me in supporting this crucial work. NACLA needs to raise $100,000 by the end of the year, and we’ve already raised $36,000 at the terrific Benefit Gala in New York. If you give generously today, NACLA will reach its goal—and you will have played a key part in bringing the overlooked, the under-reported, and the covered-up to future generations of readers.
Click here to make your gift online. This organization has played an important role in the fight for justice in the Americas during the last 45 years. I hope that you will join me in supporting them so that they can continue this important work to empower generations of readers for another 45 years.
Sincerely yours,
Noam Chomsky
P.S. Your donation to NACLA is fully tax-deductible. Please donate today and help NACLA continue to provide its indispensable resources, so that we can all continue fighting for justice throughout the Americas!
