ACJ is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the Asian Pacific American communities of Metro Detroit, Michigan, and the Midwest and to fighting for the civil rights of all Americans. ACJ began in 1983 after the baseball bat beating death of a 27-year old Chinese American Vincent Chin, in response to the state court probation sentences given to the two men who killed Vincent Chin.
Mission StatementThe American Citizens for Justice, a non-profit organization, was formed on March 30, 1983, to restore justice in the Vincent Chin case, and to prevent like injustices in the future. ACJ is a coalition organization initially consisting of many well-established Asian-American community groups in Metropolitan Detroit, with several being local affiliates of national organizations.
The immediate goal of the ACJ is to insure that justice is served in the case of Vincent Chin. As responsible American citizens, members of ACJ believe that a grievous miscarriage in our judicial system has taken place. The manner in which the case was handled is not only an affront to the Asian American community, but is a disgrace to all citizens from all walks of life. The uniform response and support of the general public on ACJ's position on the case is testimony to the stand taken on the Vincent Chin case by ACJ.
A wrong of immeasurable magnitude took place when the two defendants who bludgeoned Vincent Chin to death were permitted to go free on probation. In this case, it is clear that the punishment did not fit the criminal, not did it fit the crime.
Clearly, one cannot ignore the issue of racism against Asian Americans,which comes into focus when one views the facts surrounding the death of Vincent Chin.
The ACJ will work toward eradicating racism in any form, especially against Asian Americans. It is counterproductive and unconscionable to permit racism to exist in American society. The ACJ feels that attitudes and stereotypes regarding any individual's race, sex, religion, color, or national origin go against the very principles of equality and justice guaranteed to all Americans.
Through its efforts on the Vincent Chin case, the ACJ hopes to promote unity among various ethnic groups, and better understanding of the needs of the Asian American community in Detroit and across the nation, and to build and maintain lasting relationships with all groups of people.
American Citizens for Justice
P.O. Box 2735
Southfield, MI 48037