I encourage you all to take some time to contemplate hard questions. JRPC remains committed to peace and is a safe site of powerful communication.

The US Supreme Court’s recent decisions on voting rights, i.e., approving ballot collection restrictions in Arizona and overturning California’s law to disclose dark money sources, underscore the current dangers to our democracy.

Thirteen years ago, I made the first of three trips to Southeast Asia, and my family has hosted many students and young professionals over the years. I have also been fortunate to make many more friends through my connections with the Mike & Maureen Mansfield Center and the English Language Institute at UM – friends from Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Philippines and Myanmar.

Re-election depends on votes, so anyone who can influence voters is of great importance to a Congressman. If you let your Representatives and Senators know you can influence more votes that your own, it will make a difference in their attitude – and in the attitude of the people in their offices who read the mail!