tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87097198461579828402024-03-07T16:07:42.982-05:00Muslims for Social JusticeMuslims for Social Justice is a North Carolina based organization dedicated to Human Rights and Social Justice for all. We believe in Empowerment of the Marginalized, Grassroots Democracy, Economic & Environmental Justice, Respect for Diversity, and Responsible Local & Foreign Policy. We are committed to working with organizations and individuals who share these values.
Contact us at info@MuslimsforSocialJustice.orgMuslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-51320192308005663482024-03-06T22:31:00.003-05:002024-03-07T16:06:41.852-05:00North Carolina Civil Society Supports a Ceasefire<p> <span><b style="font-weight: normal;"></b></span></p><p dir="ltr"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">North Carolina civil society supports a ceasefire <br /><br /></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">(This statement has been prepared by Muslims for Social Justice, Black Workers for Justice, People's Power Lab, NC Environmental Justice Network, and Jewish Voice for Peace - Triangle NC)</span><span style="font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p dir="ltr"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">As labor unions and workers’ organizations, faith groups, community organizations, and nonprofits across North Carolina, we have come together in our recognition that all human life is precious and all are worthy of safety, dignity, and freedom. Since the targeting of civilians is a violation of international humanitarian law, we call for an immediate ceasefire to save lives in Israel/Palestine. </span></b></p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">The brutality of the recent violence in the Middle East</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to the Israeli Social Security Office, </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/12/world/middleeast/israel-death-toll-hamas-attack.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1,139 Israelis</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 695 of those being civilians, including 36 children were killed on October 7. At least 26,442 Palestinian civilians in Gaza, including over 11,000 children have been killed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as of January 28. “</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">A</span><a href="https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6079/In-4th-month-of-Israeli-genocide,-4-percent-of-Gaza%E2%80%99s-population-dead,-missing,-or-injured;-70-percent-of-Strip%E2%80%99s-infrastructure-destroyed" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bout 4% of the total population of the Gaza Strip—more than 90,000 people—are dead, wounded, or missing</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as of January 5 due to Israeli bombardment. An unprecedented number of journalists, healthcare workers, emergency service providers, and professors have been killed by Israel. Approximately “</span><a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/21-12-2023-lethal-combination-of-hunger-and-disease-to-lead-to-more-deaths-in-gaza" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">93% of the population in Gaza is facing crisis levels of hunger, with insufficient food and high levels of malnutrition</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and hundreds of thousands are “</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">experiencing soaring rates of infectious diseases.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Israel’s war on Gaza is a “genocide”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Collective punishment is a war crime under international law and refers to a form of sanction imposed on persons or a group of persons in response to a crime committed by one of them or a member of the group, and</span><a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/12/18/israel-starvation-used-weapon-war-gaza" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">starvation, used as an instrument of war, is also a war crime</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over</span><a href="https://twailr.com/public-statement-scholars-warn-of-potential-genocide-in-gaza/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">800 scholars and practitioners</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of conflict studies, international law, and genocide studies, the</span><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/10/commission-inquiry-collecting-evidence-war-crimes-committed-all-sides-israel" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">United Nations</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">; and</span><a href="https://achrs.org/english/2023/10/29/255-human-rights-organizations-urging-israel-to-stop-its-criminal-activities-in-gaza/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">more than 250</span></a><a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/10/damning-evidence-of-war-crimes-as-israeli-attacks-wipe-out-entire-families-in-gaza/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">human rights</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> organizations have warned of grave war crimes and genocide in Gaza. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our government should meet our needs here at home, not fund wars abroad</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Martin Luther King Jr. challenged US militarism, poverty, and racism by remarking, “I was increasingly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor and to attack it as such,” and that “a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death” (Beyond Vietnam Speech, April 1967).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">The current war by Israel and the long-term US military support for Israel come at great expense to the American people. Israel is the largest recipient of US aid with more than $3.8 billion in annual foreign assistance, 99.7% going to the Israeli military. The state of Nor</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">th Carolina pays $91,775,098 in aid to Israel every year, when these funds could provide 10,910 households with public housing for a year, offer 31,932 children with free or low-cost healthcare, fund 1,002 elementary school teachers, provide 261,281 households with solar electricity produced for a year, 2,428 students with their loan debt canceled (</span><a href="https://uscpr.org/activist-resource/us-military-funding-to-israel-map/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">source</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><a href="https://uscpr.org/activist-resource/us-military-funding-to-israel-map/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> US Campaign for Palestinian Rights</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Broader implications of the Israeli War </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">The continued war on Gaza by Israel threatens the lives of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza. Some Israeli hostages have been </span><a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hostages-gaza-hamas-war-52fa9628e6284cdad6d7f7db6cc30742" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reportedly killed</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by the Israeli military war on Gaza. The continued escalation by Israel and the U.S. also could result in a larger regional war with devastating consequences to all in the region and beyond. This country has recently bombed Yemen, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria (all without congressional approval). Furthermore, the recent war in the region has led to an extreme </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/10/us-islamophobia-antisemitism-hate-speech-israel-hamas-war-gaza" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rise in Islamophobia, anti-Arab bigotry, and antisemitism</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the USA.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><br /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">A vast number of Americans demand an immediate ceasefire</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">An overwhelming number of Americans from all backgrounds have demanded an immediate ceasefire to hostilities in Gaza. </span><a href="https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2023/10/19/voters-agree-the-us-should-call-for-a-ceasefire-and-de-escalation-of-violence-in-gaza" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two-thirds of</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Americans, hundreds of</span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/13/us/politics/democratic-aides-congress-israel-hamas.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">congressional</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> staff and White House</span><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=over+400+staffers+sign+ceasefire&oq=over+400+staffers+sign+ceasefire&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRirAjIHCAMQIRirAtIBCDM3ODdqMGo5qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">administration</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> officials, and hundreds of congregations, associations, and unions have supported an immediate ceasefire. The following are some examples of unions, organizations, and legislators demanding a ceasefire.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><b style="font-weight: normal;"></b></p><p dir="ltr"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://uaw.org/uaw-statement-israel-palestine/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">United Auto Workers</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">with more than 400,000 US workers and 580,000 retired workers has called for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.seiu.org/2024/01/seius-mary-kay-henry-statement-on-war-in-gaza" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Service Employees International Union</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (SEIU</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">), the second largest union in the country has called for a permanent ceasefire.</span></b></p></span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />Th</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">e </span><a href="https://jacobin.com/2023/12/united-electrical-workers-union-cease-fire-gaza-solidarity" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers Union</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (UE) h</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">as called for an immediate ceasefire. In 2015, UE passed a BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) resolution against Israel in response to a campaign led by North Carolina chapter of the union, UE Local 150.</span></p></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />The </span><a href="https://apwu.org/news/international/statement-apwu-general-officers-conflict-israel-and-palestine" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">American Postal Workers Union</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">with more than 200,000 members across the USA, passed a resolution for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the resumption of humanitarian aid for Gazans.</span></b><p></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><a href="https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-executive-council-adopts-resolution-unanimously-calling-end-israel-hamas-war" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">American Federation of Teachers</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> representing the nation's 1.72 million educators and school employees, has called for a ceasefire and immediate humanitarian aid.</span></p><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/cna-nnoc-statement-on-crisis-in-the-middle-east" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />National Nurses United</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">representing 225,000 nurses across the county, has denounced the targeting of healthcare facilities in Gaza and demanded an immediate ceasefire.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://news.yahoo.com/black-church-leaders-call-biden-213527547.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More than 900 Black church leaders</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have demanded a ceasefire and humanitarian assistance for Palestinians.</span></p></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://progressive.org/magazine/raising-our-voices-for-peace-jewish-voice-for-peace-JVP-20231204/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />Thousands of Jews</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the USA have protested for a ceasefire in some of the largest pro-peace demonstrations in the last twenty years; </span><a href="https://rabbis4ceasefire.com/statement/#original-statement-october-20-2023" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">272 Rabbis and Rabbinical Students</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have called for a ceasefire; </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/e/2PACX-1vQ1EFVMTDvaxvWXldzbZvr60BE5o3UQeU_WfiXX3ivcUVU1SAYU13wZsBhDVbmtbXmKejMNajY1xSQ1/pub?pli=1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">879 workers at Jewish organizations</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have called for a ceasefire.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-city-councils-increasingly-call-israel-gaza-ceasefire-analysis-shows-2024-01-31/#:~:text=Jan%2031%20(Reuters)%20%2D%20Some,to%20help%20end%20the%20fighting." style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">70 cities around the country</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">, including Chicago and Seattle, as of January 31, have called for a ceasefire.</span></p></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://workingfamilies.org/ceasefire-tracker/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />66 members of the US Congress</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> support the ceasefire.</span></p></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><p dir="ltr"><br /></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Significance of International Court of Justice’s Ruling</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">On January 26, the International Court of Justice, the highest judicial court in the world, in response to case brought by South Africa, ruled that</span><a href="https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240126-ord-01-00-en.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Israel must prevent the following against Palestinians in Gaza:</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (1) killing Palestinians; (2) causing serious bodily or mental harm to Palestinians; (3) deliberately inflicting on Palestinians conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; and (4) imposing measures intended to prevent births for Palestinians.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ICJ ruled that “</span><a href="https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240126-ord-01-00-en.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Israel must take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">The United States is a signatory to the ICJ and is thus legally bound by its rulings. President Biden has referred to the ICJ as “</span><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/11/02/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-the-icj-candidacy-of-sarah-cleveland/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">one of humanity’s most critical institutions to advance peace around the world</span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Signatories to Ceasefire Statement</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">We, the undersigned individuals and organizations in North Carolina, </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire to the Israeli war on Gaza, and an ending of all US support for the Israeli war.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">We recognize that Jewish, Christian, and Muslim people deserve to be safe here in North Carolina and we commit to working against Islamophobia, antisemitism, and all forms of discrimination and hatred against any religious, ethnic or racial group.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">We demand </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">our Senators and all members of the NC congressional delegation join representatives Valerie Foushee and Alma Adams in supporting a ceasefire, and that our representatives in DC vote no on any funding to Israel.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">We also ask our congressional representatives to: </span></p></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask the Biden administration to respect and comply with the legally binding ruling of the ICJ on January 26</span></p></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Urge the Biden administration to call for an immediate cessation to all Israeli military activity in Gaza; </span></p></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Call upon the Biden administration to promptly send and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance -</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">at the scale needed</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">- into Gaza; and</span></p></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span dir="ltr" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Urge the Biden administration to work for the release of all hostages, the hostages held in Gaza, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">and</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the Palestinians detained by the Israeli government and military<b>.</b></span></p></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">We support the implementation of international law, without exception and particularly when taxpayer moneys are given. </span></p></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">We will continue organizing through protests, rallies, and voting to abolish what MLK Jr. called the Triple Evils of racism, militarism, and inequality!</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Organizational Signatories<br /></span></b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Muslims for Social Justice<br />Black Workers for Justice<br /></span><span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">People's Power Lab</span></b></span></b></span><br /><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fruit of Labor World Cultural Center </span><br /><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">North Carolina Environmental Justice Network<br />Jewish Voice for Peace - Triangle NC<br />NC Muslim Grassroots<br />Madinah Quran and Youth Center<br />North Carolina Public Workers Union - UE Local 150<br /></span><span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Union of Southern Service Workers</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raleigh City Workers Union - UE Local 150<br />Durham Workers Assembly<br />Raleigh Wake Workers Assembly<br />Refund Raleigh Freedom Committee<br />NC BLOC (NC Black Leadership and Organizing)<br />Fayetteville PACT<br />United for a Fair Economy<br />Balance and Accuracy in Journalism<br />Southern Vision Alliance</span><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">People's Solidarity Hub</span><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">NC Disaster Response and Resilience Network</span><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sunrise Movement Durham Hub</span><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">North Carolina Green Party</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Winston-Salem Democratic Socialists of America</span><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Third Act North Carolina</span><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Socialist Party USA Northern Piedmont Local</span><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Art of Wellness<br />NC Triangle Democratic Socialists of America<br />Korea Peace Now North Carolina<br />NC Peace Action - Wake County Chapter<br />WNC Club of Communist Party USA<br />Better Fayetteville Project<br />Comite de Accion Popular</span><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br />Individual Signatures<br /></span></b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Manzoor Cheema<br />Erika Moss</span><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Erica England<br />Ayesha Khan</span><br />Jackson Hewitt<br />Didem Miraloglu<br />Yakub Miraloglu<br />Sameer Cheema<br />Faris Soliman<br />Sadiya Maryam<br />Saliha Miraloglu<br />Sumeyya Miraloglu<br />Rayyanoor Jawad<br />Merve Rida Bayraktar<br />Hajra Shah<br />Ayah Dabbagh<br />Clair Cheu<br />Lauren Steiner<br />Julia Owen<br />Tauheedah White<br />Shifana Irfaan<br />Patricia Watkis Msay<br />Abdelrahman Aly<br />Ella Carter<br />Lucy Safir<br />Martha S Pentecost<br />Elena Ceberio<br />Melissa Holmberg<br />Anthony Quartararo<br />Anna Ordoubadi<br />Donna Russo<br />Karen Ziegler<br />Micah McLain<br />Nique Williams<br />Katherine Rays Rodriguez<br />Padma Dyvine<br />Vincent Russell<br />Jessica Gore-Pike<br />Anita Cunningham</b></span></p><p dir="ltr"><br /></p><p dir="ltr"><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you Wish to Sing this Statement?</span></b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"> If so, please provide first name, last name, and organizational endorsement (if you wish to sign on behalf of your organization) via email to info@muslimsforsocialjustice.org</span><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b></p><p dir="ltr"><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDZe5IiZhKZNKcRWF5yqhaQ33NeTCDAqpGZlnqgiJyT2j9NzyOlUZQnG5P6hPFJ7boz8yBsGFRQMNMkTfN0_uH0SuXwP5kRB085kExen1e_4iQDUi4ljoJpQGbZKZwqMjgqp9sxK2slYRG0hsGdW3v7SE9ut8iJVrigPbA3XE8ZAKY5xrJHGqwI4aq5iC/s3900/11.24.%20Palestine%20Rally%20Outside%20Governor's%20Mansion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2426" data-original-width="3900" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDZe5IiZhKZNKcRWF5yqhaQ33NeTCDAqpGZlnqgiJyT2j9NzyOlUZQnG5P6hPFJ7boz8yBsGFRQMNMkTfN0_uH0SuXwP5kRB085kExen1e_4iQDUi4ljoJpQGbZKZwqMjgqp9sxK2slYRG0hsGdW3v7SE9ut8iJVrigPbA3XE8ZAKY5xrJHGqwI4aq5iC/s320/11.24.%20Palestine%20Rally%20Outside%20Governor's%20Mansion.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><i> Ceasefire Rally in Raleigh on November 24, 2024</i></b><br /><p></p></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><p dir="ltr"><b><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></p></b><p></p>Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-21377618003588842932024-02-18T09:10:00.004-05:002024-02-18T09:10:42.921-05:00Hands Off Rafah / End the Genocide Rally in Raleigh (February 18, 3 pm)<p><span id="m_-4872968645342040055gmail-docs-internal-guid-72f5524a-7fff-a229-c71f-23822db2f93b"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Press Contact:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 47pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">·</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Victor Urquiza, 404-662-7614,<span> </span><a href="mailto:urquiza.victor09@gmail.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">urquiza.victor09@gmail.com</a>, Party for Socialism and Liberation</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 47pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">·</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Manzoor Cheema, 919-412-7008,<span> </span><a href="mailto:manzooracheema@gmail.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">manzooracheema@gmail.com</a>, Muslims for Social Justice, People’s Power Lab</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> ·</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Noor Abualhawa, 919-800-1378,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #500050; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="mailto:noorthawa@gmail.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">noorthawa@gmail.com</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #196ad4; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">,<span> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Palestinian community member</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 108pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Hands of Rafah! Free Palestine! End the genocide!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Sunday, February 18th, 3 pm</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Moore Square, Raleigh, NC</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Over ten organizations, community members, and allies will gather at Moore Square this Sunday, February 18th, to protest against the ongoing genocidal escalations in Rafah, Gaza. Our movement will not rest or tire until we see a permanent ceasefire, an end to the continued colonization of Palestinian land, and a fully liberated Palestine. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">“This genocidal bombardment of Gaza has been ongoing for over 4 months. Over 30,000 Palestinians have been murdered, and tens of thousands more have been injured or are missing. Starvation and disease loom over the entire population with over 500,000 people at risk of dying due to lack of medical services or food.” Says Victor Urquiza, a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">“This humanitarian crisis is already a crime against humanity being committed by the Israeli apartheid state, now Israel is indiscriminately bombing Rafah. Rafah, only 25 square miles big, houses over 1.5 million refugees who have fled northern Gaza. Israel claimed that Rafah was “safe” but on February 11th, the same day as the Super Bowl, Israel began bombing this refuge camp showing no regard for the civilian population”, said Manzoor Cheema from Muslims for Social Justice and People's Power Lab</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">“The bombs being dropped on these innocent civilians are being sent with our tax money, this is why we all have a moral and ethical obligation to speak out against the US war machine. Imperialism is the enemy of humanity and it is imperative to oppose it at all times. Our movement is internationalist, anti-imperialist, and for peace” said Noor Abualhawa, a Palestinian community member. “Only the Palestinian people, with the support and solidarity of the international community, will free Palestine. We will not tire and will continue to mobilize and organize!”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSeh8VRE0LHWLn2SGfQ_fggknEVrUdzZ9kIbr9lB0L4nhebZtxR8ZRA4c-SQ-yXRy37CsILyOC_Hu2Jt9q4ZZZY7YqBwTflC1efEbopGuKdQhpwEuQVvr-7PlbdK6_yWwKoSTRZ0oTWV16aI3b0X5nEgbg3oeVT8iMH2jn4vn2Cni512mXyh93lf0C-xK/s1080/Feb%2018%20Palestine%20Rally.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSeh8VRE0LHWLn2SGfQ_fggknEVrUdzZ9kIbr9lB0L4nhebZtxR8ZRA4c-SQ-yXRy37CsILyOC_Hu2Jt9q4ZZZY7YqBwTflC1efEbopGuKdQhpwEuQVvr-7PlbdK6_yWwKoSTRZ0oTWV16aI3b0X5nEgbg3oeVT8iMH2jn4vn2Cni512mXyh93lf0C-xK/s320/Feb%2018%20Palestine%20Rally.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p><p></p><div class="yj6qo"></div><div class="adL"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br /></div><p> </p>Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-39700257823317141962024-01-13T12:15:00.000-05:002024-01-13T12:15:04.730-05:00Press release: Rally for Palestine and Yemen in downtown Raleigh. January 14, 3pm.<p> </p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">For Immediate Release:<br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Press Contact:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 47pt; margin-top: 10pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">·</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Noor Abualhawa, 919-800-1378,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #500050; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span></span><a href="mailto:noorthawa@gmail.com" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">noorthawa@gmail.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #196ad4; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">,<span> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Palestinian community member</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 47pt; margin-top: 10pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">·</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Victor Urquiza, 404-662-7614,<span> </span><a href="mailto:urquiza.victor09@gmail.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">urquiza.victor09@gmail.com</a>, Party for Socialism and Liberation</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 47pt; margin-top: 10pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">·</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 7pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Manzoor Cheema, 919-412-7008,<span> </span><a href="mailto:manzooracheema@gmail.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">manzooracheema@gmail.com</a>, Muslims for Social Justice, People’s Power Lab</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 47pt; margin-top: 10pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Rally for Palestine! Rally for Yemen!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 10pt 0pt 0pt; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">U.S. Out of the Middle East!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 10pt 0pt; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Sunday, January 14, 3 pm</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Moore Square, Raleigh, NC</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Over ten organizations and community members will gather in Moore Square for an emergency rally to raise their voice against the U.S. backed act of aggression on Yemen aimed at helping Israel continue its assault on Gaza.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">“The U.S. war machine wants to punish Yemen for refusing to allow the waters off their coast to be used to sustain the genocide against Palestinians”, said Noor Abualhawa, a Palestinian community member. “The U.S. and western imperial powers bombing Yemen is a direct violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and an extremely dangerous escalation.” It is clear that the Biden administration’s actions have raised the prospect of a devastating regional war. The Biden administration is threatening to escalate a regional war with this retaliation against Yemen’s principled solidarity with Palestine. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">“56 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. challenged the US war in Vietnam in his famous Beyond Vietnam speech. On this MLK Day weekend, we should follow his legacy and build a stronger anti-imperialism and anti-racism movement”, explains Manzoor Cheema from Muslims for Social Justice and People's Power Lab. “Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, Jews, Christians, African Americans, workers, and people from other backgrounds in Raleigh demand a permanent ceasefire now. We demand the Biden administration and Israel to listen to the people of the world. We will continue to come out until the genocide stops, until Palestine is free!"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 2pt 0pt 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">International solidarity is key to ending the genocide, to freeing all Palestinian prisoners, to ending the occupation and ultimately winning a free Palestine. "At this critical moment for the Palestinian struggle, the need is urgent for continued mobilizations and direct actions to confront Israeli Zionism in all its forms", said Victor Urquiza from the Party for Socialism and Liberation. "As Israel continues its devastating assault on Gaza and the Palestinian people, we call on all conscience people to fill the streets, disrupt business as usual, and not stop until Palestine is free! Our efforts will only continue and grow stronger until all our demands are met: a permanent ceasefire, lifting the siege on Gaza, and ending U.S. aid to Israel!"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The people of Raleigh will gather to say, “HANDS OFF YEMEN” and “U.S. OUT OF YEMEN!” We will continue to flood the streets of Raleigh with our unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their ongoing struggle for liberation!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_B0afqkK1BUYRggkf821r9sXpPJRDq564yCIh9d3OJjJsdzqa6Ufgs5sqsycV1IxrDK2r78OUI5AA9XqP9XYqJ5QaMPJEBnjNr53rVDsMGGE9rYaOzMvx6vIzLE1vP7rnEnT2dlY0LXfi-eZwKx8bQUtUSNAjASYnQE30mSoy_EFYNShq_izQmYIDdlK/s1080/signal-2024-01-12-131155_002.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_B0afqkK1BUYRggkf821r9sXpPJRDq564yCIh9d3OJjJsdzqa6Ufgs5sqsycV1IxrDK2r78OUI5AA9XqP9XYqJ5QaMPJEBnjNr53rVDsMGGE9rYaOzMvx6vIzLE1vP7rnEnT2dlY0LXfi-eZwKx8bQUtUSNAjASYnQE30mSoy_EFYNShq_izQmYIDdlK/s320/signal-2024-01-12-131155_002.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="display: inline-block; width: 100px;"></span></span></p><br />Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com0Raleigh, NC, USA35.7795897 -78.6381787-15.670009959893527 140.7368213 87.229189359893525 61.9868213tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-7740191140008576242023-12-18T19:33:00.038-05:002023-12-29T06:49:20.858-05:00Decolonizing Media Campaigns in November/December 2023 <div><p>Triangle, NC, based People's Power Lab (PPL) has organized media justice workshops titled "Decolonizing Media" to hold the media accountable on biased reporting on Palestine, racism, inequality, and other fronts. Muslims for Social Justice co-sponsored these workshops. Three media workshops were organized in November and December 2023. 120 participants, who mostly participated in Palestine Freedom rallies, attended these workshops. These workshops provided political education on intersectionality of our struggles where Palestine Freedom is deeply interconnected with Black Freedom, workers rights, anti-war, women rights, and other movements. Local organizers from PPL, MSJ, Refund Raleigh, Party for Socialism and Liberation, and Jewish Voice for Peace - Triangle NC provided context to political education, and explored media strategies to hold local to national media accountable for biased coverage of the recent Israeli genocidal war on Gaza.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsX-gU433withmax1aAR2Xlr9atje9CrDBmmQlmZztpNKc__j9f8ZKBRQHHB34QJZKRiJIcSp6-uay3N3O9_mBjPkh-EsoTxlI4UFJ0Oji4dcv4xLUKhy9ssRUAyNQ2MospNdu9QVfkh5RERA6wBmIP0PRXSDD2XZ1ooBSk2r3Jzs7ezy5wuMQQDWyWOPH/s800/Decolonizing%20Media%20Workshop%2012:05:23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsX-gU433withmax1aAR2Xlr9atje9CrDBmmQlmZztpNKc__j9f8ZKBRQHHB34QJZKRiJIcSp6-uay3N3O9_mBjPkh-EsoTxlI4UFJ0Oji4dcv4xLUKhy9ssRUAyNQ2MospNdu9QVfkh5RERA6wBmIP0PRXSDD2XZ1ooBSk2r3Jzs7ezy5wuMQQDWyWOPH/s320/Decolonizing%20Media%20Workshop%2012:05:23.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Flyer for Decolonizing Media workshop on December 5, 2023</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWF_2FLKcLqDlLkDFYconSRECiSAma1C1NjEDyA1TVveHthGg71nOP_C8iFsNIiDODV44ZeMglMZkzEzd40MQgCCuXObz168JBf7CFX5ERKbC7nHJACHVJiKEPZt8cy1MHVZJAh-9OUwXUaUQ5YAjpQgBC_iq2c_kHNagBrvEC4ELV87iWSMX5PhqJztT8/s1200/Media%20Workshop%20December%2013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWF_2FLKcLqDlLkDFYconSRECiSAma1C1NjEDyA1TVveHthGg71nOP_C8iFsNIiDODV44ZeMglMZkzEzd40MQgCCuXObz168JBf7CFX5ERKbC7nHJACHVJiKEPZt8cy1MHVZJAh-9OUwXUaUQ5YAjpQgBC_iq2c_kHNagBrvEC4ELV87iWSMX5PhqJztT8/s320/Media%20Workshop%20December%2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Decolonizing Media workshop flyer. December 13, 2023</i><i> </i><br /></div><p></p><p> <br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Check out letters-to-editor submitted by our volunteers in the local and national media. <br /><br /><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmihFhub0CqZJDO-oUwUYOb5iYxOmaioqyEuLKY5Gnyafzm5ZoMGHWar1tQMd-F70ekk_y6sL5q40czHaTgXILzitU282JugKTGNS7NpEPu0vG76IP1lxZEHYs_3XsmTWzfkh1SxDzaPoz6aaH3gtO7uVFr1QaY0tT63R4aXdCNI3jKIzgNXcBGR1EITF/s632/12.20.%20Progressvies'%20Lines%20in%20the%20Sand.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="632" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmihFhub0CqZJDO-oUwUYOb5iYxOmaioqyEuLKY5Gnyafzm5ZoMGHWar1tQMd-F70ekk_y6sL5q40czHaTgXILzitU282JugKTGNS7NpEPu0vG76IP1lxZEHYs_3XsmTWzfkh1SxDzaPoz6aaH3gtO7uVFr1QaY0tT63R4aXdCNI3jKIzgNXcBGR1EITF/s320/12.20.%20Progressvies'%20Lines%20in%20the%20Sand.png" width="320" /></a></div></h4><div style="text-align: left;">Laura Gibney responded to an op-ed titled "Progressives' line in the sand for Biden on Israel shows a party that's lost its mind", as <a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article283243253.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">published</a> in the News and Observer on December 20, 2023.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">'On December 20, David Mastio published an opinion piece in The N&O in which he castigated junior appointees and interns in the Biden administration for protesting Biden’s failure to work for a ceasefire in Gaza. He opined on their arrogance in thinking they know how to run things better than the Biden-Harris duo elected to do the job. I contend that their horror at the slaughter in Gaza and desire for a ceasefire suggests that they are infinitely wiser and more humane than the President who greenlit what Israel is doing and who has been involved in taking the U.S. into so many ill-advised and destructive wars such as Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the destruction of Libya etc. There is a difference between experience and wisdom. While Biden has the former, he clearly lacks the latter. And it is ludicrous that Mr. Mastio labels these staffers and interns as ‘far left’ based on their desire for urgent actions to end the devastation of Gaza, which the U.S. could do by stopping its provision of munitions and diplomatic cover to Israel.'<br />Laura Gibney, Durham</span></span></i><br /><br />***********<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpgdY7wu2uoDhzX5usw3p5y0VBq9bRhAfV8TGBVegcEZRsodqVmJMkKGLOL4O7tow50sg-qL28mpHRa6LPRNIeXHlD2j9p6BhXQ543DfiSrTTmDcpDfrXT5UwEaQa5oWKpvLkoKL5MLKyYnMjG_7jvFqiNA38EJZKNl3J8P3EbSrLCnCnvA7aGwpzg4nX/s638/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-21%20at%2012.01.33%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="638" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpgdY7wu2uoDhzX5usw3p5y0VBq9bRhAfV8TGBVegcEZRsodqVmJMkKGLOL4O7tow50sg-qL28mpHRa6LPRNIeXHlD2j9p6BhXQ543DfiSrTTmDcpDfrXT5UwEaQa5oWKpvLkoKL5MLKyYnMjG_7jvFqiNA38EJZKNl3J8P3EbSrLCnCnvA7aGwpzg4nX/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-21%20at%2012.01.33%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Roshni Pattath submitted the following letter-to-the-editor in response to an op-ed in The News and Observer titled "As an NC woman with deep ties to Palestine, I''m haunted by one image from Gaza" (<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article282789068.html&source=gmail&ust=1703232485580000&usg=AOvVaw0rSNuBWOiEahhIIi8RnLDl" href="https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article282789068.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">published</a> on December 15, 2023). </span><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></i></p><p><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Rose Hamid’s opinion piece gives the perfect response to anyone who seeks to learn beyond the question of “What about the attack on Oct 7th by Hamas?” and why millions of people around the world are demanding a ceasefire. Generations after generations of Palestinians have stories to tell about deep trauma. I don't even know if the fields of Psychology and Psychiatry are developed enough to treat this level of trauma affecting the children and youth living through these violent attacks by Israel and the ongoing violence of an apartheid system."</span></i></p><p>************************</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EaDokR-P21unYEsLb0xRkB3Psl0_UZZMZkRQ-BmOzSRW3aaFdINVc7gfxFBKbf4cSA2MnpGCLMxNbYyhCsQzd8XdVAjAUyT2SCYDynd73uI1rlYsr3Yfizf-T3NBZx_bDwMh4yrXy83-0zHhQ5oicvhzD60v9r4to59zSSmgTZRrYeJ0v7-ZjFYuUd2A/s689/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-21%20at%2012.34.15%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="689" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2EaDokR-P21unYEsLb0xRkB3Psl0_UZZMZkRQ-BmOzSRW3aaFdINVc7gfxFBKbf4cSA2MnpGCLMxNbYyhCsQzd8XdVAjAUyT2SCYDynd73uI1rlYsr3Yfizf-T3NBZx_bDwMh4yrXy83-0zHhQ5oicvhzD60v9r4to59zSSmgTZRrYeJ0v7-ZjFYuUd2A/w351-h246/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-21%20at%2012.34.15%20PM.png" width="351" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: times;">Roshni Pattath responded to an opinion titled "Antisemitism on elite campuses
like UPenn threatens America's democratic future" in The News and
Observer <a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/article282928583.html " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">published</a> on December 11, 2023. This letter was <a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article283184853.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">published</a> in the N&O on December 24, 2023.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>"In his Dec. 11 op-ed David Mastio said there are two ways America’s story can be taught, “...as tale of hate and oppression still embodied in the very foundations of our society — or as American patriots see it — a saga of hope and progress..."<br /><br />"When there is an American history of oppression, slavery and racism and the systems we navigate in the present day have this history embedded in it, I would want my kids to learn about it. If they only learn about the American hope and prosperity with no connection to the systemic oppression in real life, they would have to spend the rest of their life unlearning."</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p>************************<br /><b id="docs-internal-guid-482d05a7-7fff-5c19-d76d-8284ef4867bd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-482d05a7-7fff-5c19-d76d-8284ef4867bd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-482d05a7-7fff-5c19-d76d-8284ef4867bd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LqPUpsXSOUZaaOyvOt_JkTOJ65VgQykuBAwKaE1nRW_PpBUF-vsk1IOLY3F_-LKOjRe9e2njovrzNMrrFSVVrto0zeVQy7UEmVotEoXT_x7eNGaDJi6eH8byl_PGYGzgVtpy2zIRHGm3ErkVHUxKCUtgI5MugHNJCIXiHmVoQREFf3Cqx2T7JXzJTStM/s627/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-21%20at%201.26.04%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="627" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LqPUpsXSOUZaaOyvOt_JkTOJ65VgQykuBAwKaE1nRW_PpBUF-vsk1IOLY3F_-LKOjRe9e2njovrzNMrrFSVVrto0zeVQy7UEmVotEoXT_x7eNGaDJi6eH8byl_PGYGzgVtpy2zIRHGm3ErkVHUxKCUtgI5MugHNJCIXiHmVoQREFf3Cqx2T7JXzJTStM/w352-h252/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-21%20at%201.26.04%20PM.png" width="352" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Loz Wanner responded to a news story in the News and Observer titled "Most in new poll support Israel's military action against Hamas" <a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article282915548.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">published</a> in The News and Observer on December 11, 2023.<br /><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"In the summation of the WSJ poll Lauren Sforza leaves out much context. If skimmed, it implies that a majority of Americans are in support of Israel’s decimation of Gaza and Palestinian people. Although mentioned in the article, the poll only questioned 1500 registered voters, which is less than 1% of the people who are registered to vote. With only 1% of respondents seeing race as an issue in the United States despite Racism having been declared a public health crisis by the CDC in 2021, it is not surprising that respondents may not see an issue with an ongoing ethnic cleansing. </span></i></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since the publication of this article, the death toll from October 7, 2023, of over 1200 people, as stated in this article, has been corrected to below 1200 people. Yes every death is one too many, but we must also apply this logic to the deaths of over 20,000 Palestinians. On December 13th, 800 White House staffers, more than half of the number of poll respondents, signed a call for a permanent ceasefire, stating, “The American people and respected institutions like the United Nations are pleading for a ceasefire, but this administration has yet to listen.” </span></i></p></b><br />***********************<br /><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFrUE1kZ3BaQJaqR8KFQ7wj3uWSsc5kR4zRi0MVgnyLaAu1MmV2XhUR9FMzVNMZv_189bGVlZCxVmvoxBd1I7wS7ec5WvRu33JhuwA9Ikh7fHfutj7RRFowPFQ6Ic7O65k-LYR4wh4mz2WP0BHcQbTp1KpckGGv2DEZPuN0r0IC8HCwex2aT26unU8Iw3/s679/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-13%20at%204.57.21%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="679" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFrUE1kZ3BaQJaqR8KFQ7wj3uWSsc5kR4zRi0MVgnyLaAu1MmV2XhUR9FMzVNMZv_189bGVlZCxVmvoxBd1I7wS7ec5WvRu33JhuwA9Ikh7fHfutj7RRFowPFQ6Ic7O65k-LYR4wh4mz2WP0BHcQbTp1KpckGGv2DEZPuN0r0IC8HCwex2aT26unU8Iw3/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-13%20at%204.57.21%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Laura Gibney responded to a <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article282778948.html&source=gmail&ust=1703232485580000&usg=AOvVaw1NoXImMQh-drDSLigk-yvl" href="https://www.newsobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article282778948.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">news story</a> titled "Widening Israeli offensive in southern Gaza worsens dire humanitarian conditions" in the News and Observer as published on December 8, 2023 by submitting the following letter to the editor. As edited version of this letter was <a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article282933623.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">published</a> on December 17, 2023.</span></p><p><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Your updated December 8 article, ‘Widening Israeli offensive in southern Gaza worsens dire humanitarian conditions’, noted the high death toll in Gaza and likely targeting of journalists.<br /><br />Indeed, the death toll of civilians broadly, and of journalists specifically, is staggering. But the targeting goes beyond journalists. Academics/writers, doctors, hospital administrators and other professionals, and their families, also appear to be targeted. One assumes that the purpose of targeting the most educated and skilled is to deprive Palestinians of social and intellectual leaders, those able to tell their stories and history, to plan their future, and to provide vital life-sustaining services.<br /><br />Israel has also targeted civilian infrastructure (hospitals, schools, housing) and cultural, heritage, religious and archival sites.<br /><br />We appear to be witnessing the attempted erasure of a society. If we allow this to continue, it will not only have horrific consequences for the Palestinians (and likely Israel) but will badly affect our standing in the world and how history judges our role in this tragedy. We must call for a ceasefire now and stop our ongoing, unconditional provision of bombs and other munitions that make possible this continued devastation.’ </span></i></p><p><i><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">********** </span></i></p><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Heather Vann responded to the same story by submitting the following letter to the <br />editor.<br /> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To The Editor: </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The article “Widening Israeli offensive in southern Gaza worsens dire humanitarian condition” mentioned U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stating to Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs that the civilian casualties are ‘too high’ and Israel must ‘step up its efforts to reduce them’. Firstly, this seems contradictory considering that the US has pledged over $14 billion in military aid. Secondly, the Center of Constitutional Rights has already defined the actions of Israel as genocide and the United Nations Security Council invoked Article 99 after 34 years to call for a ceasefire, so Blinken’s stance sounds inconsequential at best. There is strong support from the American people calling for a ceasefire and yet these leaders continue to disregard the voices of the people they are supposed to represent while minimizing the nature of genocide. Requesting that Israel ‘reduce civilian casualties’ when, according to the UN, Israeli forces have destroyed over 60% of Gaza’s housing, over 330 education facilities, 26 hospitals, and over 50 healthcare facilities, is willful ignorance. It is time for the US leaders to prioritize humanity first and foremost, and call for a ceasefire. </span></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">********************************* </span></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzbUgsDTznvOOEpNJ_7XQAubTF-yyJSjZTW13luMlwheeRTiOAssw5jwryk1W_evx6w4K_lBm7eWuwULj5O__x5O-5vr1czDdTfIBRclvbWJk-WjWUw2IoDPb5gfD6yddMgXTgJGN7ilF5GWpsXFTDbTNtpHvv8vI1PVVCXYh0NO1RzFkUdjMgSFxdHLM/s895/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-13%20at%204.53.57%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="895" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzbUgsDTznvOOEpNJ_7XQAubTF-yyJSjZTW13luMlwheeRTiOAssw5jwryk1W_evx6w4K_lBm7eWuwULj5O__x5O-5vr1czDdTfIBRclvbWJk-WjWUw2IoDPb5gfD6yddMgXTgJGN7ilF5GWpsXFTDbTNtpHvv8vI1PVVCXYh0NO1RzFkUdjMgSFxdHLM/w436-h271/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-13%20at%204.53.57%20PM.png" width="436" /></a></span></i></div>Laura
Gibney responded to an op-ed in The News and Observer titled "If only
our leaders could be as thoughtful as these NC students on the
Israel-Hamas war" (<a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article282783478.html " target="_blank">published</a> on December 7). <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">“Isaac
Bailey’s Dec. 7 opinion piece discussed Davidson College students
taping names of Palestinian and Israeli victims in the current conflict
on school infrastructure. This reminder that victims are individuals,
not simply numbers, humanized them. At a recent rally in Raleigh, a
Palestinian-American also humanized them by speaking movingly of 22
members of his family killed in the offensive.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Such
humanization reached a crescendo this week when a massive howl of
despair was heard around the world at Israel’s targeted killing of
renowned Palestinian educator/writer, Refaat Alareer. Amidst all
victims, his death stood out, in part, due to the achingly heartbreaking
poem he wrote shortly before his death (‘If I Must Die’), addressed to
children in Gaza who would lose fathers like him in this conflict.</span></p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">In
the final lines of his poem, read at several North Carolina events in
recent days, Alareer said ‘If I must die, let it bring hope, let it be a
tale’. I say let it also be a call to action to stop the massacre. We
must demand that our government stop opposing a ceasefire and cease its
ongoing supply of military aid to Israel, including massive bombs, which
make the continued massacre possible.” <br /><br />*******************************<br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECcCPB-hP5HUwildvcLMC2SlvCzbPb5stY-EJfSkfpPxW7ZRlz0m8e7q8WyA-0fDCdrzx0BzIETRSn5YOxosbmDmX0VMe3YYxO9vH5Rhlsg2CzP__SPbBryg_fgOrhG_FuA84vFH77CtLVtCQzr6VwK2VFaVyZCcs9NwKZV7Oer1yMNsD5GYYYk0LpFn_/s639/N&O%20Islamophobia%2012:04%20I.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="639" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECcCPB-hP5HUwildvcLMC2SlvCzbPb5stY-EJfSkfpPxW7ZRlz0m8e7q8WyA-0fDCdrzx0BzIETRSn5YOxosbmDmX0VMe3YYxO9vH5Rhlsg2CzP__SPbBryg_fgOrhG_FuA84vFH77CtLVtCQzr6VwK2VFaVyZCcs9NwKZV7Oer1yMNsD5GYYYk0LpFn_/s320/N&O%20Islamophobia%2012:04%20I.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Manzoor Cheema responded to an op-ed in the News and Observer on December 4th titled "Terrorist: My son and I experienced Islamophobia in Charlotte". The N&O published excerpts of Manzoor's letter on December 17 (read <a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article282933623.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>). </span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">"</span><span id="m_-4133697122396174879gmail-docs-internal-guid-8f68db41-7fff-3320-bb26-8d665c52031b" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">A recent op-ed by Hadia Mubarak ("</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article282499883.html&source=gmail&ust=1703032670887000&usg=AOvVaw00XrzrRgAPnKSyyvWaNH1B" href="https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article282499883.html" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">‘Terrorist’: My son and I experienced Islamophobia in Charlotte”</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">, December 4, 2023) provides context to dramatic increases in anti-Muslim bigotry or Islamophobia as well as anti-Semitism. A similar alarm over the dramatic rise in anti-Muslim attacks is issued by the US-based Council on American Islamic Relations, which has received<span> </span></span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/09/us/cair-unprecedented-surge-anti-muslim-bias-reaj/index.html&source=gmail&ust=1703032670887000&usg=AOvVaw0WbqUu073oAxDQyJKlKH2n" href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/09/us/cair-unprecedented-surge-anti-muslim-bias-reaj/index.html" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">1,283 reports</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span> </span>of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bigotry in the last few months. Mubarak is correct in emphasizing the need to move beyond the individual responsibility to violence and address the systemic roots of oppression. The US foreign and domestic policies have played an essential role in demonizing and dehumanizing Muslims over decades. I witnessed anti-Muslim bigotry and hatred in the wake of 9/11 and during the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Similarly, the current Israeli war on Gaza, through US military and diplomatic support, is responsible for the dramatic rise of hatred and violence in the USA. Millions of people of all backgrounds, including Jews, Christians, and Muslims, are organizing at home and abroad to end the Israeli war and end US militarism. We should join this movement to abolish the cycle of violence and promote peaceful coexistence.</span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"</span><br /><br />***********************</span></p><h4 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Emails and statements at local seats of power </span></h4><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">1) Laura Gibney</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> sent the following email to Durham City Councils on Dec. 26, 2023.</span><br /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />Greetings Council Members,</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Thank you so much for considering the request by community members for a ceasefire resolution for Gaza. Like so many I have found it hard to feel cheer this Xmas holiday with the extraordinary slaughter of innocents in Gaza. On Xmas day alone an estimated 250 civilians were killed in Gaza. A huge number of those killed were children. It was, as Pope John Paul decried in his Xmas message, an “appalling harvest” of civilian deaths. Between deaths known and those missing under the rubble, the numbers killed overall in Gaza in the past 80 days may have reached a staggering 30, 000.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">This has occurred with U.S. weaponry, funds and diplomatic cover for Israel at the UN. The fact that my taxpayer dollars are funding this carnage is such a source of shame as well as anger at the missed opportunities in our community where those funds could be used for local social betterment.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">We request that Durham make us proud (as it did previously in banning military style training between Durham and Israel) by being amongst the communities across this country calling for a ceasefire to stop the genocide. While symbolic, such a gesture would be part of national efforts to influence the Biden administration to take action to stop the carnage. It could certainly do so by ending its steady supply of weaponry to Israel, including 2,000-pound bombs.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">As you may know, our congressional representative Valerie Foushee has joined the call for a ceasefire. According to a poll earlier this month by Data for Progress, she joins the majority of Americans in wanting a ceasefire (61% of likely US voters, 76% of Democrats, 57% of Independents, and 49% of Republicans).</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Thank you kindly for giving serious consideration to our request for a ceasefire resolution. And may I wish you a happy and productive year ahead.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Note: Should it be of interest to you, I have attached two recent letters to the editor that I submitted to the News and Observer, one of which was published in part by them. They are my responses to other pieces published in this newspaper about the conflict and contextualize my desire for an immediate ceasefire.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Sincerely,</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Dr. Laura Gibney</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Longtime Durham resident</span></p><div style="text-align: left;">***********<br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">2) Munir Abdul Hakim (James Perry) submitted the following email to Knightdale <br />Town Council on December 22, 2023.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Subject: Knightdale Town Council Resolution: A Call for Ceasefire in Gaza</span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Dear Mayor Day and Esteemed Councilors,</span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">In the spirit of justice and humanity, I reach out to you with a request imbued with the urgency of our times and the moral clarity that our shared humanity demands. I urge the Knightdale Town Council to emulate the courageous step taken by the Town of Carrboro by introducing a resolution advocating for a ceasefire in the conflict in Gaza. This resolution should not only call for an immediate cessation of hostilities but also demand prompt humanitarian aid and express opposition to the allocation of our tax dollars to wars and occupations.</span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The current situation in Gaza, as described by the US-based Center for Constitutional Rights and other organizations, has been alarmingly termed as "genocide". This crisis is not just a distant conflict; it reverberates globally, escalating Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, including here in the United States.</span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">A recent national poll by Data for Progress reveals a telling truth: a majority of voters, including a resounding 80 percent of Democrats, advocate for a ceasefire. This is not merely a political stance but a reflection of a deep-seated yearning for peace and justice.</span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">As leaders entrusted with the welfare of the Knightdale community, you bear a moral responsibility. This is a call to stand in solidarity with the innocent civilians of Palestine, where children constitute over half the population, and to actively seek peace. </span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">By adopting a resolution for a ceasefire, Knightdale will not only extend its support to the people of Gaza and Palestinians.Citizens of Wake County who want to see an end to the violence, including residents of Knightdale. Such a resolution could potentially influence other cities in North Carolina, as well as our congressional representatives, to take decisive action in addressing this humanitarian crisis.</span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">As we approach a season of reflection and familial bonds, I implore you to consider the plight of those enduring unspeakable suffering. It would be my honor to discuss this matter further in person at an upcoming town council meeting.</span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I thank you sincerely for your time and earnest consideration. May our collective efforts lead us towards a world where peace and justice are not just ideals, but realities.</span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">With hope and determination,</span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">James Perry</span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">******************<br /><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) Roshni Ibrahim submitted delivered the following speech at Holly Springs City Council on December 20, 2023.<br /><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" id="m_-6243332080711255139gmail-docs-internal-guid-dc789db9-7fff-cba8-f45e-44b2883b15a6" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Salaam or peace to respected Town Council members. My name is Roshni and I am a South Asian Muslim woman. Firstly I would like to thank my neighbor and town council member Chris Deshazor for responding to my email and inviting me to give a public comment today. Secondly, I would like to thank Annie Drees for responding to my email and offering to help with my concerns. I have been a resident of Holly Springs since 2016 when it was a relatively smaller town. My kids go to one of the public schools in Holly Spring and my family have been consistent and active participants in services offered by the town like the farmers market, hunt recreation centre, community library, recreational activities and so on. I also lead a Girl's scout troop and a kids’ book club which are attended by kids from this town.</span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">This is usually the favourite time of the year for me personally seeing the town and nearby cities all lit up and in festive mood. Friends and family getting ready to celebrate Christmas and to bring in the New Year.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">This year the feeling has not been the same, well it hasn’t been so since the last 70 days since Israel has re-started aggressive and violent attacks on the Gaza strip occupied by 2 million civilians. The US based Center for Constitutional Rights has termed Israeli war on Gaza as genocide because of mass scale attack on civilian population, hospitals, journalists, and restricting relief to the Palestinians living in Gaza</span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #444746; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">.<span> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">It has been heartbreaking to see more and more dead people each passing day since Oct 7th, 70% of which are women and children. The Israeli defence forces have targeted and killed Palestinian journalists, health care workers, teachers, poets, authors and so on. They have not spared schools and hospitals from bombing. People who are alive are mostly homeless and are having to endure the harsh weather and rapidly spreading diseases with minimal access to food and clean drinking water. How can one be joyous when this is happening in the same world we live in?</span></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Instead this year I feel anger and helpless knowing that all of this violence is sponsored by the US government with the tax money I pay. Palestinians living in Gaza are not numbers of dead people, they are just like us, they're babies, children and families who have names and stories.The anti-Muslim stand taken by the US government has started to reflect locally in the form of attacks on Muslim citizens or residents of this country. Let alone the feeling of joy when one does not feel safe to be out and about with family.</span></i></p><i><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></i><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">It is the responsibility of elected town council members like you to ensure that the taxpayer money is used for the betterment and safety of the people of your town and not for supporting genocidal wars. Today I request the council to sign a ceasefire resolution against the on-going Israeli attack on Gaza to show that this town does not stand on the side of a Genocide.<br /><br />************************************</span></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">4) Sameer Cheema's speech at Raleigh City Council on December 12, 2023.<br /><br /><i>“To pursue world-class quality of life by actively collaborating with our community towards a fulfilling and inspired future for all.”<br /><br />Well, your community has spoken. Those that spoke earlier do not believe in equality for all. You are enabling a the narrative of a false victim. This perpetual silence in the face of repeated human rights violations against Palestinians is disgusting. Men, women and children are dying in droves. <br /><br />We need to break this chain of silence of our so called leaders that have been elected by us but no longer are willing to represent us. You represent your wallets and special interests no matter what. The Declaration of Independence stated that life liberty and the pursuit of happiness has to be protected. Obviously, this doesn’t apply to Palestinians only to those that line your coffers. Your inaction to call for a ceasefire frankly is disgusting and inhumane." </i><br /><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">******************************<wbr></wbr>******</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">5) Manzoor Cheema sent the following email to members of the Raleigh City Council on December 12, 2023.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" id="m_-6243332080711255139gmail-docs-internal-guid-dde532f6-7fff-e938-a278-3db7f1edb994" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Greetings Raleigh City Council Members,</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> I hope you are well and taking care of yourselves. I am a resident of Raleigh, NC, for the last 23 years. I live in Raleigh's City's District B, and Megan Patton is my representative. I organize local social justice movements to advance racial and economic justice, healthcare for all, and ending wars and occupations. I thank the Raleigh City Council for supporting a community-centered Crisis Response Team. Such a measure will significantly advance the safety and security of our people. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> I am contacting you to draw attention to a similar safety issue for our people. The current Israeli war in Gaza has been characterized as "genocide" (not to be used lightly) by the US-based</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ccrjustice.org/sites/default/files/attach/2023/11/FAQ%2520-%2520Israeli%2520Genocide%2520in%2520Palestine%2520%25282%2529.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1703384715687000&usg=AOvVaw3vQnr4RNqb9DOlVf5F5Kx4" href="https://ccrjustice.org/sites/default/files/attach/2023/11/FAQ%20-%20Israeli%20Genocide%20in%20Palestine%20%282%29.pdf" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Center for Constitutional Rights</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span>and other organizations. This war has also led to a dramatic increase in Islamophobia as well as anti-Semitism in the USA. I urge the Raleigh City Council to introduce a resolution for a ceasefire in Israel's war on Gaza and oppose Raleigh tax money spent on wars and occupations. Raleigh City Council has taken such actions in the past. These symbolic measures represent the will of our people (the majority of Americans support a ceasefire) and put pressure on our congress members. I also urge city council members to introduce a future resolution to end the future partnership between Raleigh Police and the Israeli forces. The</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://scalawagmagazine.org/2021/05/israel-palestine-durham-police/&source=gmail&ust=1703384715687000&usg=AOvVaw33t0-0OpQlkEg2PevaasO7" href="https://scalawagmagazine.org/2021/05/israel-palestine-durham-police/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">City of Durham</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">was the first city in the country to introduce such a measure in 2018 successfully. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> Lastly, I am including my letter to the editor responding to a powerful op-ed in the News and Observer on the topic of rising Islamophobia. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">A recent op-ed by Hadia Mubarak ("</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article282499883.html&source=gmail&ust=1703384715687000&usg=AOvVaw0HtYhy3ZX0zPqVJ5mztfJq" href="https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article282499883.html" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">‘Terrorist’: My son and I experienced Islamophobia in Charlotte”</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, December 4, 2023) provides context to dramatic increases in anti-Muslim bigotry or Islamophobia as well as anti-Semitism. A similar alarm over the dramatic rise in anti-Muslim attacks is issued by the US-based Council on American Islamic Relations, which has received</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/09/us/cair-unprecedented-surge-anti-muslim-bias-reaj/index.html&source=gmail&ust=1703384715687000&usg=AOvVaw3sYQhyO_lK64P-MJvGn-yx" href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/09/us/cair-unprecedented-surge-anti-muslim-bias-reaj/index.html" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">1,283 reports</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span> </span>of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bigotry in the last few months. Mubarak is correct in emphasizing the need to move beyond the individual responsibility to violence and address the systemic roots of oppression. The US foreign and domestic policies have played an essential role in demonizing and dehumanizing Muslims over decades. I witnessed anti-Muslim bigotry and hatred in the wake of 9/11 and during the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Similarly, the current Israeli war on Gaza, through US military and diplomatic support, is responsible for the dramatic rise of hatred and violence in the USA. Millions of people of all backgrounds, including Jews, Christians, and Muslims, are organizing at home and abroad to end the Israeli war and end US militarism. We should join this movement to abolish the cycle of violence and promote peaceful coexistence.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Best wishes,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Manzoor Cheema</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><h4 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p></div>Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-22430135913380147202023-12-03T10:31:00.003-05:002023-12-03T10:32:25.062-05:00Ceasefire Protest in Raleigh on Sunday (December 3) at 3 PM<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN">For
Immediate Release</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">North Carolinians Protest on Sunday to Demand
an Immediate Cease-Fire by Israel!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Manzoor Cheema, 919-412-7008. <a href="mailto:Manzooracheema@gmail.com"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Manzooracheema@gmail.com</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Organizer with People’s Power Lab and Muslims
for Social Justice</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Rania Masri: 984-302-1782. <a href="mailto:Rania.z.masri@gmail.com"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Rania.z.masri@gmail.com</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Co-Director at NC Environmental Justice
Network</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Protest for Ceasefire at Moore Square (210
Blount Street) in Raleigh.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">When: Sunday, December 3. 3-5 pm</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #0e101a;">Since October 7, 2023,
the lives of Palestinians, Muslims, and allies have been devastated by Israel's
war on Gaza. To date, at least 15,000 in Gaza and the West Bank have been
killed by Israel, approximately 40% of whom are children. The Israeli bombing
has not spared civilians, doctors, journalists, and hospitals. Emergency relief
has been denied, and water/electricity has been cut off. The US-based Center
for Constitutional Rights has declared current Israel's war on Gaza as a </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://ccrjustice.org/israel-s-unfolding-crime-genocide-palestinian-people-us-failure-prevent-and-complicity-genocide"><span style="color: #4a6ee0;">"genocide."</span></a><u><span style="color: #4a6ee0;"></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN" style="color: #4a6ee0;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #0e101a;">On top of that, there
has been a dramatic increase in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the USA.
According to the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), there have been </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/09/us/cair-unprecedented-surge-anti-muslim-bias-reaj/index.html"><span style="color: #4a6ee0;">1,283 incidents</span></a><span style="color: #0e101a;"> of
anti-Muslim and anti-Arab attacks since October 7. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #0e101a;">During the current
crisis in the Middle East, our elected officials have hugely disappointed and
betrayed our people. The US President and the Congress have refused calls for a
ceasefire. The majority of the US Congress has censured Rashida Tlaib, the only
Palestinian congress member, for her speech demanding a ceasefire. This is
despite the fact that 80% of the Democratic electorate, 56% of Republican
voters, and 66% of all voters support a ceasefire (source: </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2023/10/19/voters-agree-the-us-should-call-for-a-ceasefire-and-de-escalation-of-violence-in-gaza"><span style="color: #4a6ee0;">Data for Progress</span></a><span style="color: #0e101a;">).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #0e101a;">Millions of people
around the world and in the USA have protested against Israel's war on Gaza.
The current war has exposed Israel's brutal occupation and apartheid regime
that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions of
people. As a result of the people's movement, the US Congress members have been
shifting their position in favor of a ceasefire. While a handful of
Congressmembers supported the ceasefire about a month ago, currently, </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://workingfamilies.org/ceasefire-tracker/"><span style="color: #4a6ee0;">53 members of Congress</span></a><span style="color: #0e101a;">
call for a ceasefire by Israel's war on Gaza. Many </span><a href="https://www.metrotimes.com/news/detroit-is-first-major-us-city-to-pass-resolution-calling-for-ceasefire-in-gaza-34685447"><span style="color: #4a6ee0;">cities</span></a><span style="color: #0e101a;"> across the
country have passed ceasefire resolutions, including Detroit (MI), Atlanta
(GA), Richmond (CA), Wilmington (DE), Akron (Ohio), and Carrboro, North
Carolina. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #0e101a;">Organizers in the
Triangle area of North Carolina will organize a massive rally for ceasefire and
Palestine Freedom on Sunday, December 3, at 3pm. This rally and march will take
pale at Moore Square (210 Blount Street) in downtown Raleigh. We believe that
Palestine is not a Palestinian or Muslim issue but a human rights issue. Jews,
Christians, Muslims, atheists, anti-racism, worker rights, women's rights, and
people of all backgrounds will join our rally to say "no" to the Israeli
war on Gaza. Some of the organizations co-sponsoring our rally include Muslims
for Social Justice, North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, Party for
Socialism and Liberation, Refund Raleigh, Muslim Women For, Jewish Voice for
Peace - Triangle, Migrant Roots Media, NC Green Party, Democratic Socialists of
America, People's Power Lab and other organizations. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #0e101a;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #0e101a;">We demand that Wake
County-based congressional representatives Deborah Ross and Wiley Nickel
support the call for a permanent ceasefire. We also demand the City of Raleigh
to pass a resolution for a ceasefire and ban future police exchanges with
Israel. </span><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/4/19/durham-first-us-city-to-ban-police-training-with-israeli-military"><span style="color: #4a6ee0;">Durham, NC</span></a><span style="color: #0e101a;">, was
the first city in the country to ban such exchanges in 2018. We look forward to
working with partners and allies for a permanent ceasefire, ending US military
aid to Israel, and ending racism and inequality at home. We believe all of our
struggles are interconnected. In the words of Fannie Lou Hamer, “Nobody's free
until everybody’s free!”</span></span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-35116897771951177082023-10-14T15:35:00.004-04:002023-10-14T16:35:57.515-04:00End Israel's Racist Siege and Genocidal Bombing of Gaza<p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All out for Palestine! End Israel’s Racist Siege & Genocidal Bombing of Gaza! Demand a ceasefire, an end to the occupation, an end to the apartheid!</span></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-090d17e6-7fff-abd6-bda7-efd87192b704" style="font-weight: normal;"></b></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-090d17e6-7fff-abd6-bda7-efd87192b704" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Press Contacts:</span></b></h3><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-090d17e6-7fff-abd6-bda7-efd87192b704" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Manzoor Cheema</span></b></h3></li><li><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-090d17e6-7fff-abd6-bda7-efd87192b704" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Rania Masri </span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-090d17e6-7fff-abd6-bda7-efd87192b704" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-090d17e6-7fff-abd6-bda7-efd87192b704" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></b></h3></li></ul><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sunday, October 15, 4-6 pm; Moore Square Park, Raleigh, NC</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Palestinian community members, friends, and allies will gather in Moore Square Park to demand an end to the Israeli apartheid regime’s illegal and brutal bombardment of Gaza, an end to the continued colonization and occupation of Palestine, and an end to billions of US taxpayer dollars funding horrific war crimes against the Palestinian people. </span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We are seeing a genocide unfold before our eyes – with the open support of the US President and Congress! The Israeli military proudly boasted that it has dropped 6,000 bombs on the Gaza Strip in just a few days – nearly matching the number of bombs the US dropped on Afghanistan in one year! Need we remember: Afghanistan is 1,800 times larger than the besieged Gaza strip! More than 2,300 Palestinians, including</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">more than 700 children, have been slaughtered and 700,000 have been displaced,” said Rania Masri. “A children’s hospital had to be evacuated because the Israeli military bombed it with white phosphorus (an illegal chemical weapon). Other hospitals are threatened. Hospitals - threatened. Meanwhile, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">White House Press Secretary called progressive congress members who have called for a ceasefire “disgraceful” and “repugnant.” It is genocide that is repugnant!”</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Israel’s siege against Gaza did not begin last week—Palestinians have been murdered, brutalized, and displaced since the 1948 Nakba, a catastrophic ethnic cleansing that concretized Israel as a colonial project. Despite facing over 75 years of egregious human rights violations at the hands of Israel and the United States, Palestinians have remained steadfast in their fight for freedom.</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Israeli war on Gaza, and Palestine as a whole, is entirely connected to our struggle for social justice here in the US. “In addition to billions of dollars in military equipment sent to Israel every year, the U.S. also engages in police exchanges where US law enforcement work with Israeli occupation forces to train in tactics of brutalization and oppression. Raleigh’s own police chief, Cassandra Deck-Brown, went on a training program to Israel in 2017, and it is no surprise that Raleigh PD has since murdered Black and brown young people and engaged in extreme racial profiling and brutality," said Manzoor Cheema, a member of Muslims for Social Justice. "We are building a grassroots movement to end oppression against not only Palestinians but also Black, Brown, working class, and all impacted people in the USA since all of our struggles are interconnected. We demand an end to the blockade of Gaza, the Israeli policies of apartheid, and the US using our tax-payer dollars to finance a genocide.” </span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Raleigh-area community will stand unwavering in support of the Palestinian people on Sunday, October 15 and onward. We will mobilize our communities to lock arms with each other and demand an end to the siege on Gaza and all oppressed people all over the world!</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Co-Sponsors of Rally:</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Party for Socialism and Liberation</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Muslims for Social Justice</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Voices for Justice in Palestine</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Refund Raleigh</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Migrant Roots Media</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; padding: 0pt 0pt 10pt; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Workers World Party</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Triangle Democratic Socialists of America</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People's Power Lab </span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b id="m_-2592515301716871566gmail-docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">North Carolina Green Party </span></b></p><b id="docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></b><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlZEdk0VWsCWjxzlxMRAkFBzPysJOcMaKeC4ZhTBB0BgQ7b9w9SEZOPwGJPmiBaoH_HJshQVzuEJyj3ixPYRx8kx0mAqAGHZ73pW6o74IWpvCeM8FHlMMUuO7CadXmSebigc4kyeJJktHCgw-G9Wb1b9htVDYtmii9AOyVkL9huQfhaYS4oUxCJrwMX9n/s1204/October%2015%20Palestine%20Rally%20and%20Teach-in.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1204" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlZEdk0VWsCWjxzlxMRAkFBzPysJOcMaKeC4ZhTBB0BgQ7b9w9SEZOPwGJPmiBaoH_HJshQVzuEJyj3ixPYRx8kx0mAqAGHZ73pW6o74IWpvCeM8FHlMMUuO7CadXmSebigc4kyeJJktHCgw-G9Wb1b9htVDYtmii9AOyVkL9huQfhaYS4oUxCJrwMX9n/s320/October%2015%20Palestine%20Rally%20and%20Teach-in.jpeg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-e698bb83-7fff-4908-1025-476d8f828ef2" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> <p></p></b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><p></p>Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-2554971363822667222021-08-05T20:45:00.006-04:002021-08-05T20:56:23.326-04:00The Struggle Against Racism in Rocky Mount, North Carolina<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">by Fatimah Bakr</span></i></p><p><b id="docs-internal-guid-d4b60eea-7fff-ff1d-03b8-3ae408978883" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-ad59961f-7fff-57d4-713b-1eb17c563b8c" style="font-weight: normal;"></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-ad59961f-7fff-57d4-713b-1eb17c563b8c" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I have lived in Rocky Mount, NC, for many years. Black people are still stereotyped </span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-ad59961f-7fff-57d4-713b-1eb17c563b8c" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">every day. The signs of racism will not go away. You'll shop in some stores and stores <br />you don't shop in due to racist attitudes. Sometimes you will run into a white cashier; <br />you give them your money, then when it is time to get your change, they'll put it on the <br />counter or let it fall to the counter.</span></b></p><b id="docs-internal-guid-ad59961f-7fff-57d4-713b-1eb17c563b8c" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'll make a statement like, "did I give you my money that way?" Then I have to pick up </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">my change off the counter. Another common scenario is when you are in a store looking </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">around as a Black woman, you will be followed and asked if you need any help. I've <br />worked in retail; we'd ask patrons if they need help as soon as they enter the store, not <br />after they've been followed around the store.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">This is not the only racial discrimination faced by People of Color in Rocky Mt. NC. I </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">continue to see that Caucasian people don’t like seeing Black people drive through their </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">neighborhoods. In addition, we have to deal with the police stopping Black people for </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">minor things. The threat of police brutality and injustice keeps people in fear in the Black <br />community.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A young mother was stopped for speeding while driving her daughters to daycare. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Although the officer told her not to get out of her car, she said to the officer, "that she was </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">letting her girls out to go in the building and tell the teacher to record what was taking </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">place," The officer then threw her on the ground, causing her hair to be scraped off of her </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">scalp, she also had a few bruises and skin scraps on different parts of her body.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I consider this police brutality and violence against women. But, unfortunately, I continue </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">to see white officers use aggressive policing to put fear in Women of Color in Rocky Mount. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I have asked a few people about the racism they see In Rocky Mount, but they continue to </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">be fearful and reluctant to speak up.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The main thing I don’t like to see as a citizen of Rocky Mount is a Black man being stopped </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">for something routine, and then within a few minutes, there will be as many as 5 police cars </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">who'll arrive at the traffic stop. It's very intimidating to see that many police officers show up </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">for 1 or 2 individuals. There's always the potential for another innocent, unarmed Black </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">person to get killed.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'm a concerned citizen; I belong to an organization located in Raleigh, NC, with ties to </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Rocky Mt. called</span><a href="https://muslimsforsocialjustice.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Muslims for Social Justice</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">; they teach that concerned citizens have the </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">power to stand up to any injustice by uniting and organizing to change the balance of power </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">in situations like these, by speaking out as a united group of citizens to demand the police </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">change their tactics and policies, and how they interact with the Black and Brown Community.</span></p><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">This is also why groups like</span><a href="https://www.refundraleigh.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Refund Raleigh</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> were formed and are calling for defunding police </span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-ad59961f-7fff-57d4-713b-1eb17c563b8c" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br />abuse and </span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-ad59961f-7fff-57d4-713b-1eb17c563b8c" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">killing of Black citizens, and putting that money to better use providing more </span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-ad59961f-7fff-57d4-713b-1eb17c563b8c" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br />resources </span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-ad59961f-7fff-57d4-713b-1eb17c563b8c" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">to Communities </span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-ad59961f-7fff-57d4-713b-1eb17c563b8c" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of Color. All I can do at this time of need is to pray for my people. <br />I pray we will </span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-ad59961f-7fff-57d4-713b-1eb17c563b8c" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">continue to organize and </span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-ad59961f-7fff-57d4-713b-1eb17c563b8c" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">abolish racism and all forms of oppression in this <br />country.</span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-d4b60eea-7fff-ff1d-03b8-3ae408978883" style="font-weight: normal;"><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></h2></b><p></p><p></p>Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-90157890260627116342019-08-16T19:40:00.000-04:002019-08-16T20:47:48.285-04:00Sisters’ Call to Action in Solidarity with “The Squad”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/6/blogger.g?blogID=8709719846157982840" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/6/blogger.g?blogID=8709719846157982840" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/6/blogger.g?blogID=8709719846157982840" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16.0pt; font-variant: small-caps;">Sisters’ Call to Action in
Solidarity with “The Squad”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.5pt;">And still we
rise.” -- <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maya Angelou</span></i><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/6/blogger.g?blogID=8709719846157982840" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/6/blogger.g?blogID=8709719846157982840" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/6/blogger.g?blogID=8709719846157982840" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The Sexual Predator on Pennsylvania Avenue in
his recent vicious attacks on<span style="background: white;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">“The Squad”: Ilhan Omar, Ayana Pressley, Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez, and Rashida Tlaib, told these women of color to “go back to
their crime-infested” countries. All of these women are American citizens. All
of these women are proud of their heritage and work for their respective
communities. All of these women are being attacked because they fight for the
working class, challenge white supremacy, and patriarchy because they are
women. They dare to be women who have political conviction around their support
of Palestine, their support of Venezuela, and their denunciation of border
camps.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We call on all women and their
communities to join us in solidarity with “The Squad” by signing this letter,
asking others to sign this letter, and joining us on August 28th (the
anniversary of the murder of Emmitt Till and in honor of his courageous mother,
Mamie Till.) These women who are Somali, Black American, Puerto Rican, Arab,
Muslim, and non-Muslim women have fought together for the interests of all
communities: workers, women, Latinx, Black, Muslim, LGBTQ, straight, and
immigrants against the rich and powerful. If we allow any one of our
communities’ human rights to get picked off and pitted against each other, we
will all lose. An injury to one is an injury to all!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br />Trump has tried to erase their
legal status as U.S. citizens and tries to make them “the Other.” As we
have seen with racist U.S. policy “The Other” dies in prisons. “The Other”
suffers in cages. “The Other” is shot down in the street. “The Other” dies face
down drowned in raging rivers seeking the asylum that the Statue of Liberty
promised. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But
it goes deeper than that. The economic system of the United States and the
fascist policies that maintain it were built into how the black population has
been controlled and contained from the inception of the U.S. in order to
guarantee the labor of African people from slavery in the 1700s to Jim
Crow, during the 1960s, and through today. During slavery, Black women were
forced to re-produce the labor force. This is the foundation of this country.
Trump is attacking women like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna
Pressley and Rashida Tlaib because they dare to question and fight against
America’s unjust economic past and present. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Trump
also attacks reporters and undermines a free press. It is dangerous when one
man wants the public to believe that he is the only person to be trusted. This
is a hallmark of fascism. Blaming “the Other” as the cause of low wages,
unemployment, high rent, high utility bills, high deductibles is what Mussolini
and Hitler in WWII and is what Trump is doing now. Blaming “The Other” is what
fascism does. </span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJe35jxmsWELmAI9XzWNJ-OIIyFjUJ3K5b4oZ-Lk8EacU-DoFsuvGu0Z4fHV3REayeLWVyABInLAKOKuF1RaWpXV4HthyphenhypheniK6yrK8MP2aH2aaG6zrXyDUq9YNiCojmiCynCKi51Waef-9nM/s1600/Salute+to+South+African+Women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJe35jxmsWELmAI9XzWNJ-OIIyFjUJ3K5b4oZ-Lk8EacU-DoFsuvGu0Z4fHV3REayeLWVyABInLAKOKuF1RaWpXV4HthyphenhypheniK6yrK8MP2aH2aaG6zrXyDUq9YNiCojmiCynCKi51Waef-9nM/s320/Salute+to+South+African+Women.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">We
stand with them in solidarity and show our collective outrage </span></b><b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">by
signing this letter, asking others to sign this letter, and joining us. If you want to include your signature (individual or on behalf of your organization) then please contact Shafeah M'Balia at jazznjustice@gmail.com.<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt;">SATURDAY,
AUGUST 31, NOON<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt;">THOMAS
FOREMAN</span></b><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt;"> <b>PARK (5<sup>th</sup> &
Nash), GREENVILLE, NC</b></span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">ENDORSERS SO FAR (8/14/19):<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Organization Endorses:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-NC Black Women’s Roundtable<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-SpiritHouse, Durham, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Muslim Women For, Raleigh, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Muslims for Social Justice<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">-Women’s Commission, Black Workers For Justice</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">-Action NC RAGE</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">-Black Workers For Justice</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">-Coalition Against Racism, Greenville, NC</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 15.3333px;">-Southerners On New Ground (SONG)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Individual Endorsers:</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Rosa Saavedra, Companeras Campesinas, Raleigh,
NC/Puerto RICO</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Nathanette Mayo, former pres., UE 150, Fruit of
Labor, Raleigh, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Rukiya Dillahunt, former president, Wake ACT;
board, Fertile Ground Food Co-op, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Naeema Muhammad,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NC Environmental Justice Network, Rocky
Mount, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Willie Roberts, Coalition Against Racism,
Greenville, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Gloria De Los Santos, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Larsene Taylor, DownEast Coal Ash
Coalition, former pres., UE150, Blueprint, Goldsboro, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Erin Dale, Raleigh, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Lora Tate, Grifton, NC /BWFJ/BWMG<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Shafeah M’Balia, BWFJ, MSJ, IJAN, Rocky Mt.,
NC/Savannah, GA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Ashaki Binta, BWFJ, North Star Services,
Cambridge, MD<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Naa Norley-Adom, Durham, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Kathy Knight, BWFJ, Tillery, NC</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Jaki Shelton Green, Mebane, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Shemekka Ebony, Raleigh, NC</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Tanya Wallace-Gobern, National Black Workers
Centers Project, Raleigh, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Kim Eng, MD, Rocky Mount Racial Justice Group,
Rocky Mount, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Evelyn Powell, Edgecombe Co. Board of
Commissioners, Battleboro, NC</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Patrice Jacobs, Pres., Long Leaf Chapter, NC
Public Service Workers Union, UE150, Wilson, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">-Sekia Royal, Vice Pres., NC Public Service
Workers Union, UE150</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">-Tonjur McDuffie,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Goldsboro, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">-Hattie Gatlin, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Goldsboro, NC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "-webkit-standard" , "serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;">-Fatimah Afif Adekola, Philadelphia, PA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br /></div>
Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-16961722146444637102018-03-20T13:22:00.002-04:002019-08-16T18:36:12.271-04:00Hani Alshaikh Freed from ICE Detention<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Hani Alshaikh Freed from Detention!</b><br />
Hani Alshaikh was freed from detention on July 2nd, 2018. We thank you all friends for your help to get Hani released. Our fight will continue as we demand justice for other oppressed folks.<br />
<br />
***************************************************************<br />
<b>Previous campaign information</b><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Background information</b><br />
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363135; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; margin-top: 1.5em; text-size-adjust: auto;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hani Alshaikh, who is a resident of Broward County, FL, for the last 18 years, has been unlawfully detained for fourteen months at Stewart Detention Center.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363135; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; margin-top: 1.5em; text-size-adjust: auto;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hani Alshaikh is a Palestinian born permanent resident of Coral Springs, FL. He is married to Reham Mustafa, and father of seven-year-old daughter Celine and four-year-old son Zaid. His family has gone through a traumatic experience because of his detention. Zaid has a developmental disability and has suffered as a result of his father’s detention. Celine has suffered great emotional trauma because of the absence of her father and needed medical attention.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363135; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; margin-top: 1.5em; text-size-adjust: auto;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During his detention, Hani has twice staged a hunger strike out of desperation for his situation, since he has felt speechless and powerless to obtain justice. Hani has felt dizziness, sickness, and low blood pressure during detention. He had a urine infection before his detention, which has become worse during his detention. Hani had to visit a doctor outside the detention facility and is currently receiving medicine for his infection. Food quality at Stewart Detention Center is poor and Hani has developed a stomach pain. He has no recourse but to purchase food from the commissary. It is very hard for the family to visit Hani because of long distance. Even when they are able to visit Stewart Detention Center, they can only see him through a glass screen.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #363135; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; margin-top: 1.5em; text-size-adjust: auto;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hani is the sole breadwinner for this family. His detention has created economic hardship, in addition to emotional trauma, for his family. We urge you to join us in demanding an end to Hani’s detention immediately. His family and community need him at home in Coral Springs.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; margin-top: 1.5em; text-size-adjust: auto;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363135;">Please contact the following legislators to demand Hani’s release from ICE Detention.</span></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact&source=gmail&ust=1521583446486000&usg=AFQjCNFGC_yLbSCCOr9lYG8mdt_lzCLrhQ" href="https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ec2c22; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Contact Senator Marco Rubio</a><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.billnelson.senate.gov/contact-bill&source=gmail&ust=1521583446486000&usg=AFQjCNHBwzgsumINq8cNIqsxtDtHmeDW5A" href="https://www.billnelson.senate.gov/contact-bill" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ec2c22; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Contact Senator Bill Nelson</a><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://teddeutch.house.gov/forms/writeyourrep/&source=gmail&ust=1521583446486000&usg=AFQjCNFq8ReLrhhaxV9szyZsdJj3SxDo7g" href="https://teddeutch.house.gov/forms/writeyourrep/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ec2c22; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Contact Congressman Ted Deutch</a></span></div>
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Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-8939351192297459832017-06-23T16:34:00.001-04:002019-08-16T18:38:08.467-04:00Stop Human Rights Abuse Against Mosa Hamadeesa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Mosa Hamadeesa was released from immigrant detention in August 2017. Thank you to all friends for your support in this campaign!</div>
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Community Members demanding the release of Mosa Hamadeesa</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Recent Update</b><br />
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<span class="s1">Draft Email to Sean Irvin, Nadia Batcha, and DHS CRCL Compliance team</span></div>
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<span class="s2"><i>To whom it may concern, </i></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><i></i></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s2"><i>Recently, it was brought to our attention that Mosa Hamadeesa (A#088297731), who is currently being held at the Atlanta City Detention Center for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has encountered a number of issues during his detention.</i></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><i>This morning, Friday, June 30, Mr. Hamadeesa was in line for breakfast when he fainted. He reports that he was taken to the hospital because he was having issues with his heart. At the hospital a doctor told ICE agents and Mr. Hamadeesa that he needed and MRI, however, he did not receive one and was not notified when or if one would be scheduled. Mr. Hamadeesa spent the day at the hospital waiting for care due to his illness. However, because this incident happened before breakfast, he never received a meal. Then, he missed lunch as well and was returned to ACDC just after dinner. He reports having requested food on various occasions today and it has been denied. As of 5:30 pm, Mr. Hamadeesa has eaten nothing all day.</i></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><i>Mr. Hamadeesa also reports that the facility has been very cold. He originally had a long-sleeve shirt, but it was taken for cleaning and never returned. He requested the shirt be returned, but this request was also denied. Family friends would like to know if it would be possible for them to take him some clothing if ICE is unable to provide sweatshirts or long sleeve clothing.</i></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><i>Finally, Mr. Hamadeesa is a member of the Muslim faith community and, as such, requires access to a clock to conduct prayer at the appropriate times in accordance with his religious tradition. He reported that there was a clock in the common-space of his unit, but that this was removed. When he requested it be returned or to have access to another way of telling the time, that he might practice his faith properly, his request was again denied. </i></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><i>Please let us know how these issues might be resolved quickly, as we are concerned for his mental and physical health at this time.</i></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><i></i></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s2"><i>Kevin Caron</i></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><i>Georgia Detention Watch</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Background Information</b></span> <span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mosa Hamadeesa has been a Raleigh resident for the last ten years and is a Palestinian applicant of asylum in the US. He was detained by ICE on Wednesday, May 31, 2017. He is currently being detained at Atlanta City Detention Center.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span> <span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mosa is a father of four children and the sole breadwinner for the family. One of his daughters has a rare form of cancer and is being treated at Duke Hospital. Such treatment is not possible in Palestine. Mosa is an auto mechanic and serves the community through his hard work. His family and community need him at home in Raleigh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">We urge you to call Congressman David Price office urging him to intervene to stop Mosa's deportation and end his detention. Please sign the petition below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://tiny.cc/supportmosa">tiny.cc/supportmosa</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Please consider financially supporting Mosa's family in this time of dire financial strain. Please donate generously at this GoFundMe page started by a family friend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/mosa-hamadeesa"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.gofundme.com/mosa-hamadeesa</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Here is national and local media coverage challenging Mosa Hamadeesa's detention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/talalansari/this-palestinian-man-might-be-deported-as-daughter-fights?utm_term=.ruY15mR603#.ipWLYvqjPB"><span style="color: blue;">BuzzFeed</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/editorials/article156705744.html"><span style="color: blue;">The News and Observer</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://www.wral.com/raleigh-father-threatened-with-deportation-as-daughter-battles-medical-condition/16746147/"><span style="color: blue;">WRAL TV</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://abc11.com/news/raleigh-man-faces-deportation-as-daughter-battles-rare-disorder/2069117/"><span style="color: blue;">ABC 11</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://wncn.com/2017/06/06/dad-in-raleigh-facing-deportation-has-daughter-with-cancer/"><span style="color: blue;">WNCN</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Check a Duke physician's letter appealing to stop the detention and deportation of Mosa.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Letter by Physicians for Human Rights<br />
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Pictures of Mosa Hamadeesa and his family members<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qkM6Mt6_Q6Xuh9ERuq9vsFt-pRELYxXCf8hKzhKB36zU_py6nELGW_FrX3bpRI_MVuc30Ui9npUxeEI0owYmpmYussUzty1EFeeOZoHYO1In7m28_rBzwSMpUcsH0mdcOuJPyDZLhFmV/s1600/Mosa+Hamadeesa+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qkM6Mt6_Q6Xuh9ERuq9vsFt-pRELYxXCf8hKzhKB36zU_py6nELGW_FrX3bpRI_MVuc30Ui9npUxeEI0owYmpmYussUzty1EFeeOZoHYO1In7m28_rBzwSMpUcsH0mdcOuJPyDZLhFmV/s640/Mosa+Hamadeesa+2.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-52023972047911742892016-12-29T14:23:00.001-05:002016-12-29T14:25:27.307-05:00Muslims for Social Justice Newsletter - First EditionCheck out the first edition of Muslims for Social Justice newsletter titled Muslim Worker. This newsletter features stories about Muslims for Social Justice, refugee resettlement efforts in the Triangle Area of North Carolina, a profile of North Carolina Muslim leader - Mother Margaret Rose Murray, and other information.<br />
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Click to enlarge size. Contact us at info@MuslimsForSocialJustice.org for questions and stories.<br />
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<br />Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-63875875479189080292016-12-16T22:38:00.000-05:002016-12-16T22:40:16.558-05:00Forces of Peace and Justice Respond to KKK<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">(This article was originally published by <a href="http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/" target="_blank">Imagine 2050</a> blog).</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Soon after the 2016 election, the Loyal White Knights, a Ku Klux Klan chapter in the rural town Pelham, NC, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/10/ku-klux-klan-group-plans-north-carolina-rally-to-celebrate-donal/"><span class="s2">announced</span></a> a rally in North Carolina to celebrate Donald Trump’s victory. They decided the victory parade would take place on December 3rd in North Carolina, but did not announce the exact location.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Witness to the increased <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/27/politics/donald-trump-insults-groups-list/"><span class="s2">demonizing and dehumanizing</span></a> of Muslims, immigrants, women, disabled, working people and other marginalized communities and alarmed by the <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/11/12/post-election-spate-hate-crimes-worse-than-post-911-experts-say/93681294/"><span class="s2">spike in hate crimes</span></a> across the country, people throughout North Carolina came together in response to this rally and to protect each other and build their unity.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">A coalition of 20 organizations, the <a href="http://durhamsolidaritycenter.org/mayday2016/"><span class="s2">Triangle Unity May Day Coalition</span></a>, organized the <a href="http://www.wral.com/triangle-grassroots-organizations-hold-rally-against-hate-/16302367/"><span class="s2">anti-KKK rally in Raleigh,</span></a> NC, held on the same day of the KKK rally. This action was led by Black, Brown, Muslim, workers and others, most impacted by hatred and bigotry.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02yA0YJu8M84Wv10ZBv-C2mP3MnHPT7A16gh5K-jhYrtfGq82K_WUZHb-TlZmNiwLKeAkNsF3fJssgOlLfiqX5XbURfoFWD1uTkWJPZrOZ7l9WkZWk8KSYDJa0AzEx6EelsM7s8UBbfrI/s1600/Anti-KKK-Rally-Matthew-Lenard-Pic-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02yA0YJu8M84Wv10ZBv-C2mP3MnHPT7A16gh5K-jhYrtfGq82K_WUZHb-TlZmNiwLKeAkNsF3fJssgOlLfiqX5XbURfoFWD1uTkWJPZrOZ7l9WkZWk8KSYDJa0AzEx6EelsM7s8UBbfrI/s320/Anti-KKK-Rally-Matthew-Lenard-Pic-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> Picture by Matthew Lenard</i></div>
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<span class="s3">The rally brought together <a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article118735548.html"><span class="s2">more than 1,000 people</span></a> on a bitter cold day. Speakers represented such grassroots organizations like <a href="http://blackworkersforjustice.com/"><span class="s2">Black Workers for Justice</span></a>, <a href="http://www.ue150.org/"><span class="s2">UE Local 150</span></a>, <a href="http://muslimsforsocialjustice.org/"><span class="s2">Muslims for Social Justice</span></a>, <a href="http://merinc.org/"><span class="s2">Movement to End Racism and Islamophobia</span></a>, <a href="http://fightfor15.org/"><span class="s2">Fight for $15</span></a>, <a href="http://www.organize2020.com/"><span class="s2">Organize 2020</span></a>, <a href="http://www.durhamforall.org/dam"><span class="s2">Durham Artists Movement</span></a> and many others. Allies from <a href="https://jvptrianglenc.wordpress.com/"><span class="s2">Jewish Voice for Peace – Triangle</span></a>, <a href="https://carolinajews.wordpress.com/"><span class="s2">Carolina Jews for Justice</span></a> and <a href="http://www.trianglesurj.org/"><span class="s2">Triangle SURJ</span></a> (Showing Up for Racial Justice) also spoke at the rally.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Anti-Trump-Rally-Matthew-Lenard-Pic-7.jpg"></a></span><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEVCj6dtrWrC_ReJvgfDe9lauMxqJENyTORywYfdRbouYdwlAqAVmYLGZD48SGrxUaH3k47Zex4clPkW5dxwocHy4yfoMajIKvPZrUoHgM34xTozgsBW9Ccy2r0WVeMBs896bXthIrzRx/s1600/Anti-KKK-Rally-Matthew-Lenard-Pic-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEVCj6dtrWrC_ReJvgfDe9lauMxqJENyTORywYfdRbouYdwlAqAVmYLGZD48SGrxUaH3k47Zex4clPkW5dxwocHy4yfoMajIKvPZrUoHgM34xTozgsBW9Ccy2r0WVeMBs896bXthIrzRx/s320/Anti-KKK-Rally-Matthew-Lenard-Pic-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><i> Picture by Matthew Lenard</i></span><br />
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<span class="s1">This rally rejuvenated peace and justice-loving folks in North Carolina. There was a resolve to build a stronger intersectional movement, especially during the next four years of the Trump administration. Participants agreed that we cannot afford to simply have spontaneous actions in response to a crisis, but need to channel the energy exhibited during the anti-KKK rally into efforts to build an long-term movement. <br /> </span></div>
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<span class="s1"><i> Picture by Matthew Lenard</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3I_xpa76yjS1x5kD1sEfJp1BgGycmuPvOlXb-E5QQOky333hz_WJ6admH_gHPt5AxFKmvKnWzvZDTjoXdRs_nAskNfcIk8xUBZ40Xp-kEAOYSQ802IBJcCPMcvOnjRJC96PQ6hJQBThQ/s1600/Anti-KKK-Rally-Pic-Yolanda-Carrington-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3I_xpa76yjS1x5kD1sEfJp1BgGycmuPvOlXb-E5QQOky333hz_WJ6admH_gHPt5AxFKmvKnWzvZDTjoXdRs_nAskNfcIk8xUBZ40Xp-kEAOYSQ802IBJcCPMcvOnjRJC96PQ6hJQBThQ/s320/Anti-KKK-Rally-Pic-Yolanda-Carrington-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Picture by Yolanda Carrington</i></div>
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<span class="s1">Based on this recognition, a long-term grassroots coalition, called Triangle People’s Assembly, was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1848121098756729/"><span class="s4">launched</span></a> on the following day in Raleigh, NC. Many participants from Saturday’s anti-KKK actions throughout the state attended the People’s Assembly. Participants discussed lessons from the anti-KKK rally and explored future organizing questions. Several people</span><span class="s5"> expressed the need to learn more about anti-Muslim bigotry and how to become effective allies to the impacted communities.</span><br />
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<span class="s1">The movement against anti-Muslim bigotry, racism and all forms of oppression will be a long and often an arduous journey. Many hope that the anti-KKK rally and subsequent launch of the Triangle People’s Assembly will provide the support and tools for that journey in North Carolina. </span></div>
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Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-6356405207685235202016-11-08T02:45:00.000-05:002016-11-09T17:56:02.356-05:00MAPAC Holds Candidates Meetings and Distributes Candidates Endorsments<br />
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<a href="http://www.mapacnc.com/" target="_blank">MAPAC</a> - The Muslim American Public Affairs Council, of which I am a member held one Candidate Town Hall Meeting in Durham on September 26, 2016 in association with Jamaat Ibad Ar-Rahman Mosque at the Parkwood Facility located at 5522 Revere Road in Durham, and three other Candidate Town Hall Meetings where held in Wake County during the month of October 2016. One at the Apex Mosque, another at IAR and the last one at As Salaam Islamic Center. The purpose of these Town Hall Meetings is to give candidates an opportunity to share their views with the Muslim voters of Wake and Durham Counties, and the Muslim Community, in turn, had an opportunity to ask questions of the candidates and share their concerns. MAPAC Board members conducted evaluations of the candidates and then created a slate of <a href="http://www.mapacnc.com/resources/Documents/Voter%20Recommendations%20Wake%20County2016.pdf" target="_blank">endorsed candidates </a> which is available to the local Muslim Community.<br />
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A major concern for Muslims in North Carolina and other areas of the United States at present is <a href="http://www.islamophobia.org/">Islamophobia</a>. The media and <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/topics/anti-muslim/">anti-Muslim politicians</a> are major drivers of this bigotry towards Islam. Islamophobia is tied to terror attacks at home and abroad and fueled by the cable TV 24 hour spin machine and has created this unjustified hatred of Islam in the West. Trying to blame all terror attacks on Muslims who make up approximately <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_by_country" target="_blank">1.7 billion</a> people from practically every country on the planet is a stretch a very long and unreasonable stretch. Do Americans show hatred and bigotry toward Christians because of the terrorist acts of a White Supremacist group? Of course, they don't so you can see an apparent double standard when it comes to all Muslims being tied to a group like ISIS.<br />
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I recently watched a PBS Frontline documentary called "<a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/confronting-isis/" target="_blank">Confronting ISIS</a>". It showed that much of the United States and the West reliance on combating ISIS is actually done by Muslims and Islamic Countries. Yet do to all of the negative propaganda in the media attacks against Muslims and Mosques is on the rise. Sisters wearing hijab have been attacked. School age children have been bullied and attacked at school. Muslims parents are correct to be concerned and they shared those concerns with Candidates for the Wake County School Board at a recent town hall meeting held at As Salaam Islamic Center in Southeast Raleigh, NC. School board candidates reassured attendees that they are aware of the negative attitudes towards Muslims, and they understand that in their roles they must protect students, be inclusive and support cultural diversity.<br />
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The county and the state of North Carolina are deeply divided between Republicans and Democrats as to who should be the next President of the United States. Many Women and Democrats are hopeful that Hilary Clinton will become the first Woman President in US History. Democrats are hopeful to turn North Carolina back into a Blue State and turn the US Senate back over to the Democrats with a win by Democrats like Deborah Ross. Muslims are hopeful that whoever gains and advantage will not continue the anti-Muslim devise rhetoric. It is for this reason that Muslims all over the country should get out and vote today Election Day! Stay Tuned!<br />
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James"Munir"Perry<br />
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<br />James" Munir " Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875407090136940773noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-29463344399051994182016-10-03T14:45:00.002-04:002016-10-03T20:41:13.739-04:00Legacy of Workmen's Circle<div>
<b>Legacy of Workmen's Circle</b></div>
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Late 19th century witnessed an increased Jewish migration from Eastern Europe to the United States. In their new country, they faced abusive work conditions, unfair housing and anti-Semitism. Many of them worked in sweatshops with poverty wages and hazardous work conditions. As a response, Jewish community members founded an institution called <em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Der Arbeter Ring</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "gotham a" , "gotham b" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> or</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #6d6d6d; font-family: "gotham a" , "gotham b" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span>Workmen's Circle. The goal of this institution was to practice Jewish ideals of social justice and preserve their cultural identity. The organization adopted Declaration of Principle in 1901, which stated:<br />
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<em style="font-family: junctionregularRegular, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">“The constant want and frequent illness which particularly afflict the workers have led us to band together in the Workmen’s Circle, so that by united effort we may help one another. The Workmen’s Circle knows that the aid which it can bring to the worker today is no more than a drop on a hot stone. It will do in time of need. But that there shall be no need—this is the true ideal. The Workmen’s Circle desires to be one more link in the workers’ bond of solidarity, ultimately bringing on the day of complete emancipation from exploitation and oppression.” </em><span style="font-family: "junctionregularregular" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.circleboston.org/history" target="_blank">(Source)</a></span></div>
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By 1920s, there were over 80,000 members in Workmen's Circle chapters, establishing it as one of the largest Jewish organizations in the country. Workmen's Circle chapters played an active role in labor union organizing across religious/ethnic barriers and provided support, including meals, during strikes. Victims of Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire have been buried in New York Workmen's Circle cemetery.</div>
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For more than a hundred years, this institutions has served as a space for building social justice movement and preserving Jewish/Yiddish heritage.<br />
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Learn more here:<br />
<a href="https://circle.org/who-we-are/our-history/">https://circle.org/who-we-are/our-history/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.circleboston.org/history">http://www.circleboston.org/history</a></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workmen%27s_Circle">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workmen%27s_Circle</a></div>
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<i>Boston Workmen's Circle located in Brookline, MA</i></div>
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Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-68229258003802846092016-10-03T13:06:00.001-04:002016-10-03T13:23:27.940-04:00Fighting Islamophobia through creativity<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Boston-based activists Ayesha and Jay started a clothing company “Muslim Love Clothing Company” to celebrate their Muslim identity. Their signature shirt features the simple word Muslim, but replaces “u” with a love sign. Their satirical and progressive messages on clothes have resonated with many Muslims and their allies in the social justice movement. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Their messages range from serious to satirical socially conscious messages including “refugees welcome”, counter-Trump message, burqa-clad skateboarder with a title “Radical Islam”, and other creative clothing messages for the young and old. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">They describe their message as follows:</span></div>
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<span class="s1">“At a time where xenophobia and racism are on the rise, we seek to counter that hate with the imperative ideas that do not always make it into the mainstream. Afterall, when was the last time that you saw the words “Muslims” and “love” put together on your TV screen? By simultaneously culture jamming our world with positive messages and images Muslims, we aim to turn hate on its head.”</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Check out their clothing products below.</span></div>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/muslimloveclothing/">https://www.facebook.com/muslimloveclothing/</a><br />
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/MuslimLoveClothingCo">www.etsy.com/shop/MuslimLoveClothingCo</a></span></div>
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Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-41141725518129847752016-08-14T01:52:00.000-04:002016-08-14T01:52:48.248-04:00Community Profile: Margaret Rose MurrayMargaret Rose Murray is considered a mother of the community by many African Americans and Muslims in the Triangle area of North Carolina and beyond. She moved to North Carolina in the early 60s. Her late husband, Kenneth Murray Muhammad, founded the first mosque in NC, Ar-Razzak Masjid, in Durham, NC<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">. <span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 27px;">They founded private kindergarten schools, Vital Links, in 1964, that has served a large number of African American community members. These schools have also served as community centers hosting social and community empowerment events. The Southeast branch of Vital Link School also serves as a temporary space for As-Salaam Islamic Center, while the actual mosque is being built at Lord Anson Drive in Raleigh, NC.</span></span></span><br />
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Mother Rose Murray has been active on social justice front. She has stood up for worker rights and<br />
opposed racism. She spoke with sanitation workers and union organizers during the 2006 Sanitation Workers Strike in Raleigh, NC. Mother Rose Murray won Self-Determination Award by Black Workers for Justice for her leadership on social justice front.<br />
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Mother Rose Murray has a goal to preserve the history of African American community. She has<br />
published a coloring book for children called <i>Traces of Faces and Places</i> (also named for a Radio Show she produced from Shaw University) to highlight African American achievements. This book encompasses generations of African American visionaries, inventors and discoverers from all fields of life.<br />
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We are blessed to have a selfless leader like Mother Rose Murray in our community.<br />
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Read a Huffington Post article about the Murray family and their contributions for North Carolina community here:<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/manzoor-cheema/will-ali-unite-a-divided_b_10492588.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/manzoor-cheema/will-ali-unite-a-divided_b_10492588.html</a><br />
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<br />Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-90967843664732990272016-08-13T21:50:00.000-04:002016-08-13T22:04:59.944-04:00الاثنين ٢٠١٦/٧/٢٥<br />
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الاثنين ٢٠١٦/٧/٢٥</div>
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قصة توفيق وسليمان وعائلاتهم، رحله معاناه بدأت في سوريا وانتهت في مدينة رالي في نورث كارولينا.</div>
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ابطال حكايتنا رجلان من مدينة درعا السورية، الاول يدعى سليمان الزعبي ٣٥ سنة والثاني توفيق الزعبي ٣٧ سنة، شاءت الاقدار ان يحملوا نفس الكنيه بالرغم من عدم وجود لاي قرابة او صلة بالدم ولكن اختهم الحرب وجمعتهم الغربة ليصبحوا اخوه.</div>
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سليمان متزوج وله ٣ اطفال ولدان وبنت، اما توفيق فهو متزوج ايضا ولديه ٤ اطفال ولدان وبنتان والخامس يستعد ليرى النور خلال شهرين.</div>
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لقد اردت ان اجري هذي المقابله لاعرف معنى لاجئ وهل يختلف اللاجئ عن الشخص العادي فسالت توفيق عن تجربته فاخبرني: انه قبل الحرب الاهليه السوريه كانوا اشخاصا عاديين يعيشوا حياة هادئة في مدينة درعا المليئة بالمطاعم والاسواق والفعاليات المختلفة، ولكن في عام ٢٠١٢ تغير كل شيء مع الحرب.</div>
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لقد تعمدت استخدام لغة حيادية في الحديث عن الحرب لكي اترك لهم حرية التعبير عن رأيهم في الحرب، وهم لم يتطرقوا لاي امور سياسية، عرقية، او دينية، وانما كانت المقابلة عبارة عن تجربة انسانية محضة لاشخاص مسالمين ارادوا الحياة بسلام حيث لم يتبقى في ارضهم مكان للسلام،ولكنهم ذكروا ان القوة التي كانت تحميهم من الجيش السوري هو الجيش الحر.</div>
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سليمان كان يعمل ويعيش في دبي عند اندلاع الحرب وعند سماعه الاخبار وبان الاهالي يهربون من درعا والقرى المجاورة للنجاة بحياتهم ما كان منه الا ان يتخذ قرارآ شجاعا بالعودة الى اهله وبلده.</div>
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مع مرور الوقت، ازداد الوضع خطورة واغلقت المحلات حتى لم يتبقى شيئآ الا اغلق،وتوفيق يروي ان الناس بدأت بابتكار طرق مختلفة لتأمين حاجتهم وحاجات القرى المجاورة، ولكن في كل يوم كانت الحياة تصبح اكثر تعقيدآ وطوق النجاة يزيد ضيقآ، القرية اصبحت اكثر عرضة لاطلاق النار والقنابل والصواريخ واحيطت بالقناصين من كل جانب وللاسف توفي الكثير من اصدقاء وجيران واحباء لتوفيق، فما كان من توفيق وسليمان الا ان يهربوا مع عائلاتهم لقرى مجاورة .</div>
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استخدموا الباص للتنقل ولكن الباص تعرض لهجوم شرس من الجيش السوري مما ادى الا اصابة سليمان في ذراعه ورجله واصيبت زوجته في ساقها بالاضافة لان زوجة سليمان عانت من ضعف شديد في حاسة السمع نتيجة لالقاء القذائف والصواريخ المستمر على القريه وسليمان وزوجته كانوا مثالآ على العديد من الركاب الذين قتلوا او جرحوا في الحادثة.</div>
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اضطر سليمان لترك عائلته في سوريا والسفر للاردن لمدة اربعة اشهر من اجل العلاج.</div>
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قصة سليمان وتوفيق هي مثال حي لحقيقة الحرب السورية المروعة ونبعاتها المؤلمة لاناس ابرياء عزل يحاولون النجاة بحياتهم وحياة اهليهم مما يدعوك للتساؤل ما الذي يحمل السوري على قتل طفل سوري اخر وما الذي يدعوا جيش البلاد لقتل اهلها بدلا من حمايتهم.</div>
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الهجرة للاردن لم تكن سهلة وخصوصا على الاطفال، فالحياة في المخيمات كلاجئين صعبة ولكن الجيش الاردني والشعب كان متفهمآ مما سهل الحياة قليلآ.</div>
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لقد تم القبض على اخو توفيق لاحقآ من قبل الجيش وتم اعتقاله وتعذيبه لفترة قبل ان يطلق سراحه ولكن قريبه لم يحالفه الحظ وقتل على يد الجيش. بقي توفيق وسليمان في الاردن مع عائلاتهم واستأجروا شقق حتى منتصف ٢٠١٦ حيث هاجروا للولايات المتحدة الامريكية.</div>
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تنقل الاطفال من سوريا الى الاردن ثم امريكا ليس بالامر السهل نتيجة اختلاف كبير للثقافة والعادات والتقاليد</div>
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في الاردن كان التواصل مع هيئة الامم المتحدة التي ساعدتهم في الوصول الى الولايات المتحدة.</div>
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منذ ان وصلوا الى نورث كارولينا تلقوا دعمآ من العديد من الجهات</div>
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Lutheran Services Carolina and U.S Committee for Refugees and Immigrants-NC,Muslim net, North Raleigh masjed.</div>
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والعديد من الجهات الزكية ولكن المفاجئة الكبرى لتوفيق وسليمان كانت بالاستقبال الحافل والاهتمام البالغ من الجالية الاسلامية في الولاية فحسب تعبيرهم ان الانتقال لبلاد غريبة مع لغة مختلفة وعادات مختلفةًلم يكن لينجح لولا المساعدات المستمرة من الجالية المسلمة مشكورة.</div>
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لقد قابلت السيد ناصر شاهين المدير المسؤول عن Muslim net والذي اخبرني عن المساعدات والتسهيلات التي تقدم للاجئين الجدد في المنطقة.</div>
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Lutheran service تخبر Al Muslimnet عن قدوم العائلات ثم تقوم المنظمة بمساعدتهم الجدير بالذكر هنا ان Al Muslimnet هي منظمة خيرية تعتمد على التبرعات والمتطوعين بشكل كامل والمساعدات تقدم من دون اي مقابل ولكنها تقدم على اكمل وجه فعند اعلام المنظمة بقدوم عائلة فيتم تجهيز شقة مفروشة بالكامل من عفش وطعام وشراب ويتم الاستقبال بالمطار وتأمين المواصلات للذهاب للمواعيد وتأمين مترجم للمساعدة في اللغة ومساعدتهم في تأمين حاجياتهم من بحث عن العمل للاهل وتأمين المدارس للاطفال والعديد من الاحتياجات ليتحولوا من لاجئين سوريين لمواطنين امريكيين.</div>
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كل الشكر والتقدير للسيد ناصر والمنظمة وجميع العاملين المتطوعين فيها الذين لولا تبرعات الجالية لما استطاعوا هم انفسهم تقديم كل هذه الخدمات والوصول لما هم عليه.</div>
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خلال شهر رمضان قدمت المنظمة كل هذه الخدمات لعائلة كل ٤ ايام تقريبآ وهو ما يتطلب الكثير من الجهد حسب ماقاله السيد ناصر ولذلك من هنا ندعوا لمزيد من المتطوعين للمساعدة في المنظمة حتى يستطيعوا المواظبة على تقديم كل ما يستطيعون من خدمات للعائلات الجديدة.</div>
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وفي النهاية شكرا لتوفيق وسليمان لمشاركتهم وشكرآ لطارق علي الذي ساعد في الترجمة وفي النهاية اقول لقد وصل للاجابة على سؤالي اللاجئ شخص مثلي ومثلك يحلم بحياة افضل.</div>
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James" Munir " Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875407090136940773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-13229504507903467802016-08-08T15:12:00.001-04:002016-08-12T20:59:36.065-04:00Press Release: Raleigh Forum on Islamophobia and Racism<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;">For immediate release... </span> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Contact: Manzoor Cheema Phone Number: 919-412-7008</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2xmb9z6IcaK3_AvpKut5peK2IRIi9fPY03pZ-nzxTwTjXPmyX-UhvZfjPUTli_gkleQRYwYVkOAO9P3paQYAZQZHK5rLgj2smqSJ-OxI6Mw7Qb8tzAKiAaUBXaUtDdgFedfdaAkRzKeM/s1600/MSJForum.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2xmb9z6IcaK3_AvpKut5peK2IRIi9fPY03pZ-nzxTwTjXPmyX-UhvZfjPUTli_gkleQRYwYVkOAO9P3paQYAZQZHK5rLgj2smqSJ-OxI6Mw7Qb8tzAKiAaUBXaUtDdgFedfdaAkRzKeM/s320/MSJForum.jpg" width="247" /></a> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: right 5.5in 6.0in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Raleigh Muslim Community to hold a Forum on Islamophobia
& Racism</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">As Salam Islamic Center and
Muslims for Social Justice will host a forum on Islamophobia & Racism on
Sunday August 14, 2016 from 3pm – 5pm at the 1214 E. Lenoir Street, Raleigh NC,
27610</span></div>
<div class="bodytext">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Raleigh, North Carolina – Sunday, August 07, 2016</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">-
</span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"Challenging Islamophobia and Racism"</span><span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Islam
and Muslims have been under the intense scrutiny of the government, the media,
and the Western Society since the 9/11 tragedy. Many peaceful law abiding
Muslims locally and around the United States have been the victims of
discrimination, verbal insults, and violence.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">According
to the </span></span><a href="http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/hate-crime/2013"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">FBI's Uniform Crime
Reports program</span></a><span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">.
Prior to the 9/11 attacks, the program typically recorded between 20 and 30
anti-Muslim hate crimes per year. But in 2001 that number rose more than
tenfold to nearly 500. In the years since, annual hate crimes against Muslims
have consistently hovered in the 100-150 range, roughly five times higher than
the pre-9/11 rate.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">In
Febuary 2015 three young Muslims students, Deah Barakat, 23, his wife, Yusor
Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister 19 year old Razan were killed execution
style by a neighbor in Chapel Hill NC. </span></span><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/11/us/chapel-hill-shooting/"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">CNN.com</span></a><span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">In
2015, more than 70 acts of damage, destruction, vandalism and intimidation
against Muslims houses of worship.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">4 out
of 10 Americans have an unfavorable view of Islam.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">44% of
Americans said they believe that some curtailment of civil liberties is
necessary for Muslim Americans.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">26%
think that mosques should be closely monitored by U.S. law enforcement
agencies.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">29%
agreed that undercover law enforcement agents should keep tabs on Muslim
activities and fund raising by infiltrating their civic and volunteer
organizations. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Source</span></span><a href="http://www.cair.com/Issues/Islamophobia/Islamophobia.aspx"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">: Islamophobia –
CAIR.com</span></a><span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">As
Salaam Islamic Center and Muslims for Social Justice are cosponsoring this
forum to give Muslims in Raleigh, NC an opportunity to discuss, and share their
concerns with other community members</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The Forum
titled "Challenging Racism and Islamophobia"</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">When:
Sunday, August 14th. 3PM - 5PM</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Where:
As-Salaam Islamic Center, 1214 E Lenoir Street, Raleigh NC 27610</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">A forum
will be organized at As-Salaam Islamic Center to explore the roots of
Islamophobia or anti-Muslim bigotry. This forum will explore the following
questions:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">How
does Islamophobia operate in the society?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">What
are the links between Islamophobia and racism?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">How to
bridge gap between immigrant and African American Muslims?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">How can
Muslims defeat racism and Islamophobia?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodytext1"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">This
forum is free and open for all. Snacks will be provided. Email at
info@muslimsforsocialjustice.org or call 919-355-8026 for more questions.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
James" Munir " Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875407090136940773noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-39165751535457258172016-07-29T10:28:00.001-04:002016-07-29T10:28:37.911-04:00Helping Refugees in North Carolina<h2>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Helping Refugees in North Carolina</span></b></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><i>by James (Munir) Perry, Muslims for Social Justice organizer</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
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<![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Suleiman Alzoubu, 35, and Tawfeek Alzoubi, 37, not related but both are from the Syrian City of Daraa. </span>Sitting and talking with them about how they came to be refugees from Syria living in Raleigh NC, I realized they’re no different from any other family from any part of the world except for the fact that they have lived through the trauma of Civil War and becoming refugees.<br />
<br />
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Tawfeek says prior to the civil war they were normal people living normal lives in the city of Daraa, Syria. The town had a lot of shops, restaurants, and activity. In 2012 things took a sudden turn that changed the course of their lives.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I purposely did not use the terms; rebels or terrorist, I wanted to hear from them what they thought was the cause of the violence. They never once brought up politics, ethnic conflicts, or religion. They shared, the only force protecting them from the Syrian Army attacks were the Syrian Free Army.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Suleiman was living and working in Dubai when he received news that civil war had broken out in his homeland and the government soldiers were causing residents of other villages close to Daraa to flee for their lives. So, he bravely returned to Syria from Dubai to be with his family.</div>
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One by one the shops began to close as the situation became more and more dangerous, until there were no more shops open in the village. Tawfeek shares how the people had developed a civilian network from village to village that allowed people of his, and neighboring villages to get supplies to each other. Daily life had become a struggle to survive. Their village was fired on by bombs, rockets, and sniper fire. Tawfeek shares too many of his neighbors and friends died due to short range gunfire, too many to comprehend.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VGHQYktUwESdBDMSXdqKZfiDJ37fr3xVihrB_uIAJKFDmb7-sqVeF5znW6_ry9_X1hKcRZ2zyxMNhKAx8X9HQewKIaQObPuxdwKNq6FIrX-NgHLUEi6kQ3tuRS17L4iN57Abfklec19j/s1600/Suliman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VGHQYktUwESdBDMSXdqKZfiDJ37fr3xVihrB_uIAJKFDmb7-sqVeF5znW6_ry9_X1hKcRZ2zyxMNhKAx8X9HQewKIaQObPuxdwKNq6FIrX-NgHLUEi6kQ3tuRS17L4iN57Abfklec19j/s320/Suliman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Suleiman Alzoubu</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Photography by James Perry</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Things deteriorated to the point that Suleiman and Tawfeek had to flee to other villages with their families to survive. While fleeing their village on a crowded bus full of men, women, and children, the bus was attacked by the Syrian Military. </div>
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Suleiman was shot in his arm and leg during the attack, and his wife Demah was shot in her leg and has suffered some hearing loss from the bombs and rockets blast, others on the fleeing bus were also injured or killed. (From Allah we come...)</div>
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Suleiman had to leave his family in a Daraa village so he could travel to Jordan for 4 months to receive medical attention for his injuries, which he is still recovering from.</div>
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Their story is the horrifying reality of civil war that most people have never seen, these unarmed citizens trying to flee for the safety of themselves and their families were like sitting ducks fired upon with rockets, bombs and sniper rounds by their own army, which should’ve protected them instead. “I’m trying to understand what would drive Muslim Syrian soldiers to kill children?</div>
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Tawfeek relates that it was a very hard on the children particularly in the tent camps, fleeing violence and living in makeshift camps along the way to Jordan, and getting refugee status. He says it was very negative and rough living in refugee camps. A bright spot; The people of Jordan including the soldiers treated them kindly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhjt3eBFXYUqwtdARzgvzrk2STuHaTCt2Sgxb2gD8NVhOh3nkKG2scZHYXOrK8qh2f4fJK3Wfufie56vlF-9zxSVoXuFB0G8oWDcwll00VI5uiWQZdXRclLxo4srPTYLccUUTClFeHram/s1600/Tawfeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhjt3eBFXYUqwtdARzgvzrk2STuHaTCt2Sgxb2gD8NVhOh3nkKG2scZHYXOrK8qh2f4fJK3Wfufie56vlF-9zxSVoXuFB0G8oWDcwll00VI5uiWQZdXRclLxo4srPTYLccUUTClFeHram/s320/Tawfeek.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Tawfeek Alzoubi</i></div>
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<i>Photography by James Perry</i></div>
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Tawfeek's brothers were captured by Syrian soldiers and tortured but later released. His cousin wasn’t as fortunate, he was killed. (From Allah we come...) Suliman and Tawfeek along their families lived in refugee camps eventually making renting an apartment in Jordan in 2012 until June 2016.</div>
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Moving to Jordan and eventually the US was difficult for the children because of the cultural differences It has taken the children time to adjust. While in Jordan they made contact with the UN and eventually received refugee status which allowed them to get services from organizations that work with refugees, in their case the International Organization for Immigration. They accepted immigration to the United States, Raleigh NC arriving in June 2016, less than two months ago.</div>
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Since arriving in Raleigh the brothers and their families have received relocation support services from Lutheran Services Carolina and U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants – NC, Muslim Net, North Raleigh Masjid, and many others generous local Muslims and businesses. Suliman and Tawfeek biggest surprise was how welcoming and supportive the Raleigh Muslim Community has been to them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you can imagine moving to a new country and new culture, were you are forced to start life over is not an easy transition. These two families and many others like them here in Raleigh need our continued support and prayers while adjusting to their new life in America.</div>
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I interviewed Nasser Shahin, Director of Al-Muslim Net. He shared with many the wonderful comprehensive support they offer to new immigrant families to the Triangle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Muslim Net is notified by Lutheran Services or USCRI that a new family is coming to Raleigh or Durham NC. Muslim Net is a 100% volunteer and donation driven organization, however, the work they do is amazing. When a new immigrant family is arriving Muslim Net gets right to work preparing for their arrival. Social Service agencies could learn a lot from this volunteer organization. They setup transportation and “meet and greet” from the airport; they provide completely furnish apartments for the arriving families with just about everything they need:</div>
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Stocked refrigerators; pots and pans; washer and dryers; hot food; transportation to appointments; translation services; orientation to their new city; cell phones; job searches; children’s school registration; school supplies; toothpaste and just about anything else they may need to make their transition from refugee to new immigrant as comfortable and worry free as possible. </div>
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For all of the great work that Nasser and his organization is doing coordinating donations and services they are not in search of praise Alhumdulilah! They say if it wasn’t for the great response and generosity from the Triangle Muslim Community, they wouldn’t be able to provide for the needs of our new immigrant families.</div>
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During the month of Ramadan Muslim Net provided all of the services and donations listed above to 1 new family every 4.5 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nasser says providing all of the support services to a new family every 4 days is very intense and demanding. Muslim Net is in need of volunteers and continued donations so they can continue to provide these amazing services to new immigrant Muslim families.</div>
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If you like to volunteer or donate to Muslim Net contact them at <a href="http://almuslimnet.org/">http://almuslimnet.org/</a>,</div>
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<a href="mailto:info@almuslimnet.org">info@almuslimnet.org</a>, and request to be added to their email list. Nasser says no donation or volunteer effort is too small. This is the real Islam the media tries to hide, but the light of Islam will continue to shine on.</div>
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Thank you to Tawfeek, Suleiman and their families for sharing their life-changing events with us.</div>
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Thank you to Tareq Ali for facilitating and translating for the interview. Thank you to all of you who have assisted our brothers and sister in any way at all. May Allah reward you and bless you.</div>
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Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-74831180014239198292016-07-26T20:55:00.002-04:002016-07-27T08:16:10.388-04:00#BlackLivesMatter Action in Durham on 7/21/16<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Hundreds of people gathered in front of Durham police headquarters at 6pm on Thursday (7/21) evening. As the crowd grew, the rally took over the intersection (Chapel Hill St and Duke St) blocking the flow of traffic in all directions. Seven Black and POC organizers chained themselves to the railing outside of the police department. Meanwhile, white comrades, connected to one another with lockboxes, blocked Duke St. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharRP6QD7Nk3d86AZYEtng5D27n3AIh4bMbaHuOfHtLMIZhHXGDxcNPSAaDznPNW7jQox1UqpGpuFOeirjrRBGNnDMRLCEk54lI-Fz6w7ZFpA55BKIAiyLe5HQXqp7CIycR7Wl1frQUlVY/s1600/IMG_2229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharRP6QD7Nk3d86AZYEtng5D27n3AIh4bMbaHuOfHtLMIZhHXGDxcNPSAaDznPNW7jQox1UqpGpuFOeirjrRBGNnDMRLCEk54lI-Fz6w7ZFpA55BKIAiyLe5HQXqp7CIycR7Wl1frQUlVY/s320/IMG_2229.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The program featured speakers from a number of organization, including <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MuslimsForSocialJustice" target="_blank">MSJ</a> (thank you to Q for speaking), as well as <a href="http://byp100.org/" target="_blank">Black Youth Project 100</a>, <a href="http://southernersonnewground.org/" target="_blank">Southerners on New Ground</a> (SONG), <a href="http://www.workers.org/" target="_blank">Workers World Party</a>, <a href="http://durhamsolidaritycenter.org/" target="_blank">Durham Solidarity Center</a>, <a href="http://www.trianglesurj.org/" target="_blank">Showing Up For Racial Justice - Triangle</a> (SURJ), <a href="http://blackworkersforjustice.com/" target="_blank">Black Workers for Justice</a>, <a href="http://www.spirithouse-nc.org/" target="_blank">SpiritHouse</a>, and others. Speakers denounced violence and terror the police systematically inflict against Black people and spoke about the need to re-invest in the welfare of our communities—by prioritizing community needs, first and foremost, and re-directing resources to job programs, affordable housing, education, healthcare, etc. Many recognized that we find ourselves in a moment within the larger movement that is spreading nationwide, and we cannot afford to stay silent.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPDPYc8fvsPaaRfhjfNZlefcYioTQE5v2fkP8rfR2SKwHUh-tT5ZRfstXyToFbzOW4gbeOuwUA_HyWiyh6rheSKLlu_HIquNGUO1fRZGiUhdxNPZwVGskaLwCrEeZMmZOdDpoPoG2FZb1/s1600/IMG_2197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPDPYc8fvsPaaRfhjfNZlefcYioTQE5v2fkP8rfR2SKwHUh-tT5ZRfstXyToFbzOW4gbeOuwUA_HyWiyh6rheSKLlu_HIquNGUO1fRZGiUhdxNPZwVGskaLwCrEeZMmZOdDpoPoG2FZb1/s320/IMG_2197.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">Importantly, many speakers uplifted the names of those killed by police nationwide, as well as here in our state—just this year, Akiel Denkins was killed in Raleigh, Deriante Miller in Kinston, and Jai "Jerry" Williams in Asheville. Their names were lifted up throughout the evening.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxs7qWnKTyDVs2OiqzZH7JIJITsq7FqDSbLKZAAeh6GQShPifZvZR3AHaBtTzPX-tNjQRB-99leYWFFXK3me7xdfIrIXb6a5tqoFEkH2lmQfW6DlTc55VttF8ezQZbBhXNuV1_rByQFnw/s1600/IMG_2223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxs7qWnKTyDVs2OiqzZH7JIJITsq7FqDSbLKZAAeh6GQShPifZvZR3AHaBtTzPX-tNjQRB-99leYWFFXK3me7xdfIrIXb6a5tqoFEkH2lmQfW6DlTc55VttF8ezQZbBhXNuV1_rByQFnw/s320/IMG_2223.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">Further, rally organizers paid close attention to the role police plays locally. Annually, the Durham Police Department already receives nearly $60 million of the city budget. The Durham Police Department this year was found to <a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article66663217.html"><span class="s2">demonstrate alarming racial bias against Black residents</span></a> in their policing but has not faced any funding restrictions from city officials. Over the past year, Durham Beyond Policing, a local campaign opposing the building of a new police headquarters and demanding investment in Black and Brown community, has called city’s attention to the harm that the police bring to communities of color. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLxVnH3DyT0cGFTkfArZf6sjiZUjtOP8-oCMlY-XrZw_41WbmKe12YmNcYY7O_Du_8mcp40De0INSVCrdRhnOQKRwBE9jQ8YVmz2JVDVXMTqMI7ebnk4cAj7OhGYYcfPRakNf01WC_1mV/s1600/IMG_2205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLxVnH3DyT0cGFTkfArZf6sjiZUjtOP8-oCMlY-XrZw_41WbmKe12YmNcYY7O_Du_8mcp40De0INSVCrdRhnOQKRwBE9jQ8YVmz2JVDVXMTqMI7ebnk4cAj7OhGYYcfPRakNf01WC_1mV/s320/IMG_2205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">After the larger crowd dispersed, protesters engaging in civil disobedience and their supporters remained at the intersection until midnight, having blocked traffic in all four directions for six hours total. The rally was part of #FreedomNow national day of action, a call for which was issued by the Movement for Black Lives, a national coalition of Black racial justice organizations. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCFPTjBokYaFW3IHwaDxZdr52MZZdM-kfj44vnLFsXuDVnFHqm7bqCtNWEjfFaubwxHQxe-PbbeDrPIzOlSxnvjoEFGpNbDSrnYfoaUxr-baPTp9VqFWVfJENzXfe4fVn1KpalTtGPn53/s1600/IMG_2274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCFPTjBokYaFW3IHwaDxZdr52MZZdM-kfj44vnLFsXuDVnFHqm7bqCtNWEjfFaubwxHQxe-PbbeDrPIzOlSxnvjoEFGpNbDSrnYfoaUxr-baPTp9VqFWVfJENzXfe4fVn1KpalTtGPn53/s320/IMG_2274.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">The rally received significant coverage in local media: </span></div>
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<span class="s3">1) ABC 11: "<a href="http://abc11.com/1437361/"><span class="s2">Protestors Block Streets in Durham</span></a>" </span></div>
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<span class="s3">2) WRAL: "<a href="http://www.wral.com/-black-lives-matter-protest-blocks-traffic-in-durham/15868366/"><span class="s2">Black Lives Matter Protest Blocks Traffic in Durham</span></a>" </span></div>
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<span class="s3">3) N&O: "<a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article91202652.html"><span class="s2">Hundreds in Durham Protest Police Killings, New Police Headquarters</span></a>" </span></div>
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<span class="s3">4) WNCN: "<a href="http://wncn.com/2016/07/21/black-lives-matter-protesters-block-downtown-durham-streets/"><span class="s2">Black Lives Matter Protestors Block Downtown Durham Streets</span></a>" </span></div>
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<span class="s3">5) Herald Sun: "<a href="http://www.heraldsun.com/news/solidarity-protesters-demand-defunding-of-police-community-investment/article_788a0d60-4fad-11e6-8261-874cba3556d3.html"><span class="s2">Solidarity: Protestors demand defunding of police, community investment</span></a>" </span></div>
Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-19199734459400630562016-07-22T01:34:00.002-04:002016-07-26T19:30:30.448-04:00Black Lives Matter/End Islamophobia Forum at UE150 Biannual ConventionNorth Carolina Public Workers Union,<b> <a href="http://www.ue150.org/">UE Local 150</a></b>, organized biannual convention in Raleigh on July 16-17, 2016. Delegates from 16 workplaces from across the state gathered to discuss the current political landscape, to support the Black Lives Matter movement, and show important gains of the Fight for $15 movement and plan steps for the next 2 years of struggle! UE Local 150 is rank-and-file and predominantly Black workers led organization. Nationally, <a href="http://www.ueunion.org/"><b>UE </b></a>(United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America) is one of the most progressive unions in the country that believes in workers empowerment than business unionism. UE has embraced the movement for BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against Israeli occupation, based on a motion by UE Local 150 chapter. This makes UE the only national union to adopt such a measure.<br />
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During the convention, a panel on Black Lives Matter and Ending Islamophobia was organized. This invited speeches by Danielle Purifoy from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DurhamBeyondPolicing/?fref=ts">Durham Beyond Policing</a> and Manzoor Cheema from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MuslimsForSocialJustice/">Muslims for Social Justice</a>. This panel explored the theme of police oppression and envisioning a future without policing. Islamophobia is an extension of anti-Black racism and it is increasingly employed as a divide-and-conquer strategy. The following is the speech on Islamophobia:<br />
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"<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; </style><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, times, serif;">Islamophobia,
or bigotry against Muslims, is an extension of anti-Black racism.
Islam and Muslims are not a race, but they have been reduced to a
race or racialized. We should also keep in mind that a significant
number of Muslims are Black Muslims. Significant number of Muslims
came to the USA through slavery. About 30% of slaves were Muslims.
Their religion and heritage was robbed. After slavery, many Black
people converted or reverted to Islam and established some of the
first mosques in the country. Large number of immigrant Muslims came
to the USA after 1965 visa policy change that allowed Black and Brown
immigrants to come to the USA. This was a result of the civil rights
movement's demand to increase quote for non-European immigrants. As
immigrant Muslims, we owe a debt to Black Muslims and anti-racism
movement.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, times, serif;">Islamophobia,
like other oppressions, is a result of the crisis of capitalism.
Capitalist forces have always required tools to divide people and pit
victims of exploitation against each other. Working class whites have
historically supported anti-Black policies that have also hurt their
class interests. As the country witnesses one of the highest
inequalities in more than 100 years; capitalist and white supremacist
forces employ homophobia, xenophobia against immigrants and
Islamophobia to further divide-and-conquer working and oppressed
people. The work by UE Local 150, the largest rank-and-file public
workers union in North Carolina, is exemplary in building
intersectional movement. UE Local 150 is led by Black workers and has
brought Black Liberation perspective to labor organizing. UE Local
150 has also supported global anti-colonial movements, namely support
of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against the Israel
occupation. Your achievement in working outside the “business
unionism” model and connecting issues of race, class, gender,
sexuality (UE150 came out strongly against transphobic HB2 law) and
wars abroad is an inspiration for progressive allies.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: 4.50pt double #000000; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 0.03in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, times, serif;">As
Muslims for Social Justice, we are committed to linking the movement
against Islamophobia with Black Liberation and worker rights
movement. We do not take the issue of solidarity lightly. Solidarity
is beyond sentimentality. Our goal is to organize Muslims working
class and link them with the movement led by Black Workers for
Justice and UE Local 150. This organizing work in the Muslim
community and joining the broader workers and progressive movement is
essential to topple the oppressive balance of power. Nothing short of
that will solve the root cause of oppression. Muslims for Social
Justice will launch a paper “Muslims Workers” soon that will be
used as an organizing tool in Muslim working places. We look forward
to learning from and developing a longterm partnership with Black
Workers for Justice and UE Local 150, as we launch this important
chapter of organizing Muslims workers."</span></span></div>
Here are pictures from the event<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNkFb9HO9ahGrNnRVGMojYU2nCsu0RHcv_x9lZp3j7Ttzcx6yezj7CfX5yNBPFM4gk8uJcZNrP_lRH9lFaeRfJZuLumnGEuXdPu348t-QKOKb8M7BzWIp9mIMvlGUjyTejT7hzuOlJ1_f7/s1600/UE-150-Biannual-Convention-6-17-16-Pic-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNkFb9HO9ahGrNnRVGMojYU2nCsu0RHcv_x9lZp3j7Ttzcx6yezj7CfX5yNBPFM4gk8uJcZNrP_lRH9lFaeRfJZuLumnGEuXdPu348t-QKOKb8M7BzWIp9mIMvlGUjyTejT7hzuOlJ1_f7/s320/UE-150-Biannual-Convention-6-17-16-Pic-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-48620098635146132412016-07-22T01:16:00.000-04:002016-07-22T01:17:33.402-04:00From Mourning to Organizing for Justice<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Bitstream Charter", Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<span data-mce-style="color: #1a1a1a;" style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif;" style="font-family: "arialmt" , sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-size: medium;" style="font-size: small;">Anti-colonial writer Frantz Fanon exclaimed decades ago, “When we revolt, it's not for a particular culture. We revolt simply because, for many reasons, we can no longer breathe!” His prophetic words became a tragic reality for Eric Garner who repeated <a data-mce-href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/eric-garners-family-drops-moving-new-song-i-cant-breathe-20160711#ixzz4E9oXnH7b%20" href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/eric-garners-family-drops-moving-new-song-i-cant-breathe-20160711#ixzz4E9oXnH7b%20" target="_blank">"I can't breathe"</a> eleven times as he died on July 14, 2014, while in a chokehold by a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer. <em>I can't breathe</em> has become a metaphor for oppressive survival in a racist society.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Bitstream Charter", Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<span data-mce-style="color: #1a1a1a;" style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif;" style="font-family: "arialmt" , sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-size: medium;" style="font-size: small;">There was an outrage when images of <a data-mce-href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/06/us/alton-sterling-baton-rouge-shooting.html" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/06/us/alton-sterling-baton-rouge-shooting.html" target="_blank">Alton Sterling</a> being shot multiple times circulated on the media. Sterling was killed while he was held to the ground by Louisiana police officers. This outrage turned into a revolt when, just one day later, a video of fatal shooting of <a data-mce-href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/07/07/485066807/police-stop-ends-in-black-mans-death-aftermath-is-livestreamed-online-video" href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/07/07/485066807/police-stop-ends-in-black-mans-death-aftermath-is-livestreamed-online-video" target="_blank">Philando Castile</a>, this time by a Minnesota police officer, circulated on the media. Anti-racism activists mobilized across the country against these killings. However, they were quickly demonized in the wake of the tragic shooting of five police officers in Dallas, TX. Before the dust settled on Dallas tragedy, former Illinois Congressman <a data-mce-href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/joe-walsh-war-obama-black-lives-matter-dallas-article-1.2703883" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/joe-walsh-war-obama-black-lives-matter-dallas-article-1.2703883" target="_blank">Joe Walsh</a> declared on Twitter, "3 Dallas Cops killed, 7 wounded. This is now war. Watch out Obama. Watch out black lives matter punks. Real America is coming after you." What started as a revolt against police brutality was met with an immediate attempt to criminalize the movement and suffocate dissent. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Bitstream Charter", Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<span data-mce-style="color: #1a1a1a;" style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif;" style="font-family: "arialmt" , sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-size: medium;" style="font-size: small;">Mourning the death of Sterling and Castile, and not allowing the Dallas tragedy dampen the #BlackLivesMatter movement, were major themes during vigils in Raleigh. North Carolina-based <a data-mce-href="http://blackworkersforjustice.com" href="http://blackworkersforjustice.com/" target="_blank">Black Workers for Justice</a>, condemned police brutality and institutional racism. They also emphasized the need to raise voice against other oppressions, including Islamophobia. Muslims have been all too familiar when tragic instances are hijacked to de-humanize the entire Muslim community. Black Workers for Justice statement read:</span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Bitstream Charter", Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<span data-mce-style="color: #1a1a1a;" style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif;" style="font-family: "arialmt" , sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-size: medium;" style="font-size: small;">"<em>We must not be deterred from challenging these police killings of our people. Like the mainstream media and government efforts to use the Orlando, FL, massacre to promote Islamophobia, the Dallas, TX, shootings of police will be another attempt to place the blame on the movement for Black liberation highlighted by the slogan Black Lives Matter.</em>"</span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Bitstream Charter", Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<span data-mce-style="color: #1a1a1a;" style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif;" style="font-family: "arialmt" , sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-size: medium;" style="font-size: small;">Raleigh has seen police brutality of its own when Black youth <a data-mce-href="http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article63148887.html" href="http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article63148887.html" target="_blank">Akiel Denkins</a> was killed by a Raleigh police officer on February 29, 2016. His killing led to the establishment of a coalition demanding justice in policing, called <a data-mce-href="http://www.raleighpact.org" href="http://www.raleighpact.org/" target="_blank">Raleigh PACT</a> or Police Accountability Community Taskforce. PACT played a key role in organizing the vigil to create a space for mourning and healing in the wake of murders of Denkins, Sterling, Castile and a Black man Jerry Williams killed in Asheville on July 2, 2016. Denkin's mother, Rolanda Byrd, spoke against police brutality and called for justice during the vigil. "It has taken a tragedy, the five officers that were killed in Dallas, to wake up the conversation on how black families are being treated on a daily basis," Byrd said during her speech.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Bitstream Charter", Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<span data-mce-style="color: #1a1a1a;" style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif;" style="font-family: "arialmt" , sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-size: medium;" style="font-size: small;">The fact that Alton Sterling was killed while selling CDs and Eric Garner was killed while selling loose cigarettes has highlighted the oppressive <a data-mce-href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/07/alton-sterling-eric-garner-and-the-double-standard-of-the-side-hustle/" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/07/alton-sterling-eric-garner-and-the-double-standard-of-the-side-hustle/" target="_blank">subsistence living conditions</a> for many Black Americans, whose real crime is being Black and poor. During a prayer vigil at As-Salaam Islamic Center in Southeast Raleigh, there was a call for diverting money to Black-owned businesses and banks. South East Raleigh has established a Black and Brown led food co-op, called <a data-mce-href="http://www.fertileground.coop" href="http://www.fertileground.coop/" target="_blank">Fertile Ground</a>, in a predominantly Black neighborhood designated by the local government as a “food desert”. Building indigenous economy and providing healthy food to the marginalized communities are at the core of co-op's mission of grassroots empowerment.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", "Bitstream Charter", Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<span data-mce-style="color: #1a1a1a;" style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif;" style="font-family: "arialmt" , sans-serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-size: medium;" style="font-size: small;">The recent murders of Black people have taken place at a distance, but they are close to the lived experience of many in North Carolina. After mourning, there was a movement in the community to organize for justice.</span></span></span></div>
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Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-45337486212501297832016-06-17T09:19:00.002-04:002016-06-17T09:23:32.112-04:00Response to the Orlando Massacre<h5 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #141412; font-family: Bitter, Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.3; margin: 30px 0px;">
Statement on Orlando Massacre from Salma Mirza, a queer Muslim who is a member of <a href="http://merinc.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Movement to End Racism and Islamophobia</a>(MERI) and <a href="http://muslimsforsocialjustice.blogspot.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Muslims for Social Justice</a></h5>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">I am heartbroken about this attack on my community, as most of those killed were LGBTQ people of color. The flyer for the event was of Black and Latina trans women and we have a national climate that targets these communities.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">As a queer Muslim, I watched the story unfold in shock and grief. I’ve been dancing in those clubs. My friends have been in those clubs. It could have been any one of us. Those clubs are one of the few places we can feel free. As I’ve been trying to process and grieve this tragedy, I see Donald Trump using this tragedy to renew his call for a ban on Muslims. Before the bodies have been taken out of the building, before all their loved ones have been contacted, it’s already been used to justify hatred against Muslims. The killing of my people is being used to justify the killing of my people.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">I am horrified that this tragedy is being used to call for restrictions of the civil liberties of Muslims. While the Muslim community may need to struggle with homophobia, so too does our country. In the first 10 weeks of 2016, over<a href="https://medium.com/@ChadHGriffin/the-path-forward-on-lgbt-equality-407a73a1e755#.vfyyxircf" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> 200 pieces of anti-LGBT legislation</a>were introduced in 34 states. The day after HB2 passed, I got arrested in front of the Governor’s mansion with other queer and trans people fighting that attack on our community. As my queer Tennessean friend Thomas Walker said, the queer people of color trapped in Pulse hid in whatever bathroom they thought they were most likely to survive in, not whichever one matched their birth certificate. The right-wing is passing bills attacking trans people in bathrooms while trans people hid from their killer in the Pulse bathroom to try and survive. There was a white guy that they caught in LA on his way to LA Pride with guns and ammo and bomb-making equipment. Like him, Omar Mateen was an American. Donald Trump may say he’s foreign-born, but he was born in New York. He was a fan of the NYPD. He is a home-grown criminal. America as a whole needs to struggle with hatred and fear of LGBTQ people.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Mateen was a domestic abuser, like another killer, George Zimmerman. Despite this, he had no criminal record. As we’ve seen in the Stanford rape case, toxic masculinity is an American problem. He was born and socialized in America. He internalized these lessons.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Mass shootings are an American problem, not an “over there” problem. There have been<a href="http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">136 instances </a>of mass shooting in 2016 alone. More than <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/02/us/oregon-shooting-terrorism-gun-violence/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc360a; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">400,000 people </a>have died from gun violence in the past 10 years. The overwhelming majority of shooting deaths in the United States are committed by non-Muslims. This is an American problem, when shooters like Omar Mateen have access to buying assault style rifles. No one should have access to buy these guns that are often used in mass shootings. We need common sense gun control in this country.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">At Movement to End Racism and Islamophobia (MERI), we believe in building an intersectional movement to fight all forms of oppression – homophobia, Islamophobia, racism, sexism, attacks on workers, attacks on immigrants and all other oppressions. Hatred will win only if we are divided by fear. We want to build a powerful movement based on love and liberation for all people. We call upon people from all backgrounds to join our network and help us build a more loving and just community.</span></div>
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<em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141412; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">(From left) Noah Rubin-Blose, Salma Mirza and Jade Brooks, during a protest against House Bill 2 in front on North Carolina Executive Mansion on March 24, 2016.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Photo by Matthew Lenard</em></div>
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<em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #141412; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">A version of this article was published in The News and Observer:<br /></em></div>
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Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-62565856779345352902016-05-01T12:26:00.002-04:002016-05-01T12:38:32.060-04:00May Day Statement of Solidarity with Peasant Movement in Pakistan<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Two weeks ago, the Pakistani military and police launched yet another operation against landless peasant activists by raiding their houses at night and kidnapping several key members of the landless tenant association in the Pakistani province of Punjab, Anjuman Mazareen Punjab (AMP). This search and arrest operation was carried out without warrants using draconian powers given to the law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) by anti-terrorism laws. The operation was carried out on the eve of the International Peasants Day to prevent AMP from holding a large peasants’ convention. The kidnapped include women, students, peasants, and the General Secretary of AMP, Mr. Meher Abdul Sattar – these activists are being detained and tried as terrorists, while another 4,000 have been collectively charged with terrorism and colonial-era crime of disrupting of the political order. Those who have come out in support to protest against state violence and police brutality have had to face baton charges, tear gas, and armored vehicles.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">We stand in solidarity with AMP and its allies in Pakistan, including trade and labor unions and the socialist Awami Workers Party (AWP) and demand the immediate release of all arrested. We condemn the use of force to prevent peaceful protests. We condemn the arrest of political activists and the use of terrorism and criminal charges against political activists, peasants and workers. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">This pattern of state violence and police brutalities has become all too familiar in Pakistan. Anti-terrorism laws are used against factory workers, labor unions, peasant farmers, student activists, and political workers across the country. Last August, LEAs destroyed the largest informal settlement (shantytown) in Islamabad and charged 64 locals with terrorism. Similar charges have resulted in the sentencing of a total of 490 years to six power loom workers in the large industrial metropolis of Faisalabad, and prosecution of peasants in other rural areas. </span></div>
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<span class="s1"> In Okara, this latest episode of state violence is a manifestation of the ongoing oppressive tactics used by the Pakistani military against the 17-year long resistance by third and fourth generation occupancy tenants who till the 16,000 acres of state-owned and military-controlled farmland. These lands were colonized by the British and irrigated through large canals, and new villages were created to house tenants in the early 20</span><span class="s2"><sup>th</sup></span><span class="s1"> century. Today, much of the state-owned land is controlled by the Pakistani military, which unlike traditional military organization has large stakes in the economic and political structures of Pakistan—it is the largest landowner, controls the largest business and industrial conglomerate in the country, has directly ruled for over 32 years, and controls almost a third of the federal budget. The military as an institution benefits from control over rural and urban lands, and profits from the control over means of production are distributed to the rank and file, with the largest share of the pie given to high-ranking military officers. In 2000, the military administration of the Okara Farms switched from the century-old system of sharecropping tenancy that benefitted peasants to contract based farming, which allowed for increasing rents and profits and creating the legal justification for forcible evictions. These measures were met with local resistance as peasants organized under the banner of AMP. But the military has used strong handed tactics which has resulted in the loss of dozens of lives, and injuries and arrests of thousands.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Military violence against peasants is part of a neo-colonial, neo-feudal, neoliberal hybrid form of rule. Imperial wars and destruction of nature is another important dimension of this violent rule. The development of large-scale irrigation over the last century, first by the British colonizers and later by the IMF and WB working through the Pakistani military-state have resulted in large scale, slow-moving ecological destruction that has put Pakistan on the frontline of global climate change. The collusion of international financial institutions (IFIs) and military-state has also prevented land reforms in the country, depriving those who till the land from access and ownership rights. This violence is supported and worsened by the US-led War on Terror, which has become an instrument to enforce neoliberal policies throughout the Muslim world. The USA has used anti-terror legislation to stifle dissent and victimize progressive activists within the USA. Such practices in the USA have inspired Pakistan and other US ally states to introduce their own anti-terror legislation, which strengthens the state’s hand against workers, peasants, and activists. The US, Pakistan and other players in this global war continue to unleash violence against civilian populations while sponsoring their favorite brand of militant-fascist proxy groups, who for their part justify horrible and inhumane violence against minority groups, women, and political activists by drawing on limited, narrow interpretations of religion. In the US this hatred feeds into Islamophobia and racism against Muslims, furthering the cycle of violence. These are the multiple intertwined strands of violence in this global web of ecological, economic, imperial, authoritarian, and fascistic-religious war. This is the many-fronted war that is destroying human and non-human life across the globe.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">On this International workers day, Muslims for Social Justice and members of Awami Workers Party in the US condemn this violence and we stand in solidarity with the Okara peasants, AMP, the workers, peasants, and activist in Pakistan, and those who are fighting against racism, inequality, sexism, transphobia/homophobia, attacks on immigrants, and Islamophobia in the US. We envision a future where we can move beyond solidarity statements to build a comprehensive anti-war, anti-violence coalition in the US, linking with grassroots self-determination and liberation movements across the globe. In facing the hydra of capitalism, imperialism, colonialism, and fascism, we must work in unity with those who are fighting against the many aspects of this unjust violent oppressive system.</span></div>
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Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8709719846157982840.post-44606259809062805802016-04-15T12:27:00.003-04:002016-04-15T12:27:46.518-04:00Muslims for Social Justice in Solidarity with Verizon Workers
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Muslims for Social Justice Joines Southern Workers Assembly in Solidarity with Verizon Workers</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Verizon on strike across East Coast Today! Fight for $15 Strike Across World Tomorrow!</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Verizon workers helped the company make $39 billion in profits over the last three years—and $1.8 billion a month in profits over the first three months of 2016. But that’s not enough for Verizon.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The company’s greed knows no bounds. While the company continues to demand working people give back more and more, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam made $18 million last year. That’s more than 200 times the compensation of the average Verizon employee!</span></div>
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<span class="s1">These Verizon workers have been working with an expired union contract since August 2015.</span></div>
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<span class="s3"><b>Southern Workers Assembly pledges solidarity with Verizon workers strike</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">The Southern Workers' School, a project of the Southern Workers Assembly in session tonight April 12, 2016 composed of workplace union activists from 8 Southern states pledges its solidarity and support to the 40,000 sisters and brothers about to go on strike for a just contract against Verizon organized by the Communication Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) unions from Virginia through Pennsylvania. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">WE reaffirm the absolute necessity for collective bargaining rights enforced by the right to strike for Verizon workers and for all workers regardless of employment status.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">WE affirm the necessity for Verizon to continue and improve employee benefits and wages particularly in these times of rising income inequality and working class insecurity.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">WE point out that continual downward pressures by corporations on working class wages and benefits is not only bad for working people and our families but also for our communities and our world.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">WE will take support action in the southern states where the strike will take place and where the member organizations involved in the Southern Workers' School exist.</span></div>
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<span class="s3"><b>Statement Signers:</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Organizations:</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Southern Workers Assembly</span></div>
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<span class="s1">UE local 150, NC Public Service Workers Union</span></div>
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<span class="s1">National Nurses Organizing Committee - Florida</span></div>
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<span class="s1">National Nurses Organizing Committee - Texas</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Black Workers For Justice</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Southern Workers Organizing Committee/Raise Up for $15</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Appalachian Workers Alliance</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Boston School Bus Drivers Union, USW local 8751</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Muslims for Social Justice</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Individuals</b>:</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Saladin Muhammad, UE* Retired/ Black Workers for Justice*, Rocky Mount, NC</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Larsene Taylor, President, UE Local 150/BWFJ*, Goldsboro, NC</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Angaza Laughinghouse, Vice President, UE local 150, NC Public Service Workers Union, Raleigh, NC</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Justin Flores, Vice President, Farm Labor Organizing Committee*, Dudley, NC</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Ed Bruno, Retired Southern Regional Director National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses Union*, Tampa, FL</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Peter Knowlton, General President, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE)*, Pittsburgh, PA</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Chavel Lopez, Southwest Workers Union*, San Antonio, TX</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Deborah Casey, Norton Area Vice President, CWA local 2204*, Roanoke, VA</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Sandra Wakefield, National Nurses United/NNOC-TX, El Paso, TX</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Charles Brave, Vice President, SC AFL-CIO*, ILA local 1422*, Charleston, SC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Leonard Riley, ILA local 1422*, Charleston, SC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Shafeah M'Balia, Black Workers for Justice*, Savannah, GA</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Lutalo Tyehimba, ILA local 333*/Ujima People's Progress Party*, Baltimore, MD</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Martha Grevatt, Civil and Human Rights Committee, UAW Local 869*, Detroit, MI</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Donna Dewitt Retired, CWA local 3719*, Orangeburg, SC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Erin McKee President, SC AFL-CIO*, Columbia, SC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Freddie Coakley, ILA local 1422*, Charleston, SC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Deb Gornall, President, Eastern Region UE*, Erie, PA</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">April Lofton-Beach, UE local 160*, Petersburg, VA</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Vera Nedrick-Jones UE local 160 VA Public Service Workers Union*, Petersburg, VA</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Abdul Burnette, Raise Up for $15, Durham, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Gary L. DeLuke UE Local 170 - West Virginia Public Workers Union*, Charleston, WV</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Benji Piles, Appalachian Workers Alliance*, Huntington, WV</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Don Cavellini, Co-Chair, Pitt County Coalition Against Racism*, Greenville, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Bryan Pfeifer, Roanoke Education Association*, Roanoke, VA</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Khem Irby, Guilford County Education Association (NEA)*, Greensboro, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Bonita Johnson, UE150, Butner, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Darrion Smith, UE150, Butner, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Tiffany Downey, UE150, Butner Chapter Recording Secretary, Butner, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Daryl Brunson, UE150, Durham, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Brenda Hines, Black Workers for Justice*, Burlington, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Dante Strobino UE*, Durham, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Will Cox, NC Healthcare Workers United (Winston-Salem Organizing Committee) *</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Isolene Peele, UE150, Durham, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Ben Carroll, Raise Up for $15, Durham, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Enrique C. Alba, Jornaleros Unidos de Woodside*, NYC, NY</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Roberto Meneses, Jornaleros Unidos de Woodside*, NYC, NY</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Gustavo Medina, UFT/Independent Workers Movement*, NYC, NY</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Minnie Bruce Pratt, UAW Local 1081/National Writers Union*</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Chris Nelson, Healthcare Workers United*, Charleston, SC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Wendy Williams, Healthcare Workers United*, Charleston, SC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Tyaisha Williams, Black Workers for Justice*, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Dennis Orton, UE* / BWFJ*, Virginia</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Steve Bader, UE* International Representative, WV/NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">David Cohen, UE* Retired, MA</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Greg Butterfield, National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320*</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Susan E. Davis, National Writers Union, United Auto Workers Local 1981*</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Eric Fink, Greensboro, NC</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Rita Valenti, National Nurses Organizing Committee*, Atlanta, GA</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1">Dianne Mathiowetz, retired UAW local 10, producer, The Labor Forum, WRFG 89.3FM, Atlanta, GA</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s2"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p5">
<span class="s1"><b>Learn more about the Verizon strike here:</b></span></div>
<div class="p6">
<span class="s3"><a href="http://www.cwa-union.org/news/releases/verizon-workers-announce-strike-deadline-of-wednesday-april-13th">CWA Press Release<span class="s4"></span></a></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s2"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p6">
<span class="s3"><a href="http://standuptoverizon.com/">CWA Stand Up to Verizon Action Page<span class="s4"></span></a></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s2"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p6">
<span class="s3"><a href="http://ibew2222.org/we_will_be_on_strike_4/13/16_at_6%3A00_am">IBEW local 2222 Strike Update<span class="s4"></span></a></span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s2"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p7">
<span class="s2">Join and find a picket line near you!!</span></div>
<div class="p7">
<span class="s2"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRzcppSqr9X11hRqj_wsJKmWkcA1yCoOLMjoglwvcCRY204CiAftfk4h14_p6fg7UHHMDJlUZxvRs2Pll2L-SQ6AgwqNBUnYo4eLb5RtUJcandhTFoj8npjNEqR9-FhmTSIAdiT3my8_N/s1600/Verizon+Strike+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRzcppSqr9X11hRqj_wsJKmWkcA1yCoOLMjoglwvcCRY204CiAftfk4h14_p6fg7UHHMDJlUZxvRs2Pll2L-SQ6AgwqNBUnYo4eLb5RtUJcandhTFoj8npjNEqR9-FhmTSIAdiT3my8_N/s640/Verizon+Strike+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="p7">
<span class="s2"> Source: CWA-Union.org</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Muslims for Social Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867983729846977154noreply@blogger.com2