On behalf of "End the Occupation Now"
Dear Friends,
Take Action: Speak Out Against "Islamo-Facism Awareness Week"
During the week of October 22-26, 2007, right-wing and neo-conservative political forces led by the David Horowitz Freedom Center are calling for "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week" events on campuses across the U.S. (for a list of campuses and speakers, see below)
If this event is coming to your campus or neighborhood—and even if it's not—speak out against this racist assault on Muslims, Arabs, Arab-Americans, South Asians and anyone viewed as sympathetic toward those communities. While some people might dismiss the neo-conservatives as fringe elements who don't impact on U.S. policy, the truth is much more disturbing. They are part of an alliance of forces that work to maintain the war against Iraq, escalate the standoff with Iran into military conflict, and cement Israel's hold on the occupied Palestinian territories and violations of Palestinian human rights through a system of apartheid rule.
The stakes are simply too high to ignore, and we should respond to the so-called "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week"—and to all such provocations—pro-actively, not defensively.
To find out what action you can take on your campus and in your community and to read about what others are doing, click here. To learn more about the forces driving this agenda, read "Understanding Why Islamophobia is on the Rise," the analysis by Phyllis Bennis, fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies, and member of the U.S. Campaign's steering committee.
By defending basic freedoms of thought, speech and belief, we underscore three simple messages:
We stand for free speech, not hate speech.
We stand for tolerance, not bigotry.
We stand for education, not demagoguery.