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Monday, November 04, 2013
Veterans
for Peace will once again proudly walk behind the street sweepers in the
Veterans Day Parade in Boston. Please join us as we show our opposition to the
on-going war in Afghanistan and our undeclared Drone wars in Pakistan, Yemen and
Somalia
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UNAC Statement on
the
Arrest of Rasmea
Odeh
The United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) condemns the
politically-motivated attack on Rasmea Odeh, a Palestinian community leader
arrested in her Chicago home on October 22, by agents of the Department of
Homeland Security.
Odeh is charged with immigration fraud. Allegedly, in her
application for citizenship, she didn’t mention that she was arrested in
Palestine 45 years ago by an Israeli military court that detains Palestinians
without charge, and that does not recognize the rights of Palestinians to due
process. Rasmea Odeh withstood vicious torture by Israeli authorities while
imprisoned in Palestine in the 70s. She is one of the millions of Palestinians
who have not given up organizing for their rights of liberation, equality, and
return. It is shameful that the US government is now attempting to imprison her
once again.
The charges against her carry ten years in prison; in addition,
she faces being stripped of her citizenship, and as a result, it’s likely she
will be deported when she finishes that sentence.
(For more about Rasmea, read Maureen Murphy’s article on
Electronic Intifada: http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/palestinian-arrested-chicago-because-her-community-activism-groups-say
)
Odeh’s arrest this week appears to be related to the case of the
23 anti-war activists, including members of UNAC, who were subpoenaed to a grand
jury in 2010. The 23 were targeted as organizers of the 2008 anti-war march on
the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. Undercover law
enforcement agents spied on the anti-war organizers and their movement allies
for two years, sabotaged a 2009 solidarity trip to Palestine, and then the FBI
raided their homes and offices, claiming that they had provided material support
to foreign terrorist organizations in Palestine and Colombia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas is leading the investigation
against the 23, and he was at the courtroom in Chicago, consulting with the
assistant U.S. attorney who brought the indictment against Rasmea. Jonas was
also the prosecutor in the case of the Holy Land Five, the heads of the largest
Muslim charity in the U.S. before 9/11. He was successful in getting prison
sentences for as long as 65 years for the five men, who provided charity to
children in Gaza.
The case against Rasmea is not about immigration, but an attempt
to silence her, to cut short her important community organizing, and to attack
the struggle for a free Palestine.
UNAC stands with Rasmea Odeh and against those who would silence
and imprison her. This attack is another example of the continuing repression of
Palestinians and people who stand in solidarity with them. Homeland Security,
the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s office are
carrying out enforcement of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. We ask all
those who have stood against the government attack on organizing, to stand with
us today to support Rasmea Odeh.
Drop the charges against Rasmea Odeh!
Actions to take in support of Rasmea:
1) Call Barbara McQuade, U.S. Attorney for the
Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, at 313.226.9501 or 313.226.9100, or email barbara.mcquade@usdoj.gov to demand that she
Drop the Charges Now!
Example script and talking points to use:
Hello, my name is ________ and I am calling from _________.
I am calling to demand that U.S. Attorney McQuade drop the
immigration charges against Rasmea Odeh. She is a beloved leader in the
community and has worked tirelessly to serve and help empower Palestinian, Arab,
and Muslim families throughout the Chicagoland area.
Rasmea is a community icon and was recently awarded an
"Outstanding Community Leader" award from the Chicago Cultural Alliance for her
over 40 years of dedication and service to people across the Arab World and the
U.S.
These charges are a political attack on her as an individual and
on the collective Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities across the U.S.
I stand in unequivocal support of Rasmea and demand that these
charges be dropped immediately!
2) Join us to pack the courtroom in mid-November for
the first court appearance in Detroit. Stay tuned for the date, time and exact
location.
3) Like the “Drop the Charges Against Rasmea Now”
Facebook page -
4) Send statements of support and solidarity to stopfbi@gmail.com
5) Send us your pictures holding up a sign with the
following message:
“I am _________ and I support Rasmea” cppr@aaan.org
You can fill in the blank with any self-identifier: your name,
your occupation, or any other description. Some examples are: "I am a
stay-at-home dad and I support Rasmea!" "I am a youth organizer and I support
Rasmea!" "I am a supporter of Palestinian human rights and I support Rasmea!"
Hold the sign up and snap a selfie, then send it to cppr@aaan.org. Put it up as your
Facebook/Twitter profile pic, Google Account image, or anything else! Just
remember we may use your image in future publications and informational
pamphlets that get published online or distributed as hard copies.
6) Stay tuned to www.stopfbi.net for
updates on the case.
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Join
UNAC
Today, UNAC is the largest and most active antiwar coalition
in the country. During this time of increasing military intervention throughout
the world, it is more important than ever that the people of the United States
show their solidarity with the victims of US foreign policy and war. If you
are not on UNAC’s email list and would like to be, please send an email to UNAC-subscribe@lists.riseup.net. If your
peace or social justice group is not affiliated with UNAC please fill out the
form and join us. The form for your group to join UNAC is located here: https://unacpeace.org/Join_UNAC.html.
To contribute to UNAC, please click here: https://unacpeace.org/Donate.html
Join UNAC’s Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/unac1/
Like UNAC’s Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/EndTheWars
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National Immigrant Solidarity Network No Immigrant Bashing! Support Immigrant Rights! webpage: http://www.ImmigrantSolidarity.org e-mail: info@ImmigrantSolidarity.org New York: (212)330-8172 Los Angeles: (213)403-0131 Washington D.C.: (202)595-8990 Chicago: (773)942-2268 * join the immigrant Solidarity Network daily news litserv, send e-mail to: isn-subscribe@lists.riseup.net Please consider making a donation to the important work of National Immigrant Solidarity Network On-line Donation: https://org2.salsalabs.com/o/7315/donate_page/actionla-nisn Send check pay to: National Immigrant Solidarity Network/AFGJ National Immigrant Solidarity Network P.O. Box 751 South Pasadena, CA 91031-0751 (All donations are tax deductible) =--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= You can review old listings by going to http://igc.topica.com/lists/act-ma-discuss/read to (un)subscribe send email to act-ma-discuss-(un)subscribe@topica.com For more info on ACT-MA and posting guidelines see http://web.mit.edu/cwelch/lacasa/calendar.html ----------------------------------------------------- Topica requires that you be a member of the list to post to it and that your email address in your message match exactly the email address on record at the Topica site. =--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= --^^--------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent to: alfredjohnson34@comcast.net EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84BoF.bLLGgO.YWxmcmVk Or send an email to: act-ma-discuss-unsubscribe@topica.com For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit: http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER --^^--------------------------------------------------------------- | ||||||||
Dear Everyone,
On 10/24/13, Insomnia Cookies employee Tommy Mendes told his boss he was an IWW member. The next day he was suspended without pay. Insomnia refuses to say when or if he can return to work. Join the Boston IWW, Harvard's SLAM* and Boston University's SLAP** as we picket, starting at 9:30 pm, on Thursday November 7, at Insomnia Cookies' BU location, 798 Commonwealth Ave in Boston! The Facebook event is here. Feel free to email Tommy's boss Ryan right now, at ryand@insomniacookies.com and let him know Tommy should be reinstated with back pay! Call CEO Seth Berkowitz anytime at (877) 632-6654 and let him know how you feel about Tommy's unpaid suspension.
Background: Tommy joined the IWW with other employees in August, after night shift workers declared a spontaneous strike. They were making deliveries on their own bikes until 3 am, without legally-required breaks, pressed to ride at unsafe speeds, and making $6/hr. At least seven pickets have been held at Insomnia stores since August, but drivers and bakers still report they are often denied breaks, denied workers' comp & blamed by bosses for any accidents in traffic, and are still paid poverty wages. Workers are expected to leave the store unescorted late at night with thousands of dollars in cash to deposit. They even have to use their own money to make change for deliveries.
Management's excuse for suspending Tommy after he went public with his union affiliation is that his cash count was supposedly short, but other workers report their counts have been short too (likely due to technical problems), without their facing disciplinary action. Tommy has already sustained hundreds of dollars in lost wages; you can support him and other Insomnia activists by contributing to the Insomnia Cookies Workers' Strike Fund Please take whatever action you can (picket, email, phone call, donation) to support Tommy Mendes and all the low-paid Insomnia Cookies employees!
On 10/24/13, Insomnia Cookies employee Tommy Mendes told his boss he was an IWW member. The next day he was suspended without pay. Insomnia refuses to say when or if he can return to work. Join the Boston IWW, Harvard's SLAM* and Boston University's SLAP** as we picket, starting at 9:30 pm, on Thursday November 7, at Insomnia Cookies' BU location, 798 Commonwealth Ave in Boston! The Facebook event is here. Feel free to email Tommy's boss Ryan right now, at ryand@insomniacookies.com and let him know Tommy should be reinstated with back pay! Call CEO Seth Berkowitz anytime at (877) 632-6654 and let him know how you feel about Tommy's unpaid suspension.
Background: Tommy joined the IWW with other employees in August, after night shift workers declared a spontaneous strike. They were making deliveries on their own bikes until 3 am, without legally-required breaks, pressed to ride at unsafe speeds, and making $6/hr. At least seven pickets have been held at Insomnia stores since August, but drivers and bakers still report they are often denied breaks, denied workers' comp & blamed by bosses for any accidents in traffic, and are still paid poverty wages. Workers are expected to leave the store unescorted late at night with thousands of dollars in cash to deposit. They even have to use their own money to make change for deliveries.
Management's excuse for suspending Tommy after he went public with his union affiliation is that his cash count was supposedly short, but other workers report their counts have been short too (likely due to technical problems), without their facing disciplinary action. Tommy has already sustained hundreds of dollars in lost wages; you can support him and other Insomnia activists by contributing to the Insomnia Cookies Workers' Strike Fund Please take whatever action you can (picket, email, phone call, donation) to support Tommy Mendes and all the low-paid Insomnia Cookies employees!
In Solidarity,
Geoff for the Industrial Workers of the
World
*Student Labor Action
Movement
**Student Labor Action
Project
VFP Members Are Gearing Up to Converge on Fort Benning - Nov 22-24
The weekend to close the School of Americas includes
a rally with speakers and musicians from across the Americas, a solemn
funeral procession to commemorate the martyrs, art, music and street theater to
celebrate the resistance, a protest at a for-profit immigrant prison, nonviolent direct
action, a conference with workshops, film screenings, trainings, concerts, community,
grassroots movement building, and more. Flyer Schedule of Events Hotel Information
Photos of VFP members participating in SOA Convergence 2012
Back to Top
Hands Off Assata Shakur!!
Friends,
The event below is going to be a great local event in support of Assata Shakur
on Assata Shakur Liberation Day (Sat. Nov. 2).
Come to this free film and community discussion!
Flyer attached.
In struggle,
Lana
***Please forward widely***
National Assata Shakur Liberation Day!
Free Film Showing of "Eyes on The Rainbow"
and Discussion
Sat. Nov 2, 7 pm
The Center for the Arts at the Armory
191 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA
(New England Folk Archives Room , Downstairs)
Free Parking Rear of Building
Handicap accessible
Sponsored by Jericho Boston, Youth Against Mass Incarceration,
and the Let's Go There Collective
The event below is going to be a great local event in support of Assata Shakur
on Assata Shakur Liberation Day (Sat. Nov. 2).
Come to this free film and community discussion!
Flyer attached.
In struggle,
Lana
***Please forward widely***
National Assata Shakur Liberation Day!
Free Film Showing of "Eyes on The Rainbow"
and Discussion
Sat. Nov 2, 7 pm
The Center for the Arts at the Armory
191 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA
(New England Folk Archives Room , Downstairs)
Free Parking Rear of Building
Handicap accessible
Sponsored by Jericho Boston, Youth Against Mass Incarceration,
and the Let's Go There Collective
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