No, You Forget MSA UCSD is the most Terroristic

See I was spending the day going over MSA activities, after seeing that FrontPage Magazine, I knew they got it all wrong. UCI, UC Berkeley, UCLA - they have nothing over UCSD. I should know, I went to UCSD.

UCSD had the first propaganda wall, and the first successful take down of the propaganda wall. UCSD had an entire issue of the the "Dawn" the tabloid Jihadist newspaper dedicated to "super sonic jihad" activities attacking in propaganda fashion Israel. It was UCSD that prominently displayed anti-Semitic "Zionsim=Nazism" signs on campus, Library walk of all places, with over two blocks worth of Art, graphics and facts. It was Amir Abdul Malik's first outdoor venue speech. It was UCSD that coined the term "Muslim activist" to cover up the real purpose and design of MSA's in the United States- to take over the Supreme Court!

It was UCSD where the MSA lead a student uprising against FREE SPEECH, lead to the shut down of a respectable University Newspaper: The Koala. Using communist tactics and allying with left wing liberal forces they spread a virulent negative perspective of the paper.

So yes, I am not only bitter but outright angry. All those years trying to not associate with Muslims because of being labeled a terrorist now seems to have paid off for nothing, seeing that MSA UCSD wasn't even on the terrorist network list!

How could they have gotten it so wrong? I mean come on - Queensborough Community College? Who the hell goes there?

Maybe Daniel Pipes could create a special category for UCSD, because we are in a "League of our Own". UCSD is like the Sex Pistols to Punk. Or the Ramones to "new wave" (huh?). UCSD is like the Harvard of institutionalized "terrorizing networks". UCSD is like Edward Said's Orientalism, re-writing the entire face of Academic activism on campuses. UCSD is like the Al-Qaeda manual to Muslim activism on college campuses, like duh!

Being such an outlier on the curve, Pipes probably felt it was unfair to include us in the "list of stealth Jihadist" MSA's so as not to be an anomaly.

See great minds do tend to think a like. Though I am not sure if Pipes was following this great mind, because Queensborough Community College? (What The Monkeybutt?)

No really, that's out of left field. Its like saying Cuba is a democracy. Or like Mugabe is the greatest elected official in the world, right after Emperor Bush and Comrade Putin.

Look I have the pictures to prove it:

Subversive forces work to undermine President Bush's evidence gathering. This picture raises questions on how the UCSD MSA can be so small yet present everywhere, where is their funding coming from? (2002)

Amir Abdul Malik, the fiery "anti-Semite", a consistent

Spreading propaganda and "Right of Return" in other words, the annihilation of Israel. (2005)

Here using morbid tactics, placing body outlines all over campus to win sympathy for terrorist organizations, during the "Peace not Apartheid Week"- (Spring 2005)

Spring 2004, "Justice in Palestine Week" all members wore black to intimidate any other voices but theirs. This picture is of the shirt produced by the MSA for this week, where did they get funding for this?

Though outnumbered, there were Freedom loving patriots undercover monitoring the "hate fest". Patriots are never intimidated by fascists.

The intimidation continues, while celebrating the 56th anniversary of the establishment of the only Democracy in the Middle East, MSA drew on propaganda and "shock and awe" tactics to diminish the Jewish student presence on campus.

Part of the intimidation and Antisemitism displayed proudly with consent from Chancellor Dynes at the time.

The notorious propaganda wall- this is from 2004.

The wall propaganda destroyed, and the terrorist wearing TERRORIST garb worn by Hamas militants trying to prop it back up.

Promoting illegal sanctions against Israel, a MSA co-sponsored talk on Divestment (2002)

San Francisco Tibet Torch Run Down

Submitted by Guest Blogger Connie Pham

“Free Tibet. Free, free Tibet.” The chants are still echoing in my ears now that I’m back from the ebullient streets of San Francisco! Sister Christine and I went to protest Beijing’s Olympic torch as it made its only North American stop here in SF. Here’s a quick run-down from our view on the ground:

Tuesday, 04/08/2008:
-When I found out the Tibetan Association of Southern California was organizing a caravan to the Bay Area during my spring break, I could not pass up the offer. So, in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, sister Christine and I joined the San Diego contingent in a 14-seater van. After making it to SF in record time, we arrived at UN Plaza at Market and Hyde by noon where a boisterous rally was already underway.

-After a press conference and the opening of the Tibetan Freedom Torch ceremony, organizers released doves into the brisk mid-day sun. The international media was out there in full force. Within the first half hour, Christine was interviewed by KPFA-Berkeley. I was approached by a crew from Univision, the giant Spanish news channel. The reporter was combing the crowd for a Spanish speaker to interview. After faltering through some simple but impassioned sentences, an aide working for City Hall stopped to help me translate my message. His name was Gus, he said, and since there would be Latin American media out here today and tomorrow, it would be good to be able to speak to them! (That inspired me the following day to make my own sign: “Derechos Humanos para los Tibetanos” [Human Rights for the Tibetans]. Christine’s sign read “Paz en Tibet” [Peace in Tibet]. Our signs attracted foreign tourists and passers-by, who were all empathetic to our cause. Together with a group of some very savvy and socially conscious students from Oakland’s Skyline High School, we turned it into a chant worth dancing to! Can you imagine?)

-Not long after, hundreds of human rights activists swarmed the street to the steps of City Hall. Though the ACLU had succeeded in forcing transparency of the torch route, Mayor Gavin Newsom had yet to sign the Board of Supervisors’ resolution critical of China’s crackdown in Tibet. After organizers met to mete out security details, we proceeded to march another mile or two towards the Chinese Consulate. Our line stretched for several city blocks. San Franciscans honked their support in traffic, and above us, a small plane flew by, carrying a banner that read “Stop the Cultural Genocide in Tibet.” Considering that there had been a minor explosion at the consulate recently, we were escorted by a phalanx of police officers along the planned route.

-The whipping wind made it a perfect day for flags. The sight of so many Tibetan flags wavering was a glorious and inspiring sight. I draped one around me and wore it as a cape all day long.

-After we wound our way back to UN Plaza, there was a two-hour break. We ran into some old friends who were now living in Grass Valley. Good Morning America thought we represented a good cross section of attendees—and what’s more, we actually made it onto the show the next morning, if only for 3 seconds!

6:30 pm- Candlelights for Human Rights vigil began at UN Plaza. This was my 7th trip to the Bay Area, and for the 7th time, I was woefully unprepared for the 40-degree weather. We were eaten up by the bitter cold, but the warmth in our hearts was undeniable as we listened to Archibishop Desmond Tutu’s words of encouragement. Chris Daly, SF’s City Supervisor, was proud to announce passage of his resolution, in which the city would meet the torch with “protest and alarm.” The program included activists advocating on behalf of East Turkestan and a cultural performance. After a local group of monks broke into spontaneous prayer, Richard Gere came to read us excerpts of His Holiness’ the Dalai Lama’s most recent open letter to Tibetans. Several thousand of us shouted “Free Tibet Now!” with our voices resounding against the city’s hotels and office buildings, making the scene at once both haunting and ethereal. It was surreal. A slideshow played against a backdrop and local Tibetan band rocked out as we left for the night, vowing to rest for the next day.

-Tenpa Dorjee, our wonderful driver, took us to El Cerrito on the other side of the Bay, where we would be staying at his friends’ home. Ngawang’s spacious house offered warm food, cozy lodging, and a beautiful view of the Bay and for this we are forever grateful.

Wednesday, 04/09/2008:
-The local morning news entertained us during breakfast. Reporters stated that spectators had turned out for the torch relay as early as 5am. No disturbances to be had— yet. We took the BART down to Ferry Park, where people were broken into affinity groups. We were warned of provocations, and urged to remain calm. Tibetans from Utah, Minnesota, and throughout North America showed up to what felt like a pow-wow of indigenous spirit and resilience. By 9 am, roving groups of protestors lined up along the Embarcadero and moved up and down the sparse streets. Barricades were up and police on mounted police patrolled the corridor, but where were the anticipated crowds of spectators?

-Local Beijing supporters set up shop along the piers. They waved the Chinese flag and shook their heads, but they were largely outnumbered. Besides a few shouting matches, we were peaceful. Group leaders and monitors made sure of it. At noon, my group made it back to Ferry Park and by this time, a coalition of Darfur and Burma activist groups had total control of the streets. Darfur activists were all in green, and Burma supporters were in burgundy. We alternated our chants. From across the street, I spotted old friends from college who were now up here for work or grad school. Small world! Displays of support were creative and beautiful. We chanted. We sang. We reveled. There was a template for signs that read “Another _________ for a free Tibet.” So we had grandmas, teachers, vegans, bikers, techies, Coloradans, feminists, black males, truthers, peacers, and otherwise, sentient beings vouching for us. A little girl blew bubbles, and a marching band ensemble came to play our way to peace. Office workers in their skyscrapers waved down at us and in the midst of this, the ice cream vendor was having a good day.

Read On: Connie's Report Back

Bags Searched on Golden Gate Bridge

Protest: Tibet activists hang up banners on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Photo: Reuters

Golden Gate Bridge officer Tino Molossi peeked into Ryan Delapina's bag before allowing him to cross the bridge, then smiled broadly as a twitchy Chihuahua named "Buster" popped its head out.

"OK, looks fine to me," Molossi said Tuesday, the first day bridge officials began checking the bags of all pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the span. The move came after three protesters Monday climbed the bridge's suspender cables and erected huge banners to draw attention to the plight of Tibet.

The banners and climbing equipment were hidden in one or more baby carriages, officials said.

And with the Olympic torch making an appearance Wednesday in San Francisco, bridge officials are wary of more protesters as world attention focuses on the region.

"We will check any bags or backpacks," said Mary Currie, bridge district spokeswoman. "This will be a full-time thing for now, like you see going into ball games."

The searches will likely last through Wednesday, then will be reviewed, Currie said.

"If you decline to have (your bag) checked, you won't be allowed on the sidewalk," Golden Gate Bridge Sgt. Bill Sangregory said.

A march sponsored by the Buddhist Peace Fellowship to support Myanmar (Burma) is also planned for the Golden Gate Bridge from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday and that group, expected to be clad in red, will be asked to leave any bags behind.

The searches caused slight delays, but officials said most people were cooperative.
...
Molossi said his day had been uneventful.

"We are looking for anything out of the ordinary, signs, banners and God forbid, anything worse than that," he said. "So far I have seen a lot of lunches and work clothes."

This is not the first time bags have been searched. After the 9/11 attacks, the span's walkways were closed for almost three weeks. Once they were re-opened, bags were checked for another two weeks, Currie said.

Full Story: Marin Independent Journal

No particular reason why, this story just made me smile. This is NOT me saying I enjoy additional paranoia on the end of government officials. If anything props to the Tibetan supporters for getting their message across.

More creative displays = more media coverage of your cause.

We should learn from them.

Looks as Though We Are Down to 3439673 Reasons to NOT Shop at Wal-Mart

I stated in a previous post that there were 3439674 reasons for people of conscience to not shop at Wal-Mart. There's good news, the number of reasons has dropped to 3439673:

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is dropping a controversial effort to collect over $400,000 in health care reimbursement from a former employee who suffered brain damage in a traffic accident.

The world's largest retailer said in a letter to the family of Deborah Shank of Cape Girardeau County in Missouri that it will not seek to collect money the Shanks won in an injury lawsuit against a trucking company for the accident.

Wal-Mart's top executive for human resources, Pat Curran, wrote that Shank's extraordinary situation had made the company re-examine the situation.

Full Story: STL Today

Please do not get me wrong. We should still be avoiding Wal-Mart as though it is the Black Plague. The list of legitimate criticisms against this corporate monster is endless.

Rather this news should be seen as an inspiration, a reminder that the power of the people and bad PR is still a force to be reckoned with.

Two Minutes for Dr. Al-Arian

It's day 14 of Dr. Al-Arian's hunger strike, he's lost 25 pounds and he isn't getting the medical attention he needs. Oh and did you forget that he's imprisoned despite a jury's inability to find him guilty of anything?

You've got your wedding dress and jacket ready? Your party menu is set? Your sinuses got you down? You ready for finals?

I don't know. If I had to weigh the questions I'm scared of being asked on the day of judgment, none of the above really frightens me. The one that does:

Did you do EVERYTHING you could?

Do yourself a favor, and do something for Dr. Al-Arian.

Two ideas to get you started:

1. Please call the Butner Medical Center today and inquire about Dr. Al-Arian's health. Ask why they haven't taken any steps to give him an IV to make sure he survives. Their number is (919) 575-3900.

2. Send a letter. We've got the form, all you have to do is personalize and hit send:

To: The Honorable John Conyers, Jr. (john.conyers@mail.house.gov); Senator Patrick Leahy (senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov); U.S. Department of Justice (AskDOJ@usdoj.gov)

To whom it may concern:

My name is xxx, and I am one of the many United States citizens who are concerned about the health of this country's democratic apparatus. One striking example of the numerous miscarriages of justice, is that of Dr. Sami Al-Arian. I am deeply concerned for the health of Dr. Sami Al-Arian who currently remains incarcerated, despite the fact that he has been acquitted of all serious charges brought against him by the U.S. government. Dr. Sami Al-Arian has been on a hunger strike now for over ten days, and has been refused adequate medical care (as simple as an IV!) He is close to dying from starvation.

In the spirit of our constitution and all that it contains pertaining to the civil rights of U.S. citizens, I beseech you to take an initiative in the immediate end to Dr. Al-Arian's suffering, and to responsibly care for his deteriorating health.

Regards,
xxx


Go on, do something. We can all spare a few minutes from Grey's and Eli Stone to help a brother out.

The Forgotten Hijab Ban

By Guest Blogger Muslema Purmul

I had the opportunity to meet some French sisters who are now here with me in Cairo, and we got to talking about the issue of Islam in Europe.

It was actually really sad, hard to hold the tears as one sister (from Holland, convert to Islam) told her own story of how she would remove her scarf everyday when she entered work, so she would be left to wear only an allowed small headband just covering the front of her hair, until one day she broke down crying, and kept it on. A few days later, her boss asked her to sign some papers. She asked why, and he said "Your fired." She replied, "Allahu Akbar" and signed the
papers. "Some scholars said it's ok, I can take it off if it's a neccessity, but I just couldn't take it off another time! I just couldn't!" she said. Another sister studied and finished law school before the ban happened. She wanted to be a lawyer and defend Muslim Liberties in France, but now after the hardship getting that degree she doesn't know if she will ever be able to practice law in France, she is now studying Islamic Law at Al-Azhar. I heard stories of sisters who would break down crying outside the gates of their schools. How a sister in a private Christian school was allowed to wear hijab until parents complained and forced her to remove it. Listening to their stories, I felt like they are experiencing a daily sexual harrassment in order to go to school, go to work, and pay bills. "I feel like someone is telling me to take off my clothes, my underwear, my head is also my private part. But if the girl wants to wear a mini-skirt to school and show everything, no one punishes her. I cannot return to France, I cannot support it." She told me about a housewife, who just went to the bank to withdraw money and she was asked to leave and remove her scarf. Now, since a month ago, the hijab ban has spread to some public schools in
Holland. As we know it is still a struggle in Tunisia, and Turkey. Are other countries in the world waiting to see how the world reacts so they too can implement hijab bans? As Martin Luther King said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

I remember there was such an uproar BEFORE the hijab ban became law, and now afterwards, where are those same crowds, those same rallies, and talks? Essentially Muslim women are being deprived of one of their human rights. When does it become OK in the 21st century to require a woman to remove some of her clothes and reveal her body in order to participate in
public life? Where are the Muslim men who have gheera (chivalry) towards their women, and want to defend them from such physical harrassment, and psychological humiliation?! One sister compared the non-action with regards to the hijab-ban to the reaction people had toward the cartoons (which understandably upset a lot of people) and some countries excercised boycotts.
What about our sisters in France? How did we forget about this crime that occurs on a daily basis? Where is the body of the ummah that feels pain, when one part of it is hurt?

I'll be honest, all this time in America, I felt this hijab-ban was a crime, but I never truly felt the pain of these sisters until I heard them tell their stories. The voice that said, "I just couldn't take it off another time, I just couldn't." As a woman who wears hijab, I suddenly felt it- the depth of the crime that has been overlooked. I can't imagine being in the same situation, my impulses say, "I would rather die first than remove my hijab." So I wonder, do any of my French sisters walk around school and work feeling like they've been spiritually killed? Are they thinking about ways of "escaping France?" From my conversations with the French sisters, they are struggling to retain their sense of identity and Islamic practice. They had always faced discrimination with hijab before, but this Law has really broken the spirits of many. Some sisters just completely removed the hijab even outside of school because they couldn't cope with the feelings of living a double-life.

Again where is the heart that aches? Where is the body that rushes to reveal the pain of one of its limbs?

I bear witness as an American Muslim, we have an AMANA because of the freedom and resources that Allah has blessed us with in America, to do something for our sisters in France and elsewhere, where the hijab has been banned. May we not be of those who passed by a
people being oppressed, and we could have done something, but instead we just passed by in silence.

Can we do anything for them? Can it be taken to the United Nations? Can we hold a campaign for them? Can we access our media and political leaders? Can we do rallies or lectures? Can we engage this phenomena from an academic level? A civic level? Let's at least make a duaa, and make the intention to try and help if and when there is an organized effort to help our
forgotten sisters.

What are your ideas?

This Black Man Doesn't Die

He lives on, he lives on because he has sparked in us- the activist sort- a flame so full of fury and passion for justice and the virtue of a moral driven life- that one can not imagine the burden he carried which is now carried by thousands.

He was one, now is many. He was a man, now he is man, women and child. He was black, now he is white, yellow, red and all hues of humanity. He was a slave, and those who submit to no one have no fear. He was a martyr and in his martyrdom we learn the redemptive value of faith and how one can develop and be elevated when one sticks to their faith.

He was poor and yet so rich. He was denied an education, and yet he did not allow it to be his prison. He lived the worst of America to see that it lived a future that was best for it. He wanted to tear America apart, and yet, he realized through self growth and faith that there is more to an idea then what we experience.

"I realized racism isn't just a black and white problem. It's brought bloodbaths to about every nation on earth at one time or another. Brother, remember the time that white college girl came into the restaurant — the one who wanted to help the [Black] Muslims and the whites get together — and I told her there wasn't a ghost of a chance and she went away crying? Well, I've lived to regret that incident. In many parts of the African continent I saw white students helping black people. Something like this kills a lot of argument. I did many things as a [Black] Muslim that I'm sorry for now. I was a zombie then — like all [Black] Muslims — I was hypnotized, pointed in a certain direction and told to march. Well, I guess a man's entitled to make a fool of himself if he's ready to pay the cost. It cost me 12 years. That was a bad scene, brother. The sickness and madness of those days — I'm glad to be free of them."

If he were alive today, he would be a ripe age of 83. He, however, was murdered on February 21, 1965.

For Muslim Students, a Debate on Inclusion

The intense debate over whether organizations for Muslim students should be inclusive or strict is playing out on college campuses across the United States, where there are now more than 200 Muslim Students Association chapters.

Gender issues, specifically the extent to which men and women should mingle, are the most fraught topic as Muslim students wrestle with the yawning gap between American college traditions and those of Islam.

“There is this constant tension between becoming a mainstream student organization versus appealing to students who have a more conservative or stricter interpretation of Islam,” said Hadia Mubarak, the first woman to serve as president of the national association, from 2004 to 2005.
. . .
Members acknowledge that the tone of the Muslim associations often drives away students. Several presidents said that if they thought members were being too lax, guest imams would deliver prayer sermons about the evils of alcohol or premarital sex.
. . .
“There were drunkards in the Prophet Muhammad’s community; there were fornicators and people who committed adultery in his community, and he didn’t reject them,” Mr. Mertaban said. “I think M.S.A.’s are beginning to understand this point that every person has ups and downs.”

Full Story: NY Times

Do Something!

Do Yesi and I have your attention now?

Can you please put your hookah down, stop reading about Brittany Spears, take a break from the Wii, prick your bubbles (Orange County, Santa Clara, etc.) AND do something!

Do anything.

I have a strong feeling NONE OF US (including myself) are doing EVERYTHING we CAN for our brothers and sisters (in faith but more so in humanity) in Gaza.

You don't know where to start? You're not sure how YOU can make a difference?

Donate (Every dollar matters)

Islamic Relief - $10 million emergency appeal for humanitarian crisis
Al-Awda - You will need to specify that your donation is intended specifically for Gaza

Send a Letter to Your Elected Officials

Jewish Voice for Peace - They've even got a form letter available for you!

Sign a Petition

Avaaz - Help them obtain 150,000 signatures ASAP

Take it to the Streets

ANSWER - Protests planned in 10 cities, including Orange County and San Francisco, thus far!

Say a Prayer

Yes, it's the least you can do. It should be done in conjunction with any/all of the above. Say a prayer for the residents of Gaza as well as all other victims of oppression in Apartheid Israel and elsewhere.

This is much too easy. Do something!

How DePaul is terrified of the "F-word"

By Evan Lorendo (Senior student at DePaul)

We came to DePaul’s graduation to hold banners saying, “Tenure for Finkelstein and Larudee” and we came to support the twenty five or so graduating seniors that were to hand the president, Fr. Denis Holtschneider, a letter of disapproval instead of shaking his hand. Our plan was to hold the signs up for as long as we could, but to do it silently so we would not be disruptive; and this was actually my biggest fear-not getting the message across with tact. My fears quickly went away as I noticed that the graduation was only fractionally as formal as I expected. There were signs, banners, and airhorns- it seemed more like a party than a graduation and the administration accepted this because the moment was about the students, not DePaul.

We were there as each name was read, A-Z, holding our signs and cheering after each graduate handed the president a letter. The process worked like clockwork- the announcer would read a card, the student would walk across stage, shake the president’s hand/ give him a letter, wave to the camera, and then the next person was up. One by one each graduating senior was allowed to express themselves any way they wanted to, be it having their middle name announced, wearing sunglasses, dancing in front of the camera, hugging the president, or slapping him on the behind. Everything was fair game because this was the student’s graduation. But halfway through the letter ‘S’, there was a long pause. As a bystander, there was an obvious problem and you could see it on the announcer’s face. The student had handed the announcer a card that read ‘Norman Finkelstein’ and she did not know if she should read it or not. Finally you could read her lips on the two jumbotrons- “I can’t read this”. So the student leaned over into the microphone and screamed the words- ‘Norman Finkelstein’. At that moment you could see the demeanor of every administrator on stage change. The student made her point.

Continue article here

Go DePaul students! I greatly respect all you have done to defend and support Prof. N. Finkelstein. Student activism at its best.