Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Action Alert!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
|---|
| Saleema |
| 12/04/00 at 19:35:46 |
| In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful CAIR ACTION ALERT #277 MUSLIMS ASKED TO CONTACT CONGRESS ABOUT H.R. 5500 Proposed legislation would target Palestinians (WASHINGTON, DC - 12/4/2000) - Muslims are urged to contact the House Judiciary Committee about legislation that would require the Justice Department to set up a special office exclusively targeting Palestinians. The Justice for American Victims of Terrorism Act of 2000 (H.R. 5500), introduced by Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ), would "require the Attorney General to establish an office in the Department of Justice to monitor acts of international terrorism alleged to have been committed by Palestinian individuals or individuals acting on behalf of Palestinian organizations and to carry out certain other related activities." (To view the text of H.R. 5500, go to http://thomas.loc.gov and search using the bill number.) One of the bill's three co-sponsors is Rep. Rick Lazio (R-NY). During his unsuccessful Senate campaign, Lazio attempted to link American Muslim leaders and groups to acts of violence in the Middle East. Muslims say this tactic amounted to Islamophobic "McCarthyism." Another co-sponsor, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), has been a key supporter of the use of secret evidence in INS deportation hearings. (Secret evidence is used almost exclusively against Muslims and Arabs.) He has also called on President Clinton to free Jonothan Pollard, a naval analyst who was convicted in 1986 of transferring classified information to Israel. Weiner has been quoted as saying: "The potential for positive developments in the Middle East peace process that would result from releasing Pollard cannot be understated." He recently sponsored legislation to cut U.S. aid to the Palestinians. In a 1999 commentary, Weiner wrote: "It is time that the House of Representatives takes steps to demonstrate our loyalties to Israel." Vaguely-worded provisions in the legislation include a requirement that the Justice Department permanently station "an appropriate number of United States officials in Israel, in territory administered by Israel, in territory administered by the Palestinian Authority, and elsewhere, to the extent practicable." IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be firm, but POLITE. Hostile comments will be used to harm the image of the Muslim community.) This legislation has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Contact the committee chairman to express your concerns. (H.R. 5500 will probably have to be re-introduced in January.) Even 20 calls, faxes or e- mails will, inshallah, have an impact. CONTACT: The Honorable Henry J. Hyde Chairman, House Judiciary Committee Room 2138 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC, 20515 TEL: 202-225-3951 FAX: 202-225-7682 E-MAIL: Judiciary@mail.house.gov COPY TO: cair1@ix.netcom.com URL: http://www.house.gov/judiciary/ TALKING POINTS: * An inevitable result of the bill's passage would be government monitoring of non-violent critics of Israel in this country. * By placing American personnel in Palestinian territories, America would be put in the position of helping to enforce Israel's brutal occupation. * It is unconscionable to propose legislation that targets a specific religious and ethnic group. * If the true intent of the legislation were to monitor foreign terrorists, it would impose requirements on the State Department or the CIA, not the Department of Justice. * Any Justice Department office created by the bill should also monitor the documented torture of American citizens in Israeli prisons and the use of American weapons to kill Palestinian civilians. - COPY, POST, DISTRIBUTE, AND ANNOUNCE - ----- CAIR Action Alert Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) 453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, D.C., 20003 Tel: 202-488-8787 Fax: 202-488-0833 E-mail: cair1@ix.netcom.com URL: http://www.cair-net.org |
| NS |
Individual posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Jannah.org, Islam, or all Muslims. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the poster and may not be used without consent of the author.The rest © Jannah.Org |