Today is the 70th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066, which cleared the way for the forced removal and incarceration of more than 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry 11,000 people of German ancestry (including Jews) and 3,000 people of Italian ancestry. This anniversary is being commemorated by Japanese American communities all over the U.S.

Photo taken by my grandfather Hiroshi Takayama in the Topaz internment camp

Press Release from American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Contacts: Elissa Steglich, American Friends Service Committee, 973-854-0268
Chia-Chia Wang, American Friends Service Committee, 646-509-3860

Record Deportations under Obama a Sign of Lost Moral Grounding

Any loss of life through indiscriminate violence is to be mourned and its perpetrators brought to justice. But the value of life and the principle of justice do not only apply to American citizens. Without liberty, there is no life, without life there is no liberty.

This year, Easter was a powerful metaphor for the anniversary we celebrated on the same day last Sunday. April 12 was also a turning point in Farouk's struggle, one which could well be described as a man who laid down his life for others emerging from a tomb.

Please join Pax Christi NJ, AFSC Immigrants Rights Program, IRATE & First Friends and over a dozen other religious and civic organizations on Friday April 10th from 1-3 pm for a prayer service in solidarity with immigrants & protest of Amtrak and Greyhound?s cooperation with DHS.

We will gather at the park outside of Newark Penn Station at the corner of Market St. and Raymond Plaza West.

Background

Last week, with some further coaching from Michael Kuzma (member of Leonard Peltier's defense team), I wrote and faxed in my Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) appeal asking a judge to order the FBI to release the 893 pages of Farouk's file they're withholding.

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