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 is a call to action for all-out support on Tuesday, May 10th for the Muslim American Society (MAS), which is attempting to build a new mosque in Sheepshead Bay, and their attorney, NYC National Lawyers Guild Executive Committee member Lamis Deek. Both the MAS and Ms. Deek personally have come under vicious, racist attack by right-wing extremists, who have brought suit in Kings County Supreme Court to enjoin construction of the mosque. Some additional background information can be found here: stopislamophobia.org

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

...Now is the time to act. The status quo has shifted, and people are energized and open to new ideas....

by Jane Guskin and David Wilson, NACLA Report on the Americas January-February 2009

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.

August 1-7

Two Boots Pioneer Theater

155 East 3rd Street (between Avenues A and B)

NYC

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