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| The Fighting-Bigotry-with-Delightful-Posters Campaign: "Guys! As of Sept. 2014, a really lame group of bigoted folks got together to post a bunch of hateful and defamatory ads about Muslims all over the New York City subway system. In response, we thought, why not post our own ads? Ads that aren’t hateful, but totally loving, hilarious, and/or ridiculous... We’ll be putting up posters throughout the New York City subway system, which transports over 5.5 million people a day. We’ll get a lot of eyeballs and by the time we’re done, well, NYC straphangers are gonna..."...READ MORE |
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/05/us/us-is-trying-to-counter-isiss-efforts-to-lure-alienated-young-muslims.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=LedeSum&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
Dear Editor,
I doubt extremists opting to admire IS/ISIL/ISIS/Islamic State/Da'esh propaganda go from being happy well adjusted kids to being homicidal maniacs in a blink. Perhaps the Obama administration, the F.B.I., the and other federal agencies, as well as concerned parents and community leaders and schools can work together to create an invasion of age appropriate memes and posters to help counter the hate mongering and misinformation campaigns which convince vulnerable youth to believe the worst about America and American ideals.
And perhaps corporate executives pocketing huge fortunes rather than paying their workers better wages, can help America's economy grow by voluntarily paying workers better wages so that all local school districts are much more likely to have the funds for teachers as well as for art, music and athletic programs. Different children have different needs and different gifts. There won't be one magic answer, or one perfect meme, but there can be a concerted effort to do better for everyone by everyone.
Giving credit where credit is due, I confess I borrowed the basic idea of countering hate with a meme or a poster from the brilliant Dean Obeidallah, a Palestinian/Italian/American lawyer turned political comedian and writer who uses his talent, his wit and his good humor to help combat Islamaphobia and pervasive misinformation about Palestinians. Last year he came out with a great comedy documentary THE MUSLIMS ARE COMING! which was crowd sourced by KickStarter. This year he launched a light hearted albeit very serious Comedy Jihad to counter hate monger Pam Geller’s subway and bus poster campaign . Obeidallah says "I defend Geller’s right to spew hate. I despise it with every fiber of my being, but freedom of speech is vital to our nation.".... so he is using free speech to counter the hate, creating ads in a Fight Bigotry with Delightful Posters Campaign. Now that's a magnificent way to win a war of ideas!
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
NOTES
Tala Haikal: "It may not be possible to immediately free all the kidnapped girls and women due to the scope of the conflict with ISIS and the geographical dispersal of the captives in various locations. Some of these women and girls can be freed only once ISIS is destroyed."
UN report spotlights 'staggering' Islamic State atrocities in Iraq... "The group, which is fighting in Iraq and Syria, has carried out a wide range of atrocities, including mass executions, abductions, rape and other forms of sexual and physical violence against women and children"
"There is a vicious circle of mutual self-reinforcement between state and society failure on the one hand and the rise of extremist non-state actors on the other." Ziad Asali: Confronting ISIL: The Day and Decade "After"
USA Today... Sweden PM says nation will recognize Palestinian state: "It doesn't change a thing on the ground," Ibish said. "It changes the number of countries that have recognized the Palestinian state. It changes the Western commitment to a two-state solution, (and) it does put more pressure on Israel to make concessions."
Vatican seeks Mideast Christians' right of return
Salam Fayyad: How To Fix the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
Excellent letter in the Guardian by Chris Doyle: Trouble and shock in the West Bank
STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries
US sharply criticizes new Israeli housing project
Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon
Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity
Normalizing Intelligent Conversations, Diplomatic Support, and Hope for Palestine... ATFP Panel Briefing: Israeli-Palestinian War in a New Regional Landscape.
ATFP... American Task Force on Palestine
ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians
To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali
International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2014
UNRWA photo and film archive for Palestine refugees
About UNWRA: ’The Long Journey of Palestine Refugee Women’ candidly portrays the lives and experiences of Palestine refugee women, this collection is a testament not only to their own strength and dignity, but also to the richness and resilience of their community.
Walking Palestine & The Abraham Path... a creative space for stories that highlight the unique culture, heritage and hospitality of the region
It's time for Palestinians and Israelis to share a just peace... It's time for freedom from occupation... It's time for equal rights.... It's time for the healing of wounded souls..... World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel: "Let my people go!"... 21 - 27 September 2014 An initiative of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches
Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.
1948
Time and time again I have watched the cycle of incitement and spin sabotage support for Palestine
Clarifying why Arab and Muslim Americans should be smart rather than stupid
Live by the Golden Rule
An Anne Frank Moment ... a poem by Anne Selden Annab
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?
America/Israel/Palestine 1776
America/Israel/Palestine 1948: All
human beings are born free and equal in
dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and
conscience and should act towards one another in a
spirit of brotherhood.
The Golden Rule...
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
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