HUDSON VALLEY ACTIVIST CALENDAR
Sept. 8, 2010, Issue #646
Send event announcements to jacdon@earthlink.net
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1. Update Sept. 11, March & Rally Against Anti-Muslim Bias
2. Important Update About Oct. 2 Buses to Washington Rally
3. A few new Hudson Valley events
1. UPDATE SEPT. 11 MARCH & RALLY
IN NYC AGAINST ANTI-MUSLIM BIAS
Several seats are available on a chartered movement bus that will pick up passengers in New Paltz who wish to attend the New York City rally and march against racism and anti-Muslim bigotry this Saturday, Sept. 11. Round trip fare is $25. Contact us immediately by email at jacdon@earthlink.net if you want a reservation, leaving your name, town, email address and phone. We'll get back to you quickly.
In yesterday's calendar, as we urged support for the rally and march, we noted that "rightists are organizing rallies this Saturday on the 9/11 anniversary, including in New York City" against the proposed community center, including a mosque, two blocks from Lower Manhattan's Ground Zero. Both rallies will be fairly close to the intended community center site.
A story we received today from Inter Press Service tells us more about the anti-Muslim event, which is led by ultra-conservatives Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer, who have "been praised or supported by a number of prominent far-right or neo-conservative personalities and groups," such as the Center for Security Policy," former UN Ambassador John Bolton of the American Enterprise Institute, "the David Horowitz Freedom Center, the Middle East Forum; and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies."
The rally "will also feature Geert Wilders, the controversial Dutch politician who has been denounced by the ADL and other groups for Islamophobia, and members of the English Defense League, a British far-right group" said to be an offshoot of the neo-Nazi British National Party. "Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is believed to be preparing a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 and who delivered an incendiary speech against the proposed Islamic centre at AEI, originally agreed to participate in the rally but subsequently withdrew."
The article pointed out that "Leaders of some three dozen mainstream U.S. religious denominations today condemned what many commentators have called a rising tide of Islamophobia touched off by the recent controversy. The group, which included national leaders of the Muslim and Jewish communities, as well as from the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox churches, declared:
"We are profoundly distressed and deeply saddened by the incidents of violence committed against Muslims in our community, and by the desecration of Islamic houses of worship. We stand by the principle that to attack any religion in the United States is to do violence to the religious freedom of all Americans."
We urge regional progressives who oppose racism and anti-Muslim bigotry to join the march and rally for peace and social justice. Participants will gather in Manhattan on the east side of City Hall at Centre and Chambers Sts. for a 1 p.m. march to Park Place and Church St. for the rally. The event is organized by the Emergency Mobilization Against Racism and Anti-Islamic Bigotry, an ad hoc coalition of over 60 groups including International Action Center, National Assembly, Gabriela Network USA, New York City Labor Against the War, World Can't Wait, Al-Awda NY-Palestine Right To Return Coalition, several organizations from the Albany area and Women in Black Westchester. Information, (212) 633-6646, http://iacenter.org/muslimsolidarity.
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2. IMPORTANT UPDATE ABOUT VALLEY
BUSES TO OCT. 2 WASHINGTON RALLY
It looks like buses will be available in much of the Hudson Valley, thanks to the trade union movement, which is strongly backing this demonstration. Boarding locations, prices and departure times vary. If you want to travel to D.C. and back Oct. 2 to attend this historic rally, email Sue DelGiorno of the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation. She is coordinating buses in the region. Send your name, town and email address to her at sdelgiorno@hvalf.org. She and other union people are working out the logistics. (Several readers sent us their information yesterday, and we have passed it on to the HVALF, so they needn't worry.) DelGiorno's phone number is (845) 567-7760. Act soon before the buses are filled.
Over 150 organizations in a new liberal-leaning coalition named One Nation Working Together are calling the Washington demonstration, which is conceived as an answer to the Tea Party and the right wing, and is obviously intended to build support for the Democrats a month before the elections. The coalition calls for "putting America back to work, quality and affordable public education, and equality for all." The coalition also has an antiwar component, One Nation for Peace, and many peace groups will take part. Website information: http://onenationworkingtogether.org/?page_id=4, http://www.onenationforpeace.org/.
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3. ADDITIONAL EVENTS (see Calendar just below this one for yesterday's full listing)
Friday, Sept. 10, NEW PALTZ: A vigil with signs in support of ending the blockade of Gaza and the occupation of the Palestinian Territories will take place 3:50-5 p.m. in front of the Elting Library, 93 Main St. (across from Starbucks). Information, EKassirer@aol.com.
Friday, Sept. 10, NEW PALTZ: The documentary "Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup" will be screened at 8:15 p.m. at the Elting Library, 93 Main St (at North Front St). This free public movie is an alternative account of the attack on the Pentagon and World Trade Center nine years ago on Sept. 11, suggesting that a U.S. government conspiracy — and not an action by al-Qaeda — was responsible. The showing is sponsored New Paltz Neighbors for Peace. Information, Tellall45@yahoo.com.
Sunday, Sept. 19, SARATOGA SPRINGS: A Peace and Justice Fair in celebration of International Peace Day will be held 12 noon-4 p.m. at the Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church, 24 Circular St. We're told, "Over 40 organizations will have displays and workshops about social justice issues, and how to get involved and make a difference." Sponsored by the Congregational Church and the Saratoga Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Information, (518) 584-0902, linda@scolex.org.
