-Please forward widely!-
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A SF HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HEARING
"Community Concerns of Racial and Religious Profiling, Surveillance of Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian Communities and the Potential Reactivation of SFPD Intelligence Gathering."
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2010 - SF CITY HALL - ROOM 416 - 6PM
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Dear Friends & Community:
Next week, on THURSDAY, SEPT 23, 2010-Muslim, Arab, Central, and South Asian community members will testify before the SF Human Rights Commission (HRC) about their experiences being profiled by US law enforcement because of their race, religion, and national origin.Local civil rights & legal groups continue to receive ongoing complaints from individuals in the community regarding humiliating instances of discrimination, profiling & surveillance by law enforcement agents at their places of work, their schools, homes, and at the border & airports when traveling. There is great concern that such grave civil liberties and human rights abuses are becoming an expected norm in the community.WE NEED YOUR TESTIMONY & SUPPORT to bring an end to this bigotry, & to bring equal treatment to all.This upcoming hearing is an initial effortto document & create a record about current and historical instances of profiling and surveillance of Central/South Asian, Arab, and Muslim communities in the US. This record will help assess the impact of bias law enforcement and government practices on our communities to better inform solutions and strategies to combat the abuse.
WE ARE ASKING THE COMMUNITY TO HELP SUPPORT THE HEARING BY:
1) TESTIFYING ABOUT PERSONAL EXPERIENCES-
IF YOU, YOUR ORGANIZATION or YOUR CLIENTS:
· Have been questioned by agents from the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)...
· Have experienced Airport, Border or Travel Harassment, Questioning & Searches...
· Encountered Police Discrimination...
· Were Victim to the 1993 SFPD - ADL Spy Scandal...
· Targeted by the IRS/US government as a result of your political views/humanitarian activities...
2) ATTEND the Hearing or SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY
3) FORWARD this Email
PLEASE CALL US TODAY TO SIGN UP TO TESTIFY!
Summer Hararah | 415.848.7714 Asian Law Caucus: | or email: summerh@asianlawcaucus.org
Nour Chammas| 415.861.7444 Arab Resource & Organizing Center | or email: info@araborganizing.org
Each individual will be allotted 2 minutes to present their testimony. Youth Encouraged to Testify. Written and Confidential Testimony Accepted
Members Include: CAIR, Asian Law Caucus, Arab Resource & Organizing Center, Arab Cultural & Community Center, Bay Area Somali Community, Bay Area Association of Muslim Lawyers,ASATA & more (www.safesf.org)
Hearing will include testimony from brave impacted community members as well as community leaders & activists that include: Dr. Hatem Bazian, Imam Zaid Shakir, Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, Monadel Herzallah, Michel Shehadeh, Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi, Karen Korematsu, daughter of Fred Korematsu, Veena Dubal, Julia Mass, ACLU Northern California, ACLU Oregon representatives & more.
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