On February 20, 2002 hundreds of organizers and justice-seeking participants in over 30 cities reached tens of thousand of others in this country with our message of outrage and resistance to the attacks on Muslim, Arab and South Asian immigrants. Many heard for the first time of the disappearance at the hand of the government of over 1500 immigrants, who have been held without charges for months, refused contact with family or a lawyer, and even tortured. In a matter of weeks the National Day of Solidarity with Muslim, Arab and South Asian Immigrants was brought together by student and community activists, people in the religious community, young and old-timers, many of us just beginning to learn to work together. Over 230 individuals and groups endorsed the Call for the day. Below are the stories of this effort.
ANN ARBOR, MI
Five die-hard peace activists from Ann Arbor and Detroit spent several hours in the rain, reaching the students at the University of Michigan with blue "disappeared in the USA" triangles and leaflets on the National Day of Solidarity. The organizers also distributed material calling for support of Rabih Haddad, a Lebanese immigrant and resident of Ann Arbor, who was arrested on December 14th and has been held in Michigan and Illinois prisons (in horrific conditions without adequate access to his legal team and with very little contact with his wife and four small children) since that time. Though there was some apathy, the activists also encountered a small but significant number of people who seemed genuinely concerned about civil liberties and the war, who said they planned to take further actions themselves.
ALBANY, NY
About 22 people who gather weekly for a vigil against the war in Afghanistan wore blue triangles representing the disappeared in the war against Arab, South Asian and Muslims here. They also distributed triangles to passers-by.
AUSTIN, TX
Wednesday, February 20
The Asian American Relations Group (AARG), at UT student organization, held an impromptu rally at the West Mall of the UT campus from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Speakers included Mike Corwin of the International Socialist Organization, Irwin Tang of Austin Community College, and three AARG members. They spoke on a number of issues including the State's security rhetoric, the parallels between 1942's Executive Order 9066 and the USA Patriot Act, the legacies of post-9/11 hate crime victims like Balbir Singh Sodh and Muhammed Butt, and the current detainee situation. The crowd stood around twenty, with onlookers coming, listening, and going. AARG distributed 50 Blue triangles at the noon rally and people really liked them. One of the organizers found that there was a high degree of interest among minority students, and that people didn't' realize these atrocities were going on. The Campus Coalition for Peace and Justice, the Indian Students Association, and the Indian Cultural Association were also had tables out at the rally.
Also during the day a lesbian and gay center at University of Texas at Austin, Safe Space, made up packets including the National Call and Blue Triangles, and distributed them outside the Food Court mall on the UT campus.
In the evening nearly 60 people attended Austin Against War's (AAW) teach-in "The Domestic War on Terror and Its Effects on Immigrants." The panel included Mohammed Malley of the Islamic Education Bureau, Corina Mora Farias of the Political Asylum Project of Austin, and two Arab American graduate students. Speakers included an Islamic scholar, a UT student whose family is from Egypt, an Arab-American journalism student who spoke about the media's portrayal of Arabs, and an immigration lawyer from the Political Asylum Project/Austin. An organizer described the discussion afterwards as "fantastic", and the event as "a real step forward".
A black woman who wears traditional African clothing spoke of harassment she has endured since 9/11. A Central Asian man told a heart-wrenching story about how he has been harassed by the INS in his efforts to get political asylum here. The Austin organizers have heard stories of people in Austin being questioned by the authorities, but have had a hard time finding out any information. They also did some activity with the Blue triangles.
Saturday, February 23
On Saturday afternoon, approximately 85 Austinites rallied in front of the State Capital Building in solidarity with Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and all targeted immigrants. After marching down Congress Avenue, the crowd gathered around six speakers, including Mohammed Malley of the Islamic Society of Austin and the Islamic Education Bureau, Rahul Mahagan of the Green Party, Edward Sledge of the Austin Human Rights Commission, performing artist Andre Lancaster, and Wayne Krause of the Texas Civil Rights Project. With a laudable intersection of Muslim, South Asian, and leftist communities, the crowd evidenced the value of the nation-wide call for solidarity. The march and rally were organized by the Asian American Relations Group (AARG).
ARCATA, CA
What happened here in this small city in redwood country is an example of what happened in a number of places - one or two people taking up the importance of February 20th brought many more into motion. A young woman wrote La Resistencia's National Office just a week before the National Day of Solidarity asking for information and materials. A trip to the La Resistencia web site gave her what she needed to get started. The information and the Blue Triangles were shared with the Women's Center at Humbolt State University, but then the organizer got ill. In the end she was only able to print off some flyers and triangles on February 20, which she took to the university hoping to at least affect the thinking of a few people.
She continues, "To my surprise, when I went to classes. I saw people all over campus wearing blue triangles around the neck, each with the names of the disappeared, taken from your site! I was very surprised, as I had little contact with them after I'd given them the information, being in and out of bed for days. When I went, I saw the booth they (the Women's Center) had set up with flyers and triangles and the people wearing them, it made me so happy...The (triangle) patches I had made with a friend were handed out in the community... So many people have no idea about what is occurring in our country, an d by honoring this day, people's awareness is only getting better."
ATLANTA, GA
One of the really important aspects of the events in Atlanta was that much of the prep work and actions took place in the Black community. People made a link between the exposures of racial profiling and severe repression to their own experiences, saying that they have been doing this to us for years. Thousands of leaflets got out in building for the National Day of Solidarity.
Noon on 2/20 a Speak Out was organized to start at Clark University, one of the 4 Black colleges in the historic Atlanta University Center (AUC) in Atlanta. This gathering of people traveled around the University Center with flyers and chants and more exposure, before breaking into 2 teams. The women's team split off and traveled through Spelman College (women's college in AUC) while the men went to Morehouse College (all men's college), and finally everyone met back to reach students at Clark University.
Simultaneously, another group of people gathered outside the courthouse where the trial of Imam Jamil Al-Amin (formerly H. Rap Brown) was in process. They opened up a banner with a message in solidarity with the 1200+ Arab and Muslim people who have been rounded up by the US government since 9/11 and were joined by the International Defense Committee of Imam Jamil Al-Amin who held a banner "Free Jamil Al-Amin". In spite of rain, people got out the Blue Triangle disappeared stickers and leaflets to Al-Amin supporters and others.
At 4 PM a joint Speak Out was planned. People came from Atlanta University Center, the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Refuse & Resist!, All African People's Revolutionary Party, Project South, Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, We B. SASSAFRAS, and individuals. They joined students from Georgia State, Atlanta University, and Agnes Scott College (women's college). There were about 30 people present for this event, but over 1300 leaflets got out (not many hit the ground) along with many Blue Triangle stickers. People listened intently to the messages given. They really wanted to know what was happening. Organizers were also really impressed with the diversity of participants.
In the evening, at Agnes Scott women's college the local Muslim Student Association announced the National Day as part of a Muslim Awareness Week event and encouraged the student body to wear blue triangles with names of the disappeared. They also had an information table with the La Resistencia call and blue triangle stickers. Across town, at a concert, a local industrial group called Red Square spoke briefly of the day and wore blue triangles with the names of some of the disappeared on them. Not only that, but a section of the crowd arrived ALREADY wearing blue triangles.
Truly an inspiring and resistant day in the Deep South.
CHICAGO, IL
February 20
On February 20th people came from across Chicagoland through a rainy night to attend a special event at the Universal School in Bridgeview. 150 people of diverse nationalities, faiths and political beliefs joined together to say - "We stand with our Muslim, Arab and South Asian Sisters and Brothers." This was an evening where you could look around and see many new faces, where you could feel barriers between people being chipped away, AND where you could feel a community of resistance growing.
The Bridgeview event was a powerful and on-time statement of unity and resistance with Muslim, Arab and South Asian Immigrants. Last September mobs came to Bridgeview waving US and Confederate flags and shouting racist insults. The vigilante attacks were followed by government repression. Global Relief, an international Muslim aid organization headquartered in Bridgeview which acts as a lifeline for people in many countries, was raided and shut down. Today, a banner hung on the Universal School cafeteria wall demanding "Free the 'Secret' Detainees" signed by over 70 African-American residents of Cabrini Green public housing project. Many people wore blue triangles with the names of the "disappeared" as a symbol of their solidarity with those being detained by the government. A beautiful painting depicted a young Afghani boy, unbowed, standing below a terrifying US warplane.
Manal el Hresse, a representative of the Arab Muslim community and member of various organizations, and Jeff Lyons from Refuse & Resist! Emceed the event. Speakers represented different communities and spoke with different accents. But all spoke in the language of solidarity. Nationally known poet Sammer Ghouleh read her new work, "Together".
"Together we stand side by side Against repression Together we stand side by side Like a shining star Reflecting light and hope into the world's darkness and fear... Together we stand side by side In honor of our commonality That bonds our spirits And humanity To grow, to prosper, to feel free and to always see beyond."
Sammer's reading was followed by Abdul Latif, a young Black man from Lathrop Homes housing project who recited his poem "The Revolution is Coming."
This was an evening when important new connections were made. The audience heard memorable messages of solidarity from people representing other communities who have been "disappeared" in America. Sam Ozaki, a Japanese American, told how he and his family were rounded up during WWII and forced to live in the horse stable at the Santa Anita race track before being shipped to a concentration camp. Vera Love, whose son's life was stolen by the police, urged those present to never give up the fight for justice. Lydia Taylor from the Justice Coalition of Greater Chicago spoke about how her ancestors arrived not by choice but by force. After pointing out how many communities were initially silent when Black people cried out against racial profiling, Lydia said "Allah works in strange ways" and saluted the "army" of communities that had come together on Feb. 20th.
Mahmud Ahmad of the Committee for a Democratic Palestine connected the repression facing Arabs today with how African American and Puerto Rican people have long faced racial profiling and political repression in their communities. Kate Pearson from Refuse & Resist read a "Pledge to Resist" written for the Day by Travis Morales. Travis was an initiator of Feb. 20th and is a member of La Resistencia and supporter of the Revolutionary Communist Party. The pledge closes by saying: "I pledge and commit myself to people here and around the world to work tirelessly, to unite with thousands, tens of thousands and ultimately millions, to stand up to whatever the government may throw at us, to do whatever is necessary, so that together, we can stop these and all attacks on Muslim, Arab, South Asian and all immigrants."
The audience also heard moving messages from: Basman Dahleh, representative From The Bridgeview Mosque Foundation; Andy Thayer of the Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism and the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network denounced the government "kidnapping" of Rabih Haddad who is now being held at MCC. Chris Geovanis from Indy Media/Hammerhard Productions and "Women in Black" called for a moment to honor the 26 martyrs killed in Palestine within the preceding 24 hours. A woman from Evanston Neighbors for Peace put out a call for "Collateral Compassion, " demanding that the Red Cross support families of those killed by the "hate-backlash murders" in the wake of September 11. Jim Fennerty of the National Lawyers Guild announced the translation of a pamphlet on immigrant rights into Farsi, Arabic and soon Urdu.
Others who spoke were Khalim Khan from the Pakistani American Council; Janet Hoch from "Not In My Name" a predominately Jewish group opposed to Israeli occupation of Palestine; Nawall from the Arab-American Action Network, whose center had been hit in an arson attack in December; Karen Danielson, a Muslim teacher from Universal School; Sam Ackerman representing the KAM Isaiah Israel congregation; Helene Bellour from Oak Park announced a petition denouncing post 911 repression. Fisal Hammouda told a powerful story of how he came to the US from Egypt. He left the audience with this advice: "We've got to stand up. Unless we all stand up together, then we're going to be defeated one by one by one by one by one. I don't want to be that one. I'm sure you don't want to be any of those ones."
CLEVELAND, OH
Organizers in Cleveland as elsewhere were enthused with the success of their event. The Northeast Ohio Radical Action Network (NEO-RAN) held a coffeehouse at Pilgrim Church and around 30 people attended. A number of people read their poetry. A member of the RCYB played the Internationale on his sax and dedicated it to the people of the world. The letter from Rabih Haddad (in detention in Chicago) was read and people wrote messages of solidarity to him on a big piece of butcher paper, which will be mailed to him. The pledge of resistance written by Travis Morales was read, along with the statement from South Asians against Brutality and Racism. A leading local women's activist invited people to take part in International Women's Day which will focus on the hypocrisy of the US saying that they bombed Afghanistan in the interests of women. There were rep's present from the Cleveland Non-Violence Network (which holds weekly vigils against the war), the New BPP, the InterReligious Task Force, Anti-Racist Action, Revolution Books, Burning River Revolutionary Anarchist Collective, People's FightBack Center.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, NY
The past few weeks at Columbia have brought about some disturbing tendencies on our campus. Coach Hill, the men's basketball coach, called a Cornell band member a "faggot". A swastika was painted on the doors of the law school. Anti-PLO chalking littered campus walls and sidewalks. In response to the hate and intolerance, a group of concerned students met to discuss what necessary actions must be taken as students to address the greater problem of silence around hate. We decided that in solidarity with the National Day of Solidarity with Muslim, Arab and South Asian Immigrants, we would coordinate a Speak Out to bring attention to the detention and the violation of basic civil rights for over 1500 Muslim, Arab, and South Asian Immigrants as well as the fact that our campus continues to breed capitalist, homophobic, xenophobic, racist, sexist, classist, and nationalist acts of intolerance.
On February 20th, we placed blue triangles, with incidents of anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim/Arab/South Asian attacks since Sept. 11, all around campus. We also distributed blue triangles and informational flyers about the rally downtown and about our on-campus follow-up event (2/25). Through interactive art we asked people to think about questions posed: "what makes you a target?" "Who/what is your community?" "What acts of hate have you participated in/been a victim of?" Through our open mic Speak Out people were given a safe space to tell their own experiences.
One student read a letter written by a detainee. Another talked about her own experiences and closed by reminding us that speaking about the hate and intolerance that we have experienced on campus is an act or resistance, an act of war against a system that intends to silence us. An administrator reminded us that what is happening to the Arab, Muslim and South Asian communities is a historical extension of what has been happening in the US since the Native populations became victims of mass genocide, cultural, psychological, and physical, when the first "conquerors" stepped on to the shore. The US has a policy of detention and destruction.
Overall, the response was pretty positive. People stopped to listen, pick up flyers, and read literature. The night before, we were a little concerned because members of the Jewish community at Columbia responded to our flyers that listed anti-PLO chalking as "hate" with emails critiquing our stance. It had been a deliberate move on our part to put both incidents with the swastika and the anti-PLO chalking together to hopefully draw connections between the two. We are having a follow-up discussion on 2/25 from 7:30-9:30pm in Earl Hall on campus. Hopefully, it will be a positive discussion with a lot of input from all sectors of the Columbia Community.
COLUMBUS, OH
The Committee for Justice in Palestine sponsored a rally for the National Day of Solidarity in the center of the campus at Ohio State University. About 30-40 people showed up from 4 to 6 PM, during which time we displayed a banner saying "1500 Disappeared, National Day of Solidarity with Arabs, Muslims, and South Asians", and had an exhibit of 6 mannequins dressed up in prison gear to symbolize the detainees (the mannequins thrown out by the gap and newly liberated from sweatshop clothing!). We passed out flyers or the Refuse and Resist statement, information from DRUM, and ways to help the detained victims. The overall response from the public was good. Many people came and asked questions, and most people read the flyers after being given them, (which is not always the case). Even the sun came out between heavy rain in support for the cause, and rumor has it that the storm knocked down a fence at a prison in Mansfield, I think, in support also!
DETROIT, MI
Dearborn, Michigan is home to one of the largest Arab communities outside the Middle East. Despite occasional outbursts of rain, 65 people demonstrated outside Dearborn City Hall. The participants included anti-war/anti-racism activists, some well-known Black and Chicano activists, anarchist youth, members of the RCYB, and a wide spectrum of people from t he Arab community. Young Arab women were in the forefront, leading chants and waving their signs so that people passing by in cars could not fail to take notice. A beautiful banner reading "Solidarity with Muslim, Arab and South Asian Immigrants", featuring a large blue triangle, had been donated by a local Arab-owned sign-making company.
Arab youth building for the National Day of Solidarity had also proposed that there should be a demand to the Mayor of Dearborn and the U.S. Congressperson in the district to take a stand against the racial profiling, indefinite detentions and persecutions. Also, members of Censored Arab Artists of Detroit brought a graphic representation of the many disappeared for whom we were demonstrating: several shirts on hangers, attached to poles. A large blue triangle on each shirt bore the words: "Missing in the USA."
Speakers included representatives of The Committee to Free Rabih Haddad from Ann Arbor; The Triangle Foundation-Michigan's largest advocacy and human rights organization for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender; ACCESS (the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services); The Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality; and The Detroit Anti-War Network.
The Pledge of Resistance written by Travis Morales was read to the protesters and received enthusiastic applause. Everyone was wearing a blue triangle.
EVANSTON, IL
The Unitarian Church of Evanston Peace and Justice Committee made an announcement about the National Day of Solidarity at church on Sunday 2/17 and set up a table with literature and the blue triangles. Organizers said that lots of people seemed interested in participating. Especially surprising for them was the number of teens who were concerned about what was happening to Muslims, Arabs and South Asians.
FREMONT, CA
Organizers held a press conference in front of a church in a predominantly Afghani neighborhood that was covered by the San Jose Mercury News, a San Francisco all-news radio station, a Pakistani weekly and Chinese daily paper from San Francisco. They were impressed with how sympathetic some of the reporters were, and generally pleased with the coverage. The media liked the Blue Triangles worn by attendees. Now the organizers are discussing the possibility of pulling together a regional strategy conference.
FRESNO, CA
50-60 people held a candlelight vigil at a local mosque. The Imam (Muslim cleric) spoke, as did the president of the local American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, and a Muslim woman. Leonel Flores, of the San Joaquin Valley Committee for Immigrants Rights spoke in Spanish, which was translated into English.
All 3 network affiliates showed up. One station showed some of the speakers and the Blue Triangles as people read the names of the detained off of them. The station also showed Anglo and Muslim children standing together holding candles. The local paper, The Fresno Bee, had a photo and a one -paragraph article.
Participants included people from the anti-war group Peace Fresno, Women's International League for Peace & Freedom, San Joaquin Valley Coalition for Immigrants Rights, the Green Party, and someone from the Unitarian Church. About one-third of the group were Muslims from the mosque. People felt really good about the event, and the Muslims were very appreciative of the support. One of them contrasted that to the lack of support for the Japanese who were interned in the US during WW2. One participant said we should write Ashcroft asking about the situation of the people who we know have been detained. The event ended with a chance for the Muslim and non-Muslim participants to get to know each other, and enjoy food prepared by members of the mosque.
GREENSBORO, NC
A speak out on campus drew 25-40 people, many for whom this was their first event. One of the organizers was a Palestinian student who earlier in the semester had set up checkpoints on campus, where they stopped students and asked them to show IDs, to show people this is what we have to live with daily. Jessie and Calvin Stewart spoke to how their son had been killed by racial profiling, and how what was happening to Arab people is the same thing. Organizers for the day included Cop Watch, the Triad Anti-War Committee, Greensboro Peace Coalition, White Folks Against Racism, and the October 22nd Coalition.
HONOLULU, HA
At the University of Hawaii, students from Refuse & Resist! passed out the Pledge of Resistance signed by their organization and an open letter to the President and Chancellor of UH denouncing the university's cooperation with the INS in providing names of its foreign students. Hundreds of Blue "disappeared" Triangles went out to students who attached them to backpacks and clothing. There was an unexpected amount of interest in the attacks against Muslim, Arab and South Asian immigrants.
At noon R&R! activists went to the Administration Building to deliver their open letter, but not before wrapping the building in red "danger" tape and posting a large reproduction of the letter to President Dobelle, along with the Pledge of Resistance and posters saying "Stop the Attacks on Immigrants".
Through a lot of red tape, the determination of these activists forced the administration to meet with them, and ultimately to admit turning over the names of foreign students along with other personal information. The Vice President of External Affairs and University Relations, Paul Costello, tried to confront R&R! about its aims but the students turned the tables, asking what Costello thought of the war and the fact that UH was turning over names of students. He pretended to know nothing. And he was followed by Chancellor Deane Neubauer, who thought to "chat" with the students about the complexity of the situation. However he was soon challenged to drop the bullshit and talk about "what's right." At this point his real views began to surface as he spoke of how refusing to turn over names would endanger the university's ability to obtain visas for foreign students as well as federal funding for related programs.
The students' high vision again challenged the university leaders to do what was right regardless of the legal consequences or financial risks, recalling the experience of the Japanese and the Jews during World War II. In the end the chancellor and Vice President of Student Affairs agreed to find out what other universities were doing, in an effort to set up a coalition of colleges that will refuse to share information on foreign students. They also agreed to come to the next R&R! meeting, to hear from others and share their findings. R&R plans to invite members of the faculty and student body who have condemned UH's complicity with the attacks on immigrants to also attend.
HOUSTON, TX
Close to 200 people packed the Art Car Museum, the location of a provocative art exhibit on America's "Secret Wars", and itself the target of a Secret Service visit. The event was an impressive display of broad unity by different organizations, many who had never worked together before. People were really excited about the success of the event, which was pulled together in only 3-and -a half weeks! Between 5 & 6,000 flyers were distributed, people heard about it from two shows on the Local Pacifica station, from email lists, the local Indymedia site, or picking up flyer at a coffee shop or at the Texas Medical Center.
Almost everyone entering the event put on the Blue triangles with the names of the detained. The reading of the National Call for the Day kicked off the evening. Later, about 100 people took a Pledge of Resistance read by Travis Morales that had been distributed earlier--and some wore Blue Triangles saying, "I Pledge to Resist". Joe Vail, an immigration attorney, and Fernando Colon, a Prof. of Law at Texas Southern University, a historically black college both spoke about the history of oppression of immigrants in the US, and the recent legal attacks such as the PATRIOT Act. Various testimonials were read including from a Japanese American woman who was interned during WW2. Njeri Shakur, spoke of the unity of interests between African-Americans and those being targeted after 9/11, and about how the wars of the US victimize both the youth here who are made to fight them, and come home damaged by the experience, and the people they are sent to fight.
Solidarity messages were given from a wide variety of organizations that helped build the event, and exciting cultural performances, included a Middle Eastern dancer and a family who performed Polynesian dances accompanied by drums and guitar. At least half the crowd was youth, several of whom stepped forward with powerful poetry and spoken word set to music. A local Native American poet also performed one of her poems and gave a solidarity message.
The Arab, Muslim, and South Asian communities, while not present in large numbers, helped to make the event a success. A Muslim artist displayed his works of calligraphy, which highlight passages form the Q'uran. Thousands of flyers for the event were taken by stores for their customers. The response in the community was enthusiastic. Many people told us "This is so important that you are doing this!" All of the food at the event was donated by businesses owned by people from the communities under attack.
In addition to the main event, Amnesty International at University of St. Thomas flyered, and handed out blue triangles on campus. On Feb 19th---the anniversary of Executive Order 9066 which began the mass roundups of 120,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans during WW2, there was a program at Lee College in the Houston suburb of Baytown. Travis Morales was the featured speaker.
KENT STATE UNIVERSITY, OH
The National Day of Solidarity was sponsored by three student groups at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, Muslim Students Association, Student Anti-Racist Action, and the Kent State Anti-War Committee (KSAWC). Blue triangles were distributed amongst students and faculty to be worn on February 20. One community member volunteered to make triangle patches out of fabric to be sewn on to clothing and be worn as a lasting statement of resistance. Tables were set up on at two different locations to create a visible presence on campus, distribute information and facilitate discussion and awareness.
To coincide with the Day of Solidarity two pieces ran in the Daily Kent Stater, an independent student newspaper, one announcing the event and one denouncing the treatment of immigrants. Students from KSAWC made presentations to a number of classes, and one member of MSA was interviewed about the day of solidarity on 90.3 FM in Cleveland, a local NPR affiliate. Said one organizer, "The overall response was very positive. I even spoke with some members of the College Republicans here at Kent who had publicly supported the measures taken against immigrants and was able to convince them to acknowledge the injustices that were taking place. That may not seem like a lot but have you talked with any republicans lately?"
LOS ANGELES, CA
There was a candlelight vigil in LA on February 20. Approximate 70 people attended. There were blue triangles with the names of the "disappeared" that people held as signs. "There was a beautiful wreath that was brought to remember the death of Rafiq Butt-the Pakistani man who died in custody. There were lanterns and candles all around the wreath that made for a striking reminder of what has happened to the "disappeared." Lots of people wore Kafyehs in solidarity. People came from many different organizations.
We had a short rally that began with a reading of the Call for the National Day of Solidarity. After that, we spoke out aloud the names of the disappeared, and people responded by saying "Disappeared in the USA." Stephen Rohde was the first to speak. He talked about how we are not going to say we didn't know, and he took the Niemoeller quote, and after each sentence he asked the people to say "we will speak out."
One of the speakers was Reverend Richard D. Meri Ka Ra Byrd, an African American who is the head of a church in LA that was recently set on fire in the midst of preparations for October 22nd, the National Day of Protest against police brutality. He talked about slavery, and how his ancestors were treated. He said they would not want what happened to them to ever happen to anyone else, and that they would want him and others to speak out.
A statement of solidarity by Rabbi Steven Jacobs was read: "I endorse this event and the National Day of Solidarity and the importance of this day in our journey of understanding. The test of America is whether we can fully understand and integrate the religious and cultural communities in each of our cities in America. This is a wonderful beginning, and I bless this day."
Joe De La Plane - of the ANSWER/Student org. spoke about the non-compliance campaign students are waging on campuses to stop the administration from giving information about immigrant students to the authorities. Henry Howard of Refuse & Resist! read a moving poem against the war and someone else read one of the stories of the disappeared. A representative from Women and Men in Black LA talked about the struggle of the Palestinian people. Lucas Martinez, of Libros Revolucion, read the pledge that Travis Morales had sent.
An Egyptian woman also talked about how she had been to the Dachau, and never thought she would have to think about anything like that happening again. She said she could be one of the disappeared, and how sad it is this situation exists. She said we need to unite to change that.
LAS VEGAS, NV
Lots of action from the new generation in Las Vegas! A young woman got some blue triangles to her friends at school who then took it upon themselves to cover the bathrooms on their campus, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV) and pass them out all over school. A youth from Refuse & Resist! got out 50 triangles on his campus. His school is an all male private school and by the end of the day it became a social question and he was able reach many of his fellow students with the cold truth about the ongoing war and domestic repression. One kid ended up hanging out with him all day and now wants to join R&R. Another high school student who is an independent media activist got out some triangles on her campus on the day and wants to continue to pass out more triangles after Feb. 20. She said a lot of people had a lot of support for what this day meant and were appreciative of what she was doing.
Also two young women set up a table outside their student union with the blue "disappeared" triangles and lots of other information. There was interest but also some questioning. One issue they were concerned about is the feeling of Black students that racial profiling was for a long time not paid attention to when they were having to confront it.
MIAMI, FL
Blue "disappeared" Triangle stickers were passed out and worn by some of the marchers in a demonstration of over 300 people on Saturday, February 23, in front of the INS building in support of nearly 200 Haitian refugees being held indefinitely at Krome and other overflow prisons. Most of the marchers were Haitians, but there were also a lot of African-Americans and Latino workers from the carpenter's union local. The Latinos all wanted to get the blue triangle "illegal" button as well.
NEW YORK, NY
On Wednesday, February 20, 2002, about 400 people gathered outside the INS building at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan. The list of speakers included Uzma Naheed, whose husband is in detention. Her son also spoke. Different speakers also read testimonials that were gathered from people in detention. Speakers included Bobby Khan, Pakistani Community Activist, Miguel Maldonado (Immigrant Workers Association), Emira Habiby-Brown (Arab American Family Support Center), Janet Yip (daughter of Japanese internment survivors and member of Refuse and Resist), Carlito Rovira (Vieques Support Committee), Monami Maulik (Desis Rising Up and Moving), Saikou Diallo (father of Amadou Diallo), King Downing, (ACLU), Debbie Almontaser (Muslims Against Terrorism), Omar Mohammedi (CAIR-NY), Samia Halaby from Al Awda, Chaumtoli Huq, (SAAAC), Mahmoud Ramadan, Immigration Lawyer and representative of Palestine Aid Society, Carl Dix for the October 22nd Coalition and Dr. Mansoor Khan (Help and Hope). Some notable people in the crowd were Juanita Young, mother of Malcolm Ferguson, and Lucy Turull, whose son Jovan Gonzalez was beaten by a racist gang. This rally was the beginning of an attempt to bring different forces together to fight the repressive immigration policies and civil rights abuses that are coming down on us.
There was a lot of print and broadcast media there, including ABC News, New York 1, WNYC radio, WBAI, a number of Asian media, such as Ming Pao Daily News, Chinese World Journal, TV Asia, India Abroad, Tokyo Broadcasting System, Akhon Samoy, and Muslims USA. A Lebanese TV station, El Diario and many other small and ethnic press came. So far, we have reports of coverage on the popular all news station New York 1, CNN, WBAI, WNYC Radio, World Journal, a photo and caption in Newsday, El Diario, and ABC (although this hasn't been verified yet.)
The march up Broadway was very spirited and loud. Along the way people passed out a statement and a Know Your Rights list, with resources and clearinghouses to groups collecting data and doing community organizing around this issue. We ended our march at Washington Square Park, surrounded by New York University.
We have reports that there were many other related events going on that day including a speak-out at Columbia University and a panel discussion/press conference hosted by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
That evening, some of the people at the rally gathered in a restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, in a neighborhood where 60 families in a ten-block stretch have had a family member detained. There is also in the works a plan to reach out to broader forces with a large cultural event, sometime in March.
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, STILLWELL, OK
The newly formed chapter of R&R! went around the OSU campus and handed out a flyer about the day and what the blue triangle meant. In a message about their new efforts they said, "We handed out the blue triangle. And we wore some on our shirts. We got some mixed responses but some people were interested. It was a tough crowd. This small town in Oklahoma is generally not very open-minded. In the Student Union there are bulletin boards that a lot of people look at so we put up all the left over blue triangles on them and it looked powerful. We watched it for a few minutes and people were reading the triangles."
PALO ALTO, CA
At the weekly gathering of anti-war/anti US terrorism groups at Lytton Plaza in downtown Palo Alto, organizers and activist took up the Blue Triangle and popularized it's meaning to passers-by. Later students and others from this city linked up with R&R! folks in San Francisco and ended the day with plans for further organizing.
PHILADELPHIA, PA
With only 7 days of organizing, Philly had 50-75 people for a vigil at the INS building. Everyone wore blue triangles around their necks with the name of one of those disappeared in the government round-ups. Each person read the name on their triangle, and went up to write that name on one of 2 gigantic 6' Blue Triangles. People then proceeded to The Friends Center for a mini-rally with more speakers, SoRiMori, Korean drummers, and to watch a video exposing hate crimes against South Asians. Speakers on the day included someone from the Arab community, a representative from a Hispanic law organization and Refuse & Resist. People want to continue working together.
PRINCETON, NJ
Two women wore the blue "disappeared" triangles to work and instigated some important dialogue with fellow employees, and their employer, and folks who were "conferencing in" that day. The participants had hoped to unite 10 women to take this action. Nevertheless all these women are continuing to talk about how to stand for what they believe in, in spite of the intimidating climate. Below, one of the women talks about her experience in taking this action.
"The project was smaller than I had hoped, with only two of the ten women actually wearing the triangles. Interesting new phase in the group's conversation: what was scary about this and how can we help each other take stands that are scary? And as one of the two women, who wore the blue triangles, I can tell you it was scary. I have all kinds of experience taking stands in public places like the newspaper and on street corners and in public forums, but it is another thing altogether to take this kind of stand in a semi-public domain, where so many friendships, connections, and your paycheck are at play!
"Caroline and I fielded about a dozen curious questions each about what the blue triangles and the names were about, and except for one or two cases, all received our explanations with interest. It certainly livened up a meeting I was leading when my boss asked in the middle of the meeting, "What IS that thing?" I had both NJ people and people from the West Coast by conference call in the meeting. I am sure they were completely surprised by my statement that this was the name of a man detained in the Guilford County jail, one of over a thousand in the US, with no charges, no trial, no idea when he is getting out, simply because he has been caught up in the anti-immigrant sweeps. At the end of the meeting, I was passing out some academic articles I wanted the group to read - they are about white privilege, written for academics - and it was clear that my boss was hitting his limit of political activism in the work place. After the meeting was over, he proceeded to trash the articles - not having read them. Later, however, we reconnected on this subject, and the conversation is continuing.
"Caroline has had some very intense subsequent interactions with a man who was her boss in a former position, and it's really hard between them at the moment.
"I had a tough moment when a new friend of mine who is an Israeli Jew wanted to know about the triangle. She heard my explanation and said something like, 'that's interesting'. The next day we had to drive to a conference together, and though we did not talk about the triangles, we did talk about oppression in general and the need to stand up for what you believe in. The day after that, she directed me to a play she had seen about apartheid in NYC, which I did get to see on Saturday. It's clear she has a sense of justice and more room to talk than I had thought.
"So, that's the story - I am guessing that some 50-60 people learned something about the detainees and had a moment to consider whether it matters how they respond to this."
REDLANDS, CA
A man from Redlands, CA wore the blue triangle to work. He said that many people questioned him about the triangle and wanted to know more about it. He said people were curious about it and when he explained what it was about, they said they expected this from him since, he was politically involved. But, he got both good and bad feedback, which made him content.
SAN ANTONIO, TX
Saturday, Feb 9th: In the spirit of the National Day of Solidarity, the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center and a local anti-war coalition organized the showing of People and the Land, a film on occupied Palestine, the apartheid conditions that exist there and the role of the US in this situation. A local mosque got the word out and over 200 people attended, a large number from the Arab/Muslim community. The filmmaker, Riad Bahhur, participated in an afternoon discussion of the film and what is happening today in the occupied territories. Several days later leaders from a local Jewish community center were met with and their concerns of bias were responded to with a suggestion that they also show the film, and have a discussion of its content.
SAN DIEGO, CA
On Wednesday, February 20th we took an important step in the fight against the injustices that our Muslim, Arab and South Asian sisters and brothers are enduring here in the United States in the wake of 9/11. Throughout the day, La Resistencia / San Diego and the Muslim Students Associations at University of California at San Diego and San Diego State University set up tables and spread the word on campus. We had stories of the detained on display, as well as fliers and the blue triangles with their corresponding stories to distribute to the students who passed through the area. We definitely made an impression on those who we encountered.
In the late afternoon the Islamic Center of San Diego, a focal point of Islamic activity in San Diego county, welcomed a delegation of people who had come together for the National Day of Solidarity locally. Those of us who are non-Muslim wanted to show the Islamic community that we will not stand by and watch as they, their friends and their families are being persecuted and disappeared. We were invited to observe and learn more about their religious practices as they held an evening prayer service. This was followed by a reception where a teacher from the Islamic Center spoke on behalf of the Muslim community and expressed deep gratitude for our outreach. A statement by Randall Hamud, attorney for some of the detained people from San Diego, was read, saluting all participants in the National Day of Solidarity. A member of La Resistencia read the Pledge of Resistance, written by Travis Morales.
An activist in the movement to free Leonard Peltier spoke on behalf of the Peace and Freedom Party in SD about people's responsibility to stand with our Muslim, Arab and South Asian sisters and brothers at this time. A sister from the MSA at UCSD spoke about how she had felt that no one outside the Muslim and Arab community really cared about the persecution that people are feeling, until she met people from La Resistencia who wanted to unite people to fight this climate of suspicion and persecution.
A reception followed during which Muslim and non-Muslim people mingled, got to know each other and discussed what needs to be done.
Later that same evening the Muslim Students Association at SDSU put on another event. It was a film showing about Islam and there was a delicious feast of foods from Islamic countries. Many people wore blue triangles.
A few days after 2/20 the following editorial appeared in the Daily Aztec (official SDSU student paper) attacking the Muslim Students Association and the National day. People are responding!!
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Morning:
Classes in the SF Bay Area - a member of the Japanese American Citizens League who was a former internee of a WWII concentration camp spoke to two sessions of students, a total of approximately 90 students. The speaker gave a moving and powerful as well as graphic presentation about his family experience - the humiliation, the conditions in the camps - and emphasized that this should never happen to anyone else.
Two Psych classes - South SF community college - 40 students: Students were shocked to hear that thousands of people have been rounded up and held in custody with no charges and the stories of the disappeared. The letter from Dr. Rabih Haddad who is currently being held in detention in Chicago since 911 was particularly compelling. Students expressed their anger and shock that the US would treat someone like this.
Noon - UC Berkeley - Sproul Plaza: 20 students - the RCYB, Refuse & Resist Youth Student Network were joined by Students for Justice in Palestine and If Americans Knew. They leafleted the crowd; distributed blue triangles about the disappeared, agitated on the bullhorn about the meaning behind the blue triangles and the stories of the disappeared. One Arab American student recounted the fear he and others have faced since the aftermath of 911. Many students were shocked to hear the stories of the disappeared. One student said that now is the time to take action, because tomorrow may be too late. At one point the UC Police tried to move in and arrest the agitator with the bullhorn but the people quickly came to her defense and backed them down.
24th Street and Mission, SF: 20 people distributed blue triangles and hundreds of flyers to passers-by. Members from Mujeres Unidas and the SF Women Day Laborers join the students and other activists on the street corner to show solidarity with the Arabs, Muslims and South Asian immigrants by helping to distribute flyers. Many people expressed their indignation the way the Arab and Muslim community is being treated. There was a sense from a number of people talked to that what is happening to the Arab, Muslim and South Asian community is a threat especially to immigrants more broadly. Some of the Latino immigrants expressed gratitude that people were out there raising this issue and informing the public.
A Oakland High School: 4-5 teachers took up the National Day of Solidarity, talking to their students about what is happening today with Arabs, Muslims and South Asian immigrants and comparing it to what occurred during WWII with the incarceration of the Japanese/Japanese Americans in concentration camps. Several Middle Eastern and European high school students actively took up the distribution and wearing of the blue triangles with the names of the disappeared. The wearing of the blue triangles provided a way to discuss not only the war but other related issues as well.
Afternoon:
SF Federal Building: 90 people attended. The crowd was very multinational, broad and diverse. A group of students came from Stanford University who were very moved by the whole event and hooked up with the R&R YSN to find out in what ways they could organize something similar on their campus. A couple of students from City College SF and SF State who belong to the Muslim Student Association came and now want to organize a blue triangle day on their campus. A high school teacher came directly from school with several of her students.
Speakers lined up in front of a big backdrop display highlighting: 1943 Warsaw; the evacuation of Japanese/Japanese Americans in WWII; Executive Order 9066, which led to the round of Japanese Americans, and the present situation - along with the words of the national call - "What would you have done then. What will you do now?" A line of multinational youth wearing black clothing with giant blue triangles hanging from their neck, each with the name of the disappeared was particularly striking Everyone in the crowd proudly displayed a blue triangle with the name of someone who has disappeared.
Speakers: Ma'ad, Arab American Anti Discrimination Committee SF; Riva Enteen (SF National Lawyers Guild) who brought up the importance of saying NO to the FBI and INS and that it was important that there be people who are a buffer who stand in the way of those coming under attack. Yuri Kochiyama (revered activist and former internee of WWII concentration camp) spoke about her personal and family experience of WWII concentration camp and connecting it with today's current situation and how important that we never forget and never forgive what the government is doing. Lisa Maldonaldo (Field Director of ACLU NC) spoke about the Palmer Raids, racial profiling and issues raised in the Patriotic Act. Rosalyn Chan (Asian Law Caucus) brought out some of the hate crimes committed against the South Asian community and the experience of scientist Wen Ho Lee. Iman (Grassroots Organizers from the Muslim and Arab community) gave a very personal experience of what happened to her that day and also her experiences of interviewing those detained for alleged INS violations. Jeff Adachi (former Chief Attorney from the Public Defenders Office in SF) spoke of how he didn't learn about the WWII concentration camp experience until he was in college because his parents were ashamed to discuss it with him. He encouraged others to be part of this important struggle to stand with those under attack. Siri Magerin, family friend of Irdriss Stelley who was killed by the SFPD, gave a short moving account of the brutal death of her friend and how this ties in with the brutality the government is committing here and elsewhere. Xochitl from Refuse & Resist! also spoke. Again and again people emphasized the urgency of the situation concerning war and repression and that this did not begin with 911 and how important it was for people to stand up with the people of the world.
Also in the crowd were students, activists, federal and state building employees, Muslims, Arabs; students from UCB, Stanford, SF City College and SF State, high school students as well as others who came to represent like former SF Supervisor Harry Britt as well as other groups like Global Exchange, SF International Action Center; Socialist Workers Party, WarTimes and the Partisan Defense Committee.
PRESS: The organizers of the demonstration would like to thank the SF ACLU office for sending out the press release to their press list. It was mainly due to this kind of assistance that organizers were contacted by ABC World News Tonight who informed the PR person of a show they were pulling together to highlight the detainees and wanted to weave in the National Day of Solidarity.
KPFA morning show host Philip Maldari announced the day as well as Living Room host Kris Welch. KPFA had a program featuring Dr. Haddad's wife and mentioned that it was a National Day of Solidarity with the disappeared.
KPOO Reggae Show encouraged folks to come out to the protest as well as played special songs on their program in solidarity with the people under attack.
The national day was promoted by Global Exchange calendar of events posted on their web site as well through email alerts from SF Indymedia; Asian Pacific Islanders Coalition Against War; Global Exchange, National Lawyers Guild, SF ACLU and was posted in alternative newspapers like the SF Bay Guardian as well.
PRESS WHO CAME: SF Bay City News KCBS radio SF Examiner SF Indymedia (who posted it for 2 weeks on their web page) MSNBC Channel 26 - Chinese News TV Station Asian Week newspaper Channel 7 - ABC East Bay Express newspaper Frontiers newspaper Channel 4 - KRON TV Associated Press Revolutionary Worker newspaper
Organizers also wish to especially thank Krishna Copy in Berkeley for their contribution of xeroxing flyers that were used to promote and build for the day and to Revolution Books in Berkeley and Walden Pond Bookstore in Oakland for hosting blue triangle making parties. We would also like to thank Peter Maiden of SF Indymedia for posting his photos on the www.sfindymedia.org and on www.peacenet.org web page for informing many others about this important day.
It was a good day for the people!
SEATTLE, WA
On February 20th, we started the day off at Noon at Red Square on the University of Washington campus where students from the UW Coalition against the War hosted a Speak Out. About 50 people participated by stopping to listen over the course of the hour and a half and many more took flyers. A number of Arab and South Asian students told us they were really glad to see this happening. Speakers talked about the urgency of the situation, the importance of not being silent. The statement by Amadou Diallo's father was read and a sentiment stressed over and over was that people did not want to see a repeat of the Japanese internment. One woman spoke passionately about needing to speak out now that she knew what was happening--that we can't look the other way and pretend like we don't know. People also spoke about the need to protect the right to dissent and oppose the new McCarthyism. People wore large and small blue triangles and held a green banner with the name of the day, decorated with more blue triangles. A photographer from the Associated Press came and took pictures (though we haven't seen any of them printed anywhere). It was also covered by the Univ. of Washington school newspaper and announced at the top of the list of their daily calendar of events.
In the evening, 50 people attended a community forum with speakers from the ACLU, Arab American Community Coalition, Hate Free Zone Campaign, the Somali community, and R&R! The forum was also filmed for a Somali cable access program. The ACLU representative, a law student, spoke about the danger of the USA-PATRIOT Act. The Somali speaker exposed some of the hate crimes happening against Muslims in her community--such as the stabbing of a Somali woman in traditional dress by a white couple walking down the street. The speaker from the Arab American Community Coalition and Hate Free Zone spoke of the case of Pastor Rabih Haddad and of their group's experience setting up a hate crimes hotline after 9/11. He said they were surprised when many of the calls they got were not reporting problems with other people, but problems with the police and FBI. The R&R representative spoke about the urgent need to build a movement of resistance in these historic times. The speakers were followed by open discussion that continued later at a potluck organized by students at UW. One of the main topics of discussion was the relationship between the war and domestic repression.
We were a little disappointed at the small turnout for the community forum, mostly because we did more outreach than ever before. We visited mosques, a Somali community center, leafleted at important spots, sent out calendar announcements and press releases, got flyers in businesses, and more. Plus, we got such good responses! A Somali man came out of a business and gave us a $5 donation, about 70% of the businesses on the main strip of the University District posted flyers in their windows and on their walls. But the next day we got a call from the speaker for the Arab American Community Coalition who thanked us for letting him be a part of this important event and said that he understood we were disappointed about the turn out but that he thought it was good. He said that people in his group that didn't attend the events were wearing blue triangles all day and getting into discussions with people. So now we've summed up that we should really count everyone who got a flyer, heard about the day, wore a triangle, whatever, as a participant in the Day of Solidarity and realize that we reached a lot of people.
Our next plan is to march with the blue triangles on March 8, International Women's Day. There is an anti-war march organized by women as part of IWD and we will be going to the INS Detention Center on the march route.
ST LOUIS, MO
In St. Louis, activists passed out l00's of blue triangles at schools, churches, mosques, lectures and other events, in the days leading up to Feb. 20th. They asked people to call in or email them to register that they were wearing the blue triangles. 182 people registered with them in this way. Their names, along with local endorsers of the Feb. 20th call, were listed on the press release that was sent out to announce the day. The press release explained the significance of the blue triangle, and said that the 100's of people you see walking around St. Louis wearing them are prepared to talk to people about it, feel free to ask them.
While this was the main action of the day, organizers also held a vigil downtown. It was rainy, windy and cold, so only 20 people attended. However, press showed up -- there was AP, Kmart's Radio (local talk radio, CBS); Pacifica Radio, 2 local TV stations (NBC, CBS). There were interviews and photos taken. The visual at the vigil was a large 8 foot blue triangle, with the 42 names printed on it.
TUCSON, AZ
An activist against the militarization of the US/Mexico border in Tucson attended a V-Day march to hand out Blue Triangles and talk to people about the attacks on middle eastern and South Asian immigrants. She's making plans to hit a peace fair on Saturday 2/23 and to have the Blue Triangles and literature prominently displayed at her group's table
[posted 4/5/02]
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