An informal blockade preventing Russia and other countries from getting civilian medical supplies and drugs from the "West," with possible disease "blowback" eventually, and now the USA, Germany, and others have halted funding for UN aid to civilians in Gaza over Israeli allegations that 12 UN employees participated in the al Aqsa Flood operation. Coincidentally these new allegations came out around when the ICJ ruling against Israel was released, and the Biden administration is going along with Israel on the UN. The Biden administration's actions have resulted in many deaths in Ukraine and Palestine, though continued economic warfare under the Trump administration might have resulted in many deaths in Venezuela, Cuba, DPR Korea, etc. and Afghanistan was still occupied. A week or two ago there was a report about the need for permafrost data from Russia – I didn't hear the details, but which side is blocking scientific cooperation? In recent years the US has been cutting off cooperation with China and Russia, in some cases seemingly just to snub. The BBC is going on today about the Avon company still making new hires in Russia, and so companies might voluntarily boycott Russia:
usrussiaaccord.org/acura-viewpoint-krishen-mehta-us-sanctions-policy-endangers-global-public-health/
The NC Green Party's Facebook announcement:
March and Rally for Palestine – We Charge Biden, Baldwin, Tillis, and Nickel With Genocide
\Sunday, January 28th at 3pm at Raleigh's Moore Square (201 South Blount Street), posted on the 26th at 2:25pm
"Whatever the weather, we're marching together.
Genocide Joe Biden, Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, Senator Thom Tillis, and Wiley Nickel had time to call for a ceasefire. We marched in Raleigh, wrote letters, called, emailed, showed up to city council council meetings, and went all the way to DC. Perhaps the ICJ has shown them that there is truth to the words that we have been speaking.
The fight is not over. The Palestinian people need us now more than ever to continue to speak truth to power. We have to continue to speak out against this genocide and all others while holding those in power accountable for the atrocities against the people.
www.veteransforpeace.org/pressroom/news/2024/01/15/veterans-peace-condemns-us-bombing-yemen
The first official VFP Statement of 2024, released January 15th:
Veterans for Peace Condemns US Bombing of Yemen
Calls for an Immediate, Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza
Veterans For Peace unequivocally condemns the US/UK bombing in Yemen, which constitutes a dangerous widening of the war. Instead of pressing for a Ceasefire in Gaza, the Biden Administration is using its military forces to facilitate Israel's genocide.
The Houthis have clearly stated that they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and that their Red Sea campaign will end when a Ceasefire is achieved in Gaza.
The US is an active participant in Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people -- it is providing bombs, targeting assistance, and political cover, while it threatens nations who might come to the defense of the Palestinians. The US is now bombing multiple cities in Yemen and undoubtedly killing many Yemeni civilians in the process.
As detailed on Democracy Now, four consecutive US presidents have now bombed Yemen, including providing bombs and refueling Saudi Arabian planes that were attacking Yemen from 2014 until recently. Indiscriminate bombing and an illegal naval blockade have led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Yemenis, primarily children. Just not on our TV and mobile phone screens.
US troops in Iraq and Syria and on ships in the Red Sea are sitting ducks -- targets for the outraged resistance of those who are fed up with US and Israeli aggression. How many US troops have been wounded or even killed in the last three months? There is reason to believe that this information is being withheld by a Biden Administration that doesn't want us to know the true costs of the dangerous game it is playing.
We call for the withdrawal of all US forces from the Middle East, particularly in light of Iraq's demand that U.S. forces must finally depart from their country, and considering the ongoing illegal US military presence in Syria.
As veterans of too many US wars and interventions, we call on our brother and sister GI’s to find ways to disengage from illegal US wars and war crimes. We will support you in any ways that we can.
Veterans For Peace demands:
STOP US/UK BOMBING OF YEMEN!
BRING ALL OUR TROOPS HOME!
PERMANENT CEASEFIRE IN GAZA!
NO MORE US WEAPONS TO ISRAEL!
Robert F Kennedy Jr.: Free Julian Assange / WikiLeaks Exposed Deep State [1/26-27]
| Dear [ ], |
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| Julian Assange, founder and publisher of Wikileaks, exposed the U.S. Deep State. |
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| Assange uncovered and exposed a cache of hundreds of thousands of pieces of information, including the hiring of child prostitutes by Defense Department contractors, friendly fire incidents, human rights abuses, civilian killings, and use of psychological warfare by the United States. |
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| The U.S. military-industrial complex charged Assange with 17 counts under the Espionage Act for alleged obtainment and disclosure of classified national defense information. If convicted, he could serve up to 175 years behind bars. |
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| The Deep State wants to silence Assange because he dared publish news—albeit news that was inconvenient to the U.S. Security State—that exposed their horrendous misdeeds and lies. |
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| President Trump’s administration brought charges against Assange over WikiLeaks' 2010 publication of cables leaked by the U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, which detailed war crimes committed by the U.S. government in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, detention camp. |
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| The leaked materials exposed instances of the CIA engaging in torture and rendition. |
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| WikiLeaks' "Collateral Murder" video also showed the U.S. military gunning down civilians in Iraq, including two Reuters journalists. |
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| And the U.S. Department of Defense, whose crimes and human rights abuses Assange exposed multiple times, seeks a life sentence for Assange and a continual cover-up of their very real crimes. |
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| As President, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will stop any and all attempts to extradite Julian Assange to the United States and drop all charges against him. RFK Jr. will also seek to expose the crimes of the Deep State: the NSA, FBI, DOJ, CIA, and numerous other agencies who are violating the norms of civilized society and our Constitution. |
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| Please support RFK Jr. today with a gift to help him win the White House in November and expose the Deep State. Help RFK Jr. free Julian Assange. |
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| Any amount you can give will help us sustain the incredible momentum we’ve built together! |
UIC Police Use Excessive Force against Palestinian Students
Washington, DC | www.adc.org | January 22, 2024 – ADC is troubled by the findings from the recent Independent Civilian report and the CBS Chicago investigation on the November 14 arrest of a Palestinian American student by the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) police. The report details how UIC police racially profiled its student body and subjected a Palestinian American UIC student to a harrowing eight-hour arrest experience for defacement, only to end up dismissing the charge. It is worth noting that the CBS Chicago investigation found that despite more than a hundred calls reporting incidents of defacement, “the student is the only person who has been arrested for defacement on campus in years.” CBS footage of the arrest reveals an officer referring to the student, who wears the hijab, with racially charged language (i.e. she is wearing “a head-dress thing”). It also shows that the facilities worker who reported her to the police went out of his way to follow and then report her, all of which confirms that she was targeted precisely because she is Palestinian, Arab, and/or Muslim.
First and foremost, UIC must hold their police accountable and take responsibility for its excessive and dehumanizing response. This includes actively pursuing policies which would end the racial profiling of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students in order to ensure that the UIC campus is safe for our community.
On November 14th, 2023, a UIC student accused of writing “Free Palestine” in permanent ink was arrested by campus police. The arrest came after the student was racially profiled and stalked by a UIC staff member. The student was then subject to a humiliating arrest inside her classroom and in front of her peers and professor. She was then driven to the UIC police station where she was held by herself in a cell without windows, searched, and questioned before being informed of her rights. The student was held for 6 hours before being transferred to a Metra police station for fingerprinting. Body-camera footage released after the incident indicated that at least one UIC police officer thought her transfer to the Metra police station was unnecessary and that she should have been released earlier.
ADC urges UIC to implement the following recommendations:
- Issue a formal apology to the student and the Arab American community on campus, coming from both the police and the administration.
- Ensure UIC’s Arab American Cultural Center has the resources needed to support students during times of grave trauma and engagement with racist stereotypes and actions.
- Commit to ensuring that MENA students are accurately counted so that the campus adequately meets their needs.
- Commit to partner with community members and faculty experts studying the Arab region and Arab Americans in the development of policies and practices related to Palestinian and Arab students on campus.
ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub said, “UIC administrators cannot sweep this incident under the rug. It has never been more dangerous to be a Palestinian or Arab student on college campuses, and the overreach by UIC police is an extension of the targeting that ADC has seen nationwide. We fully expect the university to take the recommendations put forward in the report seriously and incorporate them into its actions moving forward.”
UIC is currently under federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for allegations of discriminating against Palestinian students, following a complaint submitted by Palestine Legal.
Michigan! Take Action and Ensure the Arab American Vote is Not Diluted
Washington, DC | www.adc.org | January 18, 2024 – The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) is currently reconsidering the state legislature districts that would represent the greater Detroit metropolitan area, including Dearborn. ADC is calling on all of its Michigan members to email the commission and demand that they empower Arab American voters.
The MICRC’s goal is to empower Black voters in the area, whose power was unconstitutionally diluted in the previous process, but the maps being considered by the commission are doing so at the expense of Arab American voters. They are currently discussing maps which break up Arab American voters into three or more districts. Dearborn, Michigan has the most concentrated population of Arabs in the United States. By fragmenting the voting block, the commission would dilute the community’s voting power and deny them representation that reflects their interests.
Tell the MICRC Not to Fragment and Dilute the Arab American Community
ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub said, “It is unconscionable that in the process of empowering one minority community, the MICRC would fragment and dilute the voting power of another. Arab Americans, like all Americans, deserve representation that reflects them. The commission must consider maps which allow our community to stay and vote together.”
ADC has also submitted its own initial comment to the commission calling for the consideration of maps which ensure the long term representation of the Arab American community by those that mirror them and their interests.
ADC and MCL Submit FOIA Requests - Demand Info on Biden Admin's Role in Social Media Censorship on Palestine
Washington, DC | www.adc.org | January 12, 2024 – Yesterday, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and Muslim Counterpublics Lab (MCL) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Biden Administration for all information about its coordination with social media companies regarding content hosted on social media platforms related to Palestine, Israel, and Gaza.
The targeting of pro-Palestinian users and content has spiked since the events of October 7th, resulting in the removal of thousands of posts containing vital information from the ground in Gaza, as well as the removal of user accounts. Both ADC and MCL are concerned that the Supreme Court’s October 20 ruling, which lifted restrictions imposed by lower courts on the Biden Administration’s ability to encourage social media companies to remove content, has led to direct governmental involvement in this targeting and removal, and in violation of Americans’ First Amendment rights. Since December 30, ADC has received over 1,100 reports of social media censorship and suppression.
The FOIA request is the first step in holding the US government accountable for its role in this clear pattern of discrimination and complements ADC’s engagement with social media companies.
ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub said, “This comprehensive request covers the breadth of any potential involvement by the Biden Administration in the widespread attack on anyone speaking up for Palestinian rights. It is a serious issue, and one we are committed to fighting.”
Sanaa Ansari, Director of the Digital Spaces Project at MCL, said, “Access to information on the ground in Gaza - where billions of American tax dollars are spent in military aid to Israel - is a critical part of an informed citizenry and functioning democracy, and shapes the narratives the public comes to trust. We are concerned this administration may be obstructing the free speech rights of Americans through the targeting of social media users and content.”
ADC Press Contact: media [at adc org]
MCL Press Contact: Media [at muslimcounterpublicslab org ]
Breaking: Appeal Challenges Arbitrary Suppression of Pro-Palestinian Speech By Meta
Washington, D.C. | www.adc.org | January 9, 2024 - Yesterday, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) filed an appeal to the Meta Oversight Board challenging Meta’s suppression of non-violent, activist speech on its Instagram platform. Representing activist Shaun King, Attorney Abed Ayoub, the National Executive Director of ADC, and Sara Elizabeth Dill, a London-based human rights lawyer and partner at Anethum Global, argue that Meta has arbitrarily limited speech by those working in support of Palestinians and who are demanding a ceasefire and an end to the genocide that is occurring in Gaza. In Mr. King’s case, Meta has removed content and shut down an account with over 5 million followers – an action it took on Christmas Day. Meta’s targeting is not limited to Mr. King -- many other Pro-Palestinian activists are experiencing removal of their posts or restrictions on their accounts.
A copy of the brief can be found here. The appeal asks for access to meaningful review and a remedy, an unbiased and informed determination of content removal, a reform of policies that do not put the thumb on the scale of opposing sides in international affairs, and the restoration of this account.
The brief makes three primary arguments. First, Meta has arbitrarily and erroneously removed content through “emergency” policies which by its own admission were applied in a discriminatory fashion and often by automated (artificial intelligence) reviews. The use of these discriminatory applied policies are leading to the shutting down of accounts that advocate support for Pro-peace and Pro-Palestinian causes. Their censorship and suppression of speech extends to non-violent language, similar to the that utilized by Mr. King. Given Meta’s role in facilitating critical debates over human rights and democracy, their behavior is a threat..
Second, Meta has attempted to insulate its internal decisions from review by the Meta Oversight Board, despite the Oversight Board’s stated purpose of helping Meta “answer some of the most difficult questions around freedom of expression online.” The Oversight Board is intended to provide a check on Meta’s decision about content. In this case, after Meta suspended Mr. King’s account, their outside legal counsel communicated that Meta’s position is that because Mr. King no longer has an active Instagram account; he is ineligible to appeal decisions on content removal, or erroneous determinations of community guidelines violations to the Oversight Board. Meta has effectively rendered the Oversight Board obsolete with this trick, using it only as a shield against criticism while quietly removing its power.
Third, Meta’s protocols lack any transparency for what groups are labeled as dangerous, preventing users of its platforms from knowing what content or actions will be considered a violation, and therefore cannot be supported. The vague Dangerous Individuals and Organizations (DIO) policy is regularly used to deem content and accounts in violation of community guidelines. The lack of transparency and vagueness of the DOI policy will easily result in a massive abuse of power across all Meta platforms.
ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub said, “Mr. King has used his platform to raise awareness about the genocide happening in Gaza to his millions of followers. It is no surprise that his account was targeted and ultimately suspended by Meta. His is the most high-profile case of Meta’s censorship – unfortunately his case is not the only one. Our office has received thousands of complaints from Palestinian and Pro-Palestinian users, all of them facing clear examples of censorship and suppression. The scale of Meta’s attack on speech, particularly that which uplifts the humanity of Palestinians, is staggering, and should be of concern for all users of their platforms. We are committed to ensuring that Meta is held accountable and stopping them from continuing this practice of censoring and suppressing those who courageously speak up for human rights.”
The Meta Oversight Board was established to ensure that Meta complied with international human rights law, especially as to freedom of expression, and its obligations under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals governing businesses and human rights. The Charter establishing the Board states its purpose is to ‘protect free expression by making principled, independent decisions about important pieces of content and by issuing policy advisory opinions on Meta’s content policies. The board will operate transparently, and its reasoning will be explained clearly to the public” and “provide an accessible opportunity for people to request its review and be heard.
To contribute to ADC’s legal efforts on fighting back against the censorship and suppression, please consider making a contribution today by clicking here.
If you have experienced an issue with your social media account, please fill out this intake form.
ADC Statement on Social Media Censoring and Suppression
Washington, DC | www.adc.org | January 8, 2024 – Over the past few weeks ADC has been closely monitoring the increased censorship and suppression of Palestinian, Arab and Pro-Palestinian voices by social media and tech companies. Since December 30th, we have received over 1,100 reports from users facing issues with censorship, with a majority of the complaints against Instagram which is owned by Meta. ADC is also receiving complaints about censorship/suppression on X (formerly known as Twitter), TikTok, and LinkedIn. Many of the complaints are from individuals who have been deplatformed and permanently banned from their accounts.
There is no doubt that there is a concerted effort to silence and punish anyone posting against the ongoing genocide of Palestinians. ADC legal will continue to gather intakes and respond to everyone who has reached out with an issue, and to ensure that any appropriate action is taken on their behalf. If you have submitted an intake please note that your matter has been recorded and we will follow up. In order to streamline the intake process, ADC has created a dedicated form that you can access by clicking HERE.
Censorship of user accounts can happen in many ways, including limiting features a user can access. An example of this is not being able to comment on posts, or follow new people. Users with larger accounts are being prevented by Meta from collaborating with each other, using the live feature, and are also having their accounts demonetized. ADC is in communication with Palestinian journalists who have seen a significant decrease in the reach of their posts – a form of suppression intended to minimize the reach of voices from within Gaza.
The rules and regulations being used by these platforms to censor are vague and not clear. The use of Meta’s Dangerous Individuals and Organizations (DIO) policy has been widely used by the platform to issue millions of violations which often leads to suspension and banning from their platforms. To complicate the matter Instagram and Meta both have different versions of the DIO policy. ADC is working directly with a number of users who have been deplatformed because of this policy.
Through our initial review of the intakes received it is clear that the automated mechanisms in place by these social media companies are open to abuse. Bots are often responsible for flagging thousands of posts at a time, feeding into the biases that can be found within the artificial intelligence (AI) systems used by the companies. Further, there is no indication that human reviewers are given explicit bias training, or have an understanding themselves of the rules and procedures they are instructed to follow.
Our initial review has also shown that many users are not familiar with their rights/options to file an appeal or challenge to any violations. At Meta this is largely due to the fact that many users are not notified when they are flagged for a violation, which runs against the company's community guidelines and regulations.
ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub said, “The scale of this censorship is unprecedented, and should be a serious concern for everyone who believes in freedom of speech, expression, and supporting human rights. We will explore all possible avenues to address this issue, and will not back down to big tech.”
If you have experienced an issue with your social media account, please fill out this intake form.
ADC Statement on Senate Watchlists and Screenings Report
Washington, DC | www.adc.org | December 19, 2023 – Earlier today, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) published a report on the terrorist watchlist and government screening. After reading the report, ADC finds it to be a comprehensive, balanced, and fair assessment and critique of the government watchlist and screening program. ADC commends the commitment and hard work of the HSGAC committee staff and Senator Gary Peters (D-MI). Throughout the investigation, HSGAC staff was in constant communication with ADC for feedback and insight. Our contributions are reflected in the final report, which confirms our decades-long position that there is a problem with the federal government’s watchlist and screening systems.
Among the most important and concerning findings highlighted by the committee are:
- There are at least 22 different mechanisms that might lead Americans to receive additional screening at airports and other ports of entry or be denied the ability to travel.
- From 2004 to 2022 the number of records contained on the watchlist increased by 1100%.
- The federal government watchlists more than just known or suspected terrorists.
- Non-governmental entities, including foreign governments and the private sector, have access to watchlist information.
- The redress process is not transparent and contributes to the lack of understanding from travelers.
The recommendations proposed by the committee are also welcome, and ADC is committed to assisting in their implementation. In particular, we emphatically support the creation of a Screening and Watchlisting Advisory Council at the Department of Homeland Security which would facilitate a much-needed dialogue between the government and impacted communities and advise the department on all aspects of the screening, watchlisting, and redress enterprise. Additionally, the committee’s recommendations of ensuring full accountability for the watchlist enterprise and holistically tracking screening activities are critical to the endeavor of improving the Arab American community’s travel experience and protecting our civil rights and liberties. You can read the full report, including the committee’s recommendations, here.
ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub said, “For far too long the Arab American community has endured costly and humiliating travel experiences with little to no understanding or recourse. The lack of transparency surrounding watchlists and screening has directly contributed to the ongoing targeting of our community. ADC appreciates the work of Committee staff, thanks Chair Peters for his commitment to greater transparency, and is honored to have been able to contribute to the report. We look forward to the implementation of the recommendations made by the committee and stand ready to assist in whatever way is needed.”
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