“British Muslims for Secular Democracy (BMSD) is alarmed and disappointed to learn that the extremist group Al Muhajiroun, in the guise of ‘Islam4UK,’ are planning to hold a procession through the streets of Wootton Bassett. This choice of venue is deliberate and designed to cause maximum offence and distress — particularly to the friends and families of fallen servicemen.”
“The vast majority of British Muslims — irrespective of their diverse views on particular armed conflicts — recognise that British soldiers continue to serve admirably in difficult circumstances, to make our country safer for all.”
“We deplore the politicisation of Wootton Bassett by reactionary political leaders, including Nick Griffin’s attempt to hijack a homecoming service last year to promote the BNP. We equally oppose this stunt by ‘Islam4UK,’ a group which organised a ‘Magnificent 19’ Conference in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 to praise the suicide murderers.”
BMSD will therefore write to “Islam4UK” later this week, urging them to cancel their protest and respect both the neutrality and military tradition of Wootton Bassett. In the event that ‘Islam4UK’ decides to proceed with its demonstration, BMSD plans to arrange a counter-protest along with a broad coalition of our partners.”
“Dr Shaaz Mahboob, Vice Chair of BMSD, says: “We stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Wootton Bassett and the Armed Forces. The vast majority of British Muslims accept our Armed Forces are doing an admirable job under exceptionally difficult circumstances. It is only because of the sacrifice of these brave soldiers that extremists like ‘Islam4UK’ are able to protest freely. Anjum Choudary and his followers betray everything this country stands for and the very constituency they claim to represent, which is ordinary British Muslims. We plan to hold a counter-protest to demonstrate that ordinary Muslims are deeply opposed to the values of Islam4UK.”
[End]
“For details please visit http://www.bmsd.org.uk
For any further queries, please contact: Dr Shaaz Mahboob on shaaz@bmsd.org.uk or 07961365751 or Tehmina Kazi on 0207 631 4175”
“DC-based human rights activists and advocates commemorated Human Rights Day 2009 with a well-attended Human Rights News Conference sponsored by Responsible for Equality And Liberty (REAL) at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. ”
” ‘Not only do we recognize our declaration in support of such universal human rights, but also we remember those who have denied them, including the totalitarian and supremacist nations and ideologies of the world that seek to continue to deny such universal rights today.’ ”
“In his opening remarks, REAL founder Jeffrey Imm called for US ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the end of violence against women as priorities in defending human rights. He also focused on the human rights challenges presented by religious supremacism. ‘We really need a human rights dialogue on the challenges of religious extremist threats to our universal human rights.’ ”
“In his presentation on the persecution of Pakistani Christians by the Muslim majority, Dr. Nazir Bhatti, of the Pakistan Christian Congress, explained that Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws allow the killing of religious minorities to go unchecked.”
” ‘Christians [in Pakistan] are in the process of genocide…The situation of human rights is worsening and persecution of Christians is at a rise in Pakistan.’ ”
“Bhatti warned that Pakistan will continue to breed terrorism unless the United States’ government puts conditions on further aid to Pakistan that include the repeal of their blasphemy laws and an amendment to Article 2 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which declares Islam as the state religion of Pakistan.”
“Following Bhatti’s presentation, Dr. Ashraf Ramelah, President of the Voice of the Copts, remarked on the oppression of Egypt’s Christians, particularly women and young girls.”
” ‘Coptic women and girls are targeted for a specific plan of forced Islamization in Egypt…the abduction of Coptic women is not just a passing phenomenon but is part of a widespread plan aimed to clean the Middle East of Christians.’ ”
“In addition to denouncing the forced conversion of Coptic women, Ramelah also called for a repeal of Article 2 of the Egyptian Constitution, which declares Islam as the state religion of Egypt.”
“Though both Bhatti and Ramelah’s remarks focused on the human rights abuses faced by religious minorities at the hand of Islam, Imm reminded the group, ‘we do not attack or condemn Islam or all Muslims, but we do challenge all human beings to recognize that we face an extremist challenge to human rights in the world today.’ ”
“The final speaker, Lisa Tao of Falun Dafa turned the conference’s focus in a different direction. Giving a heartfelt presentation in her native language, Tao described the human rights abuses she faced as a young girl at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.”
” ‘My father was tortured to death. I was called ‘a child of the Five Black Categories.’ My life was full of humiliation and I had to struggle for many years just to stay alive.’ ”
“Tao, who is now an American citizen, explained that she and her husband began practicing Falun Gong to help them heal from the torture they suffered in China. Tao’s translator, 25-year old Pang Jin, relayed the recent arrest, torture, and prolonged detainment of her mother and aunt for their adherence to Falun Gong. ”
” ‘My aunt was abducted on July 9, 2009 and has been detained since then. On October 18, I was informed that the Weifang City district court, after delaying for a year, sentenced my Mom, Cao Junping, to 10 years.’ ”
“Tao then shared numerous examples of human rights violations by the Chinese government against Falun Gong practitioners and thanked Americans for their support and willingness to hear her story. ”
” ‘I feel that these practitioners are just like my brothers and sisters…We hope Americans, who are kind and righteous, will give a hand to rescue our brothers and sisters and stop this brutal persecution.’ ”
“Clearly, the 2009 Human Rights Day News Conference provided a forum for the discussion of human rights stories and perspectives not often covered by mainstream media. For more detailed information about The Human Rights Day News Conference, please contact the author at The Human Rights Blog. ”
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December 10, 2009 - Washington DC - National Press Club Human Rights Day Speakers (left to right): Voice of the Copts Ashraf Ramelah, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)'s Jeffrey Imm, Falun Dafa (Falun Gong)'s Lisa Tao, Pakistan Christian Congress' Dr. Nazir Bhatti, Lisa Tao's Translator Pang Jin
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* Jeffrey Imm, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.), on women’s and children’s rights, the dual challenge of religious extremism and freedom, the challenges to human liberty by totalitarian ideologies, and growing challenges to racial equality by supremacists
— Jeffrey Imm Human Rights Day Remarks: Adobe Acobat format, Microsoft Word format
In Washington DC,New York City, and in Europe, supporters of Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) all held events promoting our universal human rights on December 10, Human Rights Day. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations on December 10, 1948, and Human Rights Day is an international event held annually to address human rights issues. At all three R.E.A.L. events around the globe, human rights activists pointed to the ongoing threats from nations and those who ideologies that reject the universal human rights defined in the UDHR.
The world continues to face a challenge from totalitarian and supremacist ideologies and nations, and R.E.A.L.’s Human Rights Day events were to publicize these ongoing challenges and discuss areas where our commitment to our universal human rights must be improved. This included challenging ideologies of hate, including racial supremacism, misogyny, extremism, other religious extremism, and Communist totalitarianism. R.E.A.L. members asked the public to embrace these challenges as our own – as others human rights are our human rights. Our goal was to urge the public to make a renewed personal commitment to be Responsible for Equality And Liberty.
In Europe, the day’s events kicked off in Nuremberg, Germany with speakers:
— R.E.A.L.’s Steven Gerson from the United Kingdom addressing the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the plight of Jewish refugees
— R.E.A.L.’s Puneet Madaan from Germany addressing the oppression of religious minorities
— Karmen Wynick from the United States on women’s right violations in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other areas.
— Thomas P. Gross, From CSI Germany will be speaking about copts in Egypt.
— R.E.A.L.’s Jeffrey Imm from the United States (via weblink) addressing the challenge of religious extremism threats to human liberties
— Tehmina Kazi from the United Kingdom, the Director of British Muslims for Secular Democracy
December 10, 2009 - Washington DC - National Press Club Human Rights Day Speakers: Voice of the Copts Ashraf Ramelah, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)'s Jeffrey Imm, Falun Dafa (Falun Gong)'s Lisa Tao, Pakistan Christian Congress' Dr. Nazir Bhatti, Lisa Tao's Translator Pan Jin
In Washington DC, R.E.A.L. held a press conference at the National Press Club, which included speakers:
* Jeffrey Imm, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.), on women’s and children’s rights, the dual challenge of religious extremism and freedom, the challenges to human liberty by totalitarian ideologies, and growing challenges to racial equality by supremacists
— Jeffrey Imm Human Rights Day Remarks: Adobe Acobat format, Microsoft Word format
R.E.A.L.'s Racquel Coordinating NYC Human Rights Day Event
In New York City, R.E.A.L. speakers addressed concerns about the ideological brainwashing of children and the inconsistencies in dealing with supremacist threats:
— Brooke Goldstein discussed the hate incitement by extremist media and schools, and the international law concerning a child’s right to life, addressing children she interviewed in her film, The Making of a Martyr
— Heather Robinson spoke about how Hamas’ human rights abuses have been ignored and of the challenges of internation groups in demonizing Israel
— Joel Mowbray addressed the challenges of how UNRWA schools (which service 1/3 of Palestinian children) contain textbooks that contain hate propoganda.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) is a group that seeks to reach out to the public to rebuild a culture where our universal human rights are a priority, not an afterthought. We believe that our standard of living as human beings — begins with our standard of human rights for one another. In a world where compromise has become a way of life, R.E.A.L.’s mission is to focus on consistency in human rights, and to offer a consistent vision on the largest threats to human equality and liberty. R.E.A.L. promotes a culture of co-existence is dependent on our shared universal human rights around the world. R.E.A.L. believes that such consistency requires challenging those ideologies of supremacism and totalitarianism that would defy our universal human rights.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)
Jeffrey Imm, usa@realcourage.org
Human Rights Day News Conference
December 10, 2009, 12:30 p.m., National Press Club, 529 14th Street, NW 13th Floor, Washington, DC https://www.realcourage.org/news-conference/
Time: 12:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Event Type: News Conference
Sponsored by: Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)
Event Location: Zenger Room
Details: Human rights activists discuss importance of religious, racial, ethnic, and gender equality and liberty on “Human Rights Day,” addressing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
Please join us at the National Press Club for a thought-provoking briefing and panel discussion that will address threats to universal human rights from ideologies that seek to deny both human equality and liberty.
The speakers will focus special attention on human rights challenges to women and children. Emphasis will be on increased individual responsibility in defending universal human rights as a shared social priority.
Panelists will include:
* Jeffrey Imm, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.), on women’s and children’s rights, the dual challenge of religious extremism and freedom, the challenges to human liberty by totalitarian ideologies, and growing challenges to racial equality by supremacists
* Dr. Nazir Bhatti, Pakistan Christian Congress, on Pakistan’s blasphemy law, threats, attacks, and killings of Christian religious minorities in Pakistan
* Lisa Tao, Falun Dafa (Falun Gong), on human rights atrocities against the Falun Gong over the past 10 years in Communist China (in Chinese with English Interpreter).
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) has support in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Europe for the mission of renewed focus on national and international policies designed for consistent support of our universal human rights. The press conference will be a part of other international public outreach events on December 10, Human Rights Day. Jeffrey Imm has spoken at the George Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) on the challenge of the ideology of extremism, which was reportedly attended by Fort Hood attack suspect Major Nidal Hasan.
On Friday, November 13, 2009, R.E.A.L.’s Jeffrey and Karen Imm met with the public in Columbus, Ohio and students on the campus of Ohio State University (OSU) to address the issues of the growing threat to religious freedom in America and around the world, as represented by the Rifqa Bary case in Columbus, Ohio.
R.E.A.L.'s Jeffrey Imm in Columbus, OH - Public Awareness on Religious Freedom and Rifqa Bary Case
Our emphasis was on the inalienable human rights of religious freedom in defiance to those extremists who seek to reject freedom of conscience to those who leave Islam or choose another religion, as well as those extremists who have committed ideological violence and “honor killings” to oppress and intimidate other women.
We urged the Columbus public to act in Columbus and demand that the Columbus courts take Rifqa Bary’s alleged threats seriously, as too many Muslim women have died in America because their the growing threats to their religious and personal freedoms were not being taken seriously.
We spoke, engaged the public, and passed out fliers and materials at locations in downtown Columbus during morning and evening rush hour, and spent the lunch time and afternoon with Ohio State University students at their “Oval” on campus. We also spoke near the Ohio Statehouse. We visited the Columbus Dispatch, first informing them of our planned protests, then offering to provide the Dispatch with additional information on the story not yet published, and then finally protesting in front of the Columbus Dispatch offices.
During of engagement with the public and OSU students, we made them aware of the issues, and the next hearing for Rifqa Bary planned for December 22 in Columbus.
Engaging Columbus Public on Broad and High Streets on a Chilly, November Morning
R.E.A.L. at Ohio State University
R.E.A.L.'s Jeffrey Imm Discusses Threats to Religious Freedom in America With Ohio State Students and Why We Must Be Concerned About the Rifqa Bary CaseOhio State University - Getting Ready to Engage OSU StudentsWhy the Rifqa Bary Case MattersThe Threat to Religious Freedom and Threat of "Honor Killings" is Growing in AmericaIdeological Violence Against Women is TerrorismCall to Columbus Public to Defend Religious FreedomIn America - Extremist "Honor Killings" Against Women!Handing Out Fliers on Threat to Religious Freedom in AmericaUrging Columbus Dispatch to Address Religious Freedom Issues in the News!Coming Back Later to Give "The News" on Extremism Threats to Religious Freedom to the Columbus Dispatch Once Again...Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) Supporters at Ohio Statehouse - Columbus, OH
Experts on China’s One Child Policy to Testify in Congressional Hearing
November 8, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C.–As President Obama prepares to visit China this week, concerned organizations will raise their voices against China’s One Child per Couple Policy this Tuesday, November 10, 2009:
What: An Evaluation of 30-Years of the One-Child Policy in China
“The Chinese Communist Party states that it has “prevented 400 million births” through its One Child Policy–greater than the entire population of the United States. The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing this Tuesday will present new evidence that many of these births have been “prevented” through forced abortion, involuntary sterilization, and infanticide.
Because of the traditional preference for boys, sex selective abortion is practiced. Indeed, in some areas of China, 130 boys are born for every 100 girls. Because of this “gendercide, ” there are now an estimated 37 million Chinese men who will never marry, because there aren’t enough women. This gender imbalance is a powerful, driving force behind human trafficking and sexual slavery in China and the surrounding countries.
On April 22, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that coercive family planning in China is “absolutely unacceptable.” Whether pro-life or pro-choice, no one supports forced abortion–because it is negates the power of choice. Rather, the One Child Policy causes more violence toward women and girls than any other official policy on earth.”
–Reggie Littlejohn, Womens Rights Without Frontiers.
Join Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, ChinaAid, and the following concerned expert panelists for this pivotal hearing hosted by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. See the Official Hearing Announcement issued November 6, 2009.
* Toy Reid, Congressional-Executive Commission on China
* Reggie Littlejohn, Women’s Rights Without Frontiers
* Annie Jing Zhang, Women’s Rights in China
* Nicholas Eberstadt, American Enterprise Institute
* Rebiya Kadeer, Uyghur-American Association
* Harry Wu, Laogai Research Foundation
* Jiang Tianyong, Beijing Global Law Firm
If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Hoffman at (202) 225-3599.
MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: PRESS CONFERENCE AT 12:15 PM
Meet the speakers and take advantage of photo opportunities at the Press Conference, to be held at 12:15 PM, in Room 2318, Rayburn House office building. Both events are open to the public.
On November 9, 2009, a week after the death of 20 year old Arizona woman Noor Almaleki, as a result of a “honor killing” by her father, Responsible for Equality And Liberty’s (R.E.A.L.) Jeffrey and Karen Imm held a public awareness outreach on the issue of extremist ideological violence as the basis for honor killings in front of CNN’s Washington DC Headquarters.
R.E.A.L.'s Public Awareness Outreach at CNN Washington DC Offices (820 First St. N.E., Washington, DC 20002)
We passed out fliers about the “honor killing” of Noor Almaleki stating that “ideological violence against women is terrorism,” and we spoke about the issue to the lunch time crowd in the plaza area around CNN’s DC offices. It was evident that many were completely unaware of her story. We urged the public to demand that CNN reports the entire story about the “honor killing” of Noor Almaleki – not the censored version that has thus far been reported by CNN.
In the case of the “honor killing” of Noor Almaleki, the family repeatedly told members of the Arizona press that the reason her father killed her was because of the Noor’s unwillingness to conform to her father’s extremist views, what they called “traditional Muslim values.”
While this was reported by the Arizona Republic and CBS-5, CNN has repeatedly ignored these reports, instead stating this was only due to the father and daughter’s differences over “Iraqi values.” (Note: the Alamalekis have been in America since the mid 1990s.)
We showed example on posters of the differences between the Arizona press and CNN reporting. We urged CNN to tell the rest of the story – so that the public can be informed and address this ideological threat to women’s freedoms before another American woman is killed for failing to submit to extremist views.
We urged our fellow Americans to remember that our shared freedoms for equality and liberty are the “truths that we hold self-evident,” and that no ideology of supremacism has the right to deny their universal human rights to our fellow Americans and our fellow human beings. We pointed out how Noor Almaleki’s friends were afraid to talk about why her father murdered her for fear that the same thing would happen to them. We made it clear that ideological violence to intimidate, to oppress, to deny freedoms — is nothing less than terrorism.
We urged the public to reject supremacist ideologies that seek to deny our human rights, and seek to terrorize women into submission. We also pointed out that while some wish to view such religious extremist violence against women as “isolated incidents,” they are in fact, all connected by this anti-freedom ideology.
We stated that just as we recognized racial violence and oppression in the 1960s (and even today) were not merely “isolated incidents,” but were all part of a larger ideological threat of racial supremacism — so today we must also report on and recognize the larger ideological threats to humanity today when it comes to extremist threats against freedom.
We said that we came to CNN’s Washington DC office to be a voice for those like Noor Almaleki who no longer have a voice to speak, and also to be a voice for people who are afraid or are being prevented from speaking.
20 Year Old Noor Almaleki - Died on November 2, 2009 - A Victim of An Ideological Violence Against Women
Pointing to our poster with Noor Almaleki’s face, we urged the public to remember that all of these victims of ideological violence were special and unique individuals who were loved. Moreover, we stated that our human rights are not simply about vague ideas, but our human rights are the foundation of the lives of Noor Almaleki and so many others. We pointed out that our human rights have a face, an identity, and lives that are precious. We urged the public and the media not to forget the face of human rights, as these faces of human rights are also our faces as well, and those of our families, our neighbors, and our friends. We urged the public never to forget the faces of human rights, and our responsibility to each other to defend equality and liberty.
Amina and Sarah Said - Victims of "Honor Killings" in TexasSandeela Kanwa - Victim of "Honor Killing" in GeorgiaMethal Dayem - Victim of "Honor Killing" in Cleveland, OhioTina Isa - Victim of "Honor Killing" in IndianapolisAasiya Zubair Hassan - Suspected Victim of "Honor Killing" in Buffalo, NY
All of these American victims of extremist “honor killings” or threats of such ideological violence are the result of our nation’s and our media’s unwillingness to address the religious extremist ideological basis behind such violence, instead of viewing such terrorism against women as merely “isolated incidents.”
Rifqa Bary, 17 - reports say she is threatened with death by her family in Ohio for converting from Islam to Christianity
He asked the public if our media and our nation continues to ignore such terrorist threats and violence against women, who will be next?
Jeffrey Imm asked “How many more have to die before we decide to be responsible for our fundamental human rights and freedoms, and before we decide to be responsible for equality and libertyof women in America and around the world?”
R.E.A.L. was pleased to see that VDARE had a low turnout for its H. L. Mencken Club conference, as our protesters braved the rainy weather to protest outside the Holiday Inn BWI. Aside from our protesters, numerous passers-by were shocked and disturbed to learn of the VDARE speakers at the Holiday Inn BWI, and many automobile drivers honked their horns in support and gave a “thumbs-up” to the R.E.A.L. street corner protesters. In terms of the positive response from many of the public versus VDARE’s slim turnout at their conference, the American public in Maryland clearly is against racist views.
Employees of the Holiday Inn BWI were shocked and greatly disturbed when learning of the VDARE speakers, as R.E.A.L. protesters handed out fliers about the VDARE speakers’ comments on race to the public. R.E.A.L. did contact the Holiday Inn BWI management in advance of the conference and faxed them a copy of our flier about the VDARE speakers. In addition, R.E.A.L. coordinated with the Anne Arundel Police Department.
As some VDARE supporters saw R.E.A.L. protesters on the street outside of the Holiday Inn BWI, their response was vulgar gestures.
As Kevin DeAnna has previously claimed to not support racial supremacism, R.E.A.L. wrote Kevin DeAnna to confirm that he would not attend this event. DeAnna never replied.
Update: YWC’s Kevin DeAnna did speak at the H.L. Mencken conference in Baltimore.
Youth for Western Civilization's (YWC) Kevin DeAnna at H.L. Mencken Club in Conference with Pat Buchanan, Steve Sailer, Richard Spencer
— “An anti-hate rally of about 30 protestors was led by two Richmond residents Friday in response to a publicized Imperial Klans of America and Ku Klux Klan rally to be held the same day in Kanawah Plaza.”
— “Rally organizer, Meredith Clark said she first became aware of plans for an Oct. 22 IKA and KKK rally, which turned out to be a hoax, when she was looking through the Rants and Raves listings on the social networking Web site Craigslist. Clark said she immediately contacted fellow rally organizer Lanaya Burnette.”
— ” ‘This is just something we felt really strongly about,’ Burnette said.”
— “Clark said Burnette called various Richmond public offices and news channels to find out if the IKA and KKK rally was a hoax but could not confirm whether it was. The debate went back and forth on the Web sites Facebook and Craigslist, where users posted their doubts or confirmed the event.”
— “Sam Austin, a political science major, said he suspected the event might have been a hoax but attended the anti-hate rally regardless.”
— ” ‘It happens a lot and that is sort of the reality of the Internet. People just sort of have to do the research,’ Austin said. ‘I wanted to be out here to support the opposition for that and say, ‘Hey, you have your right to be out here … but this is not a good thing for our country or city and we want to be here and show you we have a presence to and we are not going to let you come out here and spread your hate.’ ”
— “Racial disputes were sparked on Craigslist following the initial IKA and KKK rally posting. During the racial debate on Craigslist content was produced that violated the terms of use for the Web site.”
— ” ‘I am very grateful that I live in America and have the freedom of speech,’ Burnette said. ‘I prefer to use my freedom of speech to not hurt others. Be it in their hearts or slander them illegally, they have their right to say what they want to say but we have a right to say what we feel back. It is something that we all feel very strongly about regardless of which side you on.’ ”
— “Clark said the response to the alleged IKA and KKK rally was a powerful statement by the Richmond community.”
— “Burnette and Clark used Facebook to publicize their anti-hate rally and said they got a lot of feedback.”
— ” ‘If it is a hoax, great, because we can still stand here together peacefully and show the world that we do not agree with those kinds of ideologies anymore,’ Clark said.”
— “Nicholas DeFilippis, a political science major, was one of a small group of students who attended the rally.”
— ” ‘It is to be expected because this was the capital of the Confederacy,” DeFilippis said. ‘I do not think they should be allowed to do it because every time someone doing hate speech gets to have their say like Hitler or the government in Rwanda, something awful happens and they need to be opposed.’ “
