Eleven years ago, terrorists attacked the United States of America killing over 3,000 in multiple attacks in New York City and Washington DC, as well as Shanksville, PA, where courageous Flight 93 passengers defied terrorists from using their plane as another bomb to kill others in the nation’s capital.
On this 9/11, as every year, we remember their loss and we remember the brave sacrifice of those who gave their lives to rescue others and prevent more attacks.
One tragic legacy of 9/11 has been the use of this attack on America by people around the world to rationalize their political views, to justify their hatred towards others, and to use the attack as a call for additional violence.
We will never forget those such as the British group Al-Muhajiroun who praised the 9/11 terrorists as the “Magnificent 19” and used the 9/11 attacks to call for more attacks on America, as well as to spread their ideology of hate. We have seen many, many around the world rally around the 9/11 attacks with a perverted glee. But we have also seen those who would use the 9/11 attacks to rationalize hatred and violence against people of other religions, other ethnic backgrounds, and other nationalities because they are viewed as “different” or “the enemy.” We have seen how such hatred can fuel the violence of individuals such as convicted Norwegian terrorist Anders Behring Breivik who used his hatred of Muslims to justify murdering 70 Norwegians.
Finally, we have also seen the sad use of the 9/11 attacks by some in politics, claiming the world would be different if only their political group was in power. In eleven bi-partisan years after the 9/11 attacks, the one concrete lesson we have seen is that the challenges and our response to the 9/11 attacks is not the responsibility for any one political group, but is the responsibility for all of us as human beings.
While the immediate security issues around the 9/11 attack made us question who we could trust, the targets of terrorist organizations have become clearer in the subsequent years. The target of terrorists is anyone who will not submit to their tyranny, their violence, and their hatred. The target of terrorists is not one nation, not one religion, not one identity group, not one race, but their target is the WORLD.
We have seen racial terrorists continue to attack, harass, threaten, and kill people of their own race, who will not submit to their views. We have seen political religious terrorists do the same. In the greater Middle East and Africa, while we see killing and deaths of Americans, Christians, Jews, Hindus, and all other identity groups, the majority of the casualties by such political religious terrorists are Muslims. We see this every week, and on some weeks, every day. Yesterday, over 100 people died in a day of terrorist car bombings and shootings in Iraq. This morning, in Turkey a suicide bomber attacked a police station. Terrorism did not “stop” after 9/11; it simply spread on the disease of hate throughout the world.
The reality is that the terrorist views that inspired the 9/11 attackers have resulted in such terrorists committing acts of violence and killing — mostly against Muslims. The terrorists’ world war against humanity means that religious extremists who claim to be acting on behalf of their view of “Islam” must kill fellow Muslims, who have become the majority of their victims. That is what hate can drive people to do.
But while they choose hate, we must choose love. While they seek the tyranny of extremism, we must defend the universal human rights for all of our brothers and sisters in humanity. While they seek destruction of humanity, we must assume responsibility to build human bonds. While they seek us on our knees, we must defiantly stand on our feet as human beings – free and equal in dignity and rights.
Over the past eleven years, the dialogue has changed from security solutions, military solutions, and even law enforcement solutions, to a greater focus on human rights solutions. We cannot build a fortress strong enough, an army strong enough, or law enforcement vigilant enough to protect everyone all the time. The Cold War strategy of endless war against one another has continued to lose favor among people in America and around the world. We increasingly spend less time identifying enemies, and more time building friends. Certainly, America’s security organizations have done everything they can to protect the nation. But it is not enough to defend our fellow human beings’ bodies. We must reach our fellow human beings’ hearts, minds, and conscience to renew and rebuild a commitment to shared human rights and respect for our brothers and sisters in humanity.
Over the years, we have seen the growing integration of groups from different religions and identity groups, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim, American and Pakistani, men and women, and every other group (religious, ethnic, and otherwise) working together to renew and rebuild this commitment to human rights – around the world. Where once attention was focused on the terrorists’ actions, now a growing attention is on those working for human rights and dignity.
In some parts of the world, dictators have been overthrown and others are on their way out. Where we see human rights abuses in those areas, there is no longer the convenient excuse of the dictator, and people must face the issues of human rights in their culture and national history. Like America and every other nation, we have to own our mistakes in human rights, and do something about them.
We have to be responsible for our shared human rights. We must cherish every day as another good day to be responsible for equality and liberty for one another.
There is hope to the worldwide challenge of terrorism that resulted in the attacks on 9/11.
That hope can be found in our shared commitment to our universal human rights, dignity, conscience, and safety for one another, and our common bonds as brothers and sisters in humanity.
Choose Love, Not Hate.
Love Wins.
September 11 - People of All Faith Stood Together in Washington DC for Human Rights and Dignity
On July 13, 2012 in Washington D.C., practitioners of Falun Gong / Falun Dafa, China Democracy Party, human rights activists, and other supporters of freedom in China held a parade in the streets and led a rally at the Washington Monument. At the rally, individuals who had renounced the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spoke out about the abuses of the CCP and called for freedom for Falun Gong / Falun Dafa practitioners and for all people in China. The historic Tuidang (“Quit the Party”) freedom movement of the Chinese people has now led to 120 million people leaving the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)!
The July 13, 2012 rally was to praise the courage of those who have sought to support human rights, human dignity, and respect for the Falun Gong practitioners and all other people in China, and to call for an end to the human rights abuses against them by the CCP. The courageous Tuidang movement has continued to encourage people in China, every year to abandon the CCP and to reject the CCP’s tyranny.
Speakers told of their oppression for being practitioners of Falun Gong, and their subsequent harassment, imprisonment, and torture in prison camps by the CCP. The oppression of the Falun Gong continues daily, with families being divided, women beaten and tortured, and Falun Gong practitioners killed. Speakers also told of the inhuman practice of organ harvesting of Falun Gong prisoners in CCP prisons. The Falun Gong have been violently oppressed by the CCP since 1999 – for 13 years. The CCP persecution on the Falun Gong began on July 20, 1999.
July 13, 2012 - Rally to Quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) - Those Quitting CCP Speak OutJuly 13, 2012 - Washington Monument - in Washington DC where thousands gathered to protest July 13, 2012 - Thousands of Falun Gong Members Rally for Freedom and Human Rights - Seeking Freedom from the Chinese Communist Party
Speakers told of their personal suffering and abuse in CCP-managed prison camps in China, with efforts by the CCP to seek to force them to renounce their support of the Falun Gong practice.
Speakers included: Chairman of the Overseas Democracy Coalition, Wei Jingsheng, the China Democratic Party Chairman Wang Jun, president of Democracy University Tang Baiqia, Dr. Dayong Li – Director of the Global Service Center for Quitting the Chinese Communist Party, Chung Ai Ting-pang (daughter of a Taiwainese Falun Gong practitioner arrested by the CCP), CCP prison camp survivor Chunmei Ma, and Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)’s Jeffrey Imm.
Dr. Dayong Li, the Director of the Global Service Center for Quitting the CCP Service Center, stated: “Falun Gong has not only a symbol of the persecution of Chinese people, became a symbol of a symbol of hope for the future, justice, dignity, the great strength of the symbol.” In our discussions with Dr. Dayong Li, he believes that China is on the verge of a historic sweeping change by people who will not tolerate the CCP’s continuing human rights abuses, attacks on human dignity, and denial of human freedom.
Chunmei Ma told her story of how, as a practitioner of the Falun Gong, she had been persecuted by the CCP. She stated she “had been arrested four times, sentenced to forced labor camps twice, and had been through so many mental and physical tortures. I was almost killed.” Chunmei Ma had gone to appeal to the Chinese government for constitutional rights for herself and the Falun Gong – and she was arrested in Tiananmen Square. In November 1999, she was taken to a forced labor camp. There she was beaten and tortured with electronic batons and other forms of cruelty. She described how the CCP used electronic batons as a form of “force tranformation” to get people to leave the Falun Gong, along with beatings, tied down to a “death bed,” forced drug administrations, and other cruel practices. She reported how some prisoners vanished after torture, and how she suspected that some were murdered. The CCP guards beat her mother who came to visit her in prison, and the CCP’s coercion and threats sought to divide her and her husband. After being released from the forced labor camp, Chunmei Ma was continually oppressed by local CCP agents. In October 2006, helped by the United Nations, she fled the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and became a refugee in the United States. Chunmei Ma has also spoken of the abuse of the Falun Gong at other events.
"Death Bed" or "Dead Person's Bed" used by CCP Labor Camps to Torture Prisoners Such as Refugee Chunmei Ma - Prisoners are stretched out, tied down, not allowed to move to eat, drink, or go to the bathroom
Our good friend, Lisa Tao, and others received statements by Montgomery County, Maryland government in recognition of their speaking on behalf of liberty and freedom for the Falun Gong and the people of China
July 13, 2012 - R.E.A.L.'s Jeffrey Imm Praises the Courage of Those Who Choose Freedom from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for the Falun Gong and the Chinese People
R.E.A.L.’s Jeffrey Imm also spoke at the rally, praising the courage of those who have left the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Tuidang movement, while reminding the world we must continue to end the human rights abuses against the Falun Gong and the Chinese people. He stated: “To the oppressed Falun Gong practitioners and to all of the oppressed people in China, my message to you is that you do not stand alone. Many people, ranging from human rights activists, U.S. Congressmen, international leaders, and people around the world stand with you today. We recognize and condemn the cruel practices against human rights and against human dignity that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has inflicted against the Falun Gong and the Chinese people. We have seen the endless human rights abuses of the CCP over the years. We have seen the rejection of freedom and human dignity by the CCP to the Falun Gong and the Chinese People. We know about the Laogai prison camps. We have seen the imprisonment of Falun Gong for refusing to renounce their spiritual practice. We have seen the arbitrary arrests, the persecution, the killing and torture of Chinese people by the CCP, with thousands of Falun Gong tortured to death. We have seen the many reports of criminal organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners who have been imprisoned by the CCP. We have seen Falun Gong practitioners abducted while trying to leave China. Most recently, we have seen the CCP’s “transformation” campaign to coerce Falun Gong practitioners to renounce their practice.”
He stated: “We cannot and we MUST not accept the dictatorship of Communism in China to oppress our brothers and sisters in China. When 20 percent of the world’s population is under Communist dictatorship, this is not just the Chinese people’s problem; this is the world’s problem. We must send a message of compassion that we will not accept the CCP denying freedom and human rights to the Chinese people. We must send a message to the world that we will not accept the CCP denying freedom of conscience, human dignity, and human rights for the practitioners of the Falun Gong! We must tell the world: Free China Now!” Free the Practitioners of the Falun Gong! (his complete remarks are at this PDF link, link to comments translated in Chinese, and at the end of this blog posting. Jeffrey Imm has alsospoken at previous Tuidang rallies. and Jeffrey Imm has led previousprotests at the Chinese embassy in support for freedom and human rights.)
The Falun Gong also held a rally at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, July 12, 2012, which included speakers representing Congress and other groups, including: Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Congressman Ted Poe, Congressman Sam Farr, Congressman Chris Smith, Ryan Sellinger – Legislative Correspondent for U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, Rev. Clark Lobenstine – the Executive Director of the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, Kristopher Keating, Dan Fefferman – Coalition for Religious Freedom, Dr. Sue Gunawardena-Vaughn – Director of the International Religious Freedom and the Southeast Asia programs at Freedom House, Suzanne Scholte – the President of the Defense Forum Foundation, Delphine Halgand – Reporters Without Boarders, Annette Lantos – Chairman on the Board of Trustees for the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, and Faith McDonnell – Institute on Religion.
Speaking for Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.), Jeffrey Imm had the following statement: July 13, 2012 Falun Gong Event Remarks – Jeffrey Imm, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)
My name is Jeffrey Imm, and I am the founder of the human rights group, Responsible for Equality And Liberty. Our mission is to support the struggle for human rights and freedom for all people around the world. Thank you for inviting me to join this Falun Gong event to support freedom, human rights, and human dignity in China.
To the oppressed Falun Gong practitioners and to all of the oppressed people in China, my message to you is that you do not stand alone. Many people, ranging from human rights activists, U.S. Congressmen, international leaders, and people around the world stand with you today. We recognize and condemn the cruel practices against human rights and against human dignity that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has inflicted against the Falun Gong and the Chinese people.
We have seen the endless human rights abuses of the CCP over the years. We have seen the rejection of freedom and human dignity by the CCP to the Falun Gong and the Chinese People. We know about the Laogai prison camps. We have seen the imprisonment of Falun Gong for refusing to renounce their spiritual practice. We have seen the arbitrary arrests, the persecution, the killing and torture of Chinese people by the CCP, with thousands of Falun Gong tortured to death. We have seen the many reports of criminal organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners who have been imprisoned by the CCP. We have seen Falun Gong practitioners abducted while trying to leave China. Most recently, we have seen the CCP’s “transformation” campaign to coerce Falun Gong practitioners to renounce their practice.
But in the midst of all this oppression, the Falun Gong practitioners have held fast to their beliefs, their support in human freedom, and their support for human dignity, and their support for Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Their example has given courage to others who would reject the tyranny of the CCP, and who would seek freedom.
While we remember and condemn the tyranny of the CCP, we also must recognize the courage of those to publicly reject and renounce Communism and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). We must thank the courageous men and women who work daily in the Tuidang movement to seek spread the word about the hope of freedom to others in China, and who give courage to people to Quit the Chinese Communist Party! They have had such great success and we thank them for their leadership. As of today, nearly 120 million Chinese people have left the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)! This is a great achievement and a great day for the Chinese people and for the world!
For the past 23 years, one of my great concerns is freedom and human rights for the people of China. In 1989, when the CCP ordered the massacre of innocent Chinese people in Tiananmen Square, I want you to know how the people in Washington D.C. responded. People stopped everything. In the office buildings all around this city, people walked out of their office and started marching up Connecticut Avenue to protest at the old Chinese embassy. The protesters were diverse people: young and old, men and women, and people of every race and religion. They loved freedom and they wanted the Chinese people to be free.
In the continuing struggle against the tyranny of the CCP, I want you to know that the American people still deeply care about the freedom and human rights of the Falun Gong and all of the Chinese people. America has fought Communism around the world. My brother went to war to fight the Communist Party. I work with people across our nation to help educate people on how the Chinese people are rejecting Communism again today. Every day a Chinese citizen rejects the CCP is a great day for the Chinese people and the world.
Americans care for the Chinese people and all people oppressed by Communism. Americans care because we know how important it is to be free. It is great to have freedom. We want freedom for all of our brothers and sisters in humanity, especially the Chinese people. We are so proud of the 120 million Chinese people who have rejected the CCP and found the courage to seek their freedom and human rights!
A week ago, Americans across the country celebrated the national Independence Day, and celebrated our freedom. But what we really want now is to celebrate the Chinese people’s freedom, and celebrate the Chinese nation’s independence from the CCP! We want freedom and independence for the Falun Gong! In China, we want every day to be a new Independence Day for the Chinese people, as one person after another demonstrates their courage to reject the tyranny of the CCP.
Like you, I also speak to the Chinese people visiting here in the United States about the CCP. At American universities, I have met with other Chinese students who are studying in America. Some Chinese students have told me that they support Communism and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They have told me that I am wrong to criticize the CCP. I ask them questions to help them free their minds.
So I ask them if they support human rights, women’s equality, justice, human dignity, and courage. They tell me that they do. Then I tell them about CCP’s abuses in human rights. I tell them about how the CCP has demanded forced abortions and mistreatment of women. I tell them about the CCP’s Laogai prison camps. I tell them about the selling of body parts of prisoners. I tell them about the courage I have seen of Chinese students standing up against soldiers and tanks, when the CCP leaders told the soldiers to attack the Chinese people in Tiananmen Square. I tell them if they are true to their beliefs, then they cannot support the CCP. This makes them stop and think about the propaganda the CCP has told them.
We cannot and we MUST not accept the dictatorship of Communism in China to oppress our brothers and sisters in China. When 20 percent of the world’s population is under Communist dictatorship, this is not just the Chinese people’s problem; this is the world’s problem. We must send a message of compassion that we will not accept the CCP denying freedom and human rights to the Chinese people. We must send a message to the world that we will not accept the CCP denying freedom of conscience, human dignity, and human rights for the practitioners of the Falun Gong!
We must tell the world:
— FREE CHINA NOW!
— FREE THE PRACTITIONERS OF THE FALUN GONG!
Thank you for your time.
Every day is a good day to be Responsible for Equality and Liberty for all of our fellow human beings.
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Other images from the parade and event
Speaker Talks of Oppression of Falun Gong by the CCPThe Hope of the Future - as People Continue to Reject the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
Pepsi-Cola Public Relations –
My name is Jeffrey Imm, I am a human rights activist. Pepsi is on the board of directors of the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council promoting business in Pakistan. Human rights activists have been expressing their concern about the growing human rights abuses against Hindus and Christians in Pakistan, including forced marriage and forced religious conversion of Hindu and Christian girls. This is against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Pakistan constitution. We are looking to see if your company is willing to make a positive statement in support of human rights for all people, including Hindu and Christian girls in Pakistan.
We are holding a public rally in support of univesal human rights for all on Saturday, April 14 in Washington DC. If you have such a statement, we would be glad to share this with the public.
Thank you.
Jeffrey Imm
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) human rights coalition
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PepsiCo responds:
“Dear Jeffrey,
Thank you for contacting us to share your concerns about human rights abuses.
As a global corporation, PepsiCo strongly supports fundamental human rights for all people, and we commend the efforts of all those who are working to protect those rights around the world. In our own businesses, we have a very clear global policy on human rights in the workplace (which is communicated annually to our associates in more than 20 languages), and we do not tolerate any infringement or abuse of human rights. In addition, we are a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, which also guarantees human rights in the workplace.
We agree that the protection of human rights around the world requires constant vigilance on the part of international organizations and human rights coalitions such as yours. Please know that we will continue to do our part to strengthen and promote that commitment.
The future of global business is freedom. In the 21st century, global capitalist businesses and business associations that do not understand this future will increasingly find themselves on the outside of markets and rejected by a growing global customer base. In business, every customer matters, and a business cannot have effective customer service if it ignores the necessity of human rights and dignity for all of their customers. Successful businesses will grasp this reality. Successful businesses will also realize as their brands are associated in their home nation with respect and rights for others, their global brand must also demonstrate such commitment to universal human rights and dignity for all. It is simply good business.
Every Customer Matters: When we appeal for consistency on our universal human rights for all people, it is not only a call to individual human conscience. For the global capitalist community, it is also a call for good business practices in respecting all of their customers in humanity.
Those of us working for or involved with capitalist businesses all of have such choices in our lives. We can choose a life which allows us to work and live in a business world, where we continue to urge respect, dignity, and human rights for all. It is a balance that we can and that we must maintain.
Our society is more than numbers, goods, services, and profit. First and foremost, our society is built upon people. Our society is comprised of people with universal human rights – in every identity group and every part of the world – without exception.
To my friends in business, let us never forget that our commitment to such universal human rights is to our ultimate customers in humanity. Without those customers, we will have no business. This is not about politics. This is about customer service. Our businesses must have a consistent commitment to universal human rights and dignity to their customers in humanity as a fundamental aspect ofgood business practices. Every customer matters, every customer deserves the respect and dignity required by our universal human rights.
Global Business Ethics and the UDHR Guideline: When it comes to international capitalist business, we need to be consistent on global business ethics, just like American businesses are committed to such business ethics in their home country. In businesses across America, you will see signs affirmatively stating their unequivocal support for various business ethics, including the American Equal Employment Opportunity Act, which businesses post in multiple languages.
It wasn’t always like that. I grew up seeing signs in Virginia that stated “white clientele only.” But just like America could change, our businesses could also change and today you will see across the country their open support of such human rights for people of different races and genders in this country. American businesses hold classes on diversity and respect for other Americans.
Some may think that we need an Equal Opportunity Act for our international business. But in fact, we have such guidelines today. Adopted in December 1948 by the United Nations, the world has a Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is posted in the languages of people around the world. It is supported by later covenants, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
For American multi-national corporations and companies doing business around the world, a commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) must be as much of our global business as a commitment to America’s Constitution and the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Act is a part of American business practices. Just like our customers in America know that our businesses support the EEO Act, our customers around the world must know we support the UDHR. It should be a standard for global capitalist business operations and initiatives around the world. Global businesses and business councils should be proud of their stand on the UDHR, and it should be part of their global corporate identity.
Will such consistent commitment to universal human rights offend some cultures? In our history, we have seen that business commitment to Equal Opportunities and human rights for Americans certainly offended some cultures, including those who that sought racially segregated services and operations. It no doubt offended those who thought that black Americans had to sit in the back of the bus, those who desired segregated schools, restaurants, and other places. Yes, those who seek to deny human rights and dignity to their fellow human beings get offended by those who consistently support such rights and dignity. But as you can see, America and American business survived. Our conscience did not destroy capitalism.
Global capitalism’s commitment to the standards set by the Universal Declaratation of Human Rights won’t destroy capitalism either. Our global customers must know that we respect their human rights and we respect their dignity – without exception. Our business and capitalist organizations must demonstrate that they don’t only support the rights of some, but support the rights of all. Our businesses and capitalist organizations must demonstrate they support the human rights and dignity for all of our fellow human beings. It is good business.
Captains of Industry Chart Their Courses: There is no course in business that is a straight and simple path. Every business requires the ability to recognize new products and services, new markets, and adaptation to market and customer changing needs. This requires businesses to take quick and decisive action.
We have also seen industry leaders take quick and decisive action, when they are engaged with other organizations as well, based on their corporate and individual conscience and in the best interest of society.
So it was in November 2011, that U.S. Steel CEO John Surma had to make difficult and unpopular decisions at the Pennsylvania State University, while he was a member of the Board of Trustees and faced with reports regarding a child sex abuse case at the university. No one will mistake a tough business such as U.S. Steel for being a social activist group, or financial expert Mr. Surma as a street activist for human rights. But industry leaders can make decisions that are challenging and even unpopular, when human rights and dignity are challenged.
A challenge to the human rights of one of your customers is a challenge to the human rights of all of your customers. Because every one of your customers matter, and every one of your customers will remember the values and standards that your business brand represents.
Successful business industry leaders think ahead, because their business growth is not only based on what they do today, but also based on where they plan to go tomorrow. Global capitalist ventures know that for every business success they make today, they must be planning to equal or better such success the next day.
The world will continue to become more free. In the 21st century, the concept of dictatorships and oppression of human identity groups will continue to become old news and bad business.
The future of business is freedom.
For global businesses to be successful with the changing marketplace, they must ensure that their corporate identity is associated with this reality and that their corporate activities and public relations are based in a clearly communicated commitment to our universal human rights.
Our global businesses cannot have effective capitalist growth or customer service – without a consistent commitment to global human rights. The bottom-line is that such capitalism is dependent on people – and people are ultimately dependent of the freedoms of their universal human rights.
Global Capitalism's Customers -- and Where Our Universal Human Rights Apply...
This year on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2012, we find a growing World War against Women.
Some expected the next world war to be between nations, but it is clear that the current world war is by misogynists, extremists, groups, and men with a common cause: to oppress, degrade, dehumanize, and kill women. Such a coordinated attack by such an axis forces of misogyny is nothing less than a World War against Women.
In every part of the world, women are struggling for their universal human rights of dignity, equality, liberty, freedom of speech, and freedom of conscience. Women are struggling against human trafficking and slavery. Women are struggling against misogyny, violence, rape, and murder. We see women attacked by acid, women raped for seeking freedom, women sexually abused due to poverty, women raped and killed as a military tactic by sadists, women oppressed and abused, women denied education and opportunities, and women treated with disrespect and gutter language around the world – including by extremists in various areas within the United States of America.
Recognizing the World War Against Women
The World War continues on a daily basis against women. In too many parts of the world, women continue to resist those who claim they deserve death in so-called “honor killings” or by stoning. This is not merely a series of “isolated incidents” in different parts of the world, different nations, and different cultures. We must recognize this for the world war against women that it is.
— In Africa, we have seen women the target of genocide in Sudan, rape in the Congo, stonings in Somalia, religious-rationalized violence in Nigeria, and violence and oppression in many countries.
— In Egypt, even after the loss of the dictator Mubarak in Egypt, we have seen our sisters in humanity raped, beaten, attacked and denied rights.
— In Communist China and North Korea, the government forces there have long oppressed women’s rights to have children, their lives, and their freedom, with women of conscience forced to deny their faiths, and women imprisoned, beaten, and worse in concentration camps that harken to the Nazi era.
— In the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, we have seen minority women the target of abuse, murder, rape, harassment, killings, prison, not just of those with minority religions, but also majority Muslim women targeted for oppression, beaten, and killed, simply because they ARE women.
— In Iran, we have seen women targeted by bully forces that seek to deny their freedom of speech, their right to protest against political regimes, and we have seen the sentencing of women to public stoning.
— In Israel, we see young girls and women harassed by religious extremists who seek to deny them the very right to walk in public, to deny them the right to sit where they want on the bus, and who spit on little girls.
— In the United States, we see so-called “honor killings,” and we see a culture where rape and murder – even of little girls – is too widespread and common. We see sexual harassment and abuse, efforts by extremists to seek to deny freedoms to women, and we see too many who tolerate words of hate and disrespect towards women in private and in public – with America’s so-called leaders in every corner choosing to selectively turn their head when it is not convenient. In America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, we see those who still seek to deny women Constitutional equality and we see bullies degrading women without readily felt consequences.
— These parts of the world are not the only ones with such problems; they are merely examples of the world war against women.
Our Response to a Coalition of Misogyny Against Women
The misogynists against women use different rationale for this world war. Some argue male supremacist views, some claim cultural reasons, some claim religious reasons, and some claim political reasons. But across their different rationales, their different identity groups, and their different nationalities, they have a consistency and an informal coalition – united under the disease of HATE.
Our response to this war against women must NOT be to match the violence and hate of those axis forces aligned against women. We must not offer an upraised fist, but an outstretched hand in our strength of LOVE for one another as sisters and brothers in humanity.
A response to the war against women begins with accepting RESPONSIBILITY. It requires a commitment to recognize that this is not just “someone else’s problem,” but it is our shared struggle. This war will not only attack someone else. Ultimately this global struggle will reach us personally – and it will reach our daughters, our sisters, our wives, our mothers, our friends, and our neighbors. This is no place to hide from or ignore this war against women. Unstopped, it will find its way to each of our front doors.
Our shared responsibility also must realize that we have different gifts, different skills, and different opportunities to end the war and free all of our sisters. We must take whatever personal action we can, appropriate to who we are and what we can do. Some will write. Some will petition. Some will speak. Some will march. Some will ensure existing laws are enforced. Some will create new laws. Some will simply provide comfort and courage to our sisters under attack. Whatever we can do, we must do. A war against women is a war against humanity itself, and we cannot afford to lose.
We must methods that reject hate and violence to seek change. We must demand that existing laws to protect women are enforced. Where laws don’t yet exist, we must build such new laws and new relationships to build love, dignity, respect, and equal rights for our sisters around the world.
We must convince the misogynists of this generation of the errors of their ways, and we must set an example for all of our children – boys and girls – to show them that misogynist views are consistently wrong and unacceptable – no matter who they are directed at. No exceptions.
Where misogynists are united in hate, so we must be united in love. Where they destroy, so we must build. We must build relationships based on mutual respect, dignity, and commitment to our shared universal human rights. But the burning flame of hate requires that act swiftly and with conviction. To reverse the destructive power of misogyny, for every relationship the powers of hate seek to destroy, we must build two new relationships. The relationships we build must be based on our shared universal human rights and our shared love for one another as sisters and brothers in humanity.
We Will Win Individually and Together as One Human Race
This brutal war against women is not simply a series of statistics and news stories. This is personal. The faces and the pain. The tears and the sorrow. In this world war against women, it is essential to remember in the vast statistics of global abuse that these women on the front line in the attack by misogynists are our fellow human beings. We know them. They are people we love and care about. They are family. They are neighbors. They may even be our children.
We will win this war by reaching to defend women around the world – INDIVIDUALLY one woman, one girl, at a time. We must try to change one life, then another, then another. Our efforts to support grand schemes and great ideas are meaningless – if we don’t put them in action for individuals.
But we will also win TOGETHER. While we make change one life at a time, we must not neglect the opportunity to also create new laws, change ways of thinking, and stand in solidarity together against outrageous attacks against our sisters in humanity.
Never in the history of humanity has there been a greater threat, and never in such history has there been a greater opportunity to organize, to work together, and the pool our resources to effect change.
While the misogynists have created their unwitting coalitions of hate against women around the world, we must create conscious, deliberate coalitions of love to defend women around the world. We can find solidarity, strength, shared ideas, and great courage in such coalitions. Our numbers exist, but most of us are fragmented, isolated, and frustrated. Imagine what we could do for women if we ORGANIZED. While any coalition is always difficult with diverse groups having different priorities and issues, if we can agree that we must end the war against women – end the misogyny, end the violence, end the killing, and end the hate – we will be on the right path.
Our group, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.), will be working to help build a new coalition for human rights this summer, and we will be glad to work with any other coalition that is United for Women’s Rights and Dignity.
When we see the waves of hatred against women in America and around the world, it is often daunting; we can wonder if there ever a chance to really change things. But we must never forget that such change comes one person at a time, one imagination at a time, and one commitment to human rights and dignity at a time. We will turn the tide in the war against women. We must be responsible, consistent, and courageous.
A great American president once said: “In the long history of the world, a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility. I welcome it.”
Those of us united for women’s rights and dignity will accept such responsibility.
To those who have declared war on women – know this – every day that war will be coming to an end.
The most controversial of our universal human rights has often been our freedom of speech.
Our most successful approach to defending our human rights and human dignity is to begin with the principle: — Choose Love, Not Hate.
Without such boundaries, our freedom of speech can be abused by those who seek to deny human rights and human dignity. Our freedom of speech can be abused to denigrate others of various identity groups. Our freedom of speech can be abused to mock, degrade, lie about, and slander others. Our freedom of speech can be abused to incite others to commit violence against other people. I am not just writing about such abuses from a theoretical perspective, but I have been a repeated victim of such abuse myself, as a result of my own stand for our universal human rights and human dignity.
But what is the answer? Can we deny freedom of speech?
The most balanced, consistent position is to use our own freedom of speech responsibly and fearlessly, and to obey the laws in our communities regarding slander and those who seek violence. Those criminal laws exist so that responsible men and women could have some defense from such attacks by those who abuse our freedom of speech. For this to be successful, we must be consistent in two areas.
1. We must NEVER respond to abuse of freedom of speech with our own abuse, intolerance, and violence. Our ethical mathematics must recognize that two wrongs only equal two wrongs; they do not make a right. We must have the right to disagree in our shared Earth, without the penalty being abuse, intolerance, and violence.
2. We must obey and expect our courts and law enforcement to obey criminal law, and not give even the appearance of favoritism. We must all understand the penalty for assaulting another human being, for slandering another human being, and for inciting mobs to commit violence, among other criminal activity.
However, we must challenge those who would abuse our freedom of speech, as well as those who disregard the need for consistency in law and order for a cohesive society.
In the United States of America, this issue was recently addressed in a case in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, where an alleged assault took place during an October 11 Halloween-type parade in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. During the season of Halloween in the United States, people regularly dress up in costumes, some of which are ridiculous, some of which invoke characters as monsters, and some of which are even offensive. The holiday is generally viewed as relatively harmless by most of the American public. During the Mechanicsburg Halloween parade, several individuals dressed up in costumes, one as a “zombie Pope,” and another as a “zombie Muhammad.” Such costumed representations were no doubt offensive to some Catholic Christians and to some Muslims. Ernest Perce, one of these paraders was with a group called the “Parading Atheists of Central PA,” was dressed in a costume as a “zombie Muhammad,” and stated that an individual, Talaag Elbayomy, had allegedly attacked him and was charged by the police with harrassment.
The Cumberland County magistrate, Judge Mark Martin, dismissed the case for lack of evidence, and claimed that there wasn’t sufficient evidence in the case. Mr. Ernest Perce claims to have a video that was taken place that captures some of the audio and environment of the alleged attack. He also claims to have audio of some of the magistrate’s comments. According to the audio of the magistrate’s comments, Judge Martin proceeded to instruct Mr. Ernest Perce V on why he should not insult followers in Islam, as an abuse of his freedom of speech. Judge Martin reportedly later stated that this had no bearing on his court decision.
CNN affiliate WHTM (ABC 27) reports that the arresting police officer, Sgt. Brian Curtis stated that Mr. Talaag Elbayomy grabbed the paraders beard and sign. According to the news report at WHTM, “Although Elbayomy denied touching Perce at trial, Curtis said he admitted grabbing Perce’s sign and beard the night of the incident. Talaag Elbayomy said he was at the parade with his wife and two kids and felt he just had to do something. In fact, he too called police because he thought it was a crime for someone to depict Muhammed in such a way. He has since learned otherwise.” WHTM interviewed Sgt. Brian Curtis after the incident at the parade and quoted the police officer as stating “Mr. Perce has the right to do what he did that evening, and the defendant in this case was wrong in confronting him.”
We may all object to those who are obnoxious and offensive. I certainly don’t agree with or accept these characterizations of religious figures that are offensive to others, and I think it is a mistake to do so. But that subjective perception does not allow the violation of another’s freedom of speech, and it does not allow someone else to physically grab signs and things on your body. Our freedom of speech is not just in Pennsylvania, and not just in America. This American Constitutional right is also a universal human right for all people – everywhere in the world – even when we don’t like it. Judge Martin decided to ignore Mr. Elbayomy’s reported statement that he touched Mr. Perce’s sign and beard. Having myself had my signs grabbed and been pushed many times in the past, I have seen the police refuse to get involved and simply let people sort it out. In my experience with numerous protests, law enforcement typically does not get involved until one party physically starts grabbing another individual.
This incident certainly may have gotten more press than a minor conflict deserves.
But the appearance that Judge Martin decided not to defend our citizen’s freedom of speech is deeply troubling. While Judge Martin states that this is not the case, there is certainly an appearance of this inclination from the audio report. Judicial officers are responsible for accepting such freedom of speech as part of their professional responsibilities.
Furthermore, the precedent that Judge Martin’s decision sets is unnerving, and it is against American principles. It is not keeping with America’s Constitutional rights of freedom of speech to allow someone to use admitted physical coercion to deny unpopular, even obnoxious and offensive speech. If we disagree with such obnoxious and offensive speech, the remedy is obvious, we have our own freedom of speech to express our views. But the idea that physical coercion can be tolerated to deny others’ freedom of speech is simply wrong, not only in America, but also anywhere in the world. Judge Martin claims to have had military experience. Based on his decision, one can only wonder what he thought he was fighting for.
This case is not about Islam or atheism – it is about the freedoms we have and the truths that we hold self-evident as Americans and as human beings. It is about freedoms that we all have the right to take for granted, without having to wonder if someone else will now believe they are entitled to physically accost us when we exercise those freedoms.
It sends the wrong signal at the wrong time that silencing others can be excused if there are “not enough witnesses,” and that physical violence can be an answer to opinions and speech that we don’t like. The incident itself may have been small, but the judicial misconduct is serious. Once again, Pennsylvania authorities have the opportunity to do the right thing, and they make a different choice.
It is troubling to see yet another figure of authority in Pennsylvania with such a cavalier attitude regarding their responsibilities to society. One can only hope that the state authorities in Pennsylvania will start to realize the need for them to act on such issues, and demonstrate their willingness to be consistent on human rights for all people.
A few weeks ago at the National Press Club, I spoke of the world crisis in respecting children’s dignity and human rights, and the need to challenge those who commit and those who tolerate abuse, hatred, rape, and violence against our children. I love my brothers and sisters in humanity of all identity groups, but we must stand united as a human race to challenge those who would attack our children.
I stated in my December 8 comments, they are “our children” because humanity’s children are humanity’s shared future. They are not just the responsibility of their parents, they are also our shared responsibility as a human society — not only for our human rights, but also for our very future existence. They are part of our shared responsibility not only for equality and liberty, but also for the future of humanity itself.
Even animals in the wild have the instinctual need to defend their children. Our human society must do better. We must work to end the very contempt so many have for our chidren, their innocence, their future, and their very lives.
So many would like to explain away not just the abuses of our children, but the societal willingness to accept this. We are too busy, the people committing such abuses are just crazy, they are the responsibility of the police and the children’s parents.
CONTEMPT.
You don’t spit on a child and call them filthy names by accident. There is no explaining this away. It is nothing less than open, unmitigated, CONTEMPT.
Yet this is precisely what has been reported in Israel over the past week. In the Jerusalem suburb of Beit Shemesh, an 8-year old Orthodox Jewish girl walking to Jewish religious school, wearing a long dress and long sleeve blouse was set upon by “ultra-Orthodox” extremists who spit on her.
Frightened Israeli Child Na'ama Margolis Fears Being Spit Upon and Threatened by Dozens of Men (Photo Clip: YouTube / Channel 2)
For months, this child, Na’ama Margolis, and her classmates have endured being spat upon and threatened with filthy insults by dozens of cowardly men, who see nothing wrong with attacking children. Such men apparently claim that these girls’ conservative dress is not conservative enough for them. This was reported and many in Israel have condemned such outrages against these children. Others have been challenging efforts at public gender segregation, excluding girls and women from public sphere in public events, in stores, on buses, and even on the sidewalk. Men supporting such abuse of women have clashed with the police. The attacks on such children and attempts at public gender segregation in the streets was broadcast by Israeli Channel 2 and is provided with English subtitles on YouTube at:
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Some Israelis have also been challenging a growing repression against Israel women, including an Israel woman soldier called filthy names by a man for sitting in the front of a bus. I stand with the women and men protesting in Israel to reject such contempt against girls and women, and I am proud to support your campaign for freedom and respect. I reject the efforts of those who seek to use violence and contempt to intimidate girls and women in Israel (or anywhere). Outside of the U.S. Secretary of State, the situation in Israel has been received with a significant silence here in the United States, especially by activists. I am especially disappointed to see feminists who have been very active in challenging the disgraceful so-called “honor killings” around the world, apparently must be on vacation and too busy to be concerned about these issues involving Israeli women. I have also seen some writers who seem to want to explain the abuses against Israeli women away as political targeting or as some type of cultural misunderstanding.
Local Man in Beit Shemesh Justifies Spitting On Little Girls (Photo Clip: YouTube / Channel 2)
To those who believe it is a cultural misunderstanding to spit on little girls, let me tell you there are plenty of fathers who would have their own cultural response with a closed four fingers and a thumb if you spit on their daughter.
It is instinctual, it is normal, it is part of basic human survival coding to want to protect and defend our children. We shouldn’t need to explain it. We shouldn’t need to encourage it. It should be part of our human identity.
Nor is it political targeting to challenge abuses against children, among people in any nation or any identity group. I have stood in defense of Israelis many times to seek the respect, security, and human rights that all human beings deserve. But wrong is wrong – as other protesting Israelis point out, and we must have no acceptance of contempt against our children.
This incident summarizes the entire issue of open contempt against children, their rights, and their dignity: Spitting on Our Children. Such contempt does not get any clearer than that.
Certainly we cannot address child abuse in another nation, without addressing the disgrace and child abuse in the United States of America, who has yet to ratifythe United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), accepted by the General Assembly in 1989. While the United States signed this important convention as part of the United Nations, the United States is one of the few nations that has failed to ratify this convention. 23 years later, administration after after administration, Republican and Democratic, have come and gone, and still this basic convention on the rights of children has not yet been ratified by the United States. In 2008, Barack Obama promised to “review” this, but as we approach 2012, nearly four years later, the current United States administration has also failed to ratify this convention on child’s rights.
The only other nation that has not ratified the CRC is Somalia, where a 13-year old little girl (Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow) was publicly stoned to death in a pit as “adulteress” for the “crime” of being raped, watched by over 1,000 people who failed to act, as Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow’s extremist murderers justified killing her based on their interpretation of Islamic Sharia Law. The U.S. Senate passed a resolution condemning that killing, but where are they on ratifying the CRC?
We also cannot address the importance of the CRC, without challenging those who have ratified it with “exceptions,” that some children only have rights to life and human dignity based on limited religious interpretations. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights ensure human rights for all – without exception – but the United States of America’s government needs to ratify the CRC themselves so that when it offers advice to other world powers, it has done the least that it could do.
Image from State Dept Human Trafficking Report, section "Gender Imbalance in Human Trafficking"
We lead as human beings, as parents, as social leaders, as religious leaders, as identity group leaders, and political leaders – must lead by example. “Do what I say, not what I do” accomplishes nothing in social change and human rights. So the series of disgraces against children around the world require us to speak out consistently everywhere in the world, with every group in the world, and in every circumstance. We must show human rights, dignity, and compassion to some children, but we must do so for our all of our future children.
Our places of learning should be obvious places where children are safe. But we have learned in America how untrue that is today in our nation. Today, yet another alleged rape victim has reported the use of the Pennsylvania State University campus football facilities , as part of an apparently organized effort alleged to have been committed by former football coach Sandusky. It is sickening for Americans and people with respect for children’s rights around the world to hear the growing allegations, and this latest victim brings the number to 11 reported victims. All of us our responsible for our children, including those in positions of authority, not simply when it is convenient, but all of the time. Even if it is inconvenient to someone’s weekend (as former football coach Joe Paterno testified), we must alert the authorities to known or suspected abuse of children, and do the most we can to protect our children, not the least we can. As a Penn State alumnus, I understand when it comes to children’s safety – no one, no organization, no team, and no activity – is more important than our children.
Former Penn State University Coach Joe Paterno Testified that He Did Not Want to Disrupt the Weekend of University Official in Reporting Sandusky's Activities with Naked Boys (Photo: Ralph Wilson-AP Photo)
We see some who would rationalize and look the other way when children are killed as part of violence among adults. It is always and will always be unacceptable and wrong. There are no exceptions. We must stop killing our children, because we can not find ways to live with each other and to deal with our conflicts. Those who seek to fight, fight as adults, and leave our children out of these wars. I know the arguments, how people need to fight for security and defense. But our children don’t have to be a part of that. To those who say that is impossible, I say you need to find a way. If we are not preserving our children’s lives, what type of security, what type of defense, and what type of “victory,” do you think you are working towards?
In terms of the United States government, the Israeli government, and every government in the world who is at war or in conflict, there are no “acceptable” child casualties in war. It does not matter how we define these casualties, as “collateral damage,” or how sorry we are. This also includes the disgusting and disgraceful allegations that some Israeli soldiers have also used human shields. This also applies to any solider, American, or from any nation, who believes it is acceptable to allow the deaths of our children. Our apologies do not bring the lives of our children back anywhere in the world. No war justifies the death of children anywhere in the world, any place, any time.
A Child Injured in U.S. Drone Attack in Pakistan (Photo: AP/The Hindu)
Pakistani Child Ali Ahmad - Trained to be Suicide Bomber (Photo Clip: Voice of America)
This also includes disgraceful allegations of Palestinian militants using child human shields, or any other group with militants fighting anywhere in the world. Such groups claim they are working for ideological and nationalist causes. No cause justifies murdering children anywhere in the world, any place, any time.
In Pakistan and around the world, we have seen terrorist organizations seek to brainwash children with hatred and to train children to become terrorists. As the Pakistan Daily Times has reported, some Pakistani groups have used madrassas to teach children how to wear suicide bomber vests. Throughout Africa, and in other parts of the world, there are others who seek to recruit children for their wars. In Somalia this week, children are being recruited as “child soldiers” to wage war on the government by the Al-Shabaab group. No cause justifies this promotion of hatred in children’s minds, this warping of their innocents hearts to believe that people of all one kind, one group, or one religion deserve hatred, violence, and death. No group has the right abuse our children and try to turn them into killers.
Leave Our Children be Children
In every case and circumstance, those who would kill our children and make them into killers, anywhere and everywhere in the world, they too are spitting on our children.
Texas: Raid on Polygamist Group that Claimed Justification of Sexual Abuse (Photo Clip: NBC video)
We have also seen those who claim they have the “right” to murder young girls in America in so-called “honor killings,” rationalized by their extremist interpretations of Islamic religion and culture. Just slightly over a year ago, the trial of Faleh Almaleki began for the “honor killing” murder of his daughter Noor Almaleki. The Arizona Republic reported that “[f]amily members told police that the father was upset that his daughter failed to live by traditional Muslim values.” We need others to condemn those who rationalize murder and hate. (Almaleki’s families comments to the Arizona Republic is an extremist view that will no doubt disturb many traditional Muslims practicing love and respect to children and one another.) In April 2011, Faleh Almaleki was sentenced to only 34 years in prison for what was clearly a premeditated murder of his daughter.
Noor Almaleki - American Girl Murdered for an "Honor Killing"
Other American Girls Murdered in "Honor Killings": Amina and Sarah Said (Top Left), Methal Dayem (Top Right), and Tina Isa (Bottom)
All those who would use religious RATIONALIZATION to sexually abuse, beat, attack, and kill our children also have contempt for children’s rights. Their contempt and violence against our children speaks for itself, and they cannot hide behind their claims that contempt, abuse, and violence against children is justified by their extremist religious views or culture. They too are spitting on our children.
Those who seek to pray on our children’s minds and souls to corrupt towards violence and hatred know no boundaries. In our reporting at Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.), we have reported on those who seek to influence children via the Internet and from extremist group meetings to promote hatred of people different from themselves. We have seen with our own eyes the images of small children influenced by the Christian extremist Hutaree group and other groups that promote hatred and promote violence in the United States. When we challenge groups that promote such hatred and racial nationalism in America, as well as other groups that promote hate, we seek to protect our children – our shared responsibility.
Christian Extremist Terrorist Group Hutaree Give Rifle to Baby (Left); American Nazis Seek to Brainwash Young Girl (Right)
This problem is not limited to any one religious, ethnic, racial, national, or identity group. There is a decided effort by those promoting hatred to fight their war for hate with, against, and through our children. They too are spitting on our children.
But the contempt towards our children is hardly an isolated incident and, as I expressed in my December 8 remarks, this is a global phenomenon that we must challenge consistently and without exception. In every case, these too are spitting on our children.
Egypt: 15 year old Dina El-Gowhary - Target of Acid Attacks
In Sudan and Darfur, children are killed, young girls are raped, children are starved, authorities refuse to let children learn about their culture, and children are abducted to be forced into military service. In Balochistan, we have seen over 168 children who have “disappeared” and teenage boys killed as part of a brutal “kill and dump” campaign by authorities. In Bahrain, I have read reports of 5 children killed and hundreds of children subjected to excessive force by a brutal government that seeks deny democracy and human rights.
Sudan's Starving Children - Oppressed by Totalitarian Government (Photo: AP)
Only a Passing Trash Collector Tried to Save Chinese Baby Yue-Yue
(To those who state, you failed to address the contempt towards our children shown by this group or that group, you are correct. Given the near infinite variety of groups in the war against children, I guarantee I have missed some. Please write me at usa@realcourage.org and I will address such topics in the future.)
I know that this sometimes reads like just statistics, which is why in my December 8 remarks, I raised the issue of murdered American child Jorelys Rivera, a 7 year old girl who was raped and murdered, and dumped in a trash bin in Georgia, the week we were remembering Human Rights Day around the world. Our children are special, unique, and deserve the love, respect, and human rights. They deserve to be remembered not merely as statistics, but as human beings with names.
Jorelys Rivera - 7-Year Old America Girl - Murdered and Raped - Left in Trash Bin
The grim story of global contempt against our children is not just something I have heard about, but something I faced personally in the United States. I have spoke to young girls who have been the victims of sexual abuse predators in our nation, who have sought to steal their dignity because of the poverty and unemployment in America. To those who expect law enforcement will act on these matters, I can tell you from personal experience that this is not always the case.
The face of children’s human rights is the face of every child, those who have suffered and those remain unscathed. These children are humanity’s future. We cannot and must not expect the authorities or “someone else” to take the leadership in protecting our children around the world from contempt, hatred, brainwashing, abuse, rape, violence, and murder. Our conscience and our survival as a human race demands that we must not tolerate such abuse of our children – anywhere, any group, and any time.
We are the adults – when it comes to protecting our children – we are the authorities. It is our responsibility. It is our responsibility to stop those spitting on our children, literally and figuratively.
Our children deserve our universal human rights, including the right to life, dignity, and respect.
We extend respect to all identity groups, all religions, all races, all genders, and all nationalities as our brothers and sisters in humanity. While such individual identity groups are not to “blame” for extremists within them, they and we all have to responsibility to speak out on behalf of the need to protect and love our children – everywhere and anywhere.
Consistency on human rights is difficult, and perhaps painful and ugly at times. If we are consistent on human rights, we are going to offend someone. If we are consistent on human rights, our political allies, our national allies, our cultural allies, and our identity group allies are at some point going to be upset with us.
But the truth is that our future depends on consistency on human rights.
Our children depend on us to have the courage to be consistent on human rights, anywhere, everywhere, and all the time. We must set that example and provide that leadership for the next generation.
But first we must challenge the CONTEMPT against our children. It is unacceptable anywhere, everywhere, and all the time – with every child without exception. We must challenge the contempt against our children with our hearts, minds, and voices.
Our petition calls for all nations of the world, including the United States of America, to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Our petition also calls for the world nations to make their ratification of the CRC without exception or qualification. We shouldn’t need to “qualify” the basic rights of our children to life, respect, dignity, and the universal human rights we all share.
Our petition rejects those who claim that any human culture or ideology permits contempt, abuse, rape, violence, and hatred towards children, and even murder of children.
Our petition calls for the end of child slavery and condemns the nations and individuals that participate and tolerate such disgraces.
Our petition calls for the protection, dignity, and safety of children anywhere and everywhere – free from attack by weapons of war, free from abuse by soldiers of any kind, free from terrorism and crime, and free from abuse and violence from any person.
Finally, our petition encourages the world to reject the idea that our children are someone else’s responsibility, but they are our responsibility and our future – not just when it is convenient, but all the time.
You may think you can’t do anything about the contempt towards our children, but you can. You can start with your public voice on the issues that all human beings should share regarding our children and our future.
Statement by Nazir S. Bhatti, President, Pakistan Christian Congress (PCC), and Editor, Pakistan Christian Post (PCP) on Human Rights Day Regarding Human Rights Issues of Pakistan Christians, including urging the government of Pakistan to repeal blasphemy law and demand formation of Judicial Commission to investigate and to arrest killers of Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities who was assassinated on March 2, 2011, in Islamabad.
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Pakistan Christian Congress' Dr. Nazir Bhatti - Speaking at a previous R.E.A.L. Human Rights Day Event - National Press Club, Washington DC
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I congratulate, Mr. Jeffrey Imm, Chief Coordinator of Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) for organizing this event as commitment to Declaration of Universal Human Rights of United Nation. It is important to pay homage to REAL leadership for commitment and re-commitment of Human Rights Day every year in DC when many champions of Human Rights not even bother to raise voice for persecuted communities on this day.
Availing opportunity of this occasion on Human Rights Day, I must submit that 20 million Pakistani Christians are a forgotten community by the International forums and Human Right organizations. There are incidents of gang-rape, abduction and enforced conversion to Islam of Christian women but silence prevails in capitals of Western governments. The Pastors are gunned down, Churches are attacked, Christian properties are set on fire, worshipers in churches are sprayed with bullets and Christian women and children are burnt alive but culprits walk free from courts if they are arrested. There are arrests of Christians under controversial blasphemy law to settle scores by Muslim majority but Human Right champions have never dared to press upon government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to repeal such black laws which are contradictory to Universal Human Rights of UN, of which Pakistan is a signatory state.
There are frequent incidents of murder of Christian victims of blasphemy law in custody of law enforcement agencies and by hands of extremist elements but none of culprit is ever arrested and brought to justice. The Christian youth is denied equal opportunities in education and employment to undermine their due rights and even in share of US AID on such programs in Pakistan.
Dear Sirs,
It will be surprising to note that Islamic Republic of Pakistan claims to be a Democratic state but 20 million Pakistani Christians are deprived of their basic right to elect their representation by their vote in Pakistan. We are forced to vote for a Muslim and then that Muslim selects our member in Parliament but Western Democratic countries have never linked their AID to Pakistan for true democracy. Pakistani Christians have long standing demand of representation in National Assembly of Pakistan, Senate of Pakistan; Provincial Assemblies of Pakistan and Local Bodies with proportional to their population which is 13% but never received due consideration.
Dear Sirs,
I must submit that there have been more than 1,500 cases registered under blasphemy law in Pakistan since 1986, in which Christians, Ahmadi, Hindu and individuals of some Muslim sects were arrested. The Christian and Ahmadi victims of blasphemy law were killed by the hands of extremist’s Islamic elements in which none was arrested to ensure justice.
On occasion of Human Right Day, I will urge government of Pakistan to repeal blasphemy law and demand formation of Judicial Commission to investigate and to arrest killers of Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities who was assassinated on March 2, 2011, in Islamabad; The Tehreek-e-Taliban Punjab TTP accepted responsibility of killing of Shahbaz Bhatti but Joint Investigation Committee comprising of Islamabad Police and some Christian leaders have failed to make any arrest. I will also demand release of Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of 5, who was sentenced to death on accusation of blasphemy and waiting in jail for his appeal pending in Lahore High Court. Pakistan Christian Congress PCC demands release of more than 100 victims of blasphemy in jails and adequate security for those who have been acquitted from courts and forced to live in hidings.
It is also important to bring in notice of United Nation that Pakistani Christians are facing genocide in Islamic Republic of Pakistan and immediate action is required to safe 20 million Pakistani Christians by awarding Refugee Status for their safety and security of life and property.
I, President of Pakistan Christian congress PCC, Nazir S. Bhatti, on behalf of 20 million Pakistani Christians demand, His Excellency Ban-Ki Moon, Secretary General UN, on Human Right Day of 2011, to form a Commission to investigate genocide of Pakistani Christians under following Universal Conditions for Genocide.
1. Public display of ethnic and religious differences through physical features, language and communal symbols.
2. Absence in multi-religious and/or multi-ethnic societies of strong integrating institutions.
3. Absence of the rule of law and presence of authoritarian traditions of governance.
4. Deep-seated insecurity on the part of ruling elites.
5. Widespread perception of vulnerable religious and ethnic groups as potential agents of politically subversive powers.
6. Prevalence of a racially or religiously discriminatory ideology or worldview that upholds a utopian vision of a homogenous society as the foundation of political unity.
7. Institutionalization of racial or religious discrimination in statute law or social custom.
8. Widespread communication by state and/or non-state actors of hateful propaganda that portrays members of religious or ethnic communities as subject peoples, aliens within society, or as subhuman creatures.
9. Outbreaks of organized violence by mobs or individuals against members of vulnerable religious or ethnic communities.
10. Habitual denial of discrimination by state and non-state actors that engage in oppressive practices, including violence, against vulnerable groups in society.
11. Widespread militarization of society and/or widespread influence of non-state terrorist groups or militias.
We hope that formation of UN Commission on genocide of Pakistani Christians will be revival of Declaration of International Human Rights in Pakistan and around globe.
At the National Press Club in Washington DC, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) coordinated a Human Rights Day event on December 8, inviting co-sponsors from various groups to speak on behalf of human rights issues important to their organizations. The groups remembered the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations on December 10, 1948 and the inherent human rights, human dignity, respect, and social justice that all of our fellow human deserve – of any identity group and in any part of the world.
(For each individual, we have provide Internet links to their Human Rights Day Event remarks.)
The speakers discussed the need to consistently show respect, compassion, dignity, and human rights to people in different parts of the world and in different identity groups.
Human Rights Day – Remembering the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
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R.E.A.L.’s Jeffrey Imm spoke on the need to emphasize respect, instead of arrogance, in recognizing human rights, stating that it was arrogance by those who believe that they had superior rights to others that is a key problem in human rights around the world. He urged the world to make a “declaration of love” towards their fellow human beings, and to Choose Love, Not Hate, in our lives and the lives of others in our communities, our nations, and our identity groups. Jeffrey Imm spoke of the dire situation of poverty around the world and the impact on such poverty on human rights, stating that such poverty can undermine human rights for many, including individuals in the United States of America who he was working to support. He urged people to give to charities and to people in need.
R.E.A.L.’s Jeffrey Imm also spoke on the future of human rights being defined by the example we set, and the way we treat our children. He spoke on the continuing disgrace of abuse, rape, kidnapping, and murder of children around the world, as well as by those in institutions and society who have not made chidren’s rights a priority. Jeffrey Imm urged the United States to adopt the Convention on Rights of the Child.
He also spoke on atrocities against children in the United States of America (the murder of 7 year of Jorelys Rivera, the murder of children in Texas), in Pakistan (the brainwashing of children by terrorists, the rape and murder of young girls, and the killing of Christian minority girls, including the recent killing of Amariah Masih), in Sudan and Dafur (rape of young girls, killing of children, and loss of their culture and innocence), in Balochistan (over 168 children have “disappeared” with teenage boys killed by authorities in a “kill and dump” campaign), in People’s Republic of China (the lack of concern of about a 2 year old child killed in the street, the government-sponsored forced abortions and infanticide, and the killing or abandonment of minority children such as children of Falun Gong practitioners), and in Bahrain (five children killed and hundreds of children subjected to excessive force by anti-protest authorities). Jeffrey Imm also spoke on the institutional willingness to accept such abuses of children, including an Afghan girl released from prison on the condition she marry her rapist, and the reports of child abuse at the Pennsylvania State University and other institutions in America. He also decried the so-called “honor killings” of young girls and boys by those who believe their cultural or religious views justified abuse and murder of children, and called for an end to these, noting that there were 3,000 such cases in the United Kingdom alone, according to stophonourkillings.com. He spoke of the oppression against children in the United States of America, and his own efforts to stop such abuses.
Jeffrey Imm stated that these “are all OUR children,” who “are our common bond and bridge to the future.” He suggested that in this season of reflection and gift-giving in much of the world, that we should first reach out to help the children and the less fortunate among us. He stated that our greatest gift to children from adult human beings must be in making a renewed commitment to protect our vulnerable children around the world. Jeffrey Imm stated, “We must give the gift of our courage, our consistency, and our commitment for the universal human rights and dignity to all of our children around the world…. We must set an example for our children. We must provide a beacon and symbol of hope for our children. We must show that by our words and more importantly by actions, in the United States and around the world – to our children – and to each other… We are Responsible for Equality And Liberty.”
Jeffrey Imm, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.), Human Rights Day Event 2011
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Ahmer Mustikhan, a senior journalist and Balochistan area expert, spoke on the issue of supporting democracy and human rights for the Baloch people, and called the end to abuses against Pakistan minorities. Regarding the challenges within the Pakistan government, Ahmer Mustikhan called for the United States and the nations of the world to prevent the Pakistan military from interfering with the democratic government in Pakistan. “It is true the democratic government of President Asif Ali Zardari gave the Baloch 300 bodies in the last four or so years, but still we would support it against the military generals. Democracy does make a difference in the lives of people and we can not remain oblivious to this fact,” Mustikhan said. Mustikhan, who founded the DC-based American Friends of Balochistan and co-founded the International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, also asked the world community to intervene in Balochistan on the same lines as they did in Libya to stop the genocide there and safeguard the right to self-determination of the Baloch people. He said scores of Baloch teenagers have been made victims of enforced disappearances and killed. He narrated the story of a Baloch minor boy Abdul Wahid Baloch, aka Balaach Baloch, who gained fame after his picture showing him clad in a Balochistan flag was posted on social websites last year. Ahmar Mustikhan also spoke on the issue of Pakistan minorities, including Pakistan Christians, and urged the Pakistan government to free Asia Bibi, who has been imprisoned on trumped-up charges of the “blasphemy law,” which has been used to target and oppress religious minorities in Pakistan.
Ahmar Mustikhan, Senior Journalist and Area Expert, Balochistan – regarding the oppression and abuse of the Baloch people and Pakistan minorities on Human Rights Day Event 2011
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Carolyn Cook, founder and CEO of United for Equality, spoke at the National Press Club in Washington DC on December 8, as part of a Human Rights Day Event, calling for a renewed commitment by Americans in support of the Constitutional rights for all American women, as part of our global human rights goals. United for Equality is a social justice enterprise seeking the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (E.R.A.) by 2015. Carolyn stated that we must change the way people think and what we tolerate in our culture regarding the rights and dignity of our fellow Americans and fellow human beings. Carolyn spoke out against the discrimination and the efforts to deny full equality to women in America, in every aspect of their lives. She stated that we need to take our system back and make it ours. Carolyn Cook stated that United for Equality’s coalition successfully introduced a bill to the 112the session of the United States Congress calling for Congress to remove the time limit on the Equal Rights Amendment (E.R.A.), as the United States previously had the ratification of the E.R.A. in 35 states, and it requires ratification in 38 states and by 2/3s of the House and Senate. She pointed out how previous U.S. government officials sought to halt the efforts to ratify the E.R.A. after 10 years when nearly all of the required states but 3 had ratified this Constitutional Amendment, and pointed out that women have no desire to “start over” the ratification of the E.R.A.
Carolyn Cook also spoke on the paradigm of options we have as activists and participants in defending human rights. Carolyn urged a more holistic approach towards addressing human rights as lifelong causes. She discussed lessons learned from the Occupy movement and other social activist efforts to bring change to the world. Her discussion on lessons from the Occupy movement are detailed in the YouTube video of her speech beginning at 6:36 minutes in on Part 1 and continuing and concluding in Part 2 of her remarks.
Carolyn Cook, CEO and Founder of United for Equality, Speaks on Behalf of American Women’s Constitutional Rights – on Human Rights Day 2011 Event
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Jared Pearman, Spokesperson for the Falun Dafa Association of Washington, DC, spoke on behalf of human rights and human dignity for the Falun Gong / Falun Dafa. He provided information about the Falun Gong as “a peaceful spiritual practice rooted in traditional Chinese culture,” which “consists of meditation, five gentle sets of exercises, and a moral philosophy centered on the values of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.” While pointing out that Falun Gong is not political, Mr. Pearman stated that “as Falun Gong grew in popularity throughout the 1990s, China’s communist leaders began to view the practice and its moral philosophy as ideological competition.” For the past 12 years, he indicated that “China’s rulers began a campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Since then, like underground Christians and Tibetan Buddhists, millions of Falun Gong adherents have been denied the right to peacefully practice their faith.” Despite massive arrests, torture, killings and denial of human rights for the Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party, Mr. Pearman stated that “Falun Gong has not been crushed, and reports from China indicate that the number of practitioners is instead growing. Ordinary citizens are increasingly standing up in defense of Falun Gong and are refusing to participate in the persecution.” He called for the Chinese government and the world to recognize and defend the human rights of the Falun Gong. Mr. Pearman offered “an alternate vision of what China could be — an alternative way of conceptualizing Chinese national identity”…. that “connects with China’s moral and spiritual traditions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, and holds that the cultivation of virtue, honesty, and humanness are the true sources of national greatness.”
Jared Pearman, Spokesperson of Falun Dafa Association of Washington DC, oppressed in the PRC and denied their most basic human rights and dignity by those who view their practice and support for traditional Chinese values as a threat to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – Speaking at 2011 Human Rights Day Event
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Husain Abdulla, leader of Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB), spoke on behalf of Bahrainis oppressed by government forces that seek to deny democracy. He spoke of the initial protests on February 14, 2011, of those who sought to join the “Arab Spring” movement for democracy, and the brutal oppression of the Bahrain government. Since March 2011, Husain Abdulla stated that Bahrain protesters have been subjected to torture and death. 45 were killed, over 2,000 arbitrary arrests, 1,866 cases of documented torture, 5,000 prisoners of conscience, destruction of 40 places of worship, and 3,000 fired from their jobs, 500 forced out of Bahrain, 3 on death row, 477 students expelled from universities, and 300 students had scholarships taken away — all in retaliation for the willingness to protest against the Bahrain government. He stated that over 500 doctors have been detained. He noted that Bahrain is a close ally to the United States, and he urged Americans to call for the American government to end the “blind eye” to Bahrain human rights violations.
Husain Abdulla, speaking at National Press Club on Human Rights Day Event – Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) — speaking on behalf of Bahranis oppressed by government forces that seek to deny democracy
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Niemat Ahmadi spoke at the National Press Club Human Rights Day Event on December 8, 2011, to address the abuse of Darfuris and Sudanese. Niemat Ahmadi represents the United to End Genocide group. She spoke about the Genocide in Sudan which has been ongoing for over 8 years, and that have driven 4,000,000 out of their homes. Niemat Ahmadi spoke on the need for Americans to call for justice regarding Omar Al-Bashir. She noted that the efforts of Al-Bashir regime have changed their tactics and seek to use rape against women as a weapon of war against the Darfuri people. Niemat Ahmadi spoke of the continuing attacks on Darfuri cities, homes, and attempts to stop safe travel of people of African nationalities who have been fleeing to displaced persons camps. Niemat Ahmadi urged those in Arab nations seeking democracy in their nations to stand up to dictatorial Arab regimes who have supported the brutal Al-Bashir regime.
Niemat Ahmadi, with United to End Genocide, Speaks Out on the Darfur Genocide in Support of Human Rights – at Human Rights Day Event 2011
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In R.E.A.L.’s Jeffrey Imm’s concluding remarks, he urged the human rights activists to continue to work together in the coming year on joint activists. He noted that after the winter comes the spring, and in the spring, he often goes to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum during Holocaust Remembrance Days to participate in the reading of the names. Even if there is only one or two people there, Imm noted, there is someone to remember, and it is done simply because it is the right thing to do.
He urged human rights activists to remember that in their work of spreading hope, reaching out to offer dignity, justice, freedom, and consistent universal human rights to all. That is the vision and the mission of being collectively…
Responsible for Equality And Liberty….
Choose Love, Not Hate, Love Wins.
Orange Ribbon for Universal Human Rights – Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)
Niemat Ahmadi spoke at the National Press Club Human Rights Day Event on December 8, 2011, to address the abuse of Darfuris and Sudanese. Niemat Ahmadi represents the United to End Genocide group. She spoke about the Genocide in Sudan which has been ongoing for over 8 years, and that have driven 4,000,000 out of their homes.
Niemat Ahmadi spoke on the need for Americans to call for justice regarding Omar Al-Bashir. She noted that the efforts of Al-Bashir regime have changed their tactics and seek to use rape against women as a weapon of war against the Darfuri people.
Niemat Ahmadi spoke of the continuing attacks on Darfuri cities, homes, and attempts to stop safe travel of people of African nationalities who have been fleeing to displaced persons camps. She stated that people who spoke out for people in the camps have been kidnapped, raped, and killed; she indicated that many NGOs have abandoned the Darfuri people.
Niemat Ahmadi urged those in Arab nations seeking democracy in their nations to stand up to dictatorial Arab regimes who have supported the brutal Al-Bashir regime.
