Friday, January 02, 2009

Another Gaza protest today in Hartford

Groups to Protest Gaza Massacre, Friday, 1/2, 3PM, Hartford

Contact: Stan Hellar, Middle East Crisis Committee, 203-934-2761, 203-506-0953(cell)
Frank O'Gorman, People of Faith, 627-2290, 841-5006 (voicemail)

Political Interest. Interview/Photo Opportunity.

Several human rights and political groups will be holding a demonstration at 3PM on Friday, January 2, in front of the Federal Building, 450 Main Street, Hartford, to protest the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Sponsoring organizations include the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Palestinian-American Congress, the Middle East Crisis Committee, and People of Faith CT.

"In this Christmas season, Christians throughout Connecticut stand in solidarity with the impoverished Palestinian refugees imprisoned in Gaza who are being slaughtered by the Israeli government," said Frank O'Gorman, director of People of Faith CT. "Peace will only come to Palestine when the immoral Israeli apartheid occupation, funded by US tax dollars, is dismantled," he continued.

"At the demonstration we will call for Connecticut's Congressional delegation to speak out now against the killing. The violence is being described in the media as a 'war', but the Israelis so overpower the Palestinians in the means of violence and the number killed that the event has to be described as a massacre. We will be calling on President-Elect Obama to break his silence about the Israeli attack," said Stanley Hellar, MECC chairperson.

(CT Bob here: I don't necessarily agree that Barack Obama should publicly comment on the volatile situation in Gaza until after he becomes President. We still have a sitting president who should do his goddamned job and speak up about this situation. Anything Obama says right now might be blamed for further escalation of the conflict. I think our current president should be the one to lead us on this.

After all, that's what he's supposed to be getting paid for!)


People of Faith is an interfaith organization that works in collaboration with faith communities, organizations and people of goodwill to articulate faith-based values as a foundation for progressive politics and to mobilize constituents for social justice and peace activism.

10 comments:

Authentic Connecticut Republican said...

>>collaboration

Yes - "collaborators" are exactly what they are.

Anonymous said...

"IMMORAL APARTHEID OCCUPATION" hmmmmm.... Arabs are allowed to vote and there are arab members of the Israeli Knessett. There have been arab ministers serving in various Israeli goverments, and arabs serve in the Israeli armed forces. Jews are lucky to be alive in an arab country, yet the Israelis are the immoral aparthied oppressors. By the way if you missed it hamas announced wednesday that sharia law including crucifixion for any that oppose them will now be strickly enforced in Gaza. I don't suppose Mr. hellar would mention that, probobly not as it would expose his heroes in hamas as the savages they are. Still waiting for him to condemn the daily missle attacks that lead to the Israeli defense reaction. But I forget in his and his fellow travelers twisted worldview, jews and I'm sure americans don't have the right to self defense.

CT Bob said...

Demonizing people is the first step in spreading hatred.

I suppose all those children killed in the bombings are "savages" too, huh?

Anonymous said...

Israel left Gaza in 2005. Hamas started launching rockets as soon as the Gates of Hell (Gaza) were locked. That was when Israel imposed sanctions.

None of the matters, does it? That The Palestinians launched 6,000 rockets into Israel, killing 32 including children, wounding about 600 (children with amputated legs, for example) doesn't matter either.

Did you know that Gaza was Jew-Free after the evacuation? now it has one: an Israeli kidnapped inside Israel.

Jan P

Anonymous said...

I don't suppose that you will be protesting the attacks on Israel from Gaza, will you? After wanting a "calm", Hamas announced that they weren't renewing it, that Israel had no answer for Hamas rockets and then they started the rocket attacks.

I assume that at the most, you sill concede a proportional response which would be randomly firing 6000 rockets into Gaza in response to the 6,000 they fired into Israel since Israel left Gaza.

The reason so few Israelis die is that Israel has a rocket alert system that give 15 to 45 seconds warning for people to take cover in their bomb shelters. Hamas has provided neither.

And, a Palestinian Journalist on TV did state that Hams fired from residential areas and that Hamas leaders admitted it.

I assume that since you are not bigoted, you will protest the targeting of civilians and the use of civilians as human shields, bot of which are violations of the Geneva convention. The Geneva Convention also says the use of human shields does not make a military installation immune from attack.

Don't you just love it when they store rockets in an apartment house and then they trut out atrocity stories against the Jews?

Jan P

CT Bob said...

Why is Israel refusing to allow journalists into the Gaza area?

Anonymous said...

because the border control was overwhelmed with palestinians trying to leave gaza. israel decided to put the palestinians first and the journalists second.

Anonymous said...

CT Bob said...
Why is Israel refusing to allow journalists into the Gaza area?

For the same reasons that any American military commander does not allow journalists to accompany the start of a campaign. To avoid the compromise of troop strength, equipment and logistical information such as unit designation and mission.

Anonymous said...

Have you ever asked yourself why a million and a half Arab Israelis are not clammoring to leave Israel and join their Palestinian brothers in Gaza?
Could it be because that in a free and democratic state of Israel they have apartments, jobs and a future?

libhom said...

Good for the organizers and good for you for publicizing this. These protests are critical.