(A Palestinian father carries his wounded baby daughter into a hospital in Gaza City on January 4, 2009 as Israeli troops continue its ground assault in Gaza. The half dozen hospitals in Gaza cannot cope with more patients and casualties are overflowing out of regular wards into corridors as Israeli troops push deep into Gaza. At least 40 people have been killed since Israel launched the night-time offensive yesterday after eight days of air strikes in which at least 485 Palestinians died and more than 2,400 were wounded, Gaza medics said. Photo: AFP/Getty)"Let Gaza Live!" March & Vigil, New Haven, Friday, Jan. 9, 5:30PM
Contact: Stan Hellar, Middle East Crisis Committee, 203-934-2761, 203-506-0953 (C)
Frank O'Gorman, People of Faith, 860-841-5006 (voicemail)
Hundreds will march and rally in New Haven Friday January 9th at an event called "Let Gaza Live". The protest is in response to the Israeli bombings and ground war against the Gaza Strip.
People will gather at 5:00 PM at the Center Church on the Green in New Haven, 250 Temple Street. The group will march after 5:30PM on downtown streets (on the sidewalks) and gather again at the church for a vigil. Speakers will include Nada Khader of Wespac Foundation (NY), the poet Remi Kanazi, and Adam Shapiro, International Solidarity Movement. There will also be Islamic and other activist speakers.
The rally is sponsored by the Council on American Islamic Relations, the Palestinian American Congress, the Middle East Crisis Committee, ANSWER CT, People of Faith CT, Queers Without Borders, the CT Coalition for Peace and Justice, We Refuse to be Enemies and International Socialist Organization-New Haven.
Mongi Dhaouadi, Executive Director of Connecticut CAIR said, "If targeting kids and innocent civilians in UN schools is not a war crime, I don't know what is! Our political leaders must break their deafening silence and call for an end to the killing of innocent and defenseless people in Gaza."
Leaders of the rally are angry at the silence of CT Congressional leaders about the Gaza attacks or their open support for Israel's offensive. Stanley Heller, Chairperson of MECC said, "I went to the office of Rosa DeLauro on January 6, after the massacre of 40 at the UN school in Gaza. I was told DeLauro still had not made any statement about the Gaza situation. This is shameful. She should be condemning the Gaza massacre and siege."
"Christians throughout Connecticut stand in solidarity with the impoverished Palestinian refugees imprisoned in Gaza who are being massacred by the Israeli government. Peace will only come to Palestine when the immoral Israeli apartheid occupation, funded by US tax dollars, is dismantled," said Frank O'Gorman, director of People of Faith CT.
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.
15 comments:
Are there going to be any Hamas speakers, to elaborate and explain , why they brought to this situation and why are they not bringing this situation to a STOP !
>>Christians throughout Connecticut stand ...
Uh...no.
While the UCC, the religious group losing members at the highest rate might dive head first into some anti-Israel nonsense - not much of anyone else will.
MOST Christians are more involved in keeping food banks, battered women's shelters and church sponsored children's homes open and well funded.
Protesting does nothing towards that end.
I doubt there will be.
But putting the blame for this crisis solely on Hamas is simplistic and naive. Israel shares a large portion of the responsibility here.
And the children being killed and injured deserve none of the blame.
"Uh...no.
While the UCC, the religious group losing members at the highest rate..."
Oh Jesus, now you're getting into the "we're better Christians than you" argument!
Look, I get it ACR; you don't like the Palestinians, and Israel can do no wrong in your book! You're not acknowledging even in the least that Israel's response may be somewhat overly done.
I only wish I could see every situation in stark black & white like you do.
>> you don't like the Palestinians,
Bull.
I'm just not a fan of terrorist groups like Hamas.
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>>getting into the "we're better Christians than you" argument!
No no no.
Start that crap and you're no Christian at all.
Regardless of their name; the UCC is an arm, not a church nor even a real denomination.
It's more of a trade group - or that's what it was supposed to be.
The Congregationalists had no actual structure because they were...well Congregationalists!.
So in the late 50's my mother's childhood next door neighbor and minister, Dwight Blake, founded the United Church of Christ so as to knit together some sort of group so they could share information, get better volume deals on church goods, etc.
It went political in nothing flat; which was not the founding intent.
Now, instead of spending every spare dime on normal causes the UCC and pretty much the UCC alone, spends it's donated assests on things such as anti-smoking, anti-gun lobbyists; they've even set up an anti-Walmart "ministry".
The original English Separatists that were the roots to the Congragetionalists are spinning in their graves. You can stop by this cemetary and hear it yourself.
To the ct cair person, israel does not target civilians, hamas hides and shoots among them. I f Israel did target civilians there would be many thousands dead. Perhaps ct cair person you might want to address the hamas practice and ADMISSION that they DO target Israeli civilians. And lastly ct cair rep you might want to address why hamas uses cartoon charecters to show children how to hate and kill jews. Ct Bob I really plead that you go on the internet and see in their own words and actions that they brag about killing civilians. The logic of their rocket attacks is based on the fact they know eventually that Israel must retaliate. The proportionality arguement is nonsense when the ones who do the fighting hide amongst the civilians knowing their deaths will bring condemanation to Israel. As a headsup Bob ALL the quotes in your article are so easily refuted, just research them yourself. Don't be afraid of the truth because it does not fit the progressive agenda. Those civilians are dying because hamas and others like them know that they will get pr cover from the useful idiots in the west who support them. And make no mistake when you support them you are supporting a group that on it;s own website, promotes hatred and provides justification to killing of Jews. By the way they call for the destruction of Israel not a future of living in a two state solution. Their final solution is the same as hitlers, and the bastards whose rallies you are promoting on your website know it also.
Dude, will you chill the fuck out? Calling people "bastards" because they think peace is a better path than war isn't going to be tolerated here.
You're being a dope if you think me or anyone at those rallies wants anything but peace in that region. Maybe try going to one and look in their eyes and tell me they want differently. Because right now, you're painting them with the brush of your own hatred.
The only peace they want is one where Israel continues to have to endure rocket and missle attacks. Bob it is all so simple GO to their websites cair, answer etc. and you tell me if they want peace. FACT: In 2000 Bill Clinton had an agreement with Israel that gave the palestinians 96% of what they wanted. What they didn't get was the ability to control Israeli water supply. This was refused by arafat and his organization. The people at these rallies know what the ultimate goal of the terror groups is. Yet they want Israel to cease defending themselves. Actions spealk louder than words and the inescapable conclusion is that these groups support terrorist groups who openly and proudly declare they kill jewish citizens. Where is cair and answers outrage to what these groups post on their websites? Their silence on terrorist attacks that lead to the current gaza crisis is nothing less than unequivocable support for those who proudly and purposely kill Israeli citizens. They always blame Israel for responding to but never condemn hamas or hezzbollah for provoking the retaliation. Don't believe me checkout youtube for videos of other protest that csir answr and others are involved in. Some of the most vile anti jew rhetoric can be seen on signs, and heard from the marchers themselves. Note that I said anti jew not necessarly Anti Israeli. Perhaps most vile was the women in full muslim women oppressing garb calling for all jews to be sent to the ovens. I don't suppose the good folks in CT including local menbers of the groups inciting the hatred against jews in THIS country ever express outrage of what their fellow protesters say. In fact why ask I already know the answer.
I find your blog - and the photo - pretty offensive! Looks like you have taken one side without really looking at the history of the region and the role of Iran in supporting Hamas and providing weapons to them. The situation is extremely complex and, when one side refuses to discuss peace, the options for the future are pretty bleak!
TZ, it's a shame that you think that way. The reality of the photo is that it's an ugly war. Children ARE being injured there.
And when people say "well, Israel has lost children in suicide bombings", they miss the point. This isn't about "an eye for an eye".
All I'm saying here, and I've been saying it over and over, is that bombing and killing civilians in an effort to wipe out Hamas isn't a good idea. This isn't so much about taking sides as about the innocent people being killed and injured.
Why do so many otherwise rational people seem to have become inured to the violence there? When is it OK to kill children?
It's never OK to kill children - or anyone - but your photo certainly suggests that only Palestinians are suffering. Can you imagine living with the threat of rockets for 8 years - 8 years - and the world says nothing! You can't sleep - eat- work - houses are destroyed all around you and only the siren giving you 15 seconds to find shelter saves your life and the lives of your family. Your children are terrified every moment of every day - for 8 years!!
Talk about psychological damage!!Would you want to live that way? Could you? It's easy to show the Palestinians suffering - very dramatic - but that certainly isn't at all even handed. War is hell - for EVERYONE!!
The picture you have posted is biased and uncalled for!
This is going to be my canned response from now on, because nobody is listening to me anyway. Here goes:
1. Hamas is bad.
2. Killing children to try to kill Hamas is worse.
3. Do the math.
Um, I'm sorry, Bob -- did you say something?
I have to weigh in on Bob's side on this one. I don't agree in an eye for an eye either. Somebody has to be the bigger person here and some government has to denounce violence.
Unfortunately, the Bush administration has made us impotent in this regard, so hopefully on Jan 21, Hillary and Bill can go over there and try to talk some sense into the people on both sides of a pissing match in which too many innocent people are being killed on both sides.
Thanks. I'm glad to see you got your internet back up, Kirby.
Today the U.N. Security Council voted 14-0 to call for an immediate cease-fire. Of course the U.S. abstained.
Why am I not surprised?
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