Great..... Fraudia. But the battle to question peoples believes here would still continue.
I continue to find it interesting that people here on GS debate so passionately thinking that they are actually trying to accomplish something, anything. It becomes funny after a while. Like burrying one's head in the sands of GS and shouting, yelling, discussing, to one's heart's content. What a waste of time and effort.
To everyone: I have sent a msg. out to Al-Jazeera. You'll have a copy of the msg. Forward it to them as is or modify to your liking.
I have also sent it out to me personal email list.
[quote]
Originally posted by jannu:
** We just want to speak up and be noticed as Muslims existing and being "part" of the societies that we have adopted rather then continuing to live with our head in the sand.... for to prove otherwise is to look for proof that exists not.
**
[/quote]
I would love to help in any way I can, please please count me in.
Salaam, KN;
I have just added you to my email list.
If you decide to send any replies out then please forward a copy to the identified members. My address book has more members outside Gupshup and I am trying to get more takers in my family and friends.
I appreciate your interest. It is only our own efforts that will decide our futures. Pointing fingers won't get us anywhere just like it hasn't for the last 200 years. I don't believe we are waiting for manna from heaven.....though many of our brethren are sure seeming to hope so.
Wassalaam,
Thank you for your efforts.
I cannot agree more. I’ve probably exhausted the Islamic charities list in a feverish attempt to try and become actively involved in something of this sort, but it seems most of them are for disaster relief/humanitarian aid only and others are irrevocably sectarian which cater for Muslims as defined by their own “labels”.
Someone really should enlighten the brethern to the fact that even manna comes at a price.
KN: Thanks. Charities are not the place to go to if you are interested in getting involved in issues outside of Muslim charities. The only two other orgs. I am aware of deal with either Muslim civil liberties and the other deals with only Palestinian issues. I, personally, believe that CAIR persues an approach that can affect anyone of us personally at any time.
So, it is incorrect of me to say that no one is doing any work. There are many, many, islands but I am failing to see any coherence. I see more coherence from Jewish and Indians then from Muslims. Even my own family and friends scoff at me doing what I am trying to do here....waste of time, no good will come of it, other responsibilities, do more important work like clean the yard, etc., stuff like that. But next time one of us is caught for supposed crime, put in to jail, stripped naked and run around the cell I hope no one would complain....as in a related thread I posted.
Anyways, I am dry for a few day doing some related research in line with what Fraudia mentioned before.
I am also trying to put together a comments page together based on input from two guppies who must think, by now, that I have forgotten about them and their input. To those two, they know who they are, I appologize. I have not forgotten....only gotten lazy due to Eid and the holidays. I will post your comments here. I promise.
Here are some points that were forwarded my way. These are long overdue for posting for which I must appologize. I would not mention the guppies who sent me the comments but let's discuss the points, if necessary. I will be visiting some of these points for discussion over time.
1) Since we are working together on this project as a group, some introductions would be good so that we can work cohesively. In the intros, it would be good to get a feel about people's backgrounds, H.S, college, beyond, and their expertise. I'll send an email out with my intro and hopefully ppl can use that as a template and add more if they wish.
2) In the future, instead of all of us working individually on a certain idea and sending out our work independently, it may be good to try to prevent duplication of efforts. A few people could do the writing and then share it with the rest of the group or someone could proofread the works and possibly edit &/ consolidate the works to come up with a fine piece of writing which conveys our views.
3) If we send out our work independently, we don't know what quality of work is going out there, especially since we don't know everyone's capabilities. If we send out poor work, in the future, that particular newspaper may not regard us well and not give us time/respect. All this effort would be for nothing, if we don't establish a good foundation.
4) Or everyone write and share their work and from there we could come up with a final draft that can be sent to all of the media outlets.
5) Our efforts are an on going process. One suggestion is to identify and do a opinion letter once a week and notify as many media as possible.
6) Not everyone would like to write to the media but some of these recipients will just forward all the emails from us.
7) Some will see incorrect information in the media but lack writing skills. They might like to pinpoint and research but don't want to write (If we can have some templates this group of individuals can be motivated to an extent).
For those of you who have, or think they have, a passionate standing on the Kashmir issue and issues Pakistani, check out this site: http://www.pakalert.net. If you feel strongly about issues concerning Pakistan then become their member. I beleive it is a new site.
[This message has been edited by jannu (edited January 16, 2002).]
For those Americans amongst us…
-----Original Message-----
Action Opportunity
http://capwiz.com/arab/home/
In the next month, representatives of Israel¹s Finance Ministry will meet
with US officials to discuss a special $800 million aid package–in addition
to the massive US foreign and military aid already designated for Israel.
The website listed above offers an easy interface for you to communicate
with your elected representatives. If you wish to urge a link between US aid
to the Mideast and concrete progress toward peace, this is a particularly
good time to do it.
Thank you.
Something You Can Do Against Bulldozers
According to inside information from Huwaida Arraf [email protected], the bulldozers the IDF uses to destroy homes are supplied
by the Caterpillar Company, based in Peoria, Illinois.
A campaign is now being launched to get the Caterpillar Company to condemn
the illegal use of bulldozers it supplied.
Such an action may have an effect. The Caterpillar Company is not
insensitive to its image as may be concluded from its public relations
campaign emphasizing it's involvement in efforts to save rainforests.
Please, send a short and polite email, using the one here as an example
only - please do not copy and paste!!!
to:
ATTN
Head spokesman of Caterpillar & Media Rep. For Social Responsibility
Benjamin Cordani
[Sample letter]
Dear Mr Benjamin Cordani
As Caterpillar's Media Rep. For Social Responsibility I ask your attention
for the following.
The whole world was shocked a few days ago by the Israeli army's massive
house demolition campaign in the Rafah Refugee Camp in the occupied Gaza
Strip, robbing 700 Palestinians, young and old, men, women and children of
all they had. This action was not the first time that that the Israeli army
destroys the homes of occupied Palestinians. Such acts are a manifest
violation of the Geneva Conventions
It is important that a company such as Caterpillar would publicly condemn
this illegal use made of its products. After all, Caterpillar is a company
which recognizes its social responsibility and condemnation is the least you
can do. It would of course make sense to go a bit further and have such a
condemnation imply a stop on further sales of bulldozers and the immediate
refusal to supply spare parts to the customer who made the abusive use of
the Caterpillar product.
I hope that you agree that it is in the interest of Caterpillar to take this
initiative before the origin of the bulldozers used in the widely-condemned
house demolitions becomes a media issue.
Sincerely
[your name and address]
You care about Palestinans? This is a site to subscribe to. They are a media watch and do a very good job of countering the reports against Palestinains. Take a look and then become involved… instead of just discussing and getting pi$$ed off talking about what’s happending to the Palestinians and the injustices committed by the Isrealis.
Unless you think that what’s happening over there is just and should happen.
Show your anger, fears, concerns, etc. by your actions and not by your tounge.
Following is a post by Yasmin in a thread in
General forum: http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/Forum1/HTML/006381.html
Since the beginning of this year, I have decided to move on with my life. I have let this thread die with time and in keeping with this failed effort I have removed the email addresses of all those who had become part of this wishful effort.
Thanks to everyone who had taken some part in this effort in the beginning.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by jannu: *
Since the beginning of this year, I have decided to move on with my life
[/QUOTE]
How come? Nothing big happens if we don't take small steps.