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Title: The Irvine 11: Islamophobia is alive and well
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URL Source: http://english.aljazeera.net/indept ... 011/09/201192493240548858.html
Published: Sep 25, 2011
Author: http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opi
Post Date: 2011-09-25 13:49:31 by tom007
Keywords: None
Views: 53
Comments: 2
The Irvine 11: Islamophobia is alive and well Muslim students' arrest for interrupting the Israeli ambassador's speech in California shows discrimination at work. The harsh charges and conviction of the Irvine 11 stand out when compared with the treatment of others who have interrupted political speeches [GALLO/GETTY] The Irvine 11 verdict has just come in, Friday September 23. All guilty, all charges. Students and organisers say this selective prosecution will not thwart their efforts in future protest. I had the opportunity to address a press conference alongside the Shura Council, Council on American Islamic Relations and Jewish Voice for Peace among others, after closing arguments on Monday. Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren was in the United States in February of this year attempting to hoodwink college students into believing that Israel was a democracy. These students of Palestinian and Arab descent not only know better as people of conscience and as people who read between the lines of news reports, they also know, based on the first hand experience of themselves or of their families. They know that the there is no democracy under Israeli rule for Palestinians: Those who live within the 1948 borders are subject to an apartheid system, while Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem are under the most brutal military and economic occupation of our time. "The students ... stood up to the propaganda that allows Israel, after 60-plus years, to still sell itself as victim instead of victimiser." The students referred to as the Irvine 11 stood up to Israeli Ambassador Oren's lies, his misstatements, his bending of the truth - they stood up to the propaganda that allows Israel, after 60-plus years, to still sell itself as "victim" instead of "victimiser". Oren was sent here as part of the Israeli "re-branding" campaign to polish its image - an image only slightly tarnished in the US by the murder and injury of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip at the turn of the 2008-9 new year. How do you rebrand the image of a country that is condemned by more UN Human Rights Council resolutions than any other country in the world? You do so by silencing the truth tellers, by denying the truth and calling those who tell it liars and criminals - and that is what we see happening right now. Prosecution attempts to depoliticise Oren's speech and this trial ring hollow. The occupied are under no obligation to provide for the comfort or protection of the occupier - just as people of conscience in the United States are under no obligation to provide cover for the lies of Israeli officials. Targeting Muslim students At most, these students are guilty of displaying a lack of courtesy by interrupting Oren, but one could very simply argue that the brutal occupation of Palestine, the ethnic cleansing of Bedouins within Israeli boundaries and the major attacks on Lebanon are the discourtesies, not the voicing of opposition to these policies and to those who promote them. Prosecuting the Irvine 11 has reeked of the anti-Arab, Islamophobic, anti-Palestine and pro-Israeli stance that we are more and more forced to accept as the status-quo, as the US moves further away from what might be considered a democracy. The United States already spends billions of dollars annually to support the Israeli occupation and is also spending well into the six figures to prosecute these students who spoke against it. This is a "selective and discriminatory" investigation and prosecution of Muslim students - because it was an Israeli official speaking, and because it was Muslims who protested. Enough. The Orange County District Attorney is selectively prosecuting the students for political reasons and singling them out, based on their faith. On the very same day that the trial opened against these Muslim students for speaking out against the Israeli ambassador's lies, two non-Muslim women disrupted the speech of former US Vice President Dick Cheney - also in Orange County. Those women were not arrested or prosecuted. Several months before that, three non-Muslim women disrupted the speech of former US President George W Bush - also in Orange County. They were not arrested or prosecuted. We're not looking to be arrested for speaking truth to power - we are looking for an end to Islamophobia and an end to blind US support of Israeli occupation and apartheid. Prosecute the Israeli ambassador for promoting the blatant breaking of international law, not the students who called him out for it. Kristen Ess Schurr is a journalist and activist who lived and worked in the West Bank and Gaza Strip for eight years until moving to the US where she is now CODEPINK's Los Angeles coordinator. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily represent Al Jazeera's editorial policy.
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#1. To: tom007 (#0)
.... Enough. The Orange County District Attorney is selectively prosecuting the students for political reasons and singling them out, based on their faith. That is a real shame that a jury convicted these students,. the scumbag DA wan ted a year in jail for each, i wonder what their sentence will be?? The evil DA in this case met secretly with a powerful jew right before filing the charges, nearly a year after the incident. right before the year statute of limitations expired. Corrupt D.A. met with Jewish influence peddler prior to filing charges against Muslim students Orange County District Attorney Anthony Rackauckas' office held a closed door meeting with a Jewish Rabbi prior to filing criminal conspiracy charges against eleven Muslim students who dared to speak out against Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren at UC Irvine last year. The "Irvine 11", as they're referred to, are being charged with several misdemeanor criminal charges that could land them in jail for a year, in addition to 19 other students who are charged with disrupting a public meeting. Rackauckas, who previously stated that the Anti Defamation League "represents the Orange County law enforcement" despite the fact that the group is not a government or law enforcement agency, has an extensive documented history of corruption, cover-ups, and controversy. The OCWeekly reported that Rabbi Aron Hier, who is the "the Simon Wiesenthal Center's director of campus outreach", visited the D.A.'s office and held a meeting with them before any charges were filed, and then commended them for prosecuting the students afterwards: "Before subpoenas were issued and a grand jury investigation into the Irvine 11 was launched, Hier and UC Riverside Hillel Director Adina Hemley met staff at the OCDA's Santa Ana office, including Susan Schroeder, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas' chief of staff. Afterward, Hier commended the agency that on Friday announced the filing of criminal, albeit misdemeanor charges against the Irvine 11. However one stands on the issue, there's no denying this: Rabbi Aron Hier's got juice." A 'corrected update' to the OCWeekly story changed an earlier version of the paragraph which stated that Hier "invited top DA officials to the Los Angeles museum dedicated to educating the masses about racism and the Holocaust. accepted." The OCWeekly also noted that on another occasion, Rabbi Hier visited the UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake. Drake later suspended the Muslim Student Union. Acknowledging the influence Hier has on school and government officials, The Weekly admits "However one stands on the issue, there's no denying this: Rabbi Aron Hier's got juice." One group's delectable 'juice' can be another's toxic potion. Photos of Hier with the District Attorney's staff as well as a separate photo with Drake are included in the article. The photo with the D.A.'s Chief of Staff Susan Schroeder shows an exhuberant Hier grinning from ear to ear. Also present at the meeting and pictured in the OCWeekly was Adina Hemley, the 'UC Riverside Hillel Director'. Hillell is described on its' official website as "The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life". The local Riverside Hillell website says Hillel is "The largest Jewish campus organization in the world", which seeks to, among other things, "enrich the lives of Jewish undergraduate and graduate students" and "to support Israel and global Jewish peoplehood". In the comment section of the OCWeekly article, a poster identifying themself as Adina Hemley wrote 6 days ago "Thanks so much for covering this issue. As the director of UCR's Hillel, I was glad to be present so that I could listen to the discussion between Rabbi Aron Hier and the OC DA's office. At this time, however, I am still grappling with what the ramifications should be in this case." In November, Hemley penned an rebuttal to the views of 'Students for Justice in Palestine'. D.A. Rackauckas, who admittedly speaks at Freemasonic meetings as reported in the L.A. Times, [cache] has himself been investigated by Grand Juries, criticized by the California Attorney General, and painted as a political crony who misuses government authority and routinely rules in favor of police, regardless of how egregious the crimes. Rackauckas was investigated by a Grand Jury in 2001 amid allegations of political favoritism. [1] In 2002, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer stated that Rackauckas "failed to respond fully to a critical grand jury report and showed bad judgment by personally intervening in two cases involving friends and campaign contributors". [2 ]The State Attorney General also "chastised Rackauckas for allowing his staff, primarily Chief of Investigations Don Blankenship, to spend money on alcohol and lobbying from a fund set aside for undercover operations and witness protection." [2] At the time, Orange County Supervisors also demanded answers from Rackauckas about reimbursement of the misused money. One of the many instances that the Grand Jury was investigating was Rackauckas legal favors to a political donor. A "powerful Republican" billionare and George Bush appointee was helped out by Rackauckas, as reported in the DailyKos: "if not for the intervention of another powerful friend, [George] Argyros might also be something else: under indictment for allegedly bilking thousands of tenants in his Arnel Management Co.-run apartments out of millions of dollars in unreturned security deposits. In February, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, whose 1998 campaign received Argyros� endorsement and a $1,000 contribution, stepped in and derailed a meticulous 15-month probe of Argyros by his own investigators. First, Rackauckas ordered Argyros' name removed from the complaint against Arnel. Then, approximately 90 minutes after charges had been filed against Arnel, Rackauckas ordered them withdrawn. Next, Rackauckas personally presided over negotiations for an out-of-court settlement. Finally, Rackauckas withdrew the Orange County district attorney's office from the case altogether, referring it to the California attorney general's office." In 2010, Rackauckas gave a phony title of "Prosecutor" as a 'favor' to a politcal buddy who was running for Los Angeles D.A. Rackauckas even swore him in as an official prosecutor, despite the fact that the friend had never prosecuted a single case and was never even a prosecutor. Despite all this, after being busted and having the designation thrown out in court, Rackauckas had feigned "surprise" when asked about friend's ballot designation. Dissent the Blog outlined the case last year in their article (Corrupt) Men at Work: "...District Attorney Tony Rackauckas earlier this year allowed state Sen. Tom Harman to use the DA's Office to help out his campaign for attorney general offering him the title of "prosecutor" for use on the ballot...Last spring, Harman's opponent, Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley, challenged his ballot designation in court. A Sacramento Superior Court judge ruled in favor of Cooley, saying that because Harman had never even tried one case as a prosecutor, he could not use the ballot designation of prosecutor. Harman lost to Cooley in the Republican primary election." In 2008, Rackauckas let "Jail Deputies Officially Off the Hook for Bloodiest Jail Murder in County History": [Deputy] "Kevin Taylor told a white inmate that Chamberlain was a child molester and thus deserving of jailhouse justice...The attack took place inside the F Barracks of Theo Lacy, a rectangular jail module with a guard tower in the middle that affords deputies a 360-degree view of the barracks. For 20 minutes, according to eyewitnesses interviewed by the Weekly, (see "Blind Spot," March 9, 2007), at least two dozen inmates savagely beat Chamberlain to death. Although cameras should have recorded the incident, deputies claimed the tape recording device malfunctioned. All that remained on tape was footage of deputies reacting to the incident. Deputies working the guard tower, including Taylor, later told investigators they didn't see the attack because they were watching a Dodgers game on television." At a press conference about the case, Rackauckas said he didn't feel that the deputies were blameless, but that they were not 'criminally responsible'. OCWeekly also reported that Rackauckas "added a bizarre personal statement", saying "On the other hand, some have suggested that Chamberlain got what he deserved. Others have even suggested that we should set up inmates in jail to mete out their own brand of justice or pit them up against each other in gladiator fashion." Amid rampant criticism of his handling of that case, Rackauckas conceded that Orange County would ''discuss penal reforms'' and "clean up our act". When La Habra police shot Korean artist and UCLA graduate Michael Cho eleven times on New Years Eve 2007, Rackauckas said "this appears to be a justified shooting", adding the officers "had a duty to stop him ... to disarm him and take away the threat." Cho allegedly suffered from mental problems and had marijuana in his system at the time of his death, when he was wandering around a neighborhood with a crowbar. Cho's family was not happy with the outcome of the D.A.'s investigation, and according to the Whittier Daily News, a member of the Korean American Advisory Commission "said his group will take the case to federal authorities for a civil- rights violation review."[3] Rackauckas was sued in federal court last year after he prohibited the association of alleged gang members in Orange County without giving the individuals a hearing. The Orange County Register reported in 2010 that the The ACLU alleged Rackauckas "violated individuals' due process rights by seeking the injunction without giving individuals a fair hearing", committing "an egregious abuse of government power". Even Rackauckas' former allies turn against him. Former state Assemblyman, County Supervisor and assistant D.A. Todd Spitzer, who was fired by the D.A. in a public squabble last year, says Rackauckas is deseprate and corrupt: 'This is your Orange County District Attorney's Office,' Spitzer said. 'A place where you could wrongly end up in prison for 20 years or a year or have your character completely assassinated because you decided to stand up for the right thing.' In the case of the Irvine 11, the D.A.'s office has stated that the case is not based on bias or political groups, but rather the law. Susan Kang Schroeder, the woman pictured next to the smiling Rabbi Hier after their private meeting, is hard at work denying that any bias or favoritism was involved in the consipracy charges: "We base filing decisions and prosecution decisions on the facts and the law. Rarely do you have a case where the entire case is on videotape and in writing." Taher Herzallah, one of the students charged, wrote an Op-Ed which appeared in the OC Register last year, titled Taher Herzallah: Heckling Israeli ambassador at UCI was right. He stated, in part, "I know and agree that not all speech is protected and acknowledge that the First Amendment can be restricted according to time, place, and manner. But UCI's, and now UC Riverside's, threats to suspend or even expel us for our actions are unfounded and inconsistent not only with the incident in question, but also with the long American history of protesting public and controversial figures..During a commencement speech given by President Obama last year at the University of Notre Dame, a group of 10 protestors stood up and chanted, "Abortion is abomination!" After the talk, Obama said, "That's part of the American tradition we are proud of. And that's hard too, standing in the midst of people who disagree with you and letting your voice be heard." The president, a former professor of constitutional law, conceded their speech was protected... ' I cherish this American tradition and am consequently troubled that I am not afforded the same protections as students elsewhere voicing their dissent. Today, I face criminal and university disciplinary action. I suspect that I am being punished because of strict limits on pro-Palestinian speech." A website dedicated to the case, Irvine11.com has been established, and states "The Stand with the Eleven Campaign mobilizes community support & raises awareness about the Irvine 11, who are unjustly facing prosecution by the Orange County DA for protesting during a speech by Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren." Rabbi Aron Hier wrote an editorial published in American Thinker last November titled "Who's the 'Occupier'?", outlining his view of the Palestinian Israeli conflict. American Thinker states on their website that "The right to exist and the survival of the State of Israel are of great importance to us." During the 2008 presidential campaign, American Thinker published such articles as 'The Ron Paul Campaign and its Neo-Nazi Supporters', 'Ron Paul is a Useful Man for Democrats', and 'The Odd Alliance Supporting Ron Paul'. Of course the O.C.D.A. Tony Rackauckas can try to deny and 'explain away' all of the above examples of blatant corruption and political favoritism; but so did disgraced former Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona, who is now behind bars where he belongs, serving a prison term. (Here are Carona and Rackauckas pictured together, in happier times). Maybe if justice is served, Rackauckas will be the one facing jailtime, instead of the Irvine 11. References: [1] REPORT: DA IN SOCAL UNDER SCRUTINY [2] State attorney general criticizes Orange County DA.(The Orange County Register) [3] Mother of Michael Cho questions probe See also: D.A. prosecuting Israeli critics says ADL 'represents the O.C. Law enforcement" Man wearing yarmulke at UCI tells students "you are failing your exams" during political protest Muslim student group threatened by yarmulke-wearing man faces possible suspension Disrupt the Israeli Ambassador, lose your freedom of religion at UC Irvine Calif. Rep seeking open carry gun ban just returned from Israeli political trip 26 Repubs who supported liberty & rejected the Patriot Act: Who are they? Martin Hill is a Catholic paleoconservative and civil rights advocate. His work has been featured on LewRockwell.com, WhatReallyHappened, Infowars, PrisonPlanet, WorldNetDaily, National Motorists Association, KNBC4, and many others. You can view a full archive of his articles at LibertyFight.com
"Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you". Sirach 4:28
Makes your head spin. Need to hit the "reset" button on the political system.
Prosecuting the Irvine 11 has reeked of the anti-Arab, Islamophobic, anti-Palestine and pro-Israeli stance that we are more and more forced to accept as the status-quo, as the US moves further away from what might be considered a democracy.
United Press International
December 28, 2001
Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
October 22, 2002
Whittier Daily News
June 26, 2008
#2. To: Artisan (#1)
"Satan / Cheney in "08" 
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