Assalamualaikum wbt.
May Allah bless us with peace and joy at this very moment and moment onwords.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Who are they? The Irvine 11
They are the bravest 11 students of University of California Irvine (UCI) who stood up protesting a visit by Michael Oren's (The Israeli's Ambassador to the United State) in UCI. These 11 students protested Michael Oren's speech in UCI for his refusal to acknowledge Israel's war crimes and violation of humanitarian law.
Who is Michael Oren?
On Monday, February 8 of 2010, the University of California-Irvine Law School, School of Social Sciences, and various campus and off-campus organizations sponsored “U.S. & Israel: Relations from a Historical and Personal Perspective.” The speaker was Michael B. Oren, Israel’s Ambassafor to the United States.
Oren
is a former Israeli Defense Forces soldier who participated in the wars with
Lebanon and has now become the spokesperson in charge of re-branding Israel’s
image after it was condemned for its actions in 2009′s Gaza massacre, and
accused of war crimes and potential crimes against humanity by Justice Richard
Goldstone and the UN Human Rights Council.
He was sent by the Israeli goverment to tour America in an attempt to recreate the image of Israel as a democracy victimized by the negative treatment of the international community. His formal position is that of an ambassador, and spokesperson of a state that is condemned by more UN Human Rights Council resolutions than any other country in the world.
What Happened?
“Michael Oren, propagating murder is not an expression of free speech!”
Unable to continue his intended statement, this
student’s voice of protest was quickly drowned out by the threats and verbal
harassment of others in the crowd.
A little over a year after Israel’s massacre in the Gaza Strip, the student was protesting a visit by Michael Oren, the Israeli Ambassador to the United States, for his refusal to acknowledge Israel’s war crimes and violations of humanitarian law.
A little over a year after Israel’s massacre in the Gaza Strip, the student was protesting a visit by Michael Oren, the Israeli Ambassador to the United States, for his refusal to acknowledge Israel’s war crimes and violations of humanitarian law.
A police officer walked up to the row from which the
protester had stood up to be heard. Accompanied with backup, he gestured to the
protester to leave the event. The protester willingly stepped out and was led
by police out of the hall into another room where he was patted down and
arrested.
Another nine individuals chose to rise up and exercise
their right to free speech by sharing their own statements throughout the first
half of the event. Each time, there was no resistance, no violence and no
misconduct. After making his statement, each student would readily follow
police orders to leave the room. Despite each individual’s ready compliance
with officers, throughout the event school officials consistently felt the need
to reassure the crowd that consequences were to be had, disciplinary action was
to be taken, and possible suspension and expulsion was in order if the
individuals continued to practice their freedom of speech.
After the tenth individual was escorted out by the
police, about a third of the room, consisting of students from different races,
ethnicities and religions, peacefully rose from their chairs and marched out
chanting slogans, calling for justice both at home and in Palestine. During
this time, the cops discreetly arrested one individual – a young man who was a
part of the chanting crowd – whose reason for arrest remains unknown. This
brought the number of arrests to eleven: the Irvine Eleven.
The audience spat verbal threats at the students as
they marched out, denigrating them as primates and other insults. Oren
continued his speech for another half hour before concluding. While the crowd
who chose to listen to his speech remained inside the room, the marchers
gathered outside to continue to peacefully protest with signs and slogans.
As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “True Peace is not merely the absence of tension, but it is the presence of Justice.” The Irvine Eleven continue to be persecuted by their university for doing nothing more than exercising their freedom of speech to demand that justice be the lens we use to see the world.
As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “True Peace is not merely the absence of tension, but it is the presence of Justice.” The Irvine Eleven continue to be persecuted by their university for doing nothing more than exercising their freedom of speech to demand that justice be the lens we use to see the world.
Show Your Support
I'm urging all people to pray and send positive thoughts
to the Irvine 11. The closing statements ended on Tuesday afternoon and the
jury began deliberation. The jury will continue to deliberate until a decision
is reached.
Donate to the offense/defense fund for the campaign!
Your donations will help fuel this long-term campaign for justice. All
donations will be used strictly for legal fees and advocacy costs.
Lend your voice to the media coverage of the
Irvine 11. Call-in to your favorite radio station. Write a letter-to-the-editor
to the local newspapers. Pen an op-ed piece. Or just comment on a previous story.
The only thing you can’t do is remain silent.
Spread the word. Fight injustice with knowledge.
Flood Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Google Buzz, and the blogosphere with news and
information on the Irvine 11.
Thank You
May Allah help us, InsyAllah.
Nurul Damia
