[Marxism] Arab-Americans, Answer sue for right to rally in Central Park Aug. 28

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The totality of events cited in my last three posts suggest that the
antiwar movement may be beginning its revival ahead of my schedule.
Here's hoping. Let's also remember and use the excellent antiwar leaflet
put out by US Labor Against War for the August 29 activity, which we
should all be helping to make as massive and as antiwar as possible.

The developments also highlight the importance of distinguishing between
anti-Bush sentiment including among people who are voting for Kerry
(which represents a positive rejection of the only government US
imperialism has at the moment), and the Anybody but Bush organizational
drive to eliminate independence of the Democrats and their candidate,
which is aimed against the antiwar movement, electoral rights, etc.

Fred Feldman





Dear VoteNoWar Member,

The National Council of Arab Americans (NCA) and the A.N.S.W.E.R.
Coalition (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism) are filing a major lawsuit
in Federal District Court in New York City to support the right of
assembly in the Great Lawn of Central Park for all those who are
expressing political opposition to the domestic program and war policies
of the Bush administration in the days before and during the Republican
National Convention.


The lawsuit is in response to the denial of a permit sought by the
National Council of Arab Americans for a mass civil rights rally on
August 28, 2004. In addition to seeking to overturn the permit denial,
the lawsuit seeks to constrain the unbridled discretion of the city,
which has threatened to penalize those who express differing political
speech in Central Park. Attorneys from the Partnership for Civil Justice
and the National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Committee are filing the
suit.


In January 2004, the National Council of Arab Americans filed a permit
application for a mass demonstration on the Great Lawn in Central Park
for August 28, the 41st anniversary of the historic civil rights March
on Washington. The purpose of the event was to rally in defense of civil
rights and civil liberties particularly for the Arab American and Muslim
communities. Thousands of Arab Americans and Muslims in the United
States have had their rights routinely violated by the Bush-Ashcroft
administration, which has used the events of September 11 as a pretext
to implement a system of unconstitutional racial and religious
profiling.


"The Bloomberg administration, the NYC Police Department and the NYC
Government have exhibited open contempt for the free speech rights of
those who hold a political position opposing the Bush administration's
foreign and domestic policy," stated counsel for the plaintiffs Mara
Verheyden-Hilliard of the Partnership for Civil Justice and co-chair of
the National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Committee.


"Central Park is the heart of the city and political speech is the heart
of democracy. As such, the plaintiffs cannot be excluded from exercising
their free speech rights," stated Carol Sobel, co-chair of the National
Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Committee and also counsel on the case.


Although the Great Lawn of Central Park has been used in the past for
mass assembly, the "Mayor, the Parks Department and the NYPD are now
acting as a shield for the Bush administration and the Republican
Convention, and have worked to obstruct, inhibit and thwart protected
free speech mass assembly in Central Park. Denying their political
opponents a right to gather in Central Park's Great Lawn, the Mayor and
the police have tried to marginalize mass demonstrations," continued Ms.
Verheyden-Hilliard.


"We filed for this permit eight months ago to secure for the Arab
American and Muslim communities the constitutional right to express our
views on matters vital not only to ourselves but also to all people and
to the future of this country. As a targeted community, we wanted to
empower our people and stand together in solidarity with all who have
been struggling for civil rights and liberties over the years on the
41st anniversary of the historic March on Washington," said Elias
Rashmawi, national coordinator of the NCA. "Like all, Arab Americans and
Muslims have the absolute guarantee that they could assemble and
exercise their constitutional rights in the Great Lawn of Central Park.
Along with our allies, we had called for this rally with the purpose of
expressing a powerful affirmation of civil rights and civil liberties
for all communities that have been targeted with racial and religious
profiling by the Bush Administration and the Justice Department," he
continued.


"The Bush Administration has declared war against the national social
and civil rights of people around the world who face U.S. war and
occupation. The demonstrations during the week of the RNC will stand up
for peoples' rights both in the United States and around the world,"
stated Brian Becker, national coordinator for the A.N.S.W.E.R.
Coalition.


The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, which has made the defense of Arab American
and Muslim civil rights and opposition to racial and religious profiling
a central part of its political organizing, is a co-plaintiff with the
National Council of Arab Americans.


Funds are urgently needed to help support the legal challenge and other
organizing activities in defense of free speech rights at the Republican
National Convention.  <http://www.votenowar.org/donate.html> You can
make a donation by clicking here to use our secure server online for
credit card donations, or for information to write a check.

All of us at VoteNoWar.org

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