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I wonder how many peace, justice, and anti-war groups were born in the 1st couple weeks of 9/11/01 ?
those days standing on a busy corner with a small group including Muslim Americans and Muslim in America were dangerous and scary.. but a small group of us had to take a stand for Peace and not Hate, Ignorance and Violence. We had weekly death threats, and people yelling at us from there cars and trucks, and at times getting out to yell in our faces. After about a month most non-American born Muslims had to stop standing with us as they were threatened with deportation.
This was happening all over the country, it is a shame we couldn't stop the flow of hate but i have to believe we made it harder for them to hate.
we were just one little group. I have given up friends, some family, most of my free time, money in these past 10 years to be an "Activist".. I think i choked on that word for the 1st two years..but that is what i was. I was Active and it has been 10 long years.
Here is the email i received from the President of Peace Fresno
Camille Russell, Peace Fresno President, writes: Sunday, September 11, 2011 is the 10th anniversary of the tragic events that have collectively come to be referred to as 9/11. We are seeing and reading many stories of that day and all affected by it. Let’s remember the actions of the local progressive community. It recognized the immediate and potential negative effects of 9/11 and went right to work to create opportunities for dialog and action. Local groups organized a march to the mosque across from Fresno State. The goal was a show of solidarity with the Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities here and through-out the U.S – communities that, immediately following the 9/11 attacks, suffered threats, physical violence, and murders. The progressive community held a panel discussion at the Unitarian Universalist Church to discuss the 9/11 attacks and terrorism, what the attacks might mean for the future, and how we Americans could best respond. This was followed a few days later by a demonstration at Shaw and Blackstone calling for an appropriate response to the attacks. The Fresno Center for Nonviolence, which had been established following the Gulf War in the early 1990’s, called for a continuation of the dialog begun at the UU Church and people began meeting weekly. On October 7, 2001, less than a month after 9/11, the U.S. military attacked Afghanistan – not the response the progressive community sought! Peace Fresno grew out of those meetings and has been opposing the wars and militarism for nearly 10 years.
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honor 9/11/01.. and donate or join a local Peace Group
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