MUSLIM PEACE COALITION-USA

http://muslimpeacecoalitionusa.com/

Phone: 202-643-JUST
 

December 14, 2011

PRESS RELEASE

Contact person: Shaik Saad: 516-567-0783

HUMAN RIGHTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS REJECT SENATOR LEVIN's EXCUSE ON THE SECRET BILL AUTHORIZING MILITARY TO DETAIN CITIZENS IN THE US.  THEY EXPRESS ALARM ON THE PASSAGE OF BILL IN THE HOUSE-SENATE CONFERENCE. URGE PRESIDENT TO KEEP HIS PROMISE TO VETO

Congress is attempting to bury the Bill of Rights!

Press Conference in NYC initiated by Muslim Peace Coalition-USA

Many cities to hold rallies and press conferences

40 Centre Street Manhattan (on Federal Court Steps)

Foley Square, NYC, NY

On Bill of Rights Day - Thursday, Dec 15 at 11 AM

The Bill of rights was ratified 220 years ago, on December 15, 1791. It is shameful that today, in the United States, we are forced to come together in defense of the Bill of Rights and our civil liberties, as the representatives of the 1% who rule this country continue to take our rights away.

Congress is today attempting to bury the Bill of Rights. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (NDAA) includes language proposed by Democratic Sen. Carl Levin and Republican Sen. John McCain that allows for the arrest and indefinite detention of U.S. citizens by the military, on U.S. soil and without the right of trial. This is an egregious violation of our first amendment rights and comes at a time when we are witnessing unprecedented attacks on our civil liberties.

Some of these attacks include:

Massive spying on the Muslim community, including the recent revelations of the spying by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the CIA on mosques, Muslim businesses, and Muslim student groups;

The continuation of the policy of sending agents into mosques with phony plots designed to entrap Muslims for so called “preemptive prosecution”;

The recent raids on homes of antiwar activists by federal agents, who have carted away personal computers, cell phones, books, and other possessions and handed the activists subpoenas to appear before federal grand juries;

The recent, often violent evictions of anti-Wall Street occupations around the country;

The refusal of the Chicago city government and the federal government to allow for peaceful protests when NATO and the G8 countries come to Chicago in May, 2012 to hold summit meetings.

The potential impact of the NDAA's provisions to expand military detention without trial could render the other issues we all address seemingly trivial; any activist stands at risk of designation as a potential terrorist, especially if their interests include either foreign policy or enterprises that impact the environment.

On December 15, Bill of Rights Day actions and press conferences are planned in New York City, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco and other areas of the country. Several national coalitions -- including the Muslim Peace Coalition, United National Antiwar Coalition, Bill of Rights Defense Committee, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Committee to Stop FBI Repression and others are co-promoting this call to action.   For information on  actions around the country, go to: http://bordc.org/. ;

In New York, representatives from civil liberties, religious, social justice, and peace organizations will come together to voice opposition to the National Defense Authorization Act and other recent attacks on our civil liberties. We will discuss our plans to fight for the rights of all people and to defeat this repressive legislation.


VISUALS:

A coffin of the Bill of Rights will be brought to Federal Court
 

REFERENCE for Quotes: http://muslimpeacecoalition.org/media.php


Partial list of participants in NYC:

The Muslim Peace Coalition

Bill of Rights Defense Committee

Center for Constitutional Rights - CCR,

Islamic Leadership Council of Metro NY

 Activists of Occupy Wall Street – OWS

Islamic Circle of North America – ICNA

United National Antiwar Coalition - UNAC,

Council on American Islamic Relations - CAIR-NY

International Action Center - IAC

BAYAN USA Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines,

Committee to Stop FBI Repression

The Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA)

Muslim Ummah of North America –MUNA

Islamic Center of Long Island

The Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood

Desis Rising and Moving Up

National Alliance for Philippine Concerns,

Pakistan USA Freedom Forum