Fw: [A.N.S.W.E.R.] Our free speech rights are non-negotiable

["Nello peacelink" <n.margiotta at peacelink.it>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: International A.N.S.W.E.R.
To: activist at actionsf.org
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 12:14 AM
Subject: [A.N.S.W.E.R.] Our free speech rights are non-negotiable


A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition 1247 E St. SE Washington DC 20003 (202) 544-3389
info at internationalanswer.org
Our free speech rights are non-negotiable!
Federal lawsuit to be filed demanding demonstrators' access to Central Park
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. You can make an online donation using the secure server
by clicking here. If you wish to make a tax-deductible contribution of $50
or more, mail a check payable to A.N.S.W.E.R./AGJ to: A.N.S.W.E.R., 1247 E
St. SE Washington DC 20003. If you wish to make a credit card donation of
$50 or more, please call 202-544-3389.
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
Act Now to Stop War & End Racism
www.ANSWERcoalition.org
info at internationalanswer.org
National Office in Washington DC: 202-544-3389
Los Angeles: 323-464-1636
San Francisco: 415-821-6545
For media inquiries, call 202-544-3389.
Click here to join the A.N.S.W.E.R. email list



------------------

To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
<activist-subscribe at actionsf.org>

To remove your address from the list, just send a message to the address in
the ``List-Unsubscribe'' header of any list message. If you haven't changed
addresses since subscribing, you can also send a message to:
   <activist-unsubscribe at actionsf.org>

For addition or removal of addresses, We'll send a confirmation message to
that address. When you receive it, simply reply to it to complete the
transaction.