Stop the persecution of Muslims and immigrants!

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Beginning in early January, Socialist Action joined with many other organizations for a series of confer­ ence calls on the need for united action to more effec­ tively combat the rising tide of Islamophobia and antiimmigrant and anti-refugee hatred in this country. The ad-hoc coalition that was formed took the name Stand Together Against Racism and Islamophobia (“STARI”) and put out a call for a week of coordinated actions across the country between Feb. 13 and Feb. 21.

As the call explains: “The corporate media and some politicians on both sides of the aisle believe their in­ terests can be advanced by scapegoating the poor and those oppressed by racism, anti-Muslim and anti-im­ migrant prejudice, mass deportations, and the exclu­ sion of refugees fleeing endless U.S.-supported wars abroad.

“Hate, fear mongering and war are increasingly publicly promoted for heinous ends and especially to divide the victims of the ever-deepening social cut­ backs government austerity policies inflict. We say no to Islamophobia and all forms of religious preju­ dice. We denounce the endless racist police murders of unarmed members of the nation’s Black and poor communities. We reject militarily sealed borders and mass deportations of Latino people.”

Responding to the call, even before the official week started, two significant events were held on the East Coast. On Jan. 19, more than 200 people came out to a zoning board hearing in Bayonne, N.J., to support the Muslim community when their application to build an Islamic community center drew vitriolic protest from racists.

Unfortunately, the packed meeting, which ran four hours, produced no decision from the board, and ad­ vocates for justice will be forced to return to the next hearing slated for March 14. On Jan. 31, the Bangla­ desh American Community Council held a Town Hall Meeting in the Bronx, N.Y., to strengthen minority 12 SOCIALIST ACTION MARCH 2016 voices in the national dialogue.

By the time the week started, nearly 70 organiza­ tions across the country had endorsed the call, and events took place from California to Connecticut and from Superior, Wis., to Houston, Texas.

The week began on Saturday, Feb. 13, with a panel discussion at Trinity College in Connecticut. The event was entitled, “Opposing Islamophobia, Deportations, Racism, and War,” and drew about 60 people to hear Connecticut Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) director Mongi Dhaouadi, among others. Gran­ nies for Peace in Albany, N.Y., held a Valentine’s vigil that same day. Featuring a banner that read, “Grannies Embrace Refugees: Spread Love Not Hate,” and wear­ ing red, 19 grannies (and their allies) braved frigid weather to send their message of love to refugees driven from their homes by war and climate change.

On Valentine’s Day, shoppers at a mall in Hous­ ton were greeted by members of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston Social Services Committee who passed out 300 roses, with the Quran verse attached: “Humanity is but a single brotherhood; so make peace with your brethren.” In Tallahassee, Fla., the Network for Justice and Peace, together with local chapters of Vietnam Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace held a Peace and Justice Picket Line.

In Superior, Wis., where mayor Bruce Hagen was in the news recently for an Islamophobic smear of Presi­ dent Obama, 10 picketers brought the message: “Love Diversity / Hate Islamophobia” to a busy intersection. The action drew an equal number of counter-protest­ ers, presumably to advocate AGAINST diversity and FOR hatred.

Before the week was over, there was an interfaith discussion in Orchard, N.Y., a film showing in Roch­ ester, N.Y. (“My Name is Khan” provides perspective on the life experience of Muslim refugees and immi­ grants in this country), and forums in Berkeley, Calif., Richmond, Va., and Minneapolis. The Solidarity Forum in Virginia was dedicated to the legacy of Malcolm X (Above) Anti-racist protesters in Minneapolis.

(marking the 51st anniversary of his assassination) and included six speakers who addressed attacks on Middle Eastern and African-American Muslims, La­ tino immigrants, the Black community generally, lowincome workers, and the environment in front of an audience of nearly 60.

In Minneapolis, over two dozen endorsing organi­ zations came together to create a new coalition, Min­ nesotans Against Islamophobia, which hosted a rally, march, and panel presentation on Saturday, Feb. 20. More than 150 people participated over the course of the afternoon. With such signs as “NO to War, YES to Refugees,” and chants including “FBI let’s be clear, Muslims are welcome here,” the rally & march through the West Bank neighborhood delighted the largely im­ migrant residents, some of whom joined in.

At the panel that followed the march, audience members learned about the Department of Home­ land Security’s “Countering Violent Extremism” (CVE) program and the effect it is having on the local Somali Community. The speakers were CAIR-MN executive director Jaylani Hussein, Sadik Warfa of Global So­ mali Diaspora, Imam Hassan Mohamoud, and Deqa Warsame—the mother of Khalid Abdulkhadir, one of several Somali youth currently in jail awaiting trial on very serious charges.

Minnesota has the largest population of Somali im­ migrants in the country and is one of only three metro areas where the controversial CVE program is being tested (the other two are Boston and Los Angeles). In the name of stopping terrorism, this program is in lo­ cal high schools, directing teachers to spy on “radical­ izing” students.

Wearing head covering or other religious clothing is taken as a sign that a student is becoming radical. Paid informants are sent in to entrap young people. This is what happened in the case of some youths arrested (continued on page 11, in “No to Trudeau’s Middle East military mission creep”)