Tag Archives: back the ban

In their own words: Sarsour and Tish James – Treason or Patriotism?

July 2, 2017. July 4, Independence Day is just days away. SO, I decided to transcribe Letitia (James) and Linda (Sarsour), to throw some light on their rabble rousing  accusations. BOTH claiming to be Proud Americans. Patriots who are RECLAIMING  America. Saving our Constitution…. from those hateful, racist Republicans. Are you buying what they are selling? Maybe not, but sadly, there are buyers.

These two women, one elected to office and the other aspiring to do likewise, speak for the Progs. – not the average Americans. The Soc/Commie Bernie Sanders Left who masquerade as patriots and (of course) the MSM,  the press LOVES them. So, too, does the next Gen. Primed to resist, for the revolution.

Danger lurks in the hearts of the Millennial/Alphabet Gens that they court. Fed a steady diet of lies. propaganda. fake news. fake history . They respond passionately with cheers. smiles and fist pumping.  ready for CHANGE as they take to the streets.

I witness the same scenarios over and over nurtured at protest after protest by their Comrades-in-Arms: Insurrection. Treason.  Fed to the masses  through our media, our entertainment AND our schools. Better Red than Dead? NOT!

First up, the words of  NYC Public Advocate, Letitia James . Then Linda Sarsour, the agitators this day at the Emergency Town Hall.

Letitia A. “Tish” James is an American lawyer, activist, and politician in the Democratic Party. She is the current and fourth New York City Public Advocate and first African American woman to hold citywide office. … Howard University School of Law. … admitted to practice law in New York state in 1989. James is the first member of the Working Families Party to win office in New York State and the first third-party member to be elected to the NYC Council since 1977.

Jan 25, 2017 : Washington Sq – Flash back quotes

Tish James : ” If you honor the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, then you have an obligation. Whenever you see a government that is lawless, you’ve got an obligation  and a duty to RESIST. RESIST. RESIST.

We’ve got an obligation and a duty to fight back… to protect the marginalized community and vulnerable community … we’ve got to protect those who they are coming after.

We’ve got to stand with them. Rise them. And let them know that THIS is the America that we love and we’ll FIGHT for it.

We are a city made great by the blood, sweat and tears of immigrants and refugees. And we will not close our borders. We will not close our shores [….] ( NYC) is an immigrant town and a sanctuary city and we will protect that right.

And so we’ve gotta stand up to the Federal Government. We’ve gotta stand up to bullies. We’ve gotta stand up to an administration that is “too male, too pale and too stale”.

We will not be silent in the face of this oppression, in the face of this discrimination; in the face of HATE. We will not normalize hate.

This is MY country and I will DEFEND the rights of immigrants and refugees. Mr. President, you and your Executive Orders, you have turned back progress for decades.  That puts you on notice, we will resist and we will ultimately see you in court.

I say to Donald Trump, you are NOT my President. I will resist you and stand up to you and I know there is an ARMY out there that will join me.

I need my young people to organize and organize and organize. It is up to you, to get out in the streets, to protect your colleagues, to protect your students, your neighbor and to PROTECT your COUNTRY.” [END]

NEXT June 29, 2017 – recent quotes Letitia James – always like she was speaking to the Comintern.

“Say it Loud Say it Clear Immigrants are welcome here. Refugees are welcome here . Grandparents are welcome here . Your entire family is welcome here.

(At) JFK airport to greet immigrants who are only seeking freedom and opportunity, we can not grow tired (or weary) now. We cannot cower now. WE cannot be fearful now.

We gotta rise up and resist with every fiber of our being […] because we are in a CONSTITUTIONAL crisis. We are at WAR with ourselves. This is not America. Our Values.

On this Independence Weekend let us rise up and DEFEND the Constitution. No Wall with separate us. No Ban will stop us.

[snip]

Make sure individuals will feel welcome here. Comfort here. We will continue to embrace them.

We will continue to challenge this UN-Constitutional Ban by an illegitimate President [… ] because THIS is Democracy and THIS is what makes America great: ALL of us HERE together. (CHEERS)

I know these are very VERY troubling times. But we cannot grow weary. We cannot be afraid. Understand, we are all in this together. When they come after one group their going to come after ALL of us. So we must ALL stand together.

Say it loud say it clear that immigrants and REFUGEES are welcome here. They’re part of the HUMAN family.

This is nothing but a MUSLIM Ban. A Muslim BAN. So we need to say that MUSLIMS are Americans too and they need to be treated with respect. They need to know that the law covers them as well.

So I stand with you today. I hope to see you at the airport. As we raise our voices. As we continue to RESIST this administration [… ] and all that we stand for and all that we value.

And on the 4th – instead of going to a B-B-Q go to JFK. Instead of fireworks.Instead of taking a day off, sitting by the beach/lying in the sun: Go to JFK!  Let everyone know that we stand for something. That the Millennials – Gen  C ,  they believe in others. That it’s not about themselves. All will work together to make this a more perfect society.

What we must do together, stand up and defend America and its values. DEFEAT Islamophobia and all those who HATE people who are different. Diversity is our strength. We gotta celebrate that. Thank you for recognizing that ALL of us are Americans.

I’m a Muslim tonight. I’m Gay tonight. I’m Latino tonight.  I’m Black tonight. We are all one. No distinction. We are all one.

Let us rise up together. Let us stand together.”(CHEERS) [END]

 Letitia was followed by the keynote advocate for insurrection, Linda Sarsour.

Sarsour, in her resignation letter from her position as executive director of the Brooklyn-based Arab American Association of New York.

“We are in a critical moment as a country and I feel compelled to focus my energy on the national level and building the capacity of the progressive movement, so it is with a heavy heart that I announce that I will be leaving my post as the executive director of the Arab American Association of New York.”

Linda Sarsour was born in Brooklyn, New York[2] and is the oldest of seven children born to a pair of “Palestinian” immigrants.

 Linda Sarsour quotes from Union Square -June 29th, 2017


“I feel like I’m having the same conversation like – every week. I came here to say what I say to New Yorkers, and in any platform that I have (had?)  before the elections, THIS is NOT normal.

Remind yourselves that you live in a country with a President and an administration that is NOT normal.

This ban is a Muslim refugee ban. No other way to describe it.

As a country that passed marriage equality (sends a message) nobody gets to decide who our families are.  We get to say who our family is and what constitutes a bonafied relationship. We have people whose grandparents and aunts and uncles are their primary guardians.


When we allow the federal government to tell us who our family members are, we undermine the decades of work that people  have done in this country,
for us to define our families and what makes up the people that we love. (applause- cheers)

This ban impacts most directly the people who need us most – people who need critical medical care – who can die if they don’t come to this country and have access to the type of health care services we have.

This is a ban  that keeps out the refugees – the very people – impacted by war and conflict that WE are instigating and fueling with our tax payer dollars and WE tell them they can’t come find refuge in our country.

We should be ashamed that there are people living in refugee camps – victims of terrorism and violence.  And we are telling them that they do not belong here and can’t come into our country.  I say we have to stay loud and outraged every single day.

I am fueled my perpetual outrage at this administration.

Sisters and brothers, our country has done horrific things to many communities BEFORE Muslims.  We have a history of doing unthinkable things to communities … a precedent that our nation has set forth  for different elements of our society. I want you to join me – to be part of the NEVER AGAIN generation. I will not allow horrific things to happen to any community on my watch or on your watch.

So, there was NO partial victory. There was NO limitation to this ban. There was just a rejuvenation of what this administration tried to do from Muslim Ban 1, Muslim Ban 2.0 and now we’re at the Supreme Court.

AND for those who know the history of the Supreme Court, THEY DON’T ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING.

If we have any folks resigning from the Supreme Court anytime soon – guess what – on the record – and this may not be the most professional thing you ever heard me say, WE ARE SCREWED.

If we have resignations in the  Supreme Court at this moment – all of our issues – from marriage equality, voters rights, reproductive rights, abortion, to immigration, to this ban – are ALL going to be rolled back.

I want you to stay  woke. … as our black sisters and brothers teach us :  outraged . informed.”

(Woke is a slang term that is easing into the mainstream from some varieties of a dialect called African American Vernacular English (sometimes called AAVE). In AAVE, awake is often rendered as woke, as in, “I was sleeping, but now I’m woke.” ‘Woke‘ is increasingly used as a byword for social awareness.) …. arggh….

 “Most importantly, you gotta stay united because our opposition is trying to divide and conquer us on issues. And what we’re saying to them is that we are intellectual enough. Loving enough.  That we will not be divided based on the issues we are most passionate —-  that we care about.

We will be inter-sectional in our organizing and we will show up for one another cause that’s what we do as the American people. (CHEERS)

So…what am I asking you to do? Three things: 

1. social media
2. phone call elected officials
3. show up – public spaces presence extremely critical must be outraged on THE STREETS .  (CHEERS )

And I will end by saying this, I am a proud American and the way that I express my patriotism is through DISSENT, because dissent is the HIGHEST form of patriotism.

SO, if you LOVE your country, you fight hard to make your country the greatest nation on earth, because right now this country has a far way of going —

Until we have health care for everyone who needs health care, women have full agency of their bodies, until we have immigration reform, until we end mass incarceration and UNTIL we become a nation that welcomes ALL immigrants in this country,  until then we are NOT the greatest nation on this earth.

So – stay strong (fist held high above her head), stay united and stay organized.”  [END]

== WHAT are they fighting for. WHOSE America?==

 [Pictures property of Pamela Hall]

#NoMuslimBanEver: Emergency Town Hall NYC 6/29

June 29th, 2017 . An Emergency “Town Hall” was called in response to the “Supreme Court Upholds Trump’s Travel Ban”. A ban that would affect 6 terrorist Mid-East countries. They were outraged.

At approximately 6 pm, after listening to a number of speakers, the march to 18th St from Union Square commenced.

Sponsored by Linda Sarsour’s Arab American Association of New York  and Mpower Change

“Calling directly impacted communities, organizers, faith leaders, labor organizers, activists and allies for an emergency town hall to .discuss latest move by SCOTUS on the Muslim ban.

 Make no mistake: the latest SCOTUS ruling is not a partial victory for affected communities. It’s still a Muslim and refugee ban and we still need to ORGANIZE. We CANNOT normalize this and forget the context in which this Administration operates: they are motivated by fear-mongering, xenophobia and Islamophobia.

This ruling is ambiguous and confusing and will create chaos once its implemented and we need to PUSH BACK. The most disproportionately impacted will be the people who need to immigrate here the most: refugees.

The Event was co-sponsored by: African Communities Together, New York Immigration Coalition, Network Against Islamophobia, CUNY CLEAR as well as MPower Change and Arab American Association of New York .”

 I found them by accident at Union Square.

A tight circle of protestors and media clamoring to get pictures and video, particularly of NYC Public Advocate, Leticia James, and (Saint) Linda Sarsour of Brooklyn.

Amongst the many speakers were two well-known advocates for open borders and sanctuary cities (yes- even Sharia Law). What they have to say was predictably offensive, but well worth a listen.

First, Leticia James, NYC Public Advocate (Racist and very RED)

The last speaker, was (Saint) Linda, the Sharia-loving, queen-of-the- night.

 Once finished speaking, they marched a couple of blocks to SEIU Union Hall where a couple of Back the Ban protestors greeted them. (a troll hung with them briefly)
Of course, there was much angry shouting right back at them, which abated briefly, and then took off again while the meeting took place upstairs.
Short Slide show of Union Square and 18th street

DSC_5593-2

  The strategy directive as always is GET OUT. PROTEST. HIT THE AIRPORTS, even mentioning Independence Day as a day to protest. Forget the Bar-B-Q’s and parades. Take the day off and protest. Resist!

[pictures and videos property of  Pamela Hall]

 

World Refugee Day : Back The Ban vs March to Iftar

June 20, 2017 – 6 pm –  NYC World Refugee Day  – Stop the Refugee Ban, Save Asylum and Defend Temporary Protected Status (TPS)”

At 6 pm  African Communities Together (ACT) and City of Refuge Coalition partners gathered at  59th/ 5th Ave’.   Other than lots of signs (and those orange dinghies) it was low-key at this point. Voice of America did a few interviews, but the march and the Iftar, these were the main events.

6:30pm – 7:30pm: March to/ Rally at Trump World Tower and Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (47th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenue)

8:30pm – 9:30pm: Interfaith Iftar* at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (47th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenue)

*An Iftar is the ceremonial ‘breaking of fast’ observed by Muslims during the month of Ramadan.

Wasn’t able to follow them to the U.N. and the Iftar, (I found plenty of reportage on the Iftar). Meanwhile, I focused on the preliminaries and their Signs of Love and Inclusion ( unless you are Trump and company)  .

The orange dinghy brigade returned [waiting  in the background]

No love for all things Trump

Interviews with Voice of America included this familiar protestor

6:30 pm and the march to the U.N. was almost ready to go…til someone picked up those ORANGE dinghys

Video – brief interview quotes and then the—  parade passes by—-

The sponsors were the usual suspects.

Flickr slide show

DSC_4834

As expected, they made sure the “Iftar for infidels” would be covered – links were easy to find.  Videos posted show happy infidels praying at the Iftar –  in the name of PEACE- snookered in to praying  Islam: Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition The Interfaith Center of New York Lab/Shul Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus Jews for Racial and Economic Justice [JFREJ

We thank our faith leaders, who led us in prayer and unity on#WorldRefugeeDay #CityofRefuge.

Image may contain: 5 people, people smiling, people standing and outdoor

                                         Photo Credits: David Moriya

African Communities Together and Audu Kadiri

“Thanks to everyone for organizing such an inspirational demonstration….The Iftar meal was delicious! —The Last Raft.

The Observer:

“The action […] condemned the administration’s efforts to bar refugees from war-torn Syria and other Muslim lands and defended Temporary Protected Status, which gives arrivals from nations enduring an armed conflict or natural disaster deportation immunity and work authorization. The march kicked off on 59th Street and Fifth Avenue and concluded […] (when) demonstrators held an interfaith iftar—the evening meal breaking the daytime fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

“We are celebrating the heritage and existence of refugees in this country and throughout the world,” Fatou Waggeh, a civic organizer for African Communities Together[…] “But we’re also coming together as a community to say that we stand against the refugee ban.”

“Waggeh recalled “feeling very sad and depressed” when Trump was elected in November but that she is now feeling “mobilized and hopeful.”‘


The DSA Immigration Justice Working Group  aka  NYC Democratic Socialists of America:
” Just remember: It’s not you. It’s Capitalism

 PressSenza:

“United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on the international community to provide support and solidarity to refugees. “We reflect on the courage of those who fled and the compassion of those who welcome them,” the Secretary-General said.”

There’s always a protest somewhere. NYC  soc/commie/progs never rest: next up. an Emergency Town Hall meeting Against the Supreme Court Decision.

[Where indicated, pictures and video property of Pamela Hall]