My esteemed colleague, Caroline B. Glick, recently penned an article for the Jewish Press in which she praised individual American Jewish grassroots activists as “extraordinary Jews,” who, on their own, and without any support from larger Jewish organizations have, one by one, been ensuring that strong pro-Israel views are being heard in America. Glick views these individuals as “part of a growing (volunteer) army of individual Jews throughout the U.S. who are moved to act by their conviction that Israel must be defended against the expanding alliance of the international Left and the forces of global jihad.”
And now, let us praise (and continue to praise) those extraordinary grassroots civilians who organized yesterday’s rally in Times Square against Radical Islam and those 300-500 people who came and stood in the driving rain to listen to the words of Sikhs, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians, direct and indirect victims of Islamic terrorism, enslavement, and persecution, who came together to stand against a common global enemy.
As I’ve written before: This is precisely the kind of “civilian army” that is needed, that is immune from cheap totalitarian charges of “racism,” that is, potentially, a model for world governments (India, Israel, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, the European Union, the United States, for starters,) who have not yet found ways to unite against jihad.
The Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam has a website where you may find the names of yesterday’s speakers and the profoundly impressive list of co-sponsoring organizations.
FOX-News was there and ran a brief clip. The Jewish Press printed an announcement about the rally which appeared on May 1st. The AP wire sent out the Coalition’s press release; no one knows if was picked up. However, the mainstream American media, CNN, CSPAN, and Channels 1, 2, 4, 7, 13 were not there. There has been no coverage in my local newspapers, nothing in the NY Post, NY Times, Wall Street Journal. If these (failing) papers do not cover an event, it is still as if that event has never happened—at least for those who rely solely upon the mainstream media.
However, I am told that the Asia Times network was there– and, so were bloggers who have now begun to capture for us and for all time, the extraordinarily dignified and serious faces of the speakers, coalition organizers, and audience. So far, you may find photos and commentaries at Atlas Shrugs and here, below.
My speech is posted HERE. However, I was not able to deliver it. (Full disclosure: Given that I am still on a walker and a cane, my physical therapist absolutely forbid my risking any crowd pushing and shoving and I reluctantly yielded to his wisdom). However, I alerted my colleague, Fern Sidman, to the rally. Although she covered it for a number of places, she kindly crafted the following paragraph and a series of photographs to share with my readers. Here is what Sidman has written:
“The pouring rain did not stop over 300-400 concerned citizens from attending a rally in Times Square, sponsored by the Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam. Comprised of people from all religious, ethnic, racial and sexual preference groups including Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, Jews, Israelis and secularists, the focus of today’s events, which featured a diverse selection of speakers, was to educate and mobilize people to support freedom, democracy and tolerance and to oppose the inherent dangers that radical Islam presents to those who cherish the aforementioned ideals.
Speaking today were Pastor Gerald Bell, a black minister who personally traveled to the Sudan to help liberate African slaves from their Muslim captors, Tawfik Hamid, a former jihadi terrorist, Beth Gilinsky of the Jewish Action Alliance who spoke of the burgeoning menace of radical Islam and how it will effect the future of Israel in terms of Iran’s growing nuclear arsenal, (and who read my speech as well), Arish Sahani, of the Indian American Intellectual Forum who spoke of the barbaric and systematic slaughter of Hindus in Pakistan. He also mentioned, “the alarming trend of Hindu girls being kidnapped, raped and held in Madrassas and forcibly converted to Islam”.
Quoting a Hindu American Foundation report he said, “In 1947, in what is Bangladesh today, Hindus composed 30% of the population. Today they are less than 10%. Every day there are acts of murder, rape, kidnappings, temple destruction and physical intimidation. Just yesterday, areas captured by the Taliban forced followers of the Sikh religion to vacate their homes and businesses for not paying the oppressive Jizya tax.”
Also speaking were Israeli citizen, Shlomi Azulay, who just barely escaped with his life in the 2002 Hamas suicide bombing at the Moment Cafe in downtown Jerusalem. Azulay’s back and knee were severely injured and he suffered psychological and emotional scars that manifested themselves in daily flashbacks and nightmares. His dear friend was killed right in front of his eyes. He asked those attending this rally to speak out against the heinous murders of all citizens in Israel by Hamas terrorists and to petition the government of Israel and the USA not to back down from their position of political isolation of such groups.
Bruce DeCell, a retired NYC police officer representing the 9/11 Families organization and who lost his 28 year-old son-in-law, Mark Petrocelli, (a commodities trader) on 9/11, spoke of the lack of interest by the mainstream media of this rally. “Where is CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX and CNN?” he asked. Speaking about his personal loss, he said, “there is always an empty chair at our table every holiday for Mark, my son-in-law who was murdered on 9/11.”
In addition, Steve Gerson, Simon Deng, Mohammed Yahya, Michael Cutler, Bhupinder Singh Bhurji, Joy Brighton, Rajinder Singh Khalsa, and Robert Schneider also spoke.
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31 Comments
1. Helen Freedman:I was one of the hundreds attending the HRCARI demonstration in Times Square on Sunday, May 3. I found it very moving to hear directly from the Indian, Muslim, Israeli and American victims of terror who had been personally wounded by radical Islam and its reign of terror. The persistent rain seemed an appropriate accompaniment to the words of the speakers, which were filled with determination and warning, that we must be ready to fight radical Islam here in America.
May 4, 2009 - 12:52 pm 2. Meryl:I was at the rally on Sunday. I’ve been to demonstrations for various causes, but I never saw as much ethnic diversity at any rally before. It was quite thrilling. The lack of media coverage was disappointing, but my daughter came up with a good suggestion for the next one: Make sure there are counter demonstrators who are willing to call HRCARI controversial and offensive. That is sure to bring out the MSM.
May 4, 2009 - 1:26 pm 3. MiamaMan:Shalom Phyllis, and thanks for this important post, and for the tremendous pictures showing the different people, races, and backgrounds.
I am glad you quoted the report from the HAF (Hindu American Foundation), of which I am an active member. The Islamic genocide against Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh has been almost incredible, and has been going on for decades, since partition in 1947, but it is now that other parts of the world wake up to it as a result of increased awareness to the savagery of Islam closer to home. The lives of Hindus are, and have been, unfortunately, the cheapest on earth as of late, and much guilt must be placed on the many Indian governments since 1947, for, as Gandhi rightly said: “The Muslim is a bully, the Hindu is a coward”. Here is the most important organization regarding the Hindu genocide in Bangladesh, FACT : http://www.factusa.org/ You can also donate to the survivors of the Mumbai terrorist attack, or become a volunteer. FACT was started by Francois Gautier: http://www.fact-india.com/ and there is a US tour scheduled for later 2009.
One more comment for clarity, if I may. Even though people find convenient (and I also do it by mistake) to talk, write, about radical Islam, there is not such a thing, Islam by itself is totally radical. What you find, though, are many moderate and good Muslims. In India, for example, there are many moderate Muslims, and in the last Kargil war or conflict between India and Pakistan in 1999, India proved that Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslim Indians would fight together against the common enemy. This is what must be encouraged, this moderate Muslim element, that must bring a new interpretation of the Koran that provides space to leave peacefully with others without trying to convert or enslave them. As for current Islam interpretation, there is no moderate Islam, thus no radical either, for, as Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said: Islam is Islam, and Sharia Law goes with it.
May 4, 2009 - 3:05 pm 4. BL:300 to 500 people show up in Times Square on a rainy Sunday and there’s no Mainstream Media coverage before, during or after?
Let me guess, Barack and Michelle weren’t in town? The crowd members weren’t riding bikes extolling the merits of pedo-transportation against the onslaught of global warming? No sacrificial pigs were slaughtered in efigy to urge the end of the swine flu pandemic?
No, these people were demonstrating against baarbaric governments and radical movements that for centuries have brutally visited on millions of innocent people their murderous rage just because these innocents didn’t believe and conform to their radical religious beliefs.
Why am I not surprised!The MSM’s twitters seem to function only when media darlings are involved. Thankfully, the grassroot masses don’t need these twits to make an impact.
Thank you, Dr. Chesler and all the others that have cheered and praised these peaceful advocates of non-violent, respect for all religions, beliefs, and lifestyles!
May 4, 2009 - 4:51 pm 5. Judy, NYC:the msm is bankrupt in every possible way. morally, spiritually, financially, ethically to name just a few catagories.
May 4, 2009 - 7:41 pm 6. Bruce De Cell:what they don’t lie about or twist to benefit themsselves with sucker bait headlines, they simply neglect to mention.
they sure do cleave to the scum of the earth, however. and vice versa.
guess they like each other’s smell.
I spoke at this event and the information about my Son-inlaw is incorrect,this is disturbing to me and I hope you will correct it. My son-inlaw’s name is Mark Petrocelli and he was not a police officer. He was a commodies trader who was at a meeting for his company Carr Futures, on the 92Fl. of the North Tower, he was 28 years old tobe 29 on Sept.13.
FORGIVE ME. I HAVE MADE THESE NECESSARY CORRECTIONS.
May 4, 2009 - 9:20 pm 7. B. Riz:300 to 500 people showed up. Those 300 to 500 people are going to at least tell 1 other person about it … and those other 300 to 500 hundered people are ……
It’s a start. Tell people, educate. Say no to radical islam, say no to sharia.
May 4, 2009 - 10:08 pm 8. Pajamas Media » In Praise of Extraordinary Activists:[...] the entire article here [...]
May 5, 2009 - 12:24 pm 9. SAY NO TO BIG GOVERMENT:Show Obama, Reid and Pelosi the tea party protests were not “astroTurf” but they were the beginning of a massive movement against massive Government growth and the control that comes with it. Tell them to Empower Individual Americans to take responsibility for their own lives and for the individual to have control over the direction of our country Sign the petition for Individual Empowerment!!! http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Indv1776/petition.html THE ONLY WAY THIS WILL WORK IS IF YOU COPY AND SEND IT TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT HAVE THE SAME OPINIONS AS YOU. ALSO COPY AND POST IT ON OTHER NEWS SITES, BLOGS, EMAIL IT TO ORGANIZATIONS ETC
May 5, 2009 - 1:47 pm 10. Lynn B.:You all were your own United Nations. I was overwhelmed!
May 5, 2009 - 3:01 pm 11. Zabibi:I commend Dr Chesler for her devotion to fighting for gender equity.
Without feminists like her in our midst and their strident voices, their will no gender understanding like we have at least in the West.
Chesler, however, has a blind spot in her equating religion with gender. The latter is concerned with roles played by the two sexes, regardless of confessional aspects. Religion is not as monolithic as some people suggest. Yes, religion is one important source of beliefs including gender, but their are other sources as well, like tribal identity and class status. Equating one religion as a whole, say Islam, being reponsible for cultural oddities like gender is not conducive in interfaith dailogues.
May 5, 2009 - 3:20 pm 12. BPT:And this is why I read conservative and independent blogs, because they tell me about what’s really happening on the ground.
May 5, 2009 - 5:55 pm 13. Jerry:I have nothing but praise for those who attended. I am ashamed that I was not there.
May 5, 2009 - 7:48 pm 14. fred:From up here in New Hampshire it is good to hear of so many informed, caring people who gathered to press the cause of freedom and human rights in parts of the world where Islam has put them under oppression. This has been going on for fourteen centuries, and there is plenty of recorded history of what Islam does to non-Muslims. I would like to recommend two books:
Bat Ye’or’s “The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam: From Jihad to Dhimmitude”
Andrew Bostom’s “The Legacy of Jihad”
They are meticulously researched, footnoted, with extensive bibliographies. These works are factual, not polemical.
The Hindus of India and the Hindu Kush region have suffered the lion’s share of the over 270 million human beings murdered by jihad. Never forget the Armenian Genocide. The Christians of North Africa were nearly wiped out, while others in the Middle East and beyond were put under the jizya and dhimmitude.
Jews are especially targeted by Islam. Plus, we are living in times when a lot of Jews in Israel and the Diaspora have gone over to collaborating with this vile enemy who seeks their blood.
May 5, 2009 - 10:12 pm 15. fred:Oh, and thank you Ms. Chesler, for conveying this information. I heard nothing about it from the usual culprits who now are coalescing into a phoenix of Pravda.
May 5, 2009 - 10:14 pm 16. ZAC D.:“300-400 concerned citizens”
That’s not impressive numbers. We need more.
May 6, 2009 - 1:10 am 17. Instapundit » Blog Archive » PHYLLIS CHESLER: Let Us Praise Extraordinary Activists Who Stood Against Radical Islam in Times Squ…:[...] PHYLLIS CHESLER: Let Us Praise Extraordinary Activists Who Stood Against Radical Islam in Times Square. [...]
May 6, 2009 - 5:06 am 18. Lorenz Gude:I have to say this report brought tears to my eyes. The level of denial in the West is so great that only a few seem to recognize that the clearly expressed intent of the jihadis is real. The process of waking up has to start somewhere. Furthermore, the global representation and tone of this event recognizes that 9/11 was not enough to wake the West up and that is will take just this kind of world wide coalition of victims of jihad to begin to deal with the problem properly.
May 6, 2009 - 6:45 am 19. StarWeaver:It is very heartening to read about this diverse group of individuals coming together to protest Islam’s war against the non-Muslim world.
Unfortunately, though, we’ve already lost the most important battle: the PR battle. Islam has all too successfully cast itself as the world’s whipping boy, the innocent victim of a Jewish conspiracy to rule the world. The MSM and the Lefties of the world have accepted this bilge as a fundamental truth that can and will never be questioned.
May 6, 2009 - 9:11 am 20. Watcher of Weasels » Spectre of a Man:[...] Submitted By: Right Truth – Chesler Chronicles at Pajamas Media – Let Us Praise Extraordinary Activists Who Stood Against Radical Islam in Times Square. [...]
May 6, 2009 - 12:55 pm 21. Alex Bensky:300,000 Hindus in refugee camps? Well, we can hardly blame them for dealing with their oppression and hopelessness by blowing up Pakistani restaurants in London, sending suicide bombers to Karachi, hijacking Pakistani airliners, and attacking Pakistani institutions all over the world. After all, when people are frustrated and hopeless, grotesque and murderous savagery is what you expect, isn’t it?
May 6, 2009 - 5:57 pm 22. Linda Rivera:300,000 Hindus driven out by extreme Islamic violence in Kashmir, India-live in misery in squalid camps and get nothing.
Even though there are 22 HUGE, OIL-WEALTHY Arab nations with more than enough oil money and land for Palestinian Authority Muslims, the US/EU and other Western nations choose to give many billions of dollars to PLO/Palestinian Authority terrorist organization – who laugh all the way to the bank with US/EU tax dollars.
Constantly financed, armed and trained by the U.S. – Palestinian Authority security forces have MURDERED MORE JEWS THAN HAMAS.
The BIGGEST SUCCESS of GLOBAL, Expansionist Islam: Non Muslim Nations teamed up with Islamic nations – demand little Israel surrender half of her TINY Biblical ancestral homeland to barbaric Muslim enemies bent on Jewish genocide. Jewish land for peace? What a wicked LIE!
What a horrifying betrayal. Of course, US/EU are fully aware that PA/PLO/Hamas, et al, lust after infidel Jewish blood, along with the Palestinian Authority Muslim population-70% of whom support savage suicide bombings of Jewish innocents.
DECEITFULLY called the Arab/Israeli conflict, it’s global jihad against Israel and the Free World.
PA Muslims CELEBRATE Murder of Americans 9/11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrM0dAFsZ8k
9/11: Remembering the Jumpers
May 6, 2009 - 9:09 pm 23. Linda Rivera:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEx2vbCdyKk&annotation_id=annotation_292417&feature=iv
The West Finances PA Muslim Population Explosion: Result: ENDLESS WAR
Ending the West’s Proxy War Against Israel
By GUNNAR HEINSOHN | From today’s Wall Street Journal Europe
Monday, January 12, 2009
As the world decries Israel’s attempt to defend itself from the rocket attacks coming from Gaza, consider this: When Hamas routed Fatah in Gaza in 2007, it cost nearly 350 lives and 1,000 wounded.
In Gaza the average woman still bears six babies. The reason for Gaza’s endless youth bulge is that a large majority of its population does not have to provide for its offspring. Most babies are fed, clothed, vaccinated and educated by UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Unlike the U.N. High Commission for Refugees, which deals with the rest of the world’s refugees and aims to settle them in their respective host countries, UNRWA perpetuates the Palestinian problem by classifying as refugees not only those who originally fled their homes, but all of their descendents as well.
UNRWA is benevolently funded by the U.S. (31%) and the European Union (nearly 50%) — only 7% of the funds come from Muslim sources. One result of this unlimited welfare is an endless population boom. Between 1950 and 2008, Gaza’s population has grown from 240,000 to 1.5 million. The West basically created a new Near Eastern people in Gaza that at current trends will reach three million in 2040.
The West pays for food, schools, medicine and housing, while Muslim nations help out with the military hardware. Unrestrained by such necessities as having to earn a living, the young have plenty of time on their hands for digging tunnels, smuggling, assembling missiles and firing 4,500 of them at Israel since 2006…it forced some 250,000 Israelis into bomb shelters.
Gazan teenagers have no future other than war… despite claiming that it wants to bring peace to the region, the West continues to make the population explosion in Gaza worse every year. By generously supporting UNRWA’s budget, the West assists a rate of population increase that is 10 times higher than in their own countries.
Much is being said about Iran waging a proxy war against Israel by supporting Hezbollah and Hamas. One may argue that by fueling Gaza’s untenable population explosion, the West unintentionally finances a war by proxy against the Jews of Israel.
If we seriously want to avoid another generation of war in Gaza, we must have the courage to tell the Gazans that they will have to start looking after their children themselves, without UNRWA’s help. This would force Palestinians to focus on building an economy instead of freeing them up to wage war.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123171179743471961.html
A RELIGIOUS War waged against EVERY non-Muslim:
Sayeed Abdul A’la Maududi:
Muslim nations are very special because they have a command from Allah to rule the entire world and to be over every nation in the world.”
“Islam is a revolutionary faith that comes to destroy any government made by man. Islam doesn’t look for a nation to be in a better condition than another nation. Islam doesn’t care about the land or who owns the land. The goal of Islam is to rule the entire world and submit all of mankind to the faith of Islam.
May 6, 2009 - 9:13 pm 24. Ken J:Any nation or power that gets in the way of that goal, Islam will fight and destroy. In order to fulfill that goal, Islam can use every power available every way it can be used to bring worldwide revolution. This is Jihad.”
—Sayeed Abdul A’la Maududi, ‘Jihad in Islam’
Zac D: All major media were present for a gathering of 100 atheists in Georgia, and Time magazine presented quite a spread on them. And, they will show up for a dozen animal rights activists. In contrast, the recent Tea Parties drew little MSM interest. If they don’t like it, they won’t be there. It’s that simple. It’s not censorship, but it’s awful close to it.
May 7, 2009 - 8:25 am 25. D-wah:I’m deeply moved by this event. God bless them. I’ve lived around the world, including India and the Mideast, and heard many personal horror stories related to the issues touched on in these speeches. Beautiful people there with truth in their hearts.
The contrast with the arrogant offhanded dismissal of these realities by our current administration and its compliant organs of misinformation is staggering, as well as frightful. That’s why they can’t even acknowledge it–the blazing contrast exposes their manufactured illusion.
I’m honored to witness the dignity, integrity and humility of these brave people. Keep on, they can’t ignore the truth forever.
May 7, 2009 - 8:29 am 26. D-wah:KenJ23: “It’s not censorship, but it’s awful close to it.”
If it’s not censorship, it’s reverse osmosis filtration with UV where the microbes are the truth.
It’s never censorship in the eyes of the censor since he “knows best”; much like the Constitution isn’t static to the liberal/socialist, but a “living document” to be interpreted and “adapted”, etc. etc.
No solid ground for these folks, it’s all changeable to suit their agenda. Solid truth implies something higher than them. Remember, they live in a constant state of rebellion against such a thought, which is why they work feverishly, and fearfully, to build their little sand castles before the next wave, or the tide of truth comes in. Age old story.
Nothing solid, all relative according to their chosen definition at the time. Just think of the derivation of the term “shifty character”. (Oops, didn’t mean to impugn the line-up of nefarious characters in this administration, but if the shifty shoe fits,…..)
May 7, 2009 - 8:57 am 27. D-wah:PS–way to go Meryl–I’ll claim you as my proxy–I’m out on the left coast.
May 7, 2009 - 9:10 am 28. Delia:Dear Phyllis,
As always, you truly inspire me and sometimes your posts bring tears to my eyes. You humble me as a woman and a fellow human being. There are times I truly worry for your safety when you brave so many spoken truths.
You are in my prayers and I hope your physical condition improves fast and that you heal up in the best possible way. I’ve been on crutches before and it ain’t no fun!
Bless your heart for all that you do for the sake of humanity. ♥ ♥ ♥
With admiration,
Delia
May 7, 2009 - 9:45 pm 29. Narrator 1:What the left-wing elites fail to realize that Islamic supremacy can only be manipulated so far before it refuses to stay in its little bin. Even Reagan had to learn this the hard way.
When the Islamonazis invade in true force, it will be these elites who are slammed against the wall, robbed, and killed. And all the while, they will think to themselves, “How could this happen?” That’s how it happened in Nazi Germany. That’s how it rolled in the Soviet Union. And history repeats itself.
May 8, 2009 - 1:29 am 30. deguello:These people better watch it,before Janet (the cretin) Napolitano places them on a Departmenrt of national security watch list.
May 8, 2009 - 9:58 am 31. Watcher of Weasels » Predators, Prey and Pelosi: A Weasel Watching Perspective:[...] place with 1/3 point – (T*) – Chesler Chronicles at Pajamas Media – Let Us Praise Extraordinary Activists Who Stood Against Radical Islam in Times Square. Share and [...]
May 8, 2009 - 11:11 am