The Brutality of the Evil and the Silence of the Good

The Brutality of the Evil and the Silence of the Good


It stated, "The Islamic Circle of North America condemns the brutal air assault on the poor and oppressed people of Gaza. The violence by Israeli army has taken the lives of about 280 people and many more have been injured by these barbaric attacks.



As reported by BBC on the website, a doctor at the Shifa hospital in Gaza City described a desperate scene, with essential medical supplies, fuel and water all running out. Dr Khamis El Essi told the BBC that many people had been admitted with multiple injuries, such as head and back wounds. Some patients had had limbs amputated.



It is astonishing to see that the world powers are not pressing Israel to stop the aggression but rather they are silently watching the murder of innocent people of Gaza and thus giving a supporting nod to the Israeli leaders.



Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "The tragedy is not the brutality of the evil but rather silence of the good people."



We ask our government to take immediate action and make Israel stop this terrorism."



Press Contact: Naeem Beig

Secretary General

Islamic Circle of North America

e-mail: sg@icnait.com

Office: (718) 658-1199

Cell: (917) 202-2118





What you can do immediately:

1. Make Dua, and remind others to make special supplications to Allah(swt) for the safety and immediate resolution to the crisis.

2. Speak up against the injustice. Prophet Muhammad(saw) commanded us to stop Evil by our hand, speak up against it, and at the least feel bad about it.

a. Call your elected representative. Below is a list of Chicago area representatives.

b. Join the rallies with other interfaith and antiwar groups and voice your disapproval of the injustice. There is one this Friday January 2nd, 2009 at 3:00 PM. At Tribune Plaza, 435 N. Michigan Avenue & then march to the Israeli Consulate. Buses are leaving from all major masajids after Jumah Salah.

3. Donate: www.helpinghandusa.org, www.zakat.org, www.irw.org.




Contact your representative: Always be polite and courteous and ask them to publicly condemn Israel’s “disproportionate and excessive” attacks on the Gaza Strip. Ask for:



- An immediate end to Israel’s killing of Palestinians, and its attacks and siege on Gaza, and the withdrawal of Israel’s military from Gaza’s borders;

- The opening of Gaza’s borders to humanitarian aid, international observers / protection, media, the United Nations, etc.

- An end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine;

- Support a just and comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that takes into account the rights and responsibilities of all parties.



U.S. Congress:

U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 224-2152
Chicago Office: (312) 353-4952
Website: www.durbin.senate.gov



U.S. Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL 9th District)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 225-2111
Chicago Office: (773) 506-7100
Website: www.house.gov/schakowsky



U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL 3rd District)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 225-5701
Chicago Office: (312) 886-0481
Website: http://www.lipinski.house.gov/



U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL 1st District)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 225-4372
Chicago Office: (773) 224-6500
Website: www.house.gov/rush

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL 4th District)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 225-8203
Chicago Office: (773) 342-0774
Website: www.luisgutierrez.house.gov

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL 2nd District)
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 225-0773
Chicago Office: (773) 734-9660
Website: www.house.gov/jackson



Find your representative:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml



U.S. State Department:

Phone: (202) 647-6575
Website: http://www.state.gov



The White House:

Phone: (202) 456-1111

Email: comments@whitehouse.gov



President-elect Barack Obama:

Website: http://change.gov/page/content/contact/



Write a Letter to the Editor:

Chicago Tribune: ctc-tribletter@tribune.com
Chicago Sun-Times: letters@suntimes.com
Daily Herald: fencepost@dailyherald.com
New York Times: letters@nytimes.com
Washington Post: letters@washpost.com
Los Angeles Times: letters@latimes.com





Inform your fellow American: The Palestinian situation is not just a Muslim issue, it is a humanitarian concern, and this requires us to inform fellow Americans of the issues, in order to develop a broad based opposition to our governments biased support of the atrocities being conducted by Israel. Below are some talking points provided by ADC:



- The Israeli air strikes represent serious violations of international law, including the Geneva Conventions and a range of international humanitarian law.

- This is not a war between two countries with armies; it is a war initiated by the fourth most powerful army in the world against 1.5 million Palestinian civilians living in Gaza.

- The U.S. is complicit in the Israeli violations, and this statement from the White House—“[the Palestinians] are responsible for breaking the ceasefire. We understand that Israel is reacting to the hundreds of rockets that have been fired on the innocent people of Israel over the last few days”—is another example of how our U.S. government DOES NOT play the role of an unbiased peace broker.

- The timing of the air strikes has far more to do with U.S. and Israeli electoral politics than with protecting Israeli civilians; i.e., to strengthen the campaign of certain candidates for Israel’s upcoming elections, and to take advantage of the fact that the lame duck Bush administration is in its final days.

- This serious escalation proves that Israel does not want real peace with the Palestinians.

- For more information click here.