Take Action for Gaza this Week

 In Israel, Palestine

Reminder: Days of Action to Support the Palestinian People in Gaza

-NATIONAL “WEAR YOUR KUFFIYAH DAY”: TODAY, MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2009

People across the country are being asked to wear your Kuffiyah today, Monday. This symbolic gesture will bring awareness to the plight of the Palestinian people. Take a moment to explain to anyone who asks what is happening and has been happening to the Palestinians for the last 60 years and why you are wearing your Kuffiyah.

-NATIONAL DAY OF FASTING: TOMORROW, TUESDAY JANUARY 13, 2009

On this upcoming Tuesday people are asked to fast the whole day, refraining from food and water. Further, as a sign of unity, it is asked that individuals donate the amount of money they would have spent on food this day to Gaza Relief. ADC recommends that the donations be made to the following organizations:

United Palestinian Appeal (UPA): http://helpupa.com/
American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA): http://www.anera.org/

-CONTACTING CONGRESS

To contact your member of Congress, see: http://capwiz.com/adc/dbq/officials/

ADC has prepared talking points which you can use with both your elected officials and members of the media, see: http://www.adc.org/index.php?id=3401

-CONTACTING THE MEDIA

Peace Action and Other National Organizations Call for a Week of Concentrated Media Work on Gaza Crisis

As vital as it is to keep up the public protest, and as important as it is that we make sure our elected officials in Washington hear from us, this is also a crucial moment to bring our message to the mainstream media. We hope you will help in this nationwide action week starting today, January 9 and running through next Friday, January 16 — of focused efforts on media work.

The Major goal of this media work is Bring our message to a much wider audience. As we all know, the people the mainstream media usually have doing the “analysis” are more often than not retired State Department or military officials, representatives of the Israeli government, or others who give a one-sided or biased perspective. There have been some notable instances of other voices breaking through, such as the Norwegian doctor in Gaza who has been on CBS and other outlets. But it is rare to see a Palestinian or anyone else with a critical view of what Israel is doing being interviewed.

For talking points and updates be sure to check our website http://www.adc.org/index.php?id=3401

A concentrated, nationwide effort to bring another perspective into the mainstream media could make a difference.
To find out how to contact local and national media outlets please click: http://capwiz.com/adc/dbq/media/

Making sure our voices are heard and read means asking many people to take up this effort, so please share this memo as widely as you can. We are encouraging you to work on any or all of these four specific things:

1) An outpouring of letters to the editors, in every size and every type of publication.

  • Letters are more likely to be printed if they are short.
  • It often helps if the letter is in response to an article printed in the publication.
  • If there is a connection to some local issue or group, that can be very helpful.
  • SEND A LETTER HERE

2) Opinion pieces and/or guest columns in your daily newspapers.

  • These are often hard to get in, but are worth pursuing. Call your local paper to find out about requirements and the process for submitting a piece.
  • It is often easier to get a piece printed if it comes from someone who has recently been to the area, someone respected in your community (a religious leader, an elected official, etc.) or someone who has a personal relationship to the issue.

3) A massive push to call into local radio talk shows.

  • Millions of people listen to talk radio in every corner of the country, every day: we can reach people who might not otherwise ever see or hear our message.
  • Many talk shows have an open format – you can raise any issue. It’s best to know the one or two points you want to make on the call since there will most likely not be time for too much.

4) Use the on-line tools of media outlets.

  • Just about every media outlet now has some on-line way for people to express their opinions. Be sure to check out what’s available in your area and then use those tools!

For tips on how to write a letter to the editor or an op-ed, see these tips from Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) : http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=122

This campaign is being coordinated with UFPJ, US Campaign to End Israeli Occupation, Peace Action, and other National Organizations
For talking points and updates be sure to check the websites of UFPJ and the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, as well as the the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee

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Showing 3 comments
  • jtothemo
    Reply

    Hi! I am putting a link to this page in a post I’m doing about Gaza. Just wanted to let you know.

  • Umar
    Reply

    Great blog.. we`re all peace lover and we`re always struggle to keep peace alive whenever, wherever would be. Palestine and Israel is the most trouble country never encounter. But I believe there still 999 ways to reduce and solve the problem there.

    I think, there is only no goodwill between them to find which way could be better for both of them to live their life as brotherhood n peacefully. on the other hand, the conflict there has many political interested of another big countries which will gain benefit form the conflict , In addition, there is no unity of Arabic countries to take a role to overcome this conflict.

    we just keep in pray for God to open people heart , for those people who take advantages and has interested in this crisis by seeing thousands of nonsense people has been killed there.

    Peace..

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  • […] Anti-Discriminitation Committee calls on the country to fast for Gaza. Read more about the fast here. The ADC also asks that you donate what you would have spent on food today to the United Palestine […]

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