ACTION ALERT:
Call White House, State Department & Elected Officials
to Express Concern Over Egyptian Government Crackdown
on Peaceful Protests
(Washington, DC – 1/28/11) — As we witness the people’s non-violent movement for democracy in the Muslim world, first initiated in Tunisia and now pivoting in Egypt, we as Muslim Americans must play an active role to help guarantee democratic reforms.
We pursue these moral goals out of our religious obligation for freedom of all people here and abroad, and out of our American commitment to help freedom-loving people anywhere and everywhere. The demonstrations currently taking place in Egypt — as in Tunisia, Jordan, Yemen and elsewhere — are a representation of people of all persuasions and not led by one ideology, nor driven by one faith.
As a community, we are primarily Muslim American, with roots in the Muslim world. With a unique ability to serve as a cross-cultural bridge, we can and must help guide our country, the United States, to align her foreign policy with American values, including:
-
The God-given right to oppose tyranny and oppression
-
The human need to rid all governments from corruption so that all people in a society — including the common man and woman, the family and the under-represented people — can benefit from the fruits of their country’s resources
We appreciate the admonition of President Barack Obama, who demanded that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak heed the will of his people.
We therefore call on our members of Congress and on our President to pursue the following:
-
Do not consider the Egyptian government and the Egyptian people as moral equivalents. One is an oppressor and the other is the oppressed.
-
Demand that all internet, media, and communications in Egypt free and without obstruction. Manipulating power in certain neighborhoods of Egypt only leads to the segregation of the country into cantons.
-
Call for an immediate end to the current regime’s violent treatment of its people, especially through arbitrary arrests and torture.
-
Understand the people’s will and pursue it through diplomatic talks with the Egyptian government.
-
Meet with Muslim American leaders who understand Egypt.
TAKE ACTION:
-
Visit
Congress.org and enter your zip code to get all the necessary contact information for your elected representatives. In just five minutes, you can make a phone call and send an email. Tell your elected officials to support the Egyptian people and further urge U.S. government support for democratic reform in Egypt.
-
You can also contact the Capitol Hill switchboard to directly ask for your elected Representative or Senator:
-
Also contact the White House and State Department switchboards and tell President Obama and Secretary Clinton to continue supporting democratic change in Egypt.
-
White House Comment Line: 202-456-1111
-
White House Switchboard: 202-456-1414
-
State Department Switchboard: 202-647-4000
-
For those who want to take action in the streets of America this weekend, be aware of saboteurs. Do not allow your events to turn violent.
-
Meet with your elected representatives. For assistance in setting up these meetings, call MPAC in Los Angeles at: 213-383-3443 or in Washington, DC at 202-544-7701.
SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS:
-
All internet, media, and communications with Egypt must be restored and provided without obstruction. Manipulating power in certain in certain neighborhoods divides the country and makes it easier for military forces to violently crackdown on protesters.
-
The Egyptian government has used excessive force and engaged in violently oppressive tactics. President Obama, Secretary Clinton and our elected officials must call for an immediate end to Mubarak’s cruel treatment of his people, especially through arbitrary arrests and torture.
Founded in 1988, MPAC is an American institution which informs and shapes public opinion and policy by serving as a trusted resource to decision makers in government, media and policy institutions. MPAC is also committed to developing leaders with the purpose of enhancing the political and civic participation of American Muslims.
Decisions are made for a certain reason. What is in the best interest for Egyptians, regardless of religion? A moderate, friendly government towards Europe and the Americas is needed to ensure peace and prosperity, which comes slowly. The other parties and various factions are prone to much more rigid Islamic extremists groups. Egyptians will not give up their sovereignty to Iranian schemes and refuse to become the subject of greater scrutiny and miserable economic sanctions, and war to appease extremist groups. Currently, although Egypt, like all governments, are experiencing unemployment, the currency is doing much better than the Mexican peso and Egypt has opened up new advanced educational institutions and an international chamber of commerce to encourage trade with European and Organization of American States’ private industry, for mutual beneficial academic and financial benefits. Additionally, its current leadership seeks to maintain the peace treaty with Israel. Egypt is also concerned with issues, such as water and natural resource management and the widening and cost sharing of the Suez Canal, which affect the region’s health, national security, and commercial traffic. Egypt also a serious concern with its Southern and Western borders, but this is also an internal national security matter. Conservative and moderate Egyptians are determined not to end up in a horrifying situation, akin to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran. Being unfamiliar with the issues, President Obama’s admonishment of President Murabak was disrespectful, inappropriate, and shows that the Kenyan and American President do not have the health, safety, and well being of Egyptians in mind.
Egypt has spent many centuries forging alliances and negotiations with other nations and we do not appreciate any outsiders questioning our ability to govern in the modern era.
Wow, really? Have to ask, are you an employee of President Murak’s regime? You sure sound like it. As an “Outsider”, my heart is with all the Egyptian protestors. All Egyptians deserve freedom from a tyrant who even after thirty years, refuses to step down. Those protestors themselves are questioning the way their own country is being governed. So get off your high horse. President Obama said nothing disrespectful. He just asked Egyptian leaders to refrain from any violence against peaceful protestors. It’s Murabak who does not have the health, safety and well being of Egyptian people in mind. I think you have your facts backwards! If you claim to be Egyptian as the last sentence of your comment suggests, you are a traitor to your own people. Shame on you!
Give the old man a break; he survived World War II and was too slow to make social adjustments to deal with all the young, crazy, militant, Egyptians. He lived through the NAZI invasion of Egypt and also did NOT want war with Israel, for the safety of his people.
Roxy: Obviously, the vast majority of the Egyptian people don’t agree with you.
Think again. ABC’s Entertainment branch of American mass media, including the American Black Panther Party knows nothing about Sunni Muslims, Coptic Christians, the relationship between the Iranian Monarch and the Iranian people and with Egypt. ABC miscalculated and now the Imam may hold much more conservative political influence than American entertainers. Nation of Islam was caring for the Imam, but now after 65 years in exile, he has returned to Egypt to ensure their people do not become exploited by the entertainment industry. -Roman Catholic Christians, who study St. Tomas Acquinas understand more than you think we do.