July, 05 2016, 08:30am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Laurel Ashton, NC NAACP Field Secretary, 828-713-3864, laurel@naacpnc.org
The NC NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement Will Hold a Press Conference and Release an Open Letter to the Trump Campaign and to NC Leaders Who Support His Hate Driven Campaign
The NC NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement will hold a press conference at 11 am at the SE corner of Morgan Street and Fayetteville St. Our coalition will release an open letter to the Trump campaign and its state leaders. The NC NAACP and our coalition partners will challenge Donald Trump on his anti-immigration policies, xenophobia, and racism.
DURHAM
The NC NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement will hold a press conference at 11 am at the SE corner of Morgan Street and Fayetteville St. Our coalition will release an open letter to the Trump campaign and its state leaders. The NC NAACP and our coalition partners will challenge Donald Trump on his anti-immigration policies, xenophobia, and racism.
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, President of the NC NAACP stated, " Regardless of whose running or their party affiliation, we are calling on all candidates to turn away from fear, xenophobia, racism and other divisive postures. We are asking candidates to focus instead on justice, domestic tranquility, and the common good."
To view the event live click here.
WHO: NC NAACP & The Forward Together Moral Movement
WHAT: Press Conference Challenging The Trump Campaign's Stance on Racism, Xenophobia and Anti-Immigration Polices
WHERE: At the Corner of Morgan St and Fayetteville Street in Raleigh NC (across from the NC Old Capitol)
WHEN: Tuesday, July 5th at 11 am
Founded Feb. 12. 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest, largest and most widely recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization. Its more than half-million members and supporters throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.
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"No one is free until everyone is free," read a banner representing a Seder plate. "Jews say stop arming Israel."
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As U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer prepared to vote on Tuesday night for a foreign aid package including billions to continue arming Israel in its bombardment of Gaza, roughly 300 protesters were arrested outside his home in Brooklyn for holding an "emergency Passover seder" protest, demanding the U.S. end its support for an assault that has killed at least 34,262 Palestinians.
The protest was led by anti-Zionist Jewish organizers with Jewish Voice for Peace, IfNotNow, and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, with a large round banner representing a traditional Seder plate at the center of the protest at Grand Army Plaza, a block from Schumer's home.
Hundreds of people, some wearing traditional Palestinian keffiyehs, linked arms and chanted, "Free, free Palestine!" while blocking traffic and displaying the Seder plate.
"No one is free until everyone is free," read the banner. "Jews say stop arming Israel."
Schumer's home has been the site of numerous protests since October, when Israel began its attacks on and blockade of Gaza, which have left parts of the enclave facing famine and the entire population of 2.3 million people suffering from "acute food insecurity," at a minimum.
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Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) were the only members of the Democratic caucus who voted against the funding bill. Fifteen Republicans also opposed the bill over its inclusion of Ukraine aid.
The demonstration at Grand Army Plaza was organized amid a burgeoning protest movement on U.S. college campuses, including at Columbia University, where more than 100 students were suspended and then arrested for trespassing last week after setting up an encampment to demand the school divest from all companies that work with the Israeli government.
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Sanders called Tuesday "a dark day for democracy," condemning the upper chamber's refusal to even allow a vote on his proposed amendment to cut offensive military aid to Israel from the legislation.
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The 79 senators who voted to pass Biden's foreign aid bill/expand Israel's genocide in Gaza: pic.twitter.com/bVQisvOndd
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"This is a huge testament to our collective strength and resilience as a progressive movement," said the executive director of Justice Democrats.
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Lee, a vocal critic of the Netanyahu government and leading supporter of a cease-fire in Gaza, handily defeated Bhavini Patel, a borough councilmember in Edgewood, Pennsylvania whose effort to unseat the progressive incumbent was bankrolled by Jeffrey Yass, the state's richest man. Patel actively courted Republican and pro-Israel voters, characterizing Lee as "fringe."
With more than 95% of the vote counted, Lee is ahead of Patel by more than 20 percentage points.
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Opposing genocide is good politics and good policy. #CeasefireNOWÂ https://t.co/A7pnJNskWS
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While AIPAC ultimately sat out the Pennsylvania race, it is devoting considerable resources to ousting other progressive lawmakers, including Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.).
The pro-Israel lobbying group has endorsed Bush challenger Wesley Bell, calling him a "strong advocate for the U.S.-Israel relationship." As The Guardianreported last week, Bell has "raised more than $650,000 in earmarked contributions through the group Democracy Engine Inc. PAC—a donation platform that allows unpopular PACs to obscure their donations and lists AIPAC as a client on its LinkedIn page."
AIPAC is the largest donor to Bowman challenger George Latimer, who has supported Israel's war on Gaza and denied that Israel is committing genocide. The Democratic primary for New York's 16th Congressional District is on June 25.
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