Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Voices That Must Be Heard" Articles Description An account of the resource The Independent Press Association (IPA) translates articles from the ethnic press (when necessary) and distributes them via web and fax newsletter to mainstream and ethnic press, government offices, nonprofits, and interested individuals. Voices That Must be Heard was designed by the Independent Press Association staff in New York City in response to the horrifying events of September 11. After Sept. 11th, Voices focused on the South Asian, Arab and Middle Eastern communities in New York. Since February 2002, the project has expanded, selecting articles from the broad range of ethnic and community newspapers throughout the city. Here, the Archive has preserved the Voices collection from its inception until November 2002. VTMBH Article VTMBH Article: Edition 24 VTMBH Article: Article Order 2 VTMBH Article: Title Recruitment at Masajid VTMBH Article: Author VTMBH Article: Publication Muslims VTMBH Article: Original Language English VTMBH Article: Translator VTMBH Article: Section edits VTMBH Article: Blurb The recent recruitment drive in a New Jersey Muslim house of worship violates what the American people call separation of Church and State. Its an example of another violation of basic American principles which have contributed so much political and economic wealth to this land. VTMBH Article: Keywords VTMBH Article: Body The United States is home to millions of immigrants from all around the world. These teeming millions have come to these shores for various reasons, some fleeing persecution, others hunger and poverty. The nations history is made up of the monumental works undertaken by the immigrant communities. Freedompolitical, economic, religious, etc.is the hallmark of the American way of life. While in many parts of the world, these freedoms are not clearly defined (thereby leading to confusion and turmoil), in the United States there is a thriving legacy of written laws and conventions that govern civil liberties. All immigrants, including the Muslim communities, have found in these laws the guarantee of a comparatively safer, more peaceful, and better organized life than in their home countries. Before the evil and horrifying events of September 11th, Muslims patiently faced discrimination, and sometimes, violence (in the form of arson to residences and places of worship, and physical attacks). They were told by sympathetic folk that all new immigrant communities in the United States had suffered the same kind of hostility from older migrant groups. Since September 11th, the world has turned upside down for all Americans, especially for the Muslim Americans who are being blamed for the horrible attacks. Today, we find the Bush Administration working tirelessly to bring peace and security back to the shores of the United States. But there are some in places of authority who, while working closely with a controlled media, are generating fear and insecurity in all of the land. This fanning of the fires of intolerance and suspicion is taking many ugly shapes in the sphere of public policy. Of course, all efforts are made to ensure that these policies look as American as apple pie so that those in this great country who want to preserve liberty and justice for all are not alarmed into action. The recent recruitment drive in a Muslim house of worship in the state of New Jersey by the U.S. intelligence is not as American as apple pie. Whether the administrative body of the masjid/Islamic center welcomed such a drive, or was coerced into it, is not the question. The important underlying principle is what the American people refer to as the separation of church and state. In a recent Congressional hearing on that subject, certain religious preachers, who get federal funds, were reprimanded for using their pulpit to promote political candidates. One of the preachers, an African-American, defended his record by saying that he had urged support of the policies of the candidate, which he believed were similar to what he himself espoused and encouraged via his preaching. He asked why a preacher, as a guide to his congregation, cannot advocate a political candidate in an election with whose policies he agrees. There was not much support for the preachers who had been summoned on Capitol Hill. The hearings were adjourned after most of them criticized and reprimanded them in tones that could be construed as friendly warnings. For many churches and other religious places of worship, the congressional hearing was a landmark one. It was a serious reminder to the preachers and those present were reminded that because their religious organizations received federal funds, they have to follow certain rules. These laws were passed during the Vietnam War era to discourage preachers from discussing public policy issues with their congregations. With more mainstream churches seeking, and receiving, federal funds, almost all important issues of concern have been removed from the houses of worship. But it is interesting to note that many houses of worship freely display the American flag a symbol of political and state authority behind the pulpit. While Muslim houses of worship, the Masajids, are not at the receiving end of federal funds, the presence of recruiters for the U.S. intelligence agencies on religious premises is a plain violation of the principle of Separation of church and state. Surely, government bodies, like the offices of U.S. Foreign Service and Public Diplomacy, are already doing a great job of recruiting personnel from the Muslim communities living here and abroad. In the recently held annual conference of the National Multicultural Institute, Ms. Ruth Davis, Director General of U.S. Foreign Services, openly called on minorities and women to come forward to change the perception of the United States abroad. No mention, of course, was made of working to change U.S. policies abroad, but efforts are going ahead with plans to change the perception abroad about the U.S. While the Muslim American community has been as negatively affected (some may say so more so than others), by the evil perpetuated on this country, and throughout the world by the tragedy of 9/11, and while the government in this country needs to hold honest and thorough investigations into the who, why, and what of this tragedy, let us not bend and break the same laws that have contributed so much of political and economic wealth onto this land. We owe this to our nation. VTMBH Article: Line Breaks 1 VTMBH Article: Date 2002-06-14 VTMBH Article: Thumb VTMBH Article: Article File VTMBH Article: Hit Count 405 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Recruitment at Masajid 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. unknown Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. article Original Name The original name of this item. The recent recruitment drive in a New Jersey Muslim house of worship violates what the American peop Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-06-14