Oppression

It is a travesty of justice that this man, a hero and pioneer of Islam, civil rights and humanity has been incarcerated since March of 2000. It is more of a travesty that the Muslim community of America has not stepped up to the plate with truckloads of donations to support his legal defense. His example was precursor to the types of atrocities that are inevitable to happen to all of us, both to those who speak out and those who don't. There is a famous quote that I remember that is pertinent here.

First They Came for the Jews
First they came for the Jews

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists

and I did not speak out

because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me

and there was no one left

to speak out for me.

Pastor Martin Niemöller

This is the atrocity of the framing and oppression of Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin. His story basically is one of the many realities that are now becoming part of everyday lives of Muslims in the west. Those who speak out and the guaranteed oppression of those who don't. It is evident that the case of this man is verifiably one of the weakest in history. No motive, No cause, no proof, but yet he remains on 23 hour lock-down. Escorted by 3-5 guards during his 1 hour reprieve to handle hygiene, excersize and phone calls and then it is back to solitary confinement 24/7 365. He is even denied reading the Quran.

He is not the only American Muslim Scholar to go through this ordeal. Others have gone before him and multitudes have followed him. I don't want to reflect on them now because I don't want to diffuse your attention from this man. This brother who was at the front of the Civil Rights movement in this country, formerly known as H. Rap Brown. He was a vanguard in the movement and one of the last if not the last to finally be silenced by our government. He was chased for years by the F.B.I as were Malcolm X and Martin Luther King and Medgar Evers by J. Edgar Hoover and the COINTELPRO program. His incarceration has paved the way for the justification of the establishment of Guantanamo bay prison camp post 9/11, secret arrests, faulty secret evidence and the basis for the Patriot Act and now this new thing to roll out of congress, the Spy courts where they don't even have to have any evidence and go through all the work of trumping up false charges. They can have you convicted entirely on hear-say with no evidence at all, and no public trial and you can be "coerced (violently)" into giving a confession. Sounds like the democratic experience is coming to a close.

Imam Jamil is having to go back to court again for his freedom. Please do me a favor, no do yourself a favor and get involved, Donate if you can, or send a letter of support, call a congressman/woman, write the Jail, make a Dua, but please do something. Our nation is playing spin the gun and the only people in the crosshairs are the Muslims..., Mmm and the weak, and disenfranchised. Speak up Muslims, stand up and fight, for failure to do that now, will make it extremely hard if not impossible later.

"If we don't take action now

We settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing now

And we'll settle for nothing later"

-- Rage against the Machine

Rage on Muslims, Rage on!!