March Against Terrorism and Extremism

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March Against Terrorism and Extremism

(hope this is ok to post here)

Join the March Against Terror

Free Muslims Coalition

The Free Muslims Against Terrorism are proud to announce that on May 14th 2005, Muslims and Middle Easterners of all backgrounds will converge on our nation?s Capital for a rally against terrorism and to support freedom and democracy in the Middle East and the Muslim world. This will be the first rally of its kind in Washington DC that is led by Muslims and Middle Easterners.

Join us in sending a message to radical Muslims and supporters of terrorism that we reject them and that we will do all we can to defeat them.

We also want to send a message of hope to the people of the Muslim world and the Middle East who seek freedom, democracy and who reject radical Islam that we are with them and that we will do all we can to support them.

This rally is NOT limited to Muslims and Middle Easterners. We request anyone and everyone who supports our message to join us at the rally. We want to send a message to the extremists and terrorists that American Muslims, Christians, Jews and people of all faiths are united against terrorism and extremism.

We welcome all endorsers and we ask that you circulate and publish this message to as many groups and people as possible. Help us make history.

To sponsor this rally, please send the name of your group to the Free Muslims Against Terrorism. [email protected]

Location of the rally:

Freedom Plaza
Neighborhood: Downtown
Address: Pennsylvania Ave. between 13th & 14th Street, NW
Metro: Federal Triangle
Date & Time: Saturday, May 14th 2005 1-5 pm

Free Muslims Against Terrorism freemuslims.org
202-776-7190

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The apology issued in 2004 follows.

Think of how Pope John Paul apologized for the Crusades which happened centuries ago and he had nothing to do with, yet his apology for Christians he didn't even know helped non-Christians move on.

"After numerous admissions of guilt by Bin Laden and numerous corroborating admissions by captured top level Al-Qaida operatives, we wonder, does the Muslim leadership have the dignity and courage to apologize for 9-11? If not 9-11, will we apologize for the murder of school children in Russia? If not Russia, will we apologize for the train bombings in Madrid, Spain? If not Spain, will we apologize for suicide bombings in buses, restaurants and other public places? If not suicide bombings, will we apologize for the barbaric beheadings of human beings? If not beheadings, will we apologize for the rape and murder of thousands of innocent people in Darfour? If not Darfour, will we apologize for the blowing up of two Russian planes by Muslim women? What will we apologize for? What will it take for Muslims to realize that those who commit mass murder in the name of Islam are not just a few fringe elements? What will it take for Muslims to realize that there is a large evil movement that is turning a peaceful religion into a cult? Will Muslims wake up before it is too late?

The blaming of all Muslim problems on Jews is a cancer that is destroying Muslim society from within and it must stop. Muslims must look inward and put a stop to many of our religious leaders who spend most of their sermons teaching hatred, intolerance and violent, unIslamic jihad. We should not be afraid to admit that as Muslims we have a problem with violent extremism.

If we remain silent to the extremism within our community then we should not expect anyone to listen to us when we complain of stereotyping and discrimination by non-Muslims; we should not be surprised when the world treats all of us as terrorists; we should not be surprised when we are profiled at airports.

As to apologizing, we will no longer wait for our religious leaders and ?intellectuals? to do the right thing. Instead, we will start by apologizing for 9-11. We are so sorry that 3000 people were murdered in our religion's name. We will never forget the sight of people jumping from two of the highest buildings in the world hoping against hope that if they moved their arms fast enough that they may fly and survive a certain death from burning. We are sorry for the blaming 9-11 on a Jewish or right wing conspiracy. We are sorry for the murder of more than three hundred school children and adults in Russia. We are sorry for the murder of train passengers in Spain. We are sorry for all the victims of suicide bombings. We are sorry for a religious education that raised killers rather than train people to do good in the world. We are sorry for allowing corruption to spread so fast and so deep in the Muslim world that many of our youth lost hope. We are sorry for allowing our religious leaders to relegate women to the status of forth class citizens at best and sub-humans at worse."

Take it as you will. I think the ultimate point is that a person is ultimately only accountable for himself, and ultimately the Muslim world is accountable for its unIslamic actions, despite the injustices that have been done to it.

I doubt that if someone looks to Allah swt and says, "But he made me kill those children! It was only retaliation!" it would go over very well.

I hope Muslims will start to empower themselves instead of always assuming the psychology of victimization.

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why the hell should we march against terrorism....just because i am a muslim i somehow have to prove my disgust at terrorism??? c'mon this is common sense ...no moral human being would support terorism....how about marching agains the condtions that cause people to act in desperation? you dont call for that......daniel pipes would probably call you a modern, sincere muslim...

this is utterly ridiculuous ......are you supported by the rand corp or something?

Meechi, I've posted the apology above.

Nsw, on hypocrisy in the ummah: "The Prophet said, 'A certain man will be brought to the Fire on the Day of Resurrection... The inhabitants of Hellfire will gather around him and say, 'Hey, you! What is the matter with you? Did you not used to enjoin us to be good and forbid us from evil?' He will say, '...I used to forbid you to do evil, but I did evil myself.'"

I hear what you're saying Nsw (until the last comment), but this rally isn't for the 'spread' of democracy, it is to support fellow Muslims who want it, themselves, it's supporting those who are struggling against oppressive rule. Their voices shouldn't be ignored just b/c we're upset with America. Your last comment goes straight back to the apologetic mode, which is what's holding Muslims back more than anything else. Yes I agree there are very strong forces underlying the fact that Muslims are going 100% beyond their religion and committing suicide and killing other innocent Israelis AND PALESTINIANS when the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) clearly said that anyone who commits suicide goes to hell where he/she will spend eternity repeating the suicide, but I think it's pretty sad to hold them to no accountability, or to diminish their accountability in the slightest. Doing this is similar to the ideology that it's ok for a man to rape a woman who was very flirtatious and in-his-face because she led him to do it. Messed up. If I killed my neighbor because my father is abusive, who's at fault? Not just the father. No people, personal accountability no matter what. Struggle against state terrorism AND Muslim terrorism and all of the institutions that support them like extremist interpretations that forego tradition. Did you hear the fatwas that said the Chechen school massacre was Islamically permissible? WHAT? "When palestinians kill it's called terrorism, when israeli's kill it's called national security, or crackdown on terrorism." Ya, so what does that mean here? That we shouldn't speak against the Palestinian terrorists, who kill Muslim children, and instead only care about Israeli terrorists who kill Muslim children? That's hypocrisy. Those people died wrongly, and if the murderer was Muslim, that murderer is no less to blame. Actually, that murderer is more so to blame for slaughtering members of his own family.

elle, no matter what we do to build "trust" we will always be seen as an "other" until we start scapegoating another group. personally i don't want to do that, but there will always be demagouges, there will always be those who maintain power by using straw men as thier reason for existance. don't waste time trying to earn "their" trust becase it cannot be done. do what you will, and those with eyes too see and reason to think will know we are not the enemy, but no matter what overtures we make to those who demonize us, none will be accepted. don't worry though, it only takes so long before the "next big thing" is chosen, my money is on china.

I'm all for the Ummah fixing itself and Muslims 'taking care of their own'. And heck, if countries want democracy, that's cool too. I just don't trust this organization, esp after the whole 9/11 apology.

Kharah stated elsewhere, "my point was that islamic law could be applied... without the monopolizing of religious studies. ultimately, it should be shaped by the will and the beliefs of its citizens." So this means.... democracy. Hmm.

And beyond that, it's self-preservation. If a very clear trust of American Muslims isn't established, and there is another attack, there will be mass deportations, even more heightened restrictions, a greater amount of racism and total change in the lifestyles we lead here.

What is wrong with supporting Muslims who want democracy? We all seem to be enjoying it. The man organizing this is Palestinian and he seems to want it. It is showing support for Iraqis who braved elections and risk having themselves blown up on a daily basis, or for the Iranians who almost started a democracy but were subverted.

Good point Kharah. I object as well to the terminology and the ideaology behind this message. While I do agree in theory, we must let it be known that Islam and the actions of a certain view are not compatible. But, my biggest pet peeve these days is the overused mantra of "Support (or spread) freedom and democracy in the Middle East.".

Thank you Shiraz, alhumdulillah. Kharah, it's for anyone, even the ATFP. This kind of assumption is the same type that the far rights had about anti-war rallies. "Oh, they don't believe in war, that means they must support terrorism!" "Oh, they don't support terrorism, that means they must be pro-Israel and against Muslims!!" Come on... I'm sick of this train of thought. It's like preschool. "It's their fault!" "No, it's their fault!" "I won't better myself until he apologizes!!" "No, they made us kill each other and go against our religion! It's all part of the conspiracy! Why should we account for our own actions?" This really isn't going to get us anywhere, and will only heighten suspicion against us which will cause a massive backlash -- much greater than the last -- if there is another attack on our soil.

will the ADL and AIPAC be marching as well???

very good point elle! im tired of muslims always responding with "well the US does this, and Israel does that"...its time for us to also call out our own when need be.

Bestman, just about everyone I know attended mass rallies against the wars. There were dozens. This is /one/, and don't forget that half the victims of terrorism are Muslim.

I can't come, there's this big wet patch of water between the rally-point and myself... commonly known as the Atlantic Ocean ... Baba: I viewed Osama (and also Saddam) as a product of the freedom-spreading and liberal western democracy, not Islam.

?speak loudly against violence that's been committed in the name of Islam???? Hummm When are we going to ?speak loudly? about the violence committing/committed in the name of ?democracy? by allied forces??

I'm not with the group, the point is for people of all backgrounds to speak loudly against violence that's been committed in the name of Islam. This march isn't supporting war, and with all due respect, yes I think that is cynical. :) Baba, terrorism might have to do with failing governments, but that's beside the point here.

Wasn't this the group that apologized 'on behalf of Muslims' for 9/11?

I always viewed 'terrorism' as a by product of failing governments.

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March Against Terrorism and Extremism

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