Dear President Obama,

The undersigned individuals and organizations from Arab and Muslim communities across the U.S. strongly condemn the September 24^th FBI and Department of Justice raids on the homes of, and Grand Jury subpoenas served to, 24 anti-war and international solidarity activists across the Midwest; 7 of them to Palestinian-Americans.

Although FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) harassment of our communities has grown more intense and widespread since 9/11, you know very well that Arabs and Muslims in the U.S. have been criminalized for our lawful political activity and civic engagement for decades. Institutions in our communities have been lawfully organizing to improve the conditions of Arabs and Muslims in the U.S. and abroad, but no matter what we do, and no matter what we say, our national, ethnic, and religious backgrounds relegate us to “second class” citizenship.

And for someone who comes from a community that has suffered the pangs of structural and institutional racism and discrimination even longer, we are saddened and shocked that it is your Administration which has organized and is leading this recent attack on our rights of free speech, free assembly, and dissent.  We now know that a number of African American institutions within the Civil Rights Movement in this country were targeted and destroyed due to FBI violations of civil rights and liberties.  That is a history that we are sure you have not forgotten.

In the United States, we are supposed to have the right to criticize and challenge our government policies and to organize and educate others about Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine.  You were a community organizer in Chicago, and during your Presidential campaign you promoted this history of yours as a positive example of civic activity.  Why now do you support the suppression of others who are organizing for social change as you did?

Since 9/11, U.S. government repression has escalated precipitously, causing widespread fear, anxiety, and panic in our neighborhoods.  FBI visits to our homes, mosques, community centers, and churches are routine.  Thousands were detained and / or deported, separated from their families for minor technical violations of immigration law that never precipitated such draconian measures in the past.  Many well-established humanitarian aid and other organizations from our communities have been shut down, and numerous Grand Juries have been empanelled to investigate our activists and organizations.

The Grand Jury does not even feign to respect due process, since a person called before it cannot have an attorney present, give testimony in her defense, or confront her accuser; there is no judge to preside over the proceedings; and people are not screened for bias before being seated as jurors.  For these reasons, Great Britain and most other countries have abolished the Grand Jury, as well as 19 states in the U.S.  But, it continues to be used by the U.S. Attorney General to threaten and intimidate entire communities.

The end of the Bush era was supposed to lead to the real change envisioned by the Civil Rights Movement, and Arabs and Muslims across the U.S. supported you and your campaign in record numbers.  But your Justice Department has continued on the same path as its predecessors, instilling more fear and distrust of the U.S. government amongst our families.

The 24 people who have been subpoenaed since September 24^th are mothers and daughters, fathers and sons.  So far, the first 14 have refused to appear at the Grand Jury, but now three of these have had their subpoenas reinstated.  If your U.S. Attorney grants them immunity, but they continue to refuse to testify, they can be placed in federal prison for what you call “civil contempt.”  The prison is the Metropolitan Correctional Center in your hometown of Chicago. 

Seven of the 19 are Palestinian Americans.  We are concerned that there will be more.  We are concerned that your Administration’s continuation of this broad “witch hunt” will sweep up more daughters and sons, in violation of the civil rights and liberties of a whole new generation of Arabs and Muslims.  When will we ever be free to talk about the self determination and liberation of the Palestinian people, and the crimes against the people of Iraq, without fear of U.S. government retribution?  When will we be able to organize our communities without being targeted because of our nationality and religion?

It is not contemptuous of people from the Arab, Muslim, and other communities in the U.S. to organize in support of oppressed people in this country and around the world.  That a person may have to go to prison for this organizing is what we find contemptuous.  Please use your power to immediately End the Grand Jury Proceedings, and End the Political Repression of Arabs and Muslims, as well as anti-war and international solidarity activists, in the U.S.

Sincerely,

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