Letters, Announcements, & Videos, May 3, 2010

Scottish hero comedian Frankie Boyle has accused the BBC Trust of cowardly behaviour.
Boyle published an open letter describing the situation in Palestine as "in essence, apartheid" and lamenting the fact that the BBC was "now cravenly afraid of giving offence and vulnerable to any kind of well-drilled lobbying".

Back in 2008 Boyle made an astute joke on BBC’s Radio 4 programme Political Animal. "I've been studying Israeli army martial arts. I now know 16 ways to kick a Palestinian woman in the back. People think that the Middle East is very complex but I have an analogy that sums it up quite well. If you imagine that Palestine is a big cake, well … that cake is being punched to pieces by a very angry Jew."

In fact, no one can describe the barbarism andcollective sadism performed by the Jewish State more accurately.

Following a complaint from a listener who said the comments were "disgusting" and "anti-Semitic", the BBC Trust's editorial standards committee investigated and apologised. The committee said it endorsed the editorial complaints unit's finding into the use of the word "Jew".

So here we are again. Someone out there in the BBC insists on telling us all how to employ the word ‘Jew’. Clearly it is not going to work. Israel defines itself as the Jewish state. It commits colossal crimes in the name of world Jewry. With all due respect to Jews, their pride and their sensitivities, the English language is not yet a possession of the Israeli Government or the Labour Friends Of Israel or the BBC. Every crime committed by the Jewish state is engraved within our lingual symbolic notion of the ‘Jew’. As much as Jews love to regard themselves as the ‘light onto the nations’, their Jewish state presents us with one of the darkest phases in the history of humanism.

Boyle wrote "I think the problem here is that the show's producers [not the BBC line managers] will have thought that Israel, an aggressive, terrorist state with a nuclear arsenal, was an appropriate target for satire". I would add here that the attempt to block any discussion on Israel is just another symptom of Jewish power. However this power falls apart once challenged publicly by people such as Boyle and others.

Well done Frankie Boyle, and do not forget, if they really manage to upset you out there in the BBC, you can always join my jazz band and scat with us all the way till the end of bop.

There were many BDS victories recently and it is hard to keep up. But a notable acceleration of the cultural boycott is inevitable now that both Gil Scott Heron and Carlos Santana have canceled their appearances in Israel.

The deputy of the Israeli ambassador in London was also reminded of the state's apartheid policies and had to escape from the challenge with help of British police agents. Hundreds of such inspiring actions occur every day thanks to hundreds of thousands of people who act (silence is complicity and action is an antidote to despair).

More videos of the great action of resistance in the village of Al-Walaja where Palestinians and internationals stopped army bulldozers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaF33HVqDpg

And here is me explaining to Israeli Occupation Forces in Al-Walaja why their actions represent war crimes:

and here killing Ahmed Dib in popular nonviolent demonstration in Gaza (he bled to death as his injury was in the femoral artery):

But lest we think Palestinians do well only at popular resistance to their colonizers, here are three inspiring Palestinian stories out of millions:

But we still have to work on our divisions/divided society and be proud of our accomplishments historically and do more....

A sign from Gaza: “Dear Europe, Sorry about that cloud of ash over your heads and that you can’t travel anywhere. We feel just the same. Sincerely, Gaza”

In news, Israeli soldiers were “reprimanded” for cold-blooded murder of 4 young Palestinians. I guess they would have been jailed for a few days if they first tortured the Palestinians before shooting them. And the repression continues but also the heroic action of a few dedicated, decent souls to resist.

Please send your letters of support to UCSD's student senators, contact info here:

Join us: Conference “Sumud and the Wall conference, Bethlehem University”, Furno Hall, Friday April 30: 9:00 – 18:00 and Saturday May 1: 9:00 – 18:00. Simultaneous translation English-Arabic

Fee: none, except for lunch costs. Please send us an email in advance whether you share the lunch.

Organization: Oxford Brookes University (UK), Paris-Est University (France) and the Arab Educational Institute (AEI-Open Windows, Bethlehem), in cooperation with Al-Quds Open University, Bethlehem University (Department of Humanities) and Utrecht University (Center for Conflict Studies) as academic partners. The Arab Educational Institute is locally responsible for coordination. Information: info@aeicenter.org / 02-2777876

The latest issue of Network MCB has been published, outlining the work of the Muslim Council of Britain in the last six months.

Muslim Vote 2010 Network MCB highlights the MCB's non-partisan initiative to encourage active British Muslim voter participation during the current General Election campaign. Entitled 'Muslim Vote 2010' the campaign utilises MCB's established network of mosques and Islamic associations, together with online and social media to get out the vote.

Network MCB also includes a farewell message from the Secretary General of the MCB, Dr. Muhammad Abdul Bari (who began his term in 2006) whose term concludes after this year's AGM and elections on 20th June 2010.

A detailed guide of the MCB elections for delegates, members and affiliates is also included in this edition.

Muslim Leadership Dinner World Islamic Economic Forum Discussing anti-Muslim violence The Platform blog Young Muslim Beacon Awards Round-up of MCB activities To pick up your free copy and subscribe to Network MCB, please contact the MCB office (email: admin@mcb.org.uk).

The Muslim Council of Britain is the UK's largest Muslim umbrella body with around 500 affiliated national, regional and local organisations, mosques, charities and schools.

The Muslim Council of Britain, PO Box 57330, London, E1 2WJ Tel: 0845 26 26 786 Fax: 0207 247 7079 Email: media@mcb.org.uk

Islamic Games 2010 Northeast Regional

33 Days to go!!! EARLY REGISTRATION CLOSES MAY 10

Date: May 29 - May 30 2010
Time: 8am - 8pm (Both days)
Where: Crossroads Schools, South Brunswick, New Jersey
195 Major Road Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852 | Directions
For Information call 800-670-7901 or visit www.Islamic-Games.com

Team Events:
Basketball*, Soccer*, Volleyball*, Softball, Cricket, Flag Football
*are competed in male and female in multiple age categories

Individual Events:
Track & Field, Archery, Obstacle Course, Martial Arts, Tennis, Table Tennis, Arm Wrestling
All events are competed in male and female in multiple age categories

Registration: $15/athlete for participation in unlimited events - until May 10
$20 /athlete for participation in unlimited events - from May 11 to day of event
Register a Team | Register an Individual | Join a Team |
NO TEAM Registration on the day of event. Registration is not required for spectators. Spectators are FREE.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE:
Male and female of all ages. Schools, Teams, Organizations, Youth Groups, Businesses.. and of course YOU!

HEY KIDS we have lots of fun for you - All Day May 29 & 30

75 ft Obstacle Course, Bouncers, and Fun Competitions

Pre-registration or on-site registration is not required for spectators or kids coming to Islamic Games. A fee of $3 will be charged each day to use the obstacle course and bouncers.

Outdoor Halal Food concession provided by ISCJ/Douglas Pizza - available ALL day.

Accommodation:

CLICK HERE for more information. Book early, rooms are limited.

Looking for a sponsor for your team?

send an email at info@islamic-games.com