General

Fight the Right: "Academic Freedom Under Siege"

Wednesday, 23 March 2005
8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Organizer: The Muslim Students Association, RIT Anti War, International Stu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Ammar A Naqvi
Phone: 631-241-5155
http://www.rit.edu/~msawww
aan3854 rit.edu

The Muslim Students Association, RIT Anti War, International Students Association and various other groups present,

Fight the Right: "Academic Freedom Under Siege"

Speakers include Ahmed
Younis and Kathleen Kern.


Individuals such as Daniel Pipes are demonizing democracy and using their political clout to silence voices, narrow opinions and propagate racism. This seems to be reminiscent of communists Russia, and revives memoirs of McCarthyism of the 1950s. We should learn form the mistakes of the past and not allow the freedoms that the founders of this nation fought so hard for to be trampled over and dissipated in the mud of racist rhetoric.

Daniel Pipes is a supporter of Japanese interment camps, segregation and racial profiling. He has been invited to come speak at Rochester Institute of Technology. However, the students and other groups of the Rochester and Western New York have created a venue to promote protection of academic freedom.

Academic Freedom Under Siege will be occurring on Wednesday, March 23 at 8:00 PM in Building 6, room A205 at RIT. Speakers include Ahmed Younis and Kathleen Kern.

Ahmed Younis, the national director of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee, is a graduate of Washington & Lee School of Law in Lexington Virginia. Ahmed is the author of a book entitled American Muslims: Voir Dire (Speak the Truth), a post-September 11 look into
the reality of debate surrounding American Muslims and their country. He has worked with the United Nations, and was assigned to the Office of the Special Advisor to the Secretary General on Iraq. He is also a strong supporter of academic liberties and a defender of the United States Bill of Rights.

Kathleen Kern has worked with Christian Peacemaker Teams since 1993, serving on assignments in Haiti, Washington DC, Palestine, Chiapas, Canada, and Colombia. Kern has published two books: When it Hurts to Live: Devotions for Difficult Times_ (Faith and Life Press, 1994) and We Are the Pharisees (Herald Press, 1995.) The latter book explores how Christians have used Jesus' teaching about the Pharisees to justify persecution of Jews over the centuries.

The program will focus on the importance and the need of dialogue and the recent attacks on academic freedom and liberties. It is the responsibility of every human to defend freedom and justice. People can show their support by attending this event! For if one person is deprived their freedom of speech it is as if we have caged the tongue of humanity.

For information: http://www.rit.edu/~msawww
Contact: aan3854@rit.edu
Phone: 631-241-5155


--
A Naqvi

Location:
RIT Campus - Building 6, room A205

Cost: No Charge - Donations Accepted to support the sponsoring groups

Directions: See www.rit.edu for directions and campus map

URL: http://www.rit.edu/~msawww