CAIR-UIUC board member Hatim Rahman was selected for “Organize the Hope” conference that took place last weekend.

The Organize the Hope Great Lakes Regional Conference brought together students from around the region to:

• Learn organizing tools and fresh ideas for campus activism
• Get tips on how to effectively use the media to publicize your issue
• Provide an opportunity to collaborate with other student activists
• Take part in the creation of the “Organize the Hope Fellowship” for student activists

Presented by Professor Valerie Hoffman - Associate Professor of Religious Studies

This talk analyzed the hope for universal human rights and the chances of enforcing these rights consistently and without exception. A number of issues were discussed, including the importance of holding countries accountable for the treaties they sign, even in times of war and distress.

With 20 people in attendance, a spirited discussion took place after professor Hoffman’s talk.

http://www.dailyillini.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&ustory_id=333239f3-bd03-4f30-bf78-e45e693e51cb

While the most densely populated area in the world was under a brutal assault, the voices of those who were suffering were being muted. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the Israeli government barred journalists from entering Gaza during the conflict, despite the rulings by the Israeli Supreme Court and demands by journalists to be let in. It wasn’t until after the conflict had ended that journalists were able to view the extent of the destruction.

What happened to the Samounis family, a family of farmers in Gaza, is just one of the many stories that reflect the terror inflicted on Gazans. Forty-eight members of the Samounis family were killed while seeking refuge in areas that the Israeli army advised them to move to. Not only were 12 of the Samounis’ houses reduced to rubble, but also, according to the Guardian, graffiti on the walls of the houses that the Israeli army used as a base were found reading, “Arabs need 2 die,” “Die you all,” “Make war not peace,” and “1 is down, 999,999 to go.” On another drawn image of a gravestone, soldiers wrote, “Arabs 1948-2009.”
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Saturday, January 31
1 PM (Meet at CIMIC at 12:50)

Come join CAIR-UIUC as we begin the semester by volunteering at Books to Priosners.