LEGAL ACTIVISTS OF COLOR
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NLG chapter censored at DePaul University over forum discussing
*Please circulate widely*
Defend Free Speech in Chicago!
DePaul College of Law Cancels Chicago Forum on Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq
Forum to be held tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 15 -- act now!
Succumbing to the pressure of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim racism in the U.S., the DePaul University College of Law in Chicago cancelled an ANSWER Coalition forum scheduled for tomorrow night, Friday, September 15. The room for the forum was reserved by the National Lawyers Guild chapter at DePaul. The National Lawyers Guild and ANSWER-Chicago were informed of the cancellation this afternoon, a little over 24 hours before the event.
Your help is needed to make DePaul abide by the right to free speech. Act now. Flood the Dean of DePaul University Law School, Glen Weissenberger, with phone calls and e-mails. Click here to send a letter to the Dean of the Law School. His phone number is 312-362-5146.
The title of the forum is "Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq: U.S. imperialism in the Middle East and the forces resisting it." Prominent Arab-American activist, Suzanne Adely, and the Western Regional Coordinator of the ANSWER Coalition, Richard Becker, are scheduled to speak at the forum.
The university used three different excuses in its attempt to shut down the forum, claiming that the room was not big enough, that they would have to hire extra security and that there was an error on ANSWER's leaflet for the event. These excuses are hollow at best. Clearly, the cancellation was politically motivated and directed at silencing the subject matter of the forum.
Come to DePaul regardless
The ANSWER Coalition calls on all antiwar forces in the Chicago area to be at the Downtown DePaul campus at 25 East Jackson at 7pm -- no matter what.
By canceling the forum, the law school is attacking the free speech rights of people in Chicago and around the country and giving in to the anti-Arab and anti-Muslim hysteria propagated by the Bush Administration, the right-wing and the ruling elite in this country. Supporters of the U.S.-Israeli war seek to attack, mute and drown out any voice that speaks the truth about the brutality of the Israeli war, apartheid and occupation.
Demand that the cancellation of the forum be rescinded. Demand that the DePaul University College of Law honor the free speech rights of Arabs, Muslims and everyone. Help make sure that the voices of struggle and justice continue to be heard. Below is the information to the Dean of Law School. You can also send a letter to him through the ANSWER Coalition website by clicking here.
Dean of Law School
Glen Weissenberger
(312) 362-5146
gweissen@depaul.edu
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