AFSC Urges Wiesenthal Center to Show Tolerance

AFSC Urges Wiesenthal Center to Show Tolerance

Press Release - October 11, 2006

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is deeply disturbed by the Simon Wiesenthal Center's October 4th letter to United Teachers Los Angeles President A. J. Duffy and its press release of the same day entitled "Wiesenthal Center Urges UTLA President To Act Against Extremists' Anti-Israel Campaign." The Wiesenthal Center is urging UTLA to drop an AFSC-sponsored teacher workshop without reviewing the course content and without having expressed concerns to us or the faculty. Bringing unfounded accusations of bias and extremism against AFSC because we work with both Israeli and Palestinian groups seems inconsistent with the Wiesenthal Center's commitment to tolerance, dignity and human rights.

AFSC, a Quaker organization, was a co-recipient of the 1947 Nobel Peace Price. In his presentation speech Gunnar Jahn, chair of the Nobel Committee, noted: "The Quakers have shown us that it is possible to carry into action ... sympathy with others; the desire to help others.without regard to nationality or race; feelings which, when carried into deeds, must provide the foundations of a lasting peace." We bring this same spirit to our Middle East Peace work today. Our staff embraces many different faith traditions, including Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Our staff in Jerusalem, Ramallah and throughout the US are dedicated to finding a peaceful, just resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The LAUSD-approved professional development course has been offered twice now as part of our effort to promote understanding and to challenge anti-Arab, anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish attitudes by providing balanced, factual information about the history, economics, politics and culture of the Middle East. Oversight of the course rests with our Middle East Peace Education Program Committee which currently includes three Jewish members. At our invitation, a reporter from the The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles and an observer from the Anti-Defamation League attended the course, sitting in on several sessions. We have received no complaints of bias from those who have first-hand experience with the course.

Tolerance surely begins with respectful dialogue and a commitment to be fair and accurate in representing those with whom we disagree. We ask the Wiesenthal Center to show tolerance for those who have come to a different conclusion about some of the thorny problems facing the region and to refrain from using lies, inaccuracies and innuendo to discredit an organization that has been actively working for peace in the Middle East since 1949. We ask the Wiesenthal Center to cease its efforts at censorship of this carefully reviewed and accredited course and to retract the misleading statement currently on its web site.

The American Friends Service Committee is an international peace and justice organization with a regional office in the downtown Los Angeles area. Founded in 1917 and governed by the Society of Friends (Quakers), its programs of peace, relief, reconciliation and development are based on non-violence and belief in the inherent goodness of all persons. In 1947, AFSC accepted the Noble Peace Prize on behalf of all Quakers worldwide.

View the Wiesenthal Center's letter to UTLA President A. J. Duffy:

http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=fwLYKnN8LzH&b=245494&ct=3003869

View the Wiesenthal Center's statement:

http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/apps/nl/content.asp?c=fwLYKnN8LzH&b=312458&content_id={36B759DA-C09B-4DCB-A0BE-FE753F4FB59C}&notoc=1

Learn more about the AFSC's Middle East Teacher Resource Project:

http://www.afsc.org/pacificsw/teachers.htm

American Friends Service Committee

Pacific Southwest Regional Office
___________________________________________________

634 S. Spring Street, 3rd Floor | Los Angeles, CA 90014
Office: 213.489.1900 | Fax: 213.489.1910
losangeles@afsc.org | www.afsc.org/losangeles

Please visit our national website to learn more about the AFSC:
www.afsc.org

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