Statement on 'Obsession' from the Coalition for Renewing American Democracy
October 12, 2008
We, as members of civic and religious organizations along with law enforcement, come together united against hate and extremism. We believe that the best way to counter political and religious extremism is through cooperation and coordination. Those who divide our pluralism along the lines of religious or political views only further the cause of extremism. They profit from the fear generated from propaganda while we are on the front lines of pursuing effective public policy to eradicate terrorism.
We have come together to express our deep outrage over the recent distribution of a divisive and hate-provoking DVD called "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" to residents across the nation.
The intent of this DVD is not to fight the common threat of terrorism, but to mischaracterize Islam in a way that dehumanizes Muslims. In its own way, the DVD is designed to provoke fear in Americans, to paralyze us and turn us against the values of pluralism, egalitarianism, and respect that have made America great.
Unfortunately, 28 million copies of the DVD were distributed in 12 electoral swing states through paid advertisements in newspapers. If these same mainstream publications had distributed a film portraying the Ku Klux Klan's views as common to all Christians, the outrage would have been immediate and overwhelming. Invoking fear and anger in American voters is never the way to address the real problems of extremism and terrorism, and in a city as diverse and complex as Los
Angeles -- at a time of great economic uncertainty -- this sort of hatred and blind tarring of a people and a faith is painful and dangerous.
We would like to invite those who seem so eager to influence American public opinion against Muslims to engage with us in a conversation about what it means to be an American: about our beliefs, and the need to treat each other with respect across the issues that divide us.
The threat of terrorism is real, but attacking an entire people is so patently not the way to confront it. If anything, it plays into the hands of those who do mean us harm.
We believe that the best way to protect our country from harm is through engagement and transparent decision-making. As religious, civic and government leaders, we are determined to lead our communities in the effort to stand firm against this bigotry and protect the values of pluralism that have become the ideals to which all who cherish peace and a better world aspire.
Signatories (in alphabetical order):
Salam Al-Marayati, Muslim Public Affairs Council
Rev. Frank Alton, Emmanuel Presbyterian Church
Hussam Ayloush, Council on American-Islamic Relations Greater Los Angeles
Sheriff Leroy Baca, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department
Rector Edwin J. Bacon, All Saints Church
Rabbi Haim Dov Beliak, JewsOnFirst.org
Alec Baldwin, Actor & Activist
Steve Bing, Shangrila Productions
Rev.
Rev. Albert Cohen, Southern California Ecumenical Council
Mike Farrell, Actor, Activist and Author ("Just Call Me Mike")
Rabbi Allen Freehling, Los Angeles City Commission on Human Relations
Bishop Steve Gilliland,
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Laurel Siegel Gord,
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Rev. Dr. Gwynne Guibord, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
Alia Haddad, Arab American Lawyers Association
Dr. Maher Hathout, Muslim Public Affairs Council
Rabbi Steve Jacobs, Progressive Faith Foundation
Narinjan Khalsa, California Sikh Council
Rev. Eric Lee, Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Dr. Xandra Kayden, UCLA Professor
Aileen Almeria Louie, Asian Pacific American Legal Center
Douglass E. Mirell, Progressive Jewish Alliance
Rev.
Fr. Alexei Smith, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Rev. Jerry Stinson, United Church of Christ (Long Beach)
Jihad Turk, Islamic Center of Southern California
