Category: Uncategorized

Dear Editor,

Last Thursday (Oct. 18, 2007) around 2:30 p.m. some of us got the news that the jury had reached a verdict in the trial of the Holy Land Foundation, so we ran to the court at 1100 Commerce St. in Dallas; however, the verdict was not read since Judge Fish will not be back until Monday.

Lots of us are praying for the five defendants and their families, for their freedom to live in Peace. I have been interviewed by news media twice in last three days and I hope they help the public in understanding that these five members are innocent, and this charity should get its assets back to keep hope and life among orphans and widows who do not have any support to survive.

I sent the following message to one of the reporters who interviewed me on Friday. I would highly appreciate it if you could post it today on your website. I want people to think and be just, instead of making assumptions on reproductive thinking that is based on wrong information from the biased groups who are only against Muslims and Islam to save their own personal interests.

Media have always played a tremendous role in promoting peace and understanding about issues that sometimes are very difficult to understand. Honestly, I think that these issues really challenge our depth of understanding of human rights, justice, and fairness. Since we humans have a tendency to be biased for protecting our own interests, and due to the fear of unknown, we often end up hiding subconsciously our insecurities with prejudice and racism.

The case of the Holy Land Foundation is like one of these issues where fear of the word Terrorism has blocked common sense, since our nation is going through a panic attack after 9/11 and most of us Americans have been experiencing the post-traumatic-stress syndrome through war casualties.

It has become very difficult to save our public from experiencing a brief psychotic reaction when they hear the word Muslim, since this word has been associated with terrorists after 9/11, and we feel so threatened from Islam/Muslims that we have lost the ability of thinking clearly. How many times do we get to hear the religion of person involved in Oklahoma bombing, Columbine shooting, Virginia tech shooting, or other major terrorist events in the history of US?

People who commit these crimes are psychopaths, and we never hear what faith they practiced or what religion they had. I wonder why do we always get to find out the religion of psychopaths who happened to be so called Muslims?

Does it sound like classical conditioning? It sure does. When we hear “terrorism” we think of Muslims right away, since all other psychopaths are not labeled as terrorists. I hope that now you would agree with me that we humans can be biased in saving our interests and using prejudice to overcome our insecurities and shortcomings.

Just because Holy Land Foundation is a Muslim charitable organization that was run by God-fearing Muslim men, it does not deserve to be ceased. Does it make any sense to destroy a Muslim Charitable foundation and prosecute the five main members who put so much effort to support orphans and widows and worked so hard to save lives in the region where death is certain than having a meal to survive?

Will justice prevail over prejudice?

I hope and I pray that it will by the grace of God. Amen

Thank You and Best Regards,
Dr. Asma Salam
Arlington, TX

AP Texas News
Nov. 25, 2007, 11:21AM
Sugar workers strike at South Texas mill

SANTA ROSA, Texas — Representatives for the Rio Grande Valley Sugar cooperative gave striking field workers a Sunday evening deadline to respond to its offer.

Negotiations between the cooperative and workers on strike from the Santa Rosa Sugar Mill ended Saturday without an agreement.

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Strike at sugar mill remains unresolved
By CHARLENE VANDINI/Valley Morning Star
November 23, 2007 – 11:46PM

SANTA ROSA — Attorneys for striking sugar mill workers and management ended a meeting Friday without an agreement to send truck, harvester and tractor drivers back to work.

Both sides plan to meet again today to resume negotiations.

The sugar mill workers walked out early Wednesday, striking to receive bonuses that they said management promised them.

Jose Torres, assistant to the workers’ attorney at Texas Rural Legal Aid, said management was given a pay raise proposal that would increase workers’ hourly pay by 30 percent.

Truck drivers and harvester drivers are now paid $9.60 per hour; tractor drivers are paid $8.65 per hour after a 3 percent raise went into effect on Oct. 1, said attorney Raymond Cowley, who represents the Rio Grande Valley Sugar cooperative.

The workers’ proposal would increase pay to $15 per hour for the truck and harvester drivers and $13 per hour for the tractor drivers, Torres said.

“We consider it a positive step that they’re willing to put a counteroffer on the table,” Torres said. “We think this matter can be resolved if everyone keeps an open mind. It’s all part of the negotiation process of give and take.”

But Cowley said the proposal is “far in excess of what we could pay,” adding that another wage increase is unlikely.

“Given the economic situation, there’s a limited amount that can be done,” he said.

Cowley said that management may replace striking workers who do not voluntarily return to work. The mill is now advertising for new workers in local newspapers.

But, he added, “we’re not at a point where we’ve given them a deadline to return to work or be replaced.”

The sugar cane harvest has begun, he said, and the striking workers should be moving the cane from the fields to the mill. Delaying the harvest could diminish the quality of the cane.

“We understand that (management) has want ads in the newspapers,” Torres said. “But it takes time to train new workers.”

The striking workers are not planning to return to work until an agreement is reached, Torres said. New hires would not have the same high level of productivity as the striking workers, he said.

“Some (striking workers) are longtime workers, some with 10 to 20 years of experience,” Torres said. “It takes time to train new workers.”

Dear Friends:

On this beautiful Christmas day I share a most profound message from my husband, Ramsey Muniz. I have just returned from El Reno, Oklahoma where Ramsey and I exchanged sentiments of love and thanksgiving for the Savior sent to us for the sake of all humanity.

Ramsey writes as follows:

Even though I feel the heavy weight of time lost in this confinement, the agony of being alive in this mode of darkness, Irma, my wife, and I share with you the true meaning of the glorious spiritual celebration, for it is the birth of the Light of this world. With love and strength in our hearts we will not walk in darkness, but with the Light of life and freedom.

Merry Christmas to our families, friends, and supporters, to those who seek justice, and to all who carry the love of Christ in their hearts.

Con amor,
Ramsey & Irma Muniz

“My incarceration, my innocence and cruel suffering have transformed me into the most profound and powerful symbol of human salvation.”

www.freeramsey.com

Note: the following item appeared in the Announcements section of the Texas Civil Rights Review in July, August, September, and October, 2007–gm