DEFEND OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERS. NO TO RACISM AND ISLAMOPHOBIA!

Statement by the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC)

12/10/15

To conduct its phony “war on terror,” the U.S. has vilified Muslims. The blowback from these wars has now come home. Millions of refugees fleeing U.S. wars have streamed into countries in the Middle East and Europe. This comes at a time of deep economic crisis in Western capitalist countries and has given fuel to right-wing nationalist forces throughout Europe that have dramatically grown during this period. In the U.S., that right-wing, anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, racist movement has been most personified by the movement that has grown around Donald Trump.

Trump has justified the beating of Black Lives Matter activists at his campaign events. He has called for building a 2,000 mile long wall across the southern border of the U.S. and for deporting up to 11 million immigrants presently in the U.S. Most recently, in reaction to the San Bernadino shooting, he has called for preventing all Muslims from entering the country and has called for ID’s and a database to identify Muslims.

The corporate media has given non-stop wall to wall coverage of the Trump campaign, far beyond that of any other candidate. Among a certain segment of people in the U.S., these over-the-top racist statements have been applauded. This represents a real threat that must be aggressively opposed.

Many Muslims who have planned trips abroad have cancelled them, fearing that they will not be able to return to the U.S. Across the country there have been attacks on Muslims, mosques and Muslim businesses. Muslim women wearing the hijab are frequently threatened and harassed, even while with their children. This is reminiscent of the Nazi attacks on Jews under Hitler.

The terrorist label that has been applied to Muslims is misplaced. According to Mass Shooting Tracker, which tracks mass shootings in the U.S. (see: http://www.shootingtracker.com/wiki/Mass_Shootings_in_2015), prior to the San Bernadino shooting, there were 352 shootings in the U.S. this year alone. Of those, only one is known to have been carried out by a Muslim. In one shooting, three Muslims students were targeted and killed because they were Muslim.

The real terrorism in the world comes from Washington. The recent U.S. wars have been responsible for the deaths of over a million people. The bombings, invasions and occupations have caused failed states that have led to destabilization and destroyed lives throughout the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. The political vacuum and resentment that has been created by these wars has proven to be fertile ground for groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS who seem to have U.S. weapons and equipment and get financial aid from U.S. allies such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey.

The hatred that these U.S. wars and policies have created along with statements of U.S. politicians like Donald Trump are the best recruiting tools for Al Qaeda and ISIS.

There is a way to end terrorism. We need to bring all the troops home and close the estimated 900 or more U.S. foreign military bases that exist in around 130 foreign countries. We must stop supporting reactionary regimes like those of Israel and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. needs to end sanctions and economic warfare against countries that will not comply with the dictates of Wall Street. With the money saved by closing bases and bringing the troops home, the U.S. could give reparations to the countries we have destroyed. The money could be used for education, healthcare, housing, infrastructure and other human needs. This would undercut any organization that wants to recruit for the purpose of terrorism.

Defend our Muslim brothers and sisters. No to racism and Islamophobia!

Close foreign bases and bring all U.S. troops and equipment home!

End arm sales and alliances with NATO and countries that support Al Qaeda and ISIS, including Saudi Arabia, Israel, Qatar, and Turkey!

Welcome refugees and provide reparations for people in countries devastated by U.S. wars!