Action Alert: The Oregonian's circulation of hate-mongering and Muslim bashing DVD this Sun

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Written by The Good Faith Coalition The Good Faith Coalition
Published: 26 September 2008 26 September 2008
Hits: 4202 4202
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland, Oregon, Friday 9/26/2008 - The Good Faith Coalition* is calling on all Oregonians who value interfaith understanding and religious freedom to contact The Oregonian to express their concerns about the proposed distribution in the Sunday Oregonian of the DVD entitled: "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West"


[Note: the DVD was in fact circulated with the home delivered issues of the Oregonian on Sunday, September 28, 2008]


Billed as an advertising insert, this inaccurate and biased DVD depicts Muslims as terrorists and as a rising threat. You can view the DVD on YouTube. An in-depth summary and analysis of the DVD can be found on "The American Muslim (TAM)" website.

The Oregonian is planning to circulate the DVD in the Sunday Oregonian as a paid advertisement from a group called The Clarion Fund. The Clarion Fund is circulating millions of copies of this DVD to newspapers across the country, especially in swing states.
 
After careful research, we have determined that the DVD's content is unbalanced and misinforms and that it will incite more fear, hatred and bigotry within our community. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Greensboro, NC News & Record have taken the ethical position and refused to distribute the DVD.
 
If the Oregonian were asked to distribute Mein Kampf or the Protocols of the Elders of Zion or other propaganda strongly biased against a particular group, we trust their paper would do the right thing andj not distribute such hatred and lies. This is not a 1st Amendment issue. Hate speech is not protected by the 1st Amendment. 
 
ACTION REQUIRED: Join with Oregonians of good will from many faiths and human rights groups to urge The Oregonian to take a moral stand and refuse to circulate this hateful and inflammatory DVD.
 
Contact The Oregonian:
 
Publisher: Fred Stickel
Phone: 503-221-8140,
Fax: 503-294-4175,
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
Editor in Chief: Sandy Rowe
Phone: 503-221-8400,
Fax: 503-294-4175,
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
Managing Editor/News: Therese Bottomly,
Phone:  503-221-8434,
Fax: 503-294-5012,
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
Managing Editor/Enterprise: Stephen Engelberg
Phone: 503-221-8510,
Fax: 503-294-5012,
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
Executive Editor: Peter Bhatia
Phone: 503-221-8393,
Fax: 503-294-5012,
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
Editorial Page Editor: Robert Caldwell
Phone: 503-221-8197,
Fax: 503-294-4193,
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
* The Good Faith Coaltion Members:
 
Sho Dozono
Past Member, Metropolitan Human Relations Commission
Past President, Japanese American Citizens League
 
Dr. Nohad Toulan
Dean Emeritus, School of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University David Leslie
Executive Director, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
 
Rev. David Leslie
Executive Director, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
  
Jan Elfers
Director of Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
 
Carla Starrett-Bigg
Director of Development and Communications
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
 
Jeff Selby
President, Japanese American Citizens League
 
Scott Sakamoto
Past-President, Japanese American Citizens League

Portland Japanese American Citizens League Board
 
Arab Muslim Police Advisory Council
 
The Institute for Christian-Muslim Understanding (ICMU) Board
 
The Rev. Dr. James Moiso
Pastor Emeritus, Westminster Presbyterian Church
 
Rev. Kate Lore
Social Justice Minister
First Unitarian Church of Portland
 
Ahmad Shahriar
Bilal Mosque Association
 
Maxine Fookson
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Member of the Jewish Community
 
Sheikh Mohamed Abdel Rahman
Islamic Center of Portland (Masjed Assaber)
 
Rev. Chuck Cooper
Director of Ministries, Micah's Village
Executive Director, Institute for Progressive Spirituality
Executive Director, Hospitality House
 
Sister Mollie Reavis, S.N. J.M.
Co-president, Institute for Christian-Muslim Understanding
 
Jan Abushakrah, PhD
Co-president, Institute for Christian-Muslim Understanding 
 
Muhsen Al-Dhalimy
Imam, Islamic Center of Portland (Beaverton)
 
Mike Branch
Director, Sehetak ( A public Health Organization)
 
Jim Hanna
PSU Middle East Studies Advisory Board, Member
 
Jim Kennedy
Co-Chair, Arab Muslim Police Advisory Council
Member, Porltand Japanese American Citizens League
 
Sal Kadri
CEO, Value CAD
 
Hala J. Gores
Attorney At Law
Chair, Arab Muslim Police Advisory Council
President, Arab American Cultural Center of Oregon
Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, Board Member
American Trial Lawyers Association, Minority Delegate
PSU Middle East Studies Advisory Board, Member
 
Gloria Tuma
Elder, Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
 
Ned Rosch
Foundation Director
Member of the Jewish Community
 
Thomas H. Nelson
Attorney at Law
 
Aseel Dyck
Member, Institute for Christian-Muslim Understanding
 
Zaha Hassan
Attorney At Law
Co-Founder, American United for Palestinian Human Rights
Former Co-Chair, Middle East Subcommittee, National Lawyers Guild
 
Rev. Dr. Héctor López
Retired Conference Minister, Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ
Founding Member, Interfaith Council of Greater Portland
Member, Portland Human Rights Commission
 
Wajdi Said
Muslim Educational Trust
Interfaith Council of Greater Portland
 
Loen Dozono
Community Organizer
 
Rev. Lynne Smouse Lopez
Pastor, Ainsworth United Church of Christ
Portland
 
Goudarz Eghtedari
American Iranian Friendship Council
 
Rev. Dr. Phil Harder
United Methodist Minister, Ret.
Vancouver, Washington
 
Laila Cully
Member, PSU Middle East Studies Center Advisory Board
Muslim Educational Trust
 
Larry DeBlock
Muslim Educational Trust
 
Ann Huntwork
American-Iranian Friendship Council
 
Kazi Ahmed
President/CEO, NuMedics inc.
Portland, Oregon
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