global issues

Local Group Petitioning for Refugee Rights

Local residents have posted a plea for the right of asylum for Syrian refugees on the web.

The group is asking individuals to sign a petition affirming refugees rights at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/endorsing-the-right-to-asylum. Their resolution states:

Whereas Article 14 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights affirms the right of every person to "seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from prosecution," and whereas the current plight of Syrian refugees in particular necessitates that communities throughout this country fulfill an ethical responsibility to alleviate their suffering in whatever ways that are possible, and whereas we are a tolerant and inclusive community dedicated to the protection of basic human rights locally, in our state, nationally, and globally, we pledge to welcome all Syrian refugees, be they men, women, or children, regardless of their religion, age, ability, sexual orientation, or gender, to our community. We further pledge to offer the assistance necessary to allow them to lead a life of dignity and will work with all federal officials and the agencies with which they are associated to expedite the transition process. Finally, we reject the efforts of some who demonize victims of political persecution in order to play upon the fears of the general public of this State for the purposes of encouraging personal political gain.

Interfaith Rally to Show Unity, Promote Freedom

Lenore Sobota

The Pantagraph

Amid anti-Islamic rhetoric elsewhere in the country, the anti-discrimination group Not In Our Town hopes to bring people together Wednesday in an interfaith show of solidarity.

The event, at 6 p.m., is planned for the east side of the McLean County Museum of History downtown — the same side where the World War II memorial refers to the “four freedoms” outlined by former President Franklin Roosevelt, including “freedom of worship” and “freedom from fear.”

The Rev. Kelley Becker of First Christian Church, Bloomington, a co-sponsor of the event, said much of the reaction in the wake of attacks in Paris and California is based on fear.

“Fear is so powerful,” Becker said. “We believe love is more powerful than fear.”

The purpose of the event to show “our Islamic brothers and sisters” that “this community is a safe, welcoming place.”

In announcing the event, organizers encouraged people of all faiths or of no particular faith to stand together to show that stereotyping of groups is not acceptable in the Twin Cities.

Other co-sponsors include New Covenant Community, the Presbytery of Great Rivers interfaith group and the Moses Montefiore Temple, in collaboration with the Islamic Center of Bloomington-Normal and Masjid Ibrahim Mosque.

Mike Matejka, a member of Not In Our Town since it began 20 years ago in Bloomington-Normal, said, “Every movement, group, religion has extremists in it. That doesn't mean that every follower of that movement or religion is an extremist.”

He said Wednesday's event is an opportunity to take a stand and let the local Islamic community know “we're not going to fall into the trap of hatefulness.”

In the event of inclement weather, the event will take place at Major Hall, First Christian Church, 401 W. Jefferson St., Bloomington.

But Becker is hopeful the event can stay outside.

“The idea of coming together in full view of the entire community is a good thing,” she said.

In addition to representatives from various faiths saying a few words, those gathered will also light candles, said Becker, adding, "Lighting candles is so much a part of many faith traditions.”

Matejka acknowledged that some people think the efforts of Not In Our Town, such as posting anti-racism signs, are superficial.

But Matejka said, “It's important that publicly we reinforce those stances, that we're a community that works hard not to just tolerate, but to celebrate our diversity.”

Students Write for Rights of Victims Worldwide

The Illinois Wesleyan University campus chapter of Amnesty International recently organized a Write for Rights event. By the end of the evening, students — joined by a few faculty and administrators — wrote more than 100 letters on behalf of people who they believe are wrongfully imprisoned or being denied their rights.

“What we hope to accomplish is to add our voices to those around the world in this global Amnesty International event,” said Emily Haas, a junior who is co-president of the IWU chaper.

The event is part of a commemoration of Human Rights Day, marked each year on Dec. 10, the anniversary of the U.N. General Assembly adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. That falls in the middle of IWU's final exams, so the campus campaign took place a week early.

Letting authorities know “we're watching what they're doing” can lead to improved conditions for prisoners, said IWU senior Nicole Jovicevic of Des Plaines, but “the ultimate goal is their freedom.”

Jovicevic, a regional student activist coordinator for Amnesty International-Illinois, will graduate this month with a bachelor's degree in political science. She has been involved since her freshman year in the international organization that describes itself as “a global movement of people fighting injustice and promoting human rights.”

Amnesty International developed profiles of 12 people for this year's Write for Rights campaign and the IWU chapter chose to focus on four cases:

  • An inmate in Louisiana who has been in prison for 40 years and whose release is being fought by the state's attorney general although his conviction on a charge of murdering a guard has been overturned.
  • A woman in Syria who was taken into custody, along with her six children, by government forces in 2013 and hasn't been heard from since.
  • A student leader in Myanmar who was among more than 100 students arrested earlier this year at a march against a law limiting academic freedom. She remains imprisoned.
  • Girls as young as 11 forced into marriages in Burkina Faso, even though the nation's constitution forbids such marriages.

In addition to letters directed to government officials, letters also were written to the imprisoned individuals, or those working on their behalfs, to show support and let them know others are thinking of them.

IWU Commemorates Paris/Beirut Tragedies; Normal Vigil Planned Tonight

Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington Wednesday hosted a special event spurred by tragedy.

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The inclusive chapel service housed several faiths, allowing reflection on last week's attacks in Paris and Beirut.

A gathering of peace is how organizers billed this service; a gathering that included people of all generations and faiths.

A mix of the campus community and the public sat quietly in the chapel as organizers discussed the sheer number of people killed by the terrorists.

"You know, in a time like this, it's nice to be able to express how you feel about something to a group when it's especially about peace," said Nicole Chlebek, a student at Illinois Wesleyan University.

There is also a Vigil for Peace and Human Rights scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Uptown Circle in Normal.

"Our speakers have connections to: Jordan, France, India, Turkey, and other countries whose people have recently been attacked," organizer Bob Broad explained. "Other groups who will be represented include our local (B-N) Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and non-religious communities. A student peace activist and a peace educator will share brief thoughts. There will be some poetry and music appropriate to the occasion and a minute of silence to recognize and honor the suffering of those who have experienced violence."

To honor the victims, IWU guests lit candles in remembrance.

"And In remembering them, also talk about the deep reservoirs of peace and hope and justice that exist in our religious and ethical traditions," said Elyse Nelson Winger, the chaplain at Illinois Wesleyan University.

Eight different religions were acknowledged during the ceremony and students say that cooperation is key moving forward.

"Emphasize how each of those have something to say about peace and humanity and kind of this shared community that we all have as humans," said Carly Floyd, a student at Illinois Wesleyan University.

Organizers say their goal was to remind people that love is stronger than hate.

ISU Prof Awarded Dissertation Prize For Analysis of Homophobia

Professor Erin Durban-Albrecht has been honored with the Ralph Henry Gabriel Dissertation Prize 2015 awarded by the American Studies Association (ASA) for her dissertation, Postcolonial Homophobia: United States Imperialism in Haiti and the Transnational Circulation of Antigay Sexual Politics.

The Ralph Henry Gabriel Prize has been awarded annually since 1987 to the best doctoral dissertation in American studies, American ethnic studies, or American women’s studies. The prize honors Ralph Henry Gabriel, professor emeritus at Yale University, and a founder and past president of the American Studies Association.

Durban-Albrecht’s research makes significant contributions to queer postcolonial studies, religious studies, transnational feminisms, and anthropology. Her work documents the ways that U.S. imperialism in Haiti during the last century has detrimentally impacted LGBT and other queer Haitians.

Durban-Albrecht joined the faculty of the women’s and gender studies program at Illinois State University this semester. She has a joint appointment with the program and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

In addition to her outstanding scholastic achievement, Durban-Albrecht is recognized as an enthusiastic and generous professor, teaching WGS 120: Women, Gender and Society and WGS 292: Introduction to LGBT/Queer Studies. She has also initiated alternative programming with a lunchtime colloquium, QUEERtalks, offering a conversation to new work in LGBT/queer studies.

Durban-Albrecht also received the National Women’s Studies Association-University of Illinois Press’ 2015 First Book Prize for her manuscript theorizing postcolonial homophobia, or when imperialist discourses render postcolonial nations simultaneously too queer and too homophobic. The prize is awarded for cutting-edge intersectional feminist scholarship that is interdisciplinary and offers new perspectives on issues central to women’s and gender studies. Recipients receive a book contract with the University of Illinois Press.

 

UN to Eye ISU Graphic Novel on Trafficking

Illinois State University will have a part in a presentation to the United Nations later this month.

A graphic novel produced by the University’s Publications Unit will be key to a presentation by the director of Children of the Forest, a not-for-profit agency that assists children who have been trafficked along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Though it was Publications Director Steve Halle who made the connection to create the piece, it was Illinois State students who took the lead in production.

Halle’s friend Andrew Zeal is a local artist who volunteers with Children of the Forest, a halfway house that provides education and shelter for stateless children. “Andrew traveled to the border to do an art project with the children, and came up with the idea of making a comic book with the children living in the house,” said Halle. The project grew into an informative graphic novel to tell the organization’s story. “He called me to get advice on how to self-publish a book. The project intrigued me, so I offered to donate time to help produce the graphic novel,” Halle said, “because I felt it would be a great opportunity for students.”

Upon hearing about the project, several students clamored to help, including Tess Culton, a senior publishing studies major from Carbondale. “We only had eight weeks to pull together the book from the first arrival of the text to completion,” said Culton, who worked closely with fellow student Erica Young to help create the graphic novel. “I love the fact that part of the director’s speech to the UN will be in the book.”

While editing and arranging text for Forget Me Not: Stories of Child Trafficking from the Thai-Burma Border, Culton said she was moved by the work of the organization. “I find now that I talk about Children of the Forest to my friends, my family,” she said. “It goes beyond helping to promote the book. You can feel in every page that this group believes every child deserves good schools, health care, and the knowledge to survive. By even having the chance to work on this book, I feel like I’ve been part of something important, something that has the potential to change lives.”

Children of the Forest Director Daniel Hopson will make the presentation to the UN in late October.