In times of crisis, men and women of conscience have a choice to make: to be silent, or to be heard. We live in such times, and these choices are upon us.

New York City is a city of immigrants; there's a statue in the harbor about that, and the shining ideals of how America is to welcome those new to our shores. That welcome, however, is somewhat curtailed during depression and war, and this is where your choice comes into play.

The Nation:

The Associated Press has been doing some good investigative reporting lately. On August 24, the AP broke the news that the CIA and the NYPD are combining forces to spy on Muslims in New York City. Since the CIA is prohibited by law to collect intelligence on American citizens, this is more than newsworthy. It’s probably unconstitutional, which explains why the NYPD has, according to the report, kept these activities secret.

This is no ordinary program, nor does it seem to be merely about sharing expertise.

According to the report, the NYPD dispatches “rakers,” the NYPD term, into a “human mapping program” to monitor the daily lives of Muslim Americans in the places where ordinary living transpires, such as bookstores, cafés, bars and nightclubs, without the hint of criminal wrongdoing. The police department also employs “mosque crawlers,” who scrutinize imams and their sermons, and have gathered intelligence on cab drivers and food cart vendors, jobs commonly associated with Muslim workers.

New Yorkers, understandably after the carnage of the 9/11 attacks, are wary of terrorism. This is right and fitting and proper. What is not right, however, is to use the broad brush of a fear of terrorism against an entire faith group. We deserve better than this, we are better than this, and above all, we are a nation of laws that obtain equally to all of us.

If you believe in this idea, of equality under the law, or perhaps even that hoary old concept of a presumption of innocence until guilt is proven in a court of law, please stand up, this Friday, and make your voice heard.

RALLY & FRIDAY PRAYER TO STOP NYPD/CIA REPRESSION OF MUSLIM COMMUNITIES

Friday, November 18, 2011
12 - 4 PM
Foley Square (Worth St between Lafayette & Centre St.), NYC

12pm: March from Occupied Wall St. (Zucotti Park)
1-2pm: Jummah Prayer
2-4pm: Speakers & Performances

Our Demands:
1. An immediate end to all racial, ethnic and religious profiling.
2. The dismantlement and disclosure of all warrant-less surveillance operations.
3. An independent commission to investigate all NYPD, CIA and FBI operations against the Muslim community.
4. The immediate protection of our right to freedom of worship, free speech and free association.
5. The equal protection, under the law, of Muslims and all people of New York.

'Equal protection'; what a concept.  read more »

From Daily Kos:

Personally I'd like to see this Marine veteran scold Bloomberg since he is the one ordering the cops to be abusive to the protesters. Mayor Bloomberg: There is no honor is what you are doing to American citizens.

UPDATE: from Sgt. Thomas' YouTube Channel:

Sgt. Shamar Thomas USMC Veteran. I took an Oath that I live by.I am NOT anti-NYPD. I am anti- Police Brutality. I am no longer under contract with the USMC so I do NOT have to follow military uniform regulations. I DON'T affiliate myself with ANY GROUPS or POLITICAL ORG. I affiliate myself with the AMERICAN PEOPLE that's it. I REFUSE to affiliate with anything that SEPERATES. There is an obvious problem in the country and PEACEFUL PEOPLE should be allowed to PROTEST without Brutality. I was involved in a RIOT in Rutbah, Iraq 2004 and we did NOT treat the Iraqi citizens like they are treating the unarmed civilians in our OWN Country. No one was brutalized because our mission was to "WIN the hearts and minds", why should I expect anything less in my OWN Country.

I witnessed in 2004 the brutal use of motor scooters by the NYPD to "control" a crowd (which was perfectly peaceful at the time). I predicted then that they were likely to hurt someone some day if they continued such a stupid (yes, it is STUPID) and brutal tactic. Take scooters up to a crowd and push them into it and you will one day hurt someone needlessly. And this last week that is exactly what happened when one such scooter cop ran over the leg of a NEUTRAL LEGAL OBSERVER.

Again let me emphasize the absolute stupidity of this tactic. And I assure you Bloomberg, who in 2004 called us protesters, (my wife and I included) the equivalent of terrorists. In my mind Bloomberg and those among the NYPD who use these tactics on peaceful protesters are themselves all too close to being terrorists. Certainly they are using terror to suppress First Amendment rights.

Let me be clear. I have spoken in support of cops, police unions and police running for office many times in the past. But these stupid, brutal tactics Bloomberg and the NYPD are using make it damned hard for me to support them. Let me say that the net time the New York City Police Foundation calls me they are going to get an earful from me about First Amendment rights and police brutality.

Here is the latest stupid and brutal action by the NYPD: (from Daily Kos)

What I notice is that the protesters are BEHIND THE POLICE BARRIERS and the horse cops CROSS THAT BARRIER into the crowd.

Here's another view, showing how determined and deliberate the cops are at forcing their horses into a crowd that is doing NOTHING except exercising its American Constitutional rights:

Are Bloomberg, Kelly and the leadership of the NYPD complete idiots? This is unnecessary and counterproductive. From what I have seen the average cop isn't like this. This is the leadership forcing brutal tactics on the police force.

Are the cops really proud of this? Using motor scooters and horses to brutalize unarmed, peaceful New Yorkers? Attacking their own neighbors? This is Bloomberg's deliberate policy. He has screwed over the cops countless times, trying to break the Police Union. New Yorkers supported the cops. Bloomberg then orders the cops to deliberately attack peaceful protesters. I can only assume that Bloomberg is using this to deliberately drive a wedge between two groups who oppose him. And the cops are following their orders.

This was a few days ago, but only catching up with it now. This is another case of the city screwing our first responders, with Bloomberg being among the most eager to screw them, and few people from the City Council or Public Advocates office stands up for them...again. And it is another example of Norman Siegel, candidate for Public Advocate, already advocating for New Yorkers. This is Norman Siegel's comment at a press conference and rally on behalf of 9/11 Heroes:

We are here today to be supportive of those New Yorkers – firefighters, NYPD, Port Authority police officers, and emergency medical technicians – who heroically assisted in the rescue and recovery effort after that horrific morning of September 11, 2001.

We are here today to speak out in defense of those New Yorkers – whose injuries and illnesses, in some cases life-threatening, were sustained from their exposure to toxic materials during the rescue and recovery effort after the WTC terrorist attacks.  read more »

Surprised no one else has written about this one. Awhile back I wrote about a case where the NYPD arbitrarily denied three bloggers press credentials. Those three bloggers were Rafael Martínez Alequin, a long-time critic of Tsar Bloomberg's, who publishes the New York City Free Press, Ralph E. Smith, who publishes The Guardian Chronicle, and David Wallis is founder and CEO of Featurewell.com. Gary Tilzer also had an excellent analysis of this situation.

Norman Siegel, the attorney representing the three bloggers, has won their case and they have been issued press credentials. From Your Free Press:  read more »