Entries Tagged 'activism' ↓

Letter in Washington Times from Michael Pravica

h/t: Sparta

Fast-track mosque, delay church

Friday, August 20, 2010

When I resided in New York City, I visited one of the most unassuming and humble houses of worship I have ever encountered: the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, which sat directly in front of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers (“What would 9/11 architect say?” Commentary, Thursday).

The church was obliterated on Sept. 11, 2001, during one of the most deeply symbolic moments of our new century. Why is it that Greek-Americans have encountered nine years of red tape frustrating their efforts to rebuild what is rightfully theirs, but our misguided leaders, eager to pander to those who financially support or bribe them, are bending over backwards to accommodate some Muslims in their suspect quest to build a mosque near Ground Zero? All that mosque will be is a commemoration of their “victory” over us, the infidels.

Religious favoritism is un-American, violates our Constitution and is very dangerous in a democracy.

MICHAEL PRAVICA
Henderson, Nev.

Mosque = security risk

The Ground Zero Mosque, and ANY mosque, has the potential, and in fact the likelihood, of becoming a focus of jihadism and a source of subversive propaganda (taqiyya). That is simply because jihadism (and no, I do not mean “internal struggle”) and taqiyya are central and indispensible tenets of Islam.

If the 9-11 mosque in the US were to be built, it too would become a pilgrimage and recruitment center for jihadis. This is a matter, not only of respect for the dead, but also of national security.

While the tranzi-progressive/pro-jihadi NYC bureaucrats, politicians, and media pundits are doing everything they can to smooth the way for this mosque (and being very self-righteous about their reasons for this), they are creating every possible obstacle to the rebuilding of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, which was destroyed in the 9-11 attack when the South Tower fell on it.

What you can do

Rebuild St. Nicholas CHURCH at Ground Zero, not a mosque

The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox parish still has an active congregation but no building; they have been meeting to worship in Brooklyn. Now, many of us Orthodox Christians, working pretty much independently by word of mouth among friends and parishoners, have finally succeeded in getting some news media attention to this matter.

I’d like to ask all Americans supporting St. Nicholas Church to call, write, or better yet, GO AND VISIT the offices of their US Representative and US Senators. You will probably just get to talk to a staffer, but the staffer will pass this information along. It makes a BIG difference if you take the trouble to write a personal letter or show up in person.

Everyone, please, pass the information along to everybody else you know who might be interested. Put it on Facebook, repost it on your own blog, email it to your friends and relatives, whatever else you can think of.

Let’s keep the pressure on, and keep this issue before the public eye!

Church web site:
http://www.stnicholasnyc.com/

Address for donations to rebuild:
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, PO Box 420968, Brooklyn, NY 11234

Thanks again to everyone who has helped us spread this message.

Originally published at 2.0: The Blogmocracy

Rebuilding has been blocked for nearly nine years. Where’s the outrage?

Amid all the brouhaha about the intentions of our Muslim enemies to build a monument to terrorism at Ground Zero in New York City, we seem to have forgotten about rebuilding the little Orthodox Christian church that was destroyed in the same attack.

George Demos: REBUILD THE CHURCH AT GROUND ZERO, NOT A MOSQUE

H/T: Sparta

Brookhaven, NY- George Demos, the Conservative Republican Candidate for Congress in New York’s First Congressional District issued the following statement on the proposed mosque amid the sacred ruins of Ground Zero and expressed outrage at our own government’s refusal to rebuild the only house of worship that was actually destroyed on September 11th- the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.

George Demos said:

“On September 11, 2001, over 3,000 Americans, including 168 residents of our community in Suffolk County, were taken from us by the evil acts of Islamic extremists bent on destroying our freedoms. Amid the thick smoke and choking ashes of that fateful day, the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was reduced to dust.

Since 1922, St. Nicholas Church had stood as a quiet sanctuary of prayer and reflection amidst the tumultuous and bustling crossroads of commerce. For nine years the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey has used bureaucratic obstacles and false promises to hinder the rebuilding of the St. Nicholas Church. This must end and it must end now.

What an outrage that our government has put roadblocks in the path of its own citizens trying rebuild their beloved Church destroyed by Islamic extremists, while Saudi Arabia, a nation that prohibits people from even wearing a Cross or the Star of David, now provokes the families of those who lost loved ones by apparently funneling money to build a mosque at the same location.

As our Congressman, I will always remember that our Constitutional freedom of religion starts with respecting our own sacred Judeo-Christian heritage. Now is the time for the Port Authority to stop hiding behind its bureaucracy and to facilitate the rebuilding of the St. Nicholas Church that was taken from us on that quiet September morning nearly a decade ago.”

Local bureaucrats block rebuilding the church, but smooth the way for a mosque

I suppose that’s what passes for “freedom of religion” these days! How sadly ironic, considering that there is no greater enemy of freedom of religion than Islam. Islam unjustly avails itself of Constitutional protections by calling itself a religion, but it is not a religion in any recognizable sense of the word. Islam is instead an expansionist, totalitarian political ideology that, much like Nazism and Communism, seeks to rid the world of everything but itself.

Evidently, that’s just fine with the tranzi-progressive/jihadist alliance that is currently running the show in New York City. The New York/New Jersey Port Authority bureaucrats are refusing to budge, and, with few exceptions, the local politicians are doing nothing to get justice for the St. Nicholas congregation and other Orthodox Christians who have the right to worship and to commemmorate the dead in a church on this site.

This story ran in the New York Times over a year ago, and still nothing has been done.

NYT: Church’s Troubles Typify Ground Zero Delays

Photo by Eric O’Connell
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on Sept. 11, 2001, minutes before it was crushed by the falling south tower. Seven years later, the Port Authority and the church have failed to agree on a land swap needed for rebuilding.

By CHARLES V. BAGLI
Published: July 3, 2008

The story of the tiny St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and its efforts to rebuild after the collapse of the World Trade Center is one of well-intentioned promises that led to endless negotiations, design disputes, delays and mounting costs.

It is, in other words, a microcosm of the seven-year, $16 billion, problem-plagued effort to reconstruct the entire trade center site.

Within a month of the attack on the trade center, Archbishop Demetrios, primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, pledged that the four-story church would rise “on the same sacred spot as a symbol of determined faith.” Gov. George E. Pataki agreed.

But today, the church exists only on blueprints. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the agency overseeing reconstruction, has not finalized the exchange of land needed to provide the congregation with a new home near ground zero. Until that deal is completed, the authority cannot proceed with building the southern foundation wall for the entire site, and cannot draw up designs for a bomb screening center for buses and trucks that would go under the new church.

Read the rest.

More information here:

Church Website: St. Nicholas Church in New York City

Also see:

Article on New York Daily News blog:
GOP Hopeful George Demos: Rebuild Church At Ground Zero, Not Mosque

New York Daily News email address:
voicers@edit.nydailynews.com

From the 1389 Blog mailbox:

From: Cyprus Action Network of America
To: 1389 Blog Mailbox
Date: 7/27/2010, 8:14pm EDT

Dear 1389AD,

Thank you very much for your support. Please consider linking the Greek and English book “The Bloody Truth” to your site, it documents the truth about atrocities committed by the Turkish terrorist organizations Volgan and TMT and the dangers of the Turkish racist bizonal bicommunal federation plans. The link for the PDF download is on our homepage: www.cyprusactionnetwork.org

Best Regards,
–Nikolaos Taneris, Press Officer, Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)

Download The Bloody Truth (PDF) Here

From the mailbox at 1389 Blog:

Date: Wed, July 21, 2010 4:33:05 PM
From: Sparta
To: 1389 Blog Mailbox
Cc: J.D. Hayworth
Subject: List of Arizona newspapers, email and links.

Please try and write as many letters to the Arizona papers as you can supporting J.D. Hayworth against John McCain.
Stella

Received from J.D. Hayworth Team:

We receive many emails, however we do not always get to respond to them all. We do our best and are grateful for your patience in the meantime.

We are less than 60 days to the August 24th Arizona Republican primary. J.D. and Team Hayworth ask for your patience as we focus on the task at hand.

The support for J.D. Hayworth has been overwhelming and we are grateful everything that has been done to help us on the way.

Please feel free to visit J.D.’s website: jdforsenate.com

We thank you for your continued support.

Team Hayworth

Contact information for Arizona newspapers:

Online List of Arizona Newspapers: http://www.usnpl.com/aznews.php

The Arizona Republic – online email form, limit 200 words:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html

Arizona Daily Sun:
Email: azdesnews@azdailysun.com

East Valley Tribune/Scottsdale Tribune
Submit letters: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/submissions/?mode=letters
Phone number: 480-TRIBUNE 480-898-6500
Mailing address: 120 W. 1st Ave. Mesa, AZ 85210
Email: sitefeedback@evtrib.com

Arizona Daily Star
Physical address: 4850 S. Park Ave. Tucson, AZ 85714
Mailing address: P.O. Box 26807, Tucson, AZ 85726-6807
Email: letters@azstarnet.com
Letters must include the author’s full name, address, occupation and daytime phone number. If the letter is on a political subject, writers must disclose any affiliation to a political campaign and/or candidate. Maximum length is 150 words. All letters may be edited for clarity or shortened to fit the allocated space. Because of the volume of letters, we cannot acknowledge unpublished letters. All letter submissions become the property of the Arizona Daily Star.

The Daily Courier
Physical address: 1958 Commerce Center Circle, Prescott, Arizona 86301
Mailing address: P.O. Box 312, Prescott, AZ 86302
Phone: (928) 445-3333
Email: editorial@prescottaz.com

InMaricopa.com
News@InMaricopa.com – Editorial-related inquiries
Photos@InMaricopa.com – Submit photos to be considered for publication
Phone: (520) 568-0040
Editorial department ext. 103 – or (602) 549-0361 after hours
News – Ext. 3
Fax: (520) 568-0050
Mailing address: P.O. Box 1018 Maricopa, AZ 85139
Physical address: 19756 N. John Wayne Parkway, Suite 100 Maricopa, AZ 85139

Navajo-Hopi Observer
Mailing address: 2224 E. Cedar Avenue, Suite 2, Flagstaff, Arizona 86004
Main Switchboard: (928) 226-9696
Fax: (928) 226-1115
Toll Free: 1-877-627-3787
Editorial: (928) 226-9696
Email: nhoeditorial@nhonews.com
Breaking news and story ideas: http://www.navajohopiobserver.com/Formlayout.asp?formcall=userform&form=13

Sedona Times
http://sedonatimes.com/contact/
http://sedonatimes.com/submit-article/
To contact the Sedona Times, email Publisher@SedonaTimes.com or contact Tommy Acosta, Editor at tommytheeporter@aol.com.
Mailing address: PO Box 3814, Sedona AZ 86340.

Palo Verde Valley Times/Quartzsite Times
Physical address: 153 S. Broadway Blythe, CA 92225
Mailing address: P.O. Box 1159, Blythe, CA 92226
Main Switchboard: (760) 922-3181
Toll-Free: (800) 398-7193
Editorial: (760) 922-3181 mbachman@paloverdevalleytimes.com
News tips, breaking news, story ideas: http://www.paloverdevalleytimes.com/Formlayout.asp?formcall=userform&form=13

Kingman Daily Miner
Mailing address: 3015 Stockton Hill Road Kingman, Arizona 86401
Main switchboard: (928) 753-6397
Editorial: opinion@kingmandailyminer.com
Breaking news and story ideas: http://www.kingmandailyminer.com/Formlayout.asp?formcall=userform&form=13

Arizona Daily Wildcat
An independent news organization serving the University of Arizona since 1899
Mailing address: 615 N. Park Ave, Tucson AZ 85719
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/about/contact
Editor-in-Chief: Colin Darland 520-621-7579 cdarland@email.arizona.edu
Opinions Editor: Heather Price Wright letters@wildcat.arizona.edu

Blogs:

• http://sonoranalliance.com/
• http://seeingredaz.wordpress.com/
• http://tucsongrowup.com/

Some background:

Date: Tue, July 20, 2010 2:38:08 PM
From: Sparta
To: 1389
Subject: ANOTHER APPEAL!!!

This is another appeal – McCain must go!

I just sent a letter to The Arizona Republic regarding McCain’s bid for re-election in which he is being challenged in the Republican Primary Election on 24 Aug. If I do not hear from The Arizona Republic within the next few days, I will post my letter. In my letter, I concentrated on McCain’s support for granting amnesty to illegal aliens and his efforts to restrict free speech with restictions on campaign finances. In my letter, I also wrote, “where has McCain been for the past 24 plus years?” When he did nothing to secure our borders? I also added that McCain is the best reason why there should be term limits. However, I would hope that some of you will send letters more to do with McCain’s connections to the Kosovo Liberation Army. May I add that it must be done diplomatically (I know that will be difficult to do!)

To send a letter to The Arizona Republic, you can go to: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html The limit is 200 words.

I also found the email address for the Arizona Daily Sun: azdesnews@azdailysun.com

Now, here is where you can be a big help. If anyone knows or can find out the names of the different Arizona newspapers and their email address for letters to the editor(s), it would be most helpful. If anyone can do that, please post so that we can write to them also.

But how about that McCain? Where has he been for the past 24 plus years? He was once even in favor of amnesty for illegals (McCain-Kennedy Amnesty Plan) but now he is saying what he thinks the people want to hear and all of a sudden, supports securing our borders. What a hypocrite – see: McCain supports amnesty, says immigration activist and Kennedy-McCain Amnesty Plan Falls Flat.

Illegal Mexicans are crossing into the United States as easily as Albanians crossed illegally into Kosovo. If only Kosovo had been able to secure its borders, it would be a different story today. Unfortunately, we have a president who is siding with the President of Mexico against his own people.

I am, of course, supporting J.D. Hayworth, especially after McCain’s support of the Muslim jihadists in Kosovo – and then he claims to be the best one regarding our homeland security. He didn’t mind turning Kosovo over to a bunch of Muslim war lords. See: McCain and the KLA Connection

See: Allah’s Willing Executioners, March 2008 and scroll down to see the picture of Cindy McCain with Kosovo’s war lord, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. Kind of unbelieveable, isn’t it, that we would support Muslim KLA terrorists over the Christian Serbs?

I understand that there are at least four or five other states that have even stricter immigration laws than Arizona’s, but if the governors of all the states had any gumption, they would all openly support Arizona – but then, that may be asking too much?????

I just hope my Serbian friends remember just who this guy McCain is when the Republican Primary Election rolls around on 24 August by sending contributions to J.D. Hayworth. I want McCain to go down!

Remember: “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing.” – Edmund Burke – 17th-century scholar and philosopher.

Mailing address for contributions for J.D. Hayworth: JD 2010 P.O. Box 28604 Scottsdale, Arizona 85255. General Inquires: Contact info@jdforsenate.com or (602) 923-3823

Good luck!!! And as Bill Dorich always says, “Onward and Upward!!!”

Stella

From: Capt.Evangelos Rigos
To: HELLENIC-NET@HEC.GREECE.ORG
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2010 3:43 AM
Subject: Jennifer Lopez cancels her performance

Dear HEC members and Friends,

Following CANA’s initiative, the whole Hellenism (CANA -AHEPA- PANMACEDONIAN-HEC and other Hellenic organizations) stood united in from of the illegal performance of
Jennifer Lopez. Thousands of letters reached Ms. Lopez and the outcome was to cancel her performance.

It was an example what UNITY can do for Hellenism.

Thanks to everyone who helped this campaign.

Evangelos Rigos
HEC Director

---

Jennifer Lopez Out of Controversial N. Cyprus Concert

50 minutes ago by TMZ Staff

Jennifer Lopez has officially “withdrawn” from a concert in a European territory currently under military occupation — claiming she never would have agreed to perform had she known the “relevant circumstances” surrounding the intense political situation.

Lopez was scheduled to perform in Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus … an area that neither the United Nations nor the European Union recognize as an independent sovereign state … because of the way it was illegally occupied by the Turkish military in 1974.

In fact, multiple Greek and Cypriot politicians expressed anger after reports surfaced claiming Lopez had agreed to perform at a swanky hotel in Northern Cyprus on July 24.

But a rep for Lopez tells TMZ, “Jennifer Lopez would never knowingly support any state, country, institution or regime that was associated with any form of human rights abuse.”

The rep added, “After a full review of the relevant circumstances in Cyprus, it was the decision of management to withdraw from the appearance. This was a team decision that reflects our sensitivity to the political realities of the region.”

Tune in to TMZ on TV weekdays Monday through Friday (check http://www.tmz.com/tmztv/ for syndicated/local listings)

####

---

The opinions expressed are those of the author(s)and not necessarily those of HEC.
Hellenic Electronic Center (HEC) www.greece.org
This mailing list is powered by L-Soft’s renowned LISTSERV(R) software.

From: AHEPA
Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2010 12:42 AM
Subject: AHEPA Requests Entertainer Lopez to Cancel Performance in Occupied Cyprus

Dear Brothers, Daughters, Sons, Maids and Friends of AHEPA

For Immediate Release
Monday, July 05, 2010
Contact: AHEPA Headquarters
Phone: (202) 232-6300
Email: press@ahepa.org

News Release

AHEPA Requests Entertainer Lopez to Cancel Performance in Occupied Cyprus

WASHINGTON – AHEPA Supreme President Nicholas A. Karacostas sent a letter to Entertainer Jennifer Lopez requesting that she cancel her performance this month in Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus. The performance is planned to occur in Kyrenia at the Cratos Hotel & Casino where she also plans to celebrate her birthday. The hotel will open its doors on the 36th “Black Anniversary” of Turkey’s illegal invasion and subsequent occupation of the Republic of Cyprus.

A copy of The Weekly Standard article “Bare Ruined Choirs: Turkey’s war on the cultural heritage of Cyprus” by Katherine Eastland and a reference to the U.S. Helsinki Commission’s 2009 briefing “Cyprus’ Religious Cultural Heritage in Peril” and the Law Library of Congress’s report on the destruction of cultural property in Cyprus and violations of international law by Turkey were included with the letter to Ms. Lopez.

Please join with AHEPA Supreme President Karacostas and add your voice to the call requesting Ms. Lopez to cancel her visit to occupied northern Cyprus. Sign AHEPA’s online petition: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/jlocyprus.

###

---

AHEPA is the largest Greek-American association in the world with chapters in the United States, Canada, Greece, Cyprus, and sister chapters in Australia and New Zealand. It was established in 1922 by visionary Greek Americans to protect Hellenes from prejudice originating from the KKK, and in its history, AHEPA joined with the NAACP and B’nai B’rith International to fight discrimination.

The mission of the AHEPA family is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility and family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism.

For more information about the AHEPA family, or how to join, please contact AHEPA Headquarters, (202) 232-6300 or visit www.ahepa.org.

This is an electronic news service of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.
1909 Q Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20009
Tel: 202-232-6300 Fax: 202-232-2140 Email: ahepa@ahepa.org

The American Hellenic Council disapproves of Jennifer Lopez’s decision to perform in the northern occupied part of Cyprus and urges all its members to protest to the artist’s agency.

The American Hellenic Council calls upon all its members as well as anyone seeking a peaceful and JUST solution in Cyprus to urge the artist Jennifer Lopez to cancel her performance engagement at Hotel “Cratos Premium”. (Click here to read relevant article)

The booking of a high-profile artist to perform in the northern occupied part of Cyprus (the so-called “TRNC”), which is not recognized as a sovereign entity by the UN or any other country except for its de-facto creator (Turkey) is an attempt to provide legitimacy to the illegal pseudo-state by raising its public relations profile in the international stage.

We also deem provocative the fact that the scheduled arrival of the artist is scheduled for July 20th, the very same date that marks the anniversary of a brutal invasion that caused havoc, many deaths and still causes pain in many Cypriot families. This is the 36th anniversary of the brutal invasion of the Turkish military and its attempt to ethnically cleanse the northern part of the island from its Greek Cypriot residents who inhabited it for centuries and comprised 97% of the population.

We believe that neither the artist nor her Agency are aware of the history, otherwise they would have not booked this engagement. We urge you to write, call or email Ms. Lopez’s agent (below) and bring this matter to her attention.

Cara Lewis
William Morris Agency, LLC
1325 Ave of the Americas
New York, NY 10019

Tel: 212-903-1316
Fax: 212-903-1531
Email: cpl@wmeentertainment.com

---

Los Angeles, CA 7/1/2010. Copyright – AHC 2010
For more information please contact: American Hellenic Council Director: Alexander Mizan 323-651-3507
mailto:info@americanhellenic.org
AMERICAN HELLENIC COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA
8124 West Third Street Suite 200 • Los Angeles, CA 90048
Telephone: 323.651.3507

By 1389

How to stop the arrogance of power

A recent post on this blog, Is the US the last fortress standing? raised the issue of what peaceful means are available to get rid of a bad government in the US. At present, we do not have much recourse, other than to move toward state sovereignty and eventual secession.

But with a suitable Constitutional amendment, which we could put into effect as soon as we have the political will to do it, we could add one more effective tool for enforcing government accountability.

Senator Lindsey Graham is out of line

In the Blogmocracy comment thread, Signs of Sanity Surfacing in New York City, I became involved in the following conversation:

FurryOldGuyJeans wrote:

Sen. Graham: Tea party will die out

WASHINGTON, July 1 (UPI) — U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said much of his work is “completely opposite” from the Tea Party and predicts the movement will “die out.”

“Everything I’m doing now in terms of talking about climate, talking about immigration, talking about Gitmo is completely opposite of where the Tea Party movement’s at,” Graham told The New York Times Magazine in a profile that will be published Sunday, The Hill reported Thursday.

1389AD wrote:

Lindsey Graham is a disgrace. He is also whistling past his own graveyard. The Tea Party movement is very strong in SC, and he’s accurately perceived as a sellout. I doubt that he’ll be elected again. Unfortunately, his term won’t be up for another four years.

FurryOldGuyJeans wrote:

There is always a recall election, if SC law allows for such.

1389AD wrote:

We don’t have that. Every state should have recall for ALL elected officials and, IMO, also for firing unelected bureaucrats, for nullifying unpopular laws, and for voting entire agencies out of existence. The same should apply to the federal government.

I do NOT believe in allowing plebiscites or ballot initiatives for the purpose of taking any “positive” action, such as enacting any new laws or regulations, or putting anybody into office, or spending any money. That leads to all kinds of problems with demagoguery and mob rule. Recall should work purely in the negative, as part of the checks and balances, as a restraint on reckless government action that does not enjoy the consent of the governed.

Why not term limits?

I do not think enacting more term limits will be the answer, and here is why:

• Term limits affect both the good and the bad, in effect throwing out the baby with the bath water.
• Term limits do not provide the voters with a mechanism for undoing the results of election fraud.
• Term limits allow a bad government to do too much damage before the term limits become effective.

As Glenn Beck points out, the body of four-term President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s was scarcely cold before the US enacted a Constitutional amendment limiting the Presidency to two terms. While I have no quarrel with that amendment, it fails to address our own predicament. By definition, term limits do nothing to stop a bad elected official from doing irreparable damage during his current term in office. Right now, we are looking at a situation in which we need to remove a bad president and many bad legislators as soon as we possibly can. We simply cannot afford to wait until 2012 for the president and 2014 for some senators who are actively flouting the expressed intent of their constituents, as though they do not expect our elections to matter any longer by the time their current terms expire.

Recall is an option we need

It’s time for American activists who respect the Constitution and the rule of law to begin a movement to enact an amendment to the US Constitution to allow recall elections to remove a president or any other federal official, and to allow any State to conduct a recall election to remove any of its US Senators or Representatives.

At the level of each State, we need the same thing, for removal of a bad governor, state legislator, or other state official. At this moment, the need for this at the federal level is priority number one.