Look at the news. Read the newspaper. Blood is flowing throughout the world. The innocent are being killed and oppressed.Yet, many are fighting back. Many are saying that they will resist oppression at all costs and they are making the firm statement that the guns of the enemy do not scare them, and that death is nothing but a pleasent event for the pure freedom fighter.

In nation after nation; Chechnya, Kashmir, Gujarat, Palestine, Qinxiang, etc. , it is the Muslims who are mobilizing to fight impearlism and oppression. In other nations these same Muslim masses refuse to accept the tyranny of the rulers; Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, etc. . This is a reality.

However, what has been the response of the anti-war movement. Well, Instead of War and Global Exchange have made little attempt to branch out from the latte drinking and tofu eating base. The ANSWER Coalition has made a serious attempt to reach out to Muslims, through the Muslim American Society, the Muslim Students Association and others, and this is definitley a good thing.But, just having some Muslim in the crowd and on the panel when it is convinient for you, and to not offer these Muslims any real voice in the movement is another matter.

None of these coalitions have addressed the atrocities that are being committed against Muslim globally. THE MURDEROUS RAMPAGE OF THE RUSSIAN IMPEARLISTS IN CHECHNYA HAS BEEN IGNORED.As Muslims are victims of pogroms in India the anti-war movement turns a blind eye, and the message is clear; if you resist impearlism in the name of Islam, then to hell with you.

This attitude is unacceptable. As Muslims we should have more dignity than to sit at the table with people who would gloss over the atrocities committed by Russia, India, China, Israel and others. If they want our support, than they should earn it.

Furthermore, as these groups have been protesting against war in Iraq, we stand with them, because we opposse war in Iraq.Though we agree upon this, and agree to the fact that the American and British oil companies wish to economically exploit the resources of Iraq, we must also realize that Iraq is seen as a launching pad for the ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, CULTURAL, MILITARY AND POLITCAL occupation of the Muslim world, and yes all of these matter