October 5, 2017
The Delegates Assembly of the Legal Services Staff Association has issued the following resolution opposing Islamophobia:
Whereas it is in the labor movement’s interest to unite to defend our members and all communities from all forms of racism, xenophobia, and other forms of division, as well as violations of civil liberties, unlawful surveillance, and the actions of militarized police forces, and
Whereas Islamophobia (fear of Islam and Muslim people) is not a matter of scattered personal opinions but is an increasingly powerful, dangerous, and structural force in American political and social life that feeds racism, divides our people, and promotes violence and oppression at home and militarism and war abroad, and
Whereas the rise in Islamophobia in America has reached a fever pitch in recent months, punctuated by anti-Muslim rallies, an increase in anti-Muslim hate groups, the targeting of people perceived to be Muslims, and hate crimes ranging from harassment to murder perpetrated against Muslim citizens, refugees, immigrants, and the brutal double murder on a Portland commuter train. and
Whereas the “War on Terror” has inflamed Islamophobia, involving aggressive unlawful police surveillance and “sting” operations that entrap innocent people, and
Whereas the militarization of our police (transforming police forces into paramilitary units), combined with widespread indiscriminate surveillance, has led to the further estrangement of police from communities of color and the Muslim population of this country they are sworn to protect at a time when those communities are under significant threat, and
Whereas the “War on Terror” and militarizing the police have not made us safer, but have caused the potential combatants, therefore be it
Resolved that the Legal Services Staff Association of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, United Auto Workers Local 2320 calls for the immediate end to any and all means to militarize domestic police forces, and be it further
Resolved that Legal Services Staff Association of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, United Auto Workers Local 2320 calls for an end of ethnic and religious profiling, mass surveillance, and “sting” operations in Muslim communities, and be it further
Resolved that Legal Services Staff Association of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, United Auto Workers Local 2320 opposes and will confront instances of Islamophobia in our communities, political processes, and among our own ranks, and will act in defense of and in solidarity with victims of Islamophobia, and be it further
Resolved that a copy of this resolution will be forwarded to our International Union, UAW CAP Councils, State AFL-CIO, labor federations and local Central Labor Councils with the request that those bodies adopt it and forward it on for consideration at the 2017 AFL-CIO national convention.
Date: October 4, 2017
(Photo credit: Lorie Shaull from Washington, United States)