OMJP Statement on Rally April 02, 2006

NOT IN ANY TOWN
NOT IN RACHEL'S NAME

Oppose the Nazi rally on
SUNDAY, APRIL 2
Gather at Sylvester Park 11:00 am
Gather at Heritage Park 12:00 noon
("spring ahead" an hour for Daylight Savings)

We are residents of Thurston County who oppose the message of 
hate that the Nazis are bringing to our community on Sunday, 
April 2. We strongly object to their appropriation and 
exploitation of Rachel Corrie's memory, and of her support 
for the Palestinians and the Israeli peace movement. We are 
not rallying simply to confront the Nazis, but to oppose 
racism and all other forms of oppression. Like Hitler did, 
they try to exploit economic frustrations to turn whites 
against people of color, immigrants, Jews, the disabled, 
the LGBT community, and others.  If we are silent, they 
will once again target our neighbors with harassment and 
violence.

The purpose of our action is to prevent the Nazis from 
using their rally to manipulate and recruit white youth, 
and to have a visible presence to counter their message 
of hate. Our purpose is NOT to enable the Nazis to portray 
themselves as victims of physical violence or verbal threats 
(that they can later play on their website). Our rally is 
being held whether or not the National Socialist Movement 
actually demonstrates, in order to celebrate our diversity 
and equality on an on-going basis. Their threat is an 
opportunity to build a movement for more understanding and 
unity in our community, beyond Sunday.

--The Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace

"I also think it's extraordinarily important to draw a 
firm distinction between the policies of Israel as a state, 
and the Jewish people….I try to ask myself--whose interests 
does it serve to identify Israeli policy with all Jewish 
people? All I can think of is that it serves people who want 
to stifle all critique of Israeli policy…and neo-Nazis who 
want to use Israel's policy as a way to justify their hate." 
--Rachel Corrie (January 19, 2003)

For more information:
Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace http://www.OMJP.org
Unity in the Community http://www.OlympiaUnityInTheCommunity.org
Rachel Corrie Foundation http://www.RachelCorrieFoundation.org
Center for New Community http://www.BuildingDemocracy.org
Turn it Down: Campaign Against White Power Music http://turnitdown.newcomm.org
Center for Democratic Renewal http://www.thecdr.org
Political Research Associates http://www.publiceye.org
Hatewatch http://www.splcenter.org/intel/hatewatch
Hate symbols http://www.adl.org/hate_symbols/default.asp
Searchlight (Europe) http://www.searchlightmagazine.com
Free Radio Olympia 98.5 FM http://www.frolympia.org
Olympia United Against Hate http://olyunity.blogspot.com
OlyBlog http://olyblog.net