The following films will be featured in the 2009 Middle East Film Festival at The Evergreen State College....
Meeting Resistance
VIEW TRAILER
What would you do if America was invaded? MEETING RESISTANCE raises the veil of anonymity surrounding the Iraqi insurgency by meeting face to face with individuals who are passionately engaged in the struggle, and documenting for the very first time, the sentiments experienced and actions taken by a nation's citizens when their homeland is occupied. Voices that have previously not been heard, male and female, speak candidly about their motivations, hopes and goals, revealing a kaleidoscope of human perspectives.
Heavy Metal in Baghdad
VIEW TRAILER
A documentary that follows the Iraqi heavy metal band Acrassicauda from the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 to the present day. Playing heavy metal in a Muslim country has always been a difficult (if not impossible) proposition but after Saddam’s regime was toppled, there was a brief moment for the band in which real freedom seemed possible. That hope was quickly dashed as their country fell into a bloody insurgency. From 2003-2006, Iraq disintegrated around them while Acrassicauda struggled to stay together and stay alive, always refusing to let their heavy metal dreams die. Their story echoes the unspoken hopes of an entire generation of young Iraqis.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
As'ad posts about his visit to Evergreen...
I spoke yesterday at Evergreen College in Olympia, Washington. I only realized yesterday that this was the college where Rachel Corrie was a student. The lousy cowardly university of the college has not even dedicated a memorial for her. This is a really leftist college with very leftist student body, and where people do "get" the significance of Palestinian struggle. This is a campus where students don't consider voting for the Democratic ticket as the ultimate act of leftism. I met a Palestinian student from Chicago whose baby brother was treated by Rahm Imanuel's father back in the 1990s. She said that when her mother discovered that he was an Irgun terrorist, she immediately discontinued his services. One thing disturbs me: almost always when I give a talk in the US, there is somebody in the audience who believe that Sep. 11 was "an inside job" to quote a member of the audience from yesterday. I always, of course, disapoint believers in those kooky conspiracy theorists when I tell that I don't buy those theories and that I am certain that Al-Qa`idah was indeed behind Sep. 11. The person yesterday (who was highly offended by the use of the world "kooky" in my answer) even believes that 11 of the hijackers are still alive--somewhere with Elvis no doubt. And a Syrian student from Aleppo got me Za`tar from Aleppo: I love Za`tar from Aleppo. But it must have seemed odd as I put the jar of Aleppo Za`tar near me on the table during my talk. I had to tell the audience to resist the urge to make some generalization about Arab culture and jars: I assured them that Arab culture does not dictate that Arab should always address a public with a jar of Za`tar next to them. But I did confirm to them that shoes are highly offensive in Arab culture, assertions to the contrary on this blog notwithstanding.
I spoke yesterday at Evergreen College in Olympia, Washington. I only realized yesterday that this was the college where Rachel Corrie was a student. The lousy cowardly university of the college has not even dedicated a memorial for her. This is a really leftist college with very leftist student body, and where people do "get" the significance of Palestinian struggle. This is a campus where students don't consider voting for the Democratic ticket as the ultimate act of leftism. I met a Palestinian student from Chicago whose baby brother was treated by Rahm Imanuel's father back in the 1990s. She said that when her mother discovered that he was an Irgun terrorist, she immediately discontinued his services. One thing disturbs me: almost always when I give a talk in the US, there is somebody in the audience who believe that Sep. 11 was "an inside job" to quote a member of the audience from yesterday. I always, of course, disapoint believers in those kooky conspiracy theorists when I tell that I don't buy those theories and that I am certain that Al-Qa`idah was indeed behind Sep. 11. The person yesterday (who was highly offended by the use of the world "kooky" in my answer) even believes that 11 of the hijackers are still alive--somewhere with Elvis no doubt. And a Syrian student from Aleppo got me Za`tar from Aleppo: I love Za`tar from Aleppo. But it must have seemed odd as I put the jar of Aleppo Za`tar near me on the table during my talk. I had to tell the audience to resist the urge to make some generalization about Arab culture and jars: I assured them that Arab culture does not dictate that Arab should always address a public with a jar of Za`tar next to them. But I did confirm to them that shoes are highly offensive in Arab culture, assertions to the contrary on this blog notwithstanding.
Monday, November 3, 2008
As'ad AbuKhalil Speaking at Evergreen
As'ad AbuKhalil will be speaking at the Evergreen State College on Nov 13th at 7pm in Lecture Hall 5.
As'ad AbuKhalil's blog the Angry Arab News Service (www.angryarab.blogspot.com) receives between 30,000 and 35,000 hits per month. AbuKhalil is from Tyre, Lebanon and grew up in Beirut. He served as free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News, an experience that only served to increase his disdain for US media mainstream, which he believes displays "more than a tinge of racism" towards Arabs.
He is the author of Historical Dictionary of Lebanon (1998), Bin Laden, Islam & America's New "War on Terrorism" (2002), and The Battle for Saudi Arabia (2004). He is now professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus, visiting professor at UC, Berkeley and his favorite food is fried eggplants.
AbuKhalil is vocally pro-Palestinian, describes himself as an anti-Zionist, and supports one secular state in Palestine. He is an opponent of the Iraq War. He is critical of Israeli government, of United States foreign policy, of Saudi Arabia, of both Fatah and Hamas in Palestine, and of all rival factions in Lebanon.
Politically, AbuKhalil describes himself as "a former Marxist-Leninist, now an anarchist", a feminist, and an "atheist secularist".
Monday, October 27, 2008
Women Targeted for Prosecution in Non-Violent Port Protests
(Olympia, WA 10/25/08) Prosecutors have brought charges against twenty-six people arrested during a non-violent women's protest in November, 2007.
Thoughtful, Moral Demonstrations
For two weeks in November, hundreds of demonstrators blocked military equipment from moving through their publicly owned port. On November 13th, 39 women were arrested during a non-violent demonstration in solidarity with each other, women nationally, and the women in Iraq.
Patty Imani, one of those charged, said Friday: "Thousands of women have been killed in Iraq. It's obscene that the city's response is to jail those of us who were only trying to stop more from dying."
The women in Olympia saw the suffering that the United States' occupation of Iraq was causing, to the Iraqi people and particularly to the women of Iraq. The protest was carefully planned to bring attention to how the war has effected the lives of women in Iraq and the United States.
Inappropriate Prosecution
The City has waited nearly a year to bring these charges, and has suspiciously brought these new charges less than a week after their other cases against port protesters were dismissed. Also, prosecutors have a history of targeting women and people of color in protest cases. Twenty-six demonstrators have been singled out for prosecution, 25 of whom are women.
A Call for Solidarity
Those being prosecuted are calling for solidarity and support from all those who are concerned that women and people of color are being targeted for carrying out their constitutionally protected right to non-violently dissent.
For more information or to donate to the legal support fund visit www.olypmr.org
Thoughtful, Moral Demonstrations
For two weeks in November, hundreds of demonstrators blocked military equipment from moving through their publicly owned port. On November 13th, 39 women were arrested during a non-violent demonstration in solidarity with each other, women nationally, and the women in Iraq.
Patty Imani, one of those charged, said Friday: "Thousands of women have been killed in Iraq. It's obscene that the city's response is to jail those of us who were only trying to stop more from dying."
The women in Olympia saw the suffering that the United States' occupation of Iraq was causing, to the Iraqi people and particularly to the women of Iraq. The protest was carefully planned to bring attention to how the war has effected the lives of women in Iraq and the United States.
Inappropriate Prosecution
The City has waited nearly a year to bring these charges, and has suspiciously brought these new charges less than a week after their other cases against port protesters were dismissed. Also, prosecutors have a history of targeting women and people of color in protest cases. Twenty-six demonstrators have been singled out for prosecution, 25 of whom are women.
A Call for Solidarity
Those being prosecuted are calling for solidarity and support from all those who are concerned that women and people of color are being targeted for carrying out their constitutionally protected right to non-violently dissent.
For more information or to donate to the legal support fund visit www.olypmr.org
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Obsessed with Hate: Challenging Anti-Muslim Propaganda
Thursday, October 23, 2008
7:00pm
Evergreen - SEM II E1107
7:00pm
Evergreen - SEM II E1107
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
SESAME Kick Off
Students Educating Students About the Middle East will be deciding what the plans are for the next year....
Wednesday, Oct.1
2pm
CAB 32o
Wednesday, Oct.1
2pm
CAB 32o
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Northwest Winter Soldier Event and Cindy Sheehan
There are two upcoming events in Seattle, first the Northwest Winter Soldier event on May 31st where local and region groups of Iraq Veterans Against The War will speak about their experiences in the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Event Details
Tickets: $5 at the door, first-come-first served
Doors open @ 11:00am
Directions to Town Hall: http://www.townhallseattle.org/directionsAndParking.cfm
The history behind Winter Soldier:
The first Winter Soldier event was organized in 1971 by Vietnam Veterans Against the War in response to a growing list of human rights violations occurring in Vietnam. From March 13-16, 2008, IVAW organized a national Winter Solider: Iraq and Afghanistan outside Washington D.C. This four-day event brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan - and present video and photographic evidence. In addition, panels of scholars, veterans, journalists, and other specialists gave context to the testimony. These panels covered everything from the history of the GI resistance movement to the fight for veterans' health benefits and support.
Sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against The War
Endorsed by SESAME
One week Later...
An Evening with Cindy Sheehan
In Seattle...
Friday, June 6
Town Hall at Eighth and Seneca, Seattle
Tabling from 5:00 - 6:30 pm, Program: 7:00-9:00 pm
Tickets: $10-25 (sliding scale) can be purchased at the door or
from Brown Paper Tickets
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/33712
In Olympia...
Sunday, June 8th
Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts at SPSCC
2011 Mottman Road SW Olympia, WA 98512
Tickets: At the door and advance tickets are available at Traditions Café and World Art, 300 5th Ave SW, Olympia, WA 98501
(Tickets $10 - $25, Students $5)
The public is also invited to a pre-event dinner reception for Cindy at Plenty. Restaurant – 204 W. Ave., Olympia, from 5:00-6:30 p.m., ($25 dinner ticket includes entrance to the speaking event. Call Chris at (360) 705-3528 for reservations.
Speaking on the subject, "A Revolution of Values: Moving from a War Economy to a Peace Economy," Sheehan will address the need to challenge our current leaders in Congress and to move the country away from its militaristic response to international problems to an economy based upon peace and social justice.
One week later, at the same location, Cindy Sheehan, will speak. Cindy is an anti-war activist well known for camping outside President Bush's Crawford ranch and is currently running for congress against Nancy Pelosi.
Cindy Sheehan will also be coming to Olympia on June 8th.
Noon-4:15pm
Antiwar demonstration @ 4:30pm
Seattle Town Hall, 8th Ave and Seneca St.
Antiwar demonstration @ 4:30pm
Seattle Town Hall, 8th Ave and Seneca St.
Panels will address:
- Eyewitness accounts and ersonal stories from veterans and military families
- Veterans' Healthcare and the failure of the VA system
- The poverty draft and military recruitment today
- Supporting war resisters and the future of GI resistance
- Racism and the War on Terror
- Veterans, GIs, students and labor working together end the war
With guest speaker Antonia Juhasz, respected policy-analyst, author and activist.
Her recent book, The Bu$h Agenda: Invading the World, One Economy at a Time, exposes the Bush administration's use of corporate globalization policy as a weapon of war.
Event Details
Tickets: $5 at the door, first-come-first served
Doors open @ 11:00am
Directions to Town Hall: http://www.townhallseattle.org
The history behind Winter Soldier:
The first Winter Soldier event was organized in 1971 by Vietnam Veterans Against the War in response to a growing list of human rights violations occurring in Vietnam. From March 13-16, 2008, IVAW organized a national Winter Solider: Iraq and Afghanistan outside Washington D.C. This four-day event brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan - and present video and photographic evidence. In addition, panels of scholars, veterans, journalists, and other specialists gave context to the testimony. These panels covered everything from the history of the GI resistance movement to the fight for veterans' health benefits and support.
Sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against The War
Endorsed by SESAME
One week Later...
An Evening with Cindy Sheehan
In Seattle...
Friday, June 6Town Hall at Eighth and Seneca, Seattle
Tabling from 5:00 - 6:30 pm, Program: 7:00-9:00 pm
Tickets: $10-25 (sliding scale) can be purchased at the door or
from Brown Paper Tickets
http://www.brownpapertickets
In Olympia...
Sunday, June 8th
Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts at SPSCC
2011 Mottman Road SW Olympia, WA 98512
Tickets: At the door and advance tickets are available at Traditions Café and World Art, 300 5th Ave SW, Olympia, WA 98501
(Tickets $10 - $25, Students $5)
The public is also invited to a pre-event dinner reception for Cindy at Plenty. Restaurant – 204 W. Ave., Olympia, from 5:00-6:30 p.m., ($25 dinner ticket includes entrance to the speaking event. Call Chris at (360) 705-3528 for reservations.
Speaking on the subject, "A Revolution of Values: Moving from a War Economy to a Peace Economy," Sheehan will address the need to challenge our current leaders in Congress and to move the country away from its militaristic response to international problems to an economy based upon peace and social justice.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Norman Finkelstein Speaking at Evergreen
"Israel and Palestine: Roots of Conflict, Prospects for Peace"
Thursday, May 8th
7: 30pm
Lecture Hall 1
Students Free w/ID at TESC Bookstore
General $7 advance/$10 at the door Available at Lastword Books & Online at Tickets West
Norman Finkelstein is an internationally respected author and scholar on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other Jewish-related issues. He has a Ph.D in Political Science from Princeton University and has held faculty positions at numerous universities. His critical stance on Zionism, support for the Palestinian cause, and confrontational style has led his career to be marked by controversy.
In June 2007 he was denied tenure at DePaul University after much controversy. Alan Dershowitz, an opponent of Finkelstein, had written a letter to the chairmen of Finkelstein's department and sent other materials to many other faculty and administration at DePaul urging them to deny Finkelstein tenure. Finkelstein had been sharply critical of Alan Dershowitz’s book, “The Case for Israel,” saying that it was both false and partially plagiarized. DePaul denied outside pressure had any influence on their decision.
Dr. Finkelstein’s work has earned praise from figures such as Noam Chomsky, and the late Raul Hillberg, among the most prominent Holocaust scholars, who said about Finkelstein, "It takes an enormous amount of courage to speak the truth when no one else is out there."
His must recent books are "Beyond Chutzpah: On the misuse of anti-Semitism and the abuse of history" & "The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the exploitation of Jewish suffering" Both explore the use of the exploitation of the holocaust and the corruption of scholarship on the Israel-Palestine issue.
Visit Norman's website at NormanFinkelstein.com
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
The Evergreen State College Presents:
Let Me Stand Alone
The Journals of Rachel Corrie
Reception and reading with the Corrie Family
The Evergreen Library Underground
Wednesday, April 9 - 7pm
Light Refreshments Provided
A lifelong writer, Rachel Corrie (1979-2003) grew up in Olympia and was an Evergreen student. In Let Me Stand Alone, a collection of Rachel’s journals, we hear a young woman’s voice – intense and poetic– grappling with universal ideas as it chronicles a personal journey cut short. In 2003, Rachel was killed while protecting a civilian family’s home in Rafah, Palestine. The tragedy ended a life full of potential, yet never silenced a voice that longs to be heard.
Sponsored by The Writing Center, Friends of the Evergreen Library and Students Educating Students About the Middle East
Let Me Stand Alone
The Journals of Rachel Corrie
Reception and reading with the Corrie Family
The Evergreen Library Underground
Wednesday, April 9 - 7pm
Light Refreshments Provided
A lifelong writer, Rachel Corrie (1979-2003) grew up in Olympia and was an Evergreen student. In Let Me Stand Alone, a collection of Rachel’s journals, we hear a young woman’s voice – intense and poetic– grappling with universal ideas as it chronicles a personal journey cut short. In 2003, Rachel was killed while protecting a civilian family’s home in Rafah, Palestine. The tragedy ended a life full of potential, yet never silenced a voice that longs to be heard.
Sponsored by The Writing Center, Friends of the Evergreen Library and Students Educating Students About the Middle East
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Bringing Resistance Home with Kathy Kelly
Thursday, Jan 24
7pm
The Evergreen State College
Lecture Hall 2
Kathy Kelly is the co-founder of Voices for Creative Nonviolence which has deep, long-standing roots in active nonviolent resistance to U.S. war-making. Begun in the summer of 2005, Voices draws upon the experiences of those who challenged the brutal economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and U.N. against the Iraqi people between 1990 and 2003. She is the co-author of Other Lands Have Dreams: From Baghdad to Pekin Prison and appeared in Live from Palestine: International and Direct Action Against the Israeli Occupation .
Kathy has a wide range of experiences in working in solidarity with people of the Middle East:
Kathy will be speaking about her work in Iraqi refugee camps, Republican/Democratic National Convention organizing, and SoDaPOP.
7pm
The Evergreen State College
Lecture Hall 2
Kathy Kelly is the co-founder of Voices for Creative Nonviolence which has deep, long-standing roots in active nonviolent resistance to U.S. war-making. Begun in the summer of 2005, Voices draws upon the experiences of those who challenged the brutal economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and U.N. against the Iraqi people between 1990 and 2003. She is the co-author of Other Lands Have Dreams: From Baghdad to Pekin Prison and appeared in Live from Palestine: International and Direct Action Against the Israeli Occupation .
Kathy has a wide range of experiences in working in solidarity with people of the Middle East:
- Iraqis living under sanctions from 1993-2003
- Palestinian refugees in Jenin Camp during the demolitions of 2002
- Iraqi Refugee living in Syria and Jordan from 2004
- Lebanese civilians during the summer bombardment of 2006
Kathy will be speaking about her work in Iraqi refugee camps, Republican/Democratic National Convention organizing, and SoDaPOP.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Announcing the 2008 Film Festival
The 5th Annual Middle East Film Festival
Jan30 to Feb12, 2008
The Evergreen State College
Films about the Middle East, surrounding regions and the diaspora with guest speakers - film makers, veterans, political prisoners and artists.
Topics include War and Resistance, Racial Profiling, Solidarity, Art, Refugees, and Identity.
Keep a look out for upcoming festival schedule available soon at www.evergreen.edu/sesame
Jan30 to Feb12, 2008
The Evergreen State College
Films about the Middle East, surrounding regions and the diaspora with guest speakers - film makers, veterans, political prisoners and artists.
Topics include War and Resistance, Racial Profiling, Solidarity, Art, Refugees, and Identity.
Keep a look out for upcoming festival schedule available soon at www.evergreen.edu/sesame
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