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Dispatches from the Front

Al-Awda media accomplishments 2003
by Al-Awda
January 4, 2004

The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (http://Al-awda.org) is the largest network of activists for Palestinian human rights. Its media committee works to ensure fair and accurate reporting Palestine and Palestinian human rights. 2003 was a difficult year for Palestinians suffering under Israeli colonization and occupation. Our media committee was very active. Here is a glimpse of our accomplishments and a call for your support.

- Members of the media committee provided content for Al-Awda.org webpage. The web beamed a dynamic resource for activists that is regularly updated. http://Al-Awda.org now receives over 7000 hits per day. The number of hits has been increasing steadily (see http://www.al-awda.org/stats ).

- In 2003, members of the media committee submitted over 8000 letters and op-eds (average over 700/month). Over 200 were published. Outlets range from local to regional to national and to international. This included local newspapers (e.g. The Day), campus newspapers, and national and international outlets (like the New York Times and Time Magazine).

- Members of Al-Awda media committee interviewed and appeared regularly in both broadcast and print media (estimated appearances over 200 times). This includes both US and International outlets(examples of the variety of outlets include MSNBC, NY Times, Voice of Palestine, The Forward, Hartford Courant, Philadelphia Enquirer, WPKN, Iran Radio, South African Radio, etc.

- We compiled a list of 48 speakers who can articulate a human rights perspective. This list was printed in a foldout with lamination and sent with a cover letter to over 50 key media outlets (sent in December). We plan to send more in January.

- Members of the media committee were invited to speak as well as organized over 400 teach-ins and panels that reached literally thousands of people.

- Our members printed buttons and brochures and distributed these at local and national events.

- We started a book program. Books are obtained from publishers and distributed at events. Currently participating publishers include Pluto Press, Southend Press, and Institute for Palestine Study.

- We started a program to print informative booklets. The first one began to be distributed in 2003. A literature advisory committee was established by Al-Awda Coordinating Committee.

- Our members were key in making sure direct action events receive good and fair media coverage.

- Our members put dozens of videos on public access TV and participated in promoting and working with alternative media outlets.

- Members of Al-Awda media committee were key in facilitating work and publicity for the Wheels of Justice Tour (see http://justicewheels.org).

- For earlier accomplishments [and information about supporting the organization] see Al-awda.org/mediaaccomplishmentscumulative

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Dispatches

  "Photo from December 4 Voting Rights Rally"
      Jerry Thomas
     December 7, 2004

  "Volunteer Request"
     Nicole Love
     November 17, 2004

  "Environmental Advocate Robert F. Kennedy Visits Ohio State University"
     Free Press staff
     October 1, 2004

  "Free the Stansbery 1!"
     Free Press staff
     September 21, 2004

  "Jim Hightower reveals W’s little secret"
     Free Press staff
     September 21, 2004

  "Peacejam"
     Lezlie
     September 21, 2004

  "Attack of the e-voting machines in Florida beaten back"
     Free Press staff
     September 21, 2004

  "Bush knew"
     Free Press staff
     September 21, 2004

  "'Army of God' visit Pride"
     Free Press staff
     September 21, 2004

  "Congratulations to Abe Bonowitz!"
     Free Press staff
     September 21, 2004

  "International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners"
     Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
     September 21, 2004

  "March for Women’s Rights"
     Free Press staff
     July 11, 2004

  "Wheels of Justice Tour stops in Columbus"
     Free Press staff
     July 11, 2004

  "CASE-Ohio: Fighting for democracy"
     Stephanie Laird
     July 11, 2004

  "In solidarity with the CWA"
     Stephanie Laird
     July 11, 2004

  "Take Back the Night"
     Stephanie Laird
     July 11, 2004

  "Stand Up for Clean Air - Sierra Club Earth Day Rally"
     Stephanie Laird
     July 11, 2004

  "U.S. Army General Joins the ACLU in Opposing Provisions of the Patriot Act; Calls Current Law a Subversion of Americans' Basic Rights "
     Tanya Domi, ACLU
     May 30, 2004

  "ADC Condemns Murder of Abdel Aziz Rantisi by Sharon Government "
     American-Arab Discrimination Committee
     April 19, 2004

  "Critique of Bush's unilateral disengagement"
     ADC
     April 16, 2004

  "Delegation of lawyers to report on meeting with Aristide"
     National Lawyers Gild
     April 15, 2004

  "Gary Nolan, Libertarian Presidential Candidate to Visit UT "
     Ohio Libertarian Party
     April 15, 2004

  "Win Without War Proposes Emergency International Summit & Transfer of Management Authority to UN "
     Tom Andrews
     April 11, 2004

  "'Night of Noise' to Break OSU Day of Silence "
     Zachariah Baird
     April 7, 2004

  "What a person is worth "
     Dan Cantor
     April 1, 2004

  "Libertarians Prepare Tax Eve Banquet, VP Candidate to Speak"
      Robert Butler, Executive Director Ohio Libertarian Party
     April 1, 2004

  "The Book Party and Reception: The Trial of the Catonsville Nine "
     Daniel Berrigan
     March 26, 2004

  "CLARK to Visit Buckeye State as Keynote Speaker at Annual Democratic Dinner "
     Kathy Roeder
     March 16, 2004

  "FREE '3-STRIKES' VIDEO; 2 weeks left for 'initiative to amend' to qualify "
     Ralph Cole
     March 16, 2004

  "Abducting Democracy: A MADRE Statement on Haiti's 33rd Coup d'etat"
     Yifat Susskind, Associate Director
     March 16, 2004

  "Proving John Byrd’s innocence remains family’s goal"
     Free Press staff
     March 15, 2004

  "Abe’s gone Hollywood "
     Free Press staff
     March 15, 2004

  "Blair monitors case of Scot on Ohio’s death row "
     Trevor Mason, Parliamentary Editor (Compiled from article)
     March 15, 2004

  "Greens want Bush tried as 'war criminal' "
     Green Party of Ohio
     March 15, 2004

  "Rally for Kucinich on February 14 in Clintonville"
     Kucinich campaign
     March 15, 2004

  "Protesting the Defense of Marriage Act"
     Rev. Marj Creech of God’s Promise MCC of Granville
     March 15, 2004

  "May Day — The real Labor Day"
     compiled from the St. Louis IWW website
     March 15, 2004

  "Ohio Libertarians Hire Executive Director"
     Ohio Libertarian Party
     March 10, 2004

  "Two posititions available"
     Students for recycling
     January 16, 2004

  "Announcement of Sierra Club job opening"
     Bryan Clark
     January 12, 2004

  "Ft. Liberte, Haiti humanitarian project"
     Free Press Staff
     January 8, 2004

  "Ballot access setback for third parties"
     Dena L. Bruedigam
     January 8, 2004

  "September 11 lawsuit cites Bush family Nazi dealings and history of war profiteering"
     Free Press Staff
     January 8, 2004

  "Al-Awda media accomplishments 2003 "
     Al-Awda
     January 4, 2004

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