NY Neighbors for American Values Speak Out in Support of Park51

Broad Coalition Announced

NEW YORK, NY (08/24/2010)(readMedia)-- WEDNESDAY: September Eleventh Families, Religious Leaders, Civic Groups, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Groups Announce Coalition to Support Religious Freedom

New York Neighbors for American Values Speaks Out in Support of Park51

On Wednesday, Aug. 25, more than 40 prominent organizations, civic groups, leaders and religious and interfaith groups will join together to announce the creation of a coalition in support of religious freedom and diversity and to rebuff the increasingly strident opposition to a proposed Islamic center near Ground Zero. New York Neighbors for American Values embraces the American constitutional values of religious freedom, diversity and equality. We stand together today to reject the crude stereotypes meant to frighten and divide us.

WHO:

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Domma Marsh O'Connor, September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows

Faiza Ali, Community Affairs Director Council on American-Islamic

Relations –NY

Ro Scheffe, Community Board 1

Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper, President, New Sanctuary Movement and the

Judson Memorial Church

Donna Lieberman, Executive Director, New York Civil Liberties Union

Susan Lerner, Executive Director, Common Cause/NY

WHO: The Coalition of NY Neighbors for American Values [Preliminary List]:

Organizational Members:

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), Auburn Theological Seminary, Brooklyn for Peace, Citizen Action of New York, Common Cause/New York, Community Voices Heard, Convergence of Cultures/NY, Council on American-Islamic Relations-NY, Demos, Downtown Independent Democrats, Good Jobs New York, Greater NYC for Change, Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition, Interfaith Center of New York, Islamic Mission of America inc., Jews for Racial and Economic Justice [JFREJ], Judson Memorial Church, League of Women Voters of the City of New York, Lower Manhattan Democrats (LMD), Manhattan Young Democrats, Middle East Crisis Response (MECR), Muslim Consultative Network, Muslim Public Affairs Council –NYC, New York Civil Liberties Union, New York Theological Seminary, New York City New Sanctuary Movement, Pax Christi Metro New York, The Dialogue Project, The New York City Chapter of Humanist Party, The Shalom Center, Woodstock International, Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring

Individual Members (organizational affiliation for identification only):

Talat Hamdani, Mother of Mohammad Salman Hamdani NYPD Cadet, EMT, WTC II

Adem Carroll, Muslim American Civil Liberties Coalition

Hester Eisenstein, Sociology, Queens College and the Graduate Center

Jennifer Baumgardner, Co-Owner, Soapbox Inc.

Serene Jones, President, Union Theological Seminary

Rev. Charles H. Straut, Jr., DMin, Consultant in Ministry, New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church

Dr. Diane Steinman, Co-Chair, New York State Interfaith Network for Immigration Reform

Luis Barrios, Ph.D., BCFE, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice- Department of Latin American & Latina/o Studies

Peter Marcuse, Professor emeritus of Urban Planning, Columbia University

Rev. Freeman Palmer, Metro Association Minister, United Church of Christ, New York Conference

Rev Dr Rita M Root, Interim Conference Minister, New York Conference, United Church of Christ

Rev. Dr. Robert L. Brashear, Pastor, West-Park Presbyterian Church

Tarak Kauff , Veterans For Peace, MECR, Editor Woodstock International newspaper
WHAT:

Press Conference to Announce New Coalition Supporting Religious Freedom
WHEN: Wednesday August 25, 2010 at 04:00PM
WHERE: Municipal Building (One Centre Street)
Southside Entrance
New York, New York 10007