Monthly Archives: November 2015

Guest post – Reaffirm our humanity by welcoming Syrian refugees

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Thomas Nephew

Half or more of our country’s governors – including Governor Hogan in our home state of Maryland – have proclaimed that they will refuse to accept Syrian refugees. Their reasoning: one of the Paris bombers slipped in with the refugee … Continue reading →

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States can boycott — but not to penalize protected rights

Posted on November 28, 2015 by Thomas Nephew

After the November 18th Montgomery County Legislative Priorities hearing in Rockville, one Freedom2Boycott speaker’s statement was met with a somewhat confused critique by “Seventh State” blogger David Lublin.  Responding to Thomas Nephew’s call for “efforts to explicitly guarantee that political … Continue reading →

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A letter to my Governor: Our problem is not Syrian refugees – it’s us.

Posted on November 27, 2015 by naturallyelsa

I wrote this letter as a response to the Governor of my home state of Maryland–Larry Hogan–who requested that federal authorities cease any additional settlements of refugees from Syria in Maryland. — Elsa Lakew Dear Governor Larry Hogan, You don’t … Continue reading →

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Syrian refugee resolution supported at Takoma Park city council meeting

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Thomas Nephew

Several activists and citizens outlined their support for a pro-Syrian refugee resolution at the Takoma Park City Council meeting on Monday night. For their part, councilmembers said that their resolution will go beyond words to action in encouraging refugee settlement … Continue reading →

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MCCRC joins ACLU-MD, CAIR, 36 other organizations in letter to Governor Hogan on refugees

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Thomas Nephew

Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition was proud to join 38 other Maryland civil rights and other groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maryland and the Council on American-Islamic Relations – Maryland (CAIR), in a letter urging Governor … Continue reading →

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Thomas Nephew on refugee resolution: “this – not fear, not hostility — is who we are”

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Thomas Nephew

My name is Thomas Nephew, I’m a member of the Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition. I’m here to applaud all of you, especially our new mayor Kate Stewart, for your willingness to consider a resolution that would express support for … Continue reading →

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Lois Wessel on refugee resolution: “offering them what others offered my mother”

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Thomas Nephew

Seventy-five years ago, a German Jewish teenager who had been sent to safety in England in 1939 on the Kindertransport arrived in New York where she was reunited with her parents. After a brief stay in New York, the three … Continue reading →

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Proposed Syrian refugee resolution for the city of Takoma Park

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Thomas Nephew

As is well known, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan recently asked the federal government to “cease any additional settlements of refugees from Syria in Maryland until the U.S. government can provide appropriate assurances that refugees from Syria pose no threat to … Continue reading →

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MCCRC “Freedom to boycott” testimony

Posted on November 19, 2015 by Thomas Nephew

I’m Thomas Nephew, from Takoma Park, MD and I’m here on behalf of the Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition. I’m here to speak against the growing trend to use public agencies and institutions to stigmatize, penalize, and sometimes criminalize nonviolent, … Continue reading →

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MCCRC supports “Freedom2Boycott” campaign at Maryland legislative priorities hearing

Posted on November 19, 2015 by Thomas Nephew

Yesterday evening MCCRC’s Thomas Nephew joined other speakers from a new “Freedom To Boycott” campaign (freedom2boycott.com) urging legislators from Montgomery County to keep Maryland’s hands off the “BDS” (boycott, divestment, sanction) movement against Israeli policies — and protect all nonviolent … Continue reading →

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