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362-5266
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May 2004 MER@MiddleEast.Org MER - P.O. Box 4918 - Washington, DC 20008 |
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| News, Views, & Analysis Governments,
Lobbies, & the Corporate Media Don't Want You To Know |
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| The most honest, most comprehensive, and most
mobilizing news and analysis on the Middle East always comes from MER. It is indispensable!" Robert Silverman - Salamanca, Spain |
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IMPORTANT UPDATE ABOUT MER
We have had to suspend regular publication of MER. As we have already informed you there have been many attempts for some time to try to make it impossible or too difficult or costly for MER to continue. Among the latest problems has been the censorship by AOL of select MER articles coupled with multiple and growing attempts to sabotage, undermine, and discredit MER. Below are a few of the many messages we have received earlier this month from those who have had MER articles censored or blocked by AOL.
Despite all of the difficulties we are working hard at this time to reestablish MER and in fact, if we possibly can, to not only continue MER but substantially improve it in critical ways. Our plan is to be able to provide direct and immediate delivery of time-sensitive news analysis and MER articles in a way far faster and much more resilient. We are making special efforts to create this capability at this time. If we can achieve this then we will in fact make MER even more valuable, and more unique, than ever.
For MER to be what so many have come to consider uniquely valuable we have to be sure at all times to fully retain our total independence. And doing that requires that we raise our funding only from independent individuals who appreciate the critical importance of the kind of hard-hitting, uncompromising, cutting-edge, expert analysis for which MER has become known. Of course the additional roadblocks and problems put in our way require even more effort and expenditures if we are to be able to meet all of these challenges and to continue MER in a worthwhile way.
We cannot turn to the usual sources of funding, we have to turn to those of you who have come to appreciate, understand, and value MER.
At this critical time your financial contributions are what will make the decisive difference in whether we can continue and implement the plans we are now working on. We want very much to do so but this can only be done if we have the independent financial resources to make it possible. And because of what has happened we are now considerable behind financially burdened with many additional and unexpected expenditures. Please, don't put this off or think that it is up to others. It is up to all of us together and now is the most critical time we have ever faced. We can and we will do the difficult work; but we have to turn to you for the financial resources to make it possible.
To contribute by check make your check to MER and send to:
MER
P.O. Box 4918
Washington, DC 20008
To contribute online using the popular Paypal service (www.Paypal.com) send to MER@MiddleEast.Org which is now verified by Paypal.
Thank you very sincerely.
Mark Bruzonsky
MER Publisher
(202) 362-5266
MER@MiddleEast.Org
Alternate Email: MidEastRealities@hotmail.com
==============================================
SOME OF THE EMAILS RECEIVED EARLIER THIS MONTH
==============================================
Subj: Re: Mid-East Realities
Date: 5/4/04
To: postmaster@aol.com
I'm writing you because recently I've not been receiving articles from MERL@middleeast.org....
What's going on?
There were several articles that I didn't receive in April and then I got a few and then they stopped completely. I had my wife subscribe through her account with another ISP; I couldn't subscribe her from my account since MER is very strict about taking subscriptions only from the subscriber's own account. Anyway, she's receiving current articles from MER that haven't come to me through AOL.
Please correct this. There's little sense in subscribing to a wide variety of political lists and services, with a wide variety of views, if AOL is going to censor them for me. I prefer to make my own judgments in these matters.
If I can't trust AOL to function as a neutral portal, there's no reason to continue using it. Please let me know that you're rectifying this.
Incidentally, I've never received any virus from a MER message.
Sincerely,
William Peltz
==============================
Subject: subscribe
Date: Thu, 20 May 2004
I am a great fan of MER news and, through another address, your news has been blocked. Let's try this one. thanks.
“Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience. Our problem is that numbers of people all over the world have obeyed the dictates of the leaders of their government and have gone to war, and millions have been killed because of this obedience. . Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity and war and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves, and all the while the grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem."--Howard Zinn
Cathie Bell
==============================
Date: 12 May 2004
I'm sending a contribution today. I just want you to know that MER is a big part of my life these days. I count on your reports to stay informed about what is happening. I was concerned the past week when I wasn't receiving articles and could not access the MER web site that perhaps my source for dependable Mideast news was censored. Thank you for providing an alternative to the corporate media news. DFH
==============================
I have not received any articles from MER since 23 April. AOL is definitely censoring my mail. I did receive an article today on Censorship Escalating. Does this mean pressure is building and AOL will stop this censorship, or does it merely mean that this is a fairly innocuous article that they will allow through? What can we do as a group (those whose email has been censored) to bring enough pressure to bear to either get AOL to change their policy or to have this matter publicized? It is not realistic for the US to "export" democracy when we do not practice it at home, i.e., when there is no right of free speech and right to freedom of information. Both actions are against the Constitution. Have you contacted AOL at their Postmaster phone number as they say you must? They (AOL) are remarkably unresponsive to users, saying that you must contact them. Thank you for whatever you can do and/or whatever guidance you can provide to us who would like to continue receiving your articles.
DonnaGann
==============================
Date: Fri, 7 May
To: Postmaster@aol.com
CC: MER@MiddleEast.Org
Dear Postmaster or should I say dear Censor Master,
My family and I have been loyal members of AOL since 1996 by having not one AOL account but two in the same household and have been receiving MER letters regularly for the past four years. I was under the impression that AOL practiced freedom of speech and had nothing to do with what their members choose to read. But now I found out that AOL have been censoring what MER sent to their members. Articles from May 4th, 5th and 6th were not received by my aol address but other friends of mine who receive their MER via other Internet were able to receive theirs. If AOL feels that they have the right of allowing their members to read only what AOL deems necessary then I believe AOL can do without both of my accounts. I have a feeling that AOL forgot that they are NOT the only Internet providers.
Sincerely,
Salma
==============================
Subject: AOL PROBLEMS
Date: Fri, 7 May 2004
I too have been censored. I contacted the help desk on line and after a long session in which there was no acknowledgement of censorship, it was suggested that it was my fault for not having MER properly listed in my address book. I have added the address, and now get the messages regarding AOL censorship from you, but NO ARTICLES.
Victoria Hammond
==============================
Date: Fri, 7 May 2004
To: postmaster@aol.com
CC: MER@MiddleEast.Org
To the AOL Postmaster:
It has come to my attention that AOL has recently blocked several e-mails sent to my address from MERL@MiddleEast.Org (MER - Mid-East Realities - MiddleEast.Org)
MER is a reliable news gathering and analysis organization which informs subscribers about current events. The website is an invaluable resource for students doing research on national and international affairs.
Would you kindly look into this complaint and make sure that AOL does not hinder the free flow of information? Any attempt to control such information undermines the principles under which AOL obtained its license.
Thank you.
Ellen Wasfi
Dover, DE
=============================
Are you censoring my incoming mail?
Date: Thu, 6 May 2004
To: postmaster@aol.com
Postmaster,
For 4 or more years I have been receiving the Middle East Realities (MER) newsletters. During the past month I have not been receiving the letters although I remain subscribed to the listserve. I understand that subscribers who use other ISP providers are still receiving their newsletters. Why would AOL be censoring them? I have never received spam or viruses from this listserve. They share news and opinion on the Middle East, but they are not sending pornography. If AOL does not end its censorship I will join with other AOL users in bring a lawsuit against AOL. I intend to protect freedom of information.
Sincerely,
Janice Hayden
=============================
Subject: Re: Is AOL Censoring MER Articles from reaching you? YES
Date: Thu, 6 May 2004
Hello, Friends at MER:
No, I didn't receive the item about the torture (going on for years) in Israel towards Palestinian prisoners. I received it from Peter Sirius. Please continue sending to him, as he sends to us.
I have complained to AOL, copy to you, and to fair@fair.org.
We must do something legallky to put a stop to this discrimination.
Thank you
Carol Bradford
=============================
Date: Thu, 6 May 2004
I have sent several complaints to AOL feedback but get only meaningless pablum answers. I think this censorship should get wide publicity, altho the American media carefully screens out anything negative about Israel. Are you considering legal action?
Wm. L. Hughes
=============================
Date: Thu, 6 May 2004
I have not received the above MER articles. I have never received spam or viruses. My FIRST AMENDMENT rights as an American are willfully being cancelled by AOL. This should be a case for the ACLU. Let me add that about 2 weeks ago MER notified me that my subscription had been cancelled, using my E-Mail address and home telephone number. At no time had I cancelled.Someone is committing fraud. It might be helpful publish a list of people who have been thus treated, provided, of course, that you have the permission of your subscribers. You have my permission. Incidentally, I resubscribed twice, just to make sure.
Klaus E. Biallowons, M.D.
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Date: Thu, 6 May 2004
YES! I signed up for MER articles via Yahoo and I am receiving every one without fail through Yahoo. I have ceased to receive anything from MER aside from the email contact concerning the censorship which are getting through on AOL. I will make my third call to AOL today to try to get to the bottom of this, or cancel with them. I did notice that the icon next to MER articles indicates unknown mail while my other newsletters show up as bulk mail so shall ask if this could somehow be the problem. DFH
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Date: Tue, 4 May 2004
I called AOL this morning on the 888-212-5537 line and spoke to a man whose name is Adam (that's all he would tell me). I, too, told him how upset I was that I'm not receiving the MER updates. His comments are as follows:
"We would need to hear from MER and not all of you."
"MER has to comply with all our standards such as reverse look up, not sending SPAM and to make sure the emails were not compromised,"
I told him that MER wasn't sending SPAM and that, as far as I know, MER had already contacted AOL about the problem. Essentially he repeated several times that it was MER's fault and not the fault of AOL. When I told him I expected to receive these postings within the next month, his comment was, "AOL beliieves in freedom of speech, and it wouldn't just block the emails."
On the contrary, that is exactly what they are doing. I also let him know that, as difficult as it might be for my office, I would cancel all subscriptions to AOL within two months if this is not resolved. He responded that he couldn't do anything personally, and when I asked him for his last name, he said he didn't know me well enough to give it to me.
I also told him that others had contacted AOL and spoken to Steven Roy, and Adam said he'd never heard of the man. In short, AOL is assuming it's our problem and not theirs.
I will pass on my response and Dr. Billy's response (I'll remove his name) to all my lists... Women in Black and ISM in particular.
Greta K. Berlin
West Hollywood, CA
Volunteer, International Solidarity Movement
=============================
Date: Tue, 4 May 2004
Great! Good job! Please keep up the fight for freedom of information and the outstanding work you do for us!
=============================
Date: Tue, 4 May 2004
To: postmaster@aol.com
I have been a subscriber to aol for about 10 years and during about 8 of those I have been receiving the Middle East Realities letter(MER). I have not complained or asked for any action to be taken against them, so it came as a shock to me to find out that AOL is carrying out its own censorship against this newsletter, the excuse of a virus in the email is just not true since I have never received one in 8 years, nor do I beleive the spam issue since the letter is sent to only those that ask to subscribe.
This to me is an issue of principle and of freedom of speech. If AOL continues to censor my email then in this day and age of numerous other internet servers then perhaps one and others like should consider other alternatives. But also to be honest with you this will not go without a court challange and the attendent publicity of suppression and censorship of freedom of speeck.
sincerely
A Farah
=============================
Date: Tue, 4 May 2004
Dear MER,
You are correct, I am not getting your mail, I'll give it one more week, If I do not receive anything from you, I will call AOL.
I am piiiiiiissed off, I feel like we are living in a third world country! It is going to get worse if Bush wins in 2004, Oh help us all God.
Ziyad/Seattle
=============================
Subject: Torture/Cover Up
Date: Tue, 4 May 2004
Dear Sirs,
In response to your query, I confirm having received the Cover Up
article but not the one on Torture. I normally receive all your articles
uncensored. I am an avid daily reader of your wonderful articles and it
is heartening to see that MER is gaining an ever widening readership in
Saudi Arabia. Your endeavors to live up to your high standards of
truthful and objective reporting is highly appreciated and commended.
Best wishes and kind regards.
Aziz Abbas
=============================
Date: Tue, 4 May 2004
For the last couple of days i am not receiving any MER articles,
that's why i tried to re-SUBSCRIBE, i don't know whether your
messages are being blocked or censored ? I live in the Netherlands...
I hope to receive your important and eye-opening MER articles
very soon again.
Yours,
Jan Straathof
=============================
Subject: Missing mail
Date: Tue, 4 May 2004
To: postmaster@aol.com
Dear Postmaster,
I want to report that I have not received many letters sent to me by Middle East Realities (MER). Freely receiving the news and ideas of people around the globe is very inportant to me as indeed to all who are interested in freedom. It has been brought to my attention that quite a few letters from this source are missing. It makes me wonder if other mail has not been waylaid also.
This looks suspiciously like censorship, and I am reasonably certain that AOL does not want this sort of tag attached to your company.
Please see that the internet continues to be allow exercise in the freedom of information. Censorship is UnAmerican and our very system depends upon retaining such rights to know! Those who would censor show they have something to hide. If I cannot have the freedom with your company to receive the letters and information sent me, then we shall part ways. That would be a pity for I am accustomed to your system. Thank you for your attention to this very important detail.
Sincerely,
Donna L. Haidary
=============================
Subject: From Arthur Billy: Re Further Update - AOL Censoring of MER Articles
Date: Mon, 3 May 2004 14:06:58 EDT
...I firmly believe that AOL is BLOCKING all of my MER Articles.
Friends in Canada and America that introduced to MER that do not use AOL are receiving all of the articles and have forwarded most to me.
On April 30, 2004 I telephoned the AOL CAT team , 1-888-265-3773. The CAT team that is supposed to investigate such matters. I ecplained the situation to a woman called Kim and demanded that the blocking of MER by AOL be stopped immediately.
Kim was very evasive and told me that AOL is geting a lot of viruses attached to MER Articles. Therefore AOl is blocking MER Articles to stop the viruses. I told her that in allof the years I havbe been reciving MER articles I have NEVER received any virus attached to any of the MER articles. I demanded that the Blocxking of MER be immediately stopped.
Kim told me to contact MER and let you know that MER has to get in touch with the AOL Postmaster Team. I asked her first how does MER do that? I requested a telephone number and an e-mail address for the AOL Postmaster Team.
She refused to give me either saying: "they, (MER) have to do that".
Since I was getting no where with Kim I asked to speak to a supervisor or manger.
A supervisor, Steven Roy eventually got on the telephone. He gave me a lot of goobly dook talk after I told Mr. Roy that AOL has no right to block my MER articles and deprive me of my right of Freedom of Information. Mr. Roy answered:"AOL servers automatically identify certain domains and AOL is ACCIDENTALLY AUTOMATICALLY blocking the MER Articles. I demanded that he unblock the MER Articles. Mr. Roy responded that he could not do that and that MER will have to contact the AOL Postmaster Team.
I Demended from Mr. Roy that he give me the telephone number and e-mail of the AOL Postmaster Team as Kim had refused to do so . I also told him of Kims evasive behaviour towards me.
Mr Roy was reluctant to provide me with the AOL Postmaster Team telephone number and e-mail address. I insisted and he finally gave them to me given below:
888-212-5537
703-265-4670
E-mail: postmaster@aol.com
I will call AOL again today and demand that they stop blocking the MER Articles. I do not know what I will accomplish, however I will persist and if they do not do so I will drop AOL.
I will work with you to stop this Travestry by AOl. lease tell me what you would like me to do.
With Best Regards,
Dr. Arthur F. Billy
Walnut Creek CA
=============================
Subject: censoring of e-mail
Date: Sun, 2 May 2004
Hello,
I wanted to let you know that my aol e-mail from MER has also been censoring. Also, you sent me a notice that some of my mail from you has been bouncing. I sent in a subscription at my other e-mail address... I hope to start receiving it soon... In the meantime, please continue to send me mail at this aol address, and when it starts coming to the other address, I will be discontinuing my aol service, presently trying to decide which other service to use.
Jacquline Horn
=============================
Date: Sun, 2 May 2004
Subscribe. Please continue your good work, in spite of those who want to shut you up.
Best, Jack
=============================
Subject: SUBSCRIBE
Date: Sun, 2 May 2004
I would like to receive MER. It is excellent and would love to keep receiving it.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you.
=============================
Subject: RE: CENSORHIP
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
I have not received any of the articles you mentioned in your list...
Good luck in tracking down the problem. And thanks for all the hard work in
presenting the truth about the Mid-east.
Boice
=============================
Subject: SUBSCRIBE
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
I love the information you provide. It is unique and invaluable. Absolutely, I want to
keep getting Mid-east Realities.
Bill McCall
=============================
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
YES PLEASE CONTINUE SENDING MER. I WAS AFRAID AOL IS BLOCKING MY RECEIVEING YOUR GREAT ARTICLES. I have not received mer FOR ALL OF THIS WEEK
Arthur F. Billy
=============================
Date: Sat, 1 May 2004
I COULD NOT DO WITHOUT THE "MER" REPORTS.
I HAVE PRINTED MANY OF THEM OFF AND HANDED THEM OUT TO FRIENDS AND PEOPLE AT LARGE TO PROVE A POINT ON WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON IN THE MIDDLE-EAST.
YOUR REPORTS ARE THE GREATEST AS YOU ARE.
PLEASE KEEP UP THE VERY GOOD WORK !!!!!
WITH KIND REGARDS
JOHN A.H. MEYER
ADVERTISING ORGANISER
NEW DAWN MAGAZINE (Australia)
=============================
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
Thank you for this message and for your invaluable, truthful MER
information.
I trust that you have received the check I sent about a week ago.
Sincerely,
Iris Freelander
Berkeley, CA
=============================
Subject: great job
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
I have always wanted a connection to the 'middle east'.
Growing up in mid America in the '50's all our history was from the
English point of view, and after that, the Roman.
My heritage is Byzantine, our family is from Thrace...which to the west
never existed.
I am writing a series of books, Bramble Days, which celebrates what it
is like to exist in a world that doesn't 'hear' other points.
I grew up with a name, Hadjidakis, around me. It always made me
appreciate the moslem world, altho our Hadji was a Christian one from
Crete to Jerusalem eons ago.
Keep up the good work, keep on sending me MER.
J Cline
=============================
Subject: 2 friends of mine
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
To whom it may concern:
Just a bit of info. Two of my friends also re-subscribed as I did earlier this evening. All of us would be in a vacuum if it were not for your informative articles. It is a wonderful site. Hopefully we will not be removed from your list, by that I mean the evil forces that are out there, that do not want people to know the truth.
Bev
=============================
Subject: Re: SUBSCRIBE (HOW DARE THEY...AT AOL?!)
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
I am not a new member but have been for the past year and a half and could not imagine not being able to get your insightful analysis of the Middle East "Rape". I have been forwarding your articles to all my friends and pertinent organizations on a regular basis.
Thanks anyway for re-registering me and keep up the good work!
=============================
Subject: AOL blocking MER emails
Date: Sat, 1 May 2004 11
your websites reported, last week, that AOL was blocking your daily newsletter to its subscribers. is this true, and i've notice i haven't recieved MER's daily as much in the last week, are they(AOL) now in the business of censorship? what is MER saying thats irking them so? anyways could you please reply and fill me in, if this is true i'll cancel my subscription to AOL, also do you recommend, for the time being, i get a secondary email to continue recieving your daily? i really look forward to reading the MER daily, keep up the excellent work!
tony resendez
st.louis, mo.
=============================
Subject: Subscribe
Date: Sat, 01 May 2004
I wait for your articles impatiently, sorry to hear about what is reported concerning my address...I hope it is not a scam and someone is trying for me or for the rest of not to get your articles... Anyway here I am subscribing again....I hope I will never stop getting your mail...keep up the excellent work, may God bless and keep you strong
Sincerely
Yuma
=============================
Subject: SUBSCRIBE
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
I think that you are the most responsible source of information on this
subject. I really appreciate what you have done. You have stuck your neck
out in a very volatile situation and have had the courage to say what is not
in the mainstream spin. Keep it up. I refer you to many others.
Thanks
Charlie Seifried
=============================
Subject: SUBSCRIBE
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
Have not been receiving MER but have been too busy to contact you.
But I received a warning from UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE...
WARNING OF..How Modern Terrorism uses the internet...so I wondered
if they meant MER too...chuckle..I tried to get off their list...of no avail..
since it has been decade or so when I attended their "show" at LBJ
Library.
The situation is so dire...I sometimes need a rest from it...Been writing
and fighting it, since "Desert Strom"...of course...no results.
Thank you.
Catine E. Perkins
=============================
Subject: SUBSCRIBE
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2004
From: @aol.com
Just want to make doubly sure that I continue to receive MER articles. It's really a great service. Thank you. Donna Gann
=============================
Subject: SUBSCRIBE
Date: Sat, 1 May 2004
I am surprised that I was reported as not receiving your "MER" publicatiom. This is a mistake, since I have been receiving it al;l; along, and in fact have been forwarding many super-informative articles to people I know are pro-Palestinian around the world.
Thank you for continuing your excellent work,
Sincerely
Drt. Najib S. Jamal
=============================
Subject: you are sorely missed
Date: Thu, 8 May 2003
Hello Staff:
I am so accustomed to advocating your web site on AOL chat (War On Terror) room, that I was shocked to see you are not available at this time. I hope it is not a situation that will last long?
I am low income at this time, and have found the best way for me.to support your web site is to continually mention it online. Thank you for your timely and provocative articles.
Sincerely,
Sarah L. Rubis
=============================
Subject: I would like to receive your information
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 14:43:47 EDT
From: @aol.com
To Whom It May concern:
PLEASE ADD MY "NAME" to your list of subscribers. Love your spirit as much as I do your valuable information.
Thanks.
David Shaheen
=============================
Subject: keep up the brilliant work!
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004
From: @hotmail.com
Hello MER staff,
I woud like to thank your of your persistent efforts in publicizing the
truth. I enjoy your articles very much and hope that MER never becomes
censored.
Best of luck to you,
Hosna T.
=============================
Subject: RE: Possible Censorship of MER articles
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004
All articles below have been received and perused at this address (not @aol).
Your publication is invaluable although one reads nothing uncritically. Keep up your efforts.
cb
=============================
Subject: SUBSCRIBE
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2004
From: @aol.com
Thank you so much. This is the REAL deal news!
Janice Wolfstar
=============================
Previously from MER:
Important MER Information
and Update
There have been many attempts over the years to put roadblocks in our way and in fact to prevent MER from continuing in one way or another. Such attempts to force us to close, to co-opt, to falsely defame, and more recently to block or censor, are more and more it seems part of the realities of our times and more and more matters we have to be able to deal with. These developments are also more and more a part of "Mid-East Realities" overall and thus these are challenges we also have to be able to face up to.
Precisely because it is so difficult to start and to continue to publish in a truly independent, expert, and hard-hitting way focusing on matters relating to the Middle East -- that is precisely why so many people have come to value MER, appreciate what we have already been able to achieve, and want to make sure we can continue and expand. The importance of crucial information, insights, commentary, and analysis -- carefully selected and edited as well as carefully combined with expert analysis about the region, its history, and also about what is really happening in Washington about the Middle East -- has never been greater.
This is all the more true when unprecedented new efforts at intimidation and repression, as well as actual censorship and pressured self-censorship are underway. Pushed hard by the Washington neocons and many of the groups associated with the Israeli/Jewish Lobby the U.S. Congress is setting up a 'monitoring' group for Middle East studies centers at colleges and universities throughout the United States, and the State Department is setting up a new office to monitor "anti-semitism", which is wrongly but quite purposefully defined to include outspoken opposition to Israeli and U.S. policies. The clear threat is to bring still further problems down on those who dare speak up and to use selective funding, administrative pressures, and stacked tribunals to reward those who toe the line and to punish or push under those who do not.
Just last week leaders at nine of the top universities in the U.S. publicly protested to the Ford Foundation against the new restrictions being imposed on universities who receive major foundation grants -- again the result of pressures coming from groups associated with Israel and wanting to block or repress students and professors from speaking up in opposition to Israel and in support of legitimate Palestinian rights. As the Associated Press reported a few days ago:
"In a letter sent to the New York-based foundation last week, the provosts of nine prominent schools - including Harvard, Yale, Princeton and MIT - said they're not in a position to regulate everything said by students and faculty members who benefit from Ford grants. 'Whatever university administrators may think of the merits of the political views expressed, these fall under the protection of freedom of academic speech' they wrote."
The troubling thing of course is that the situation has already become so repressive that such letters have to be written at all; and then that they have to be made public in order to raise the warning flag for us all about what is going on these days.
Thanks to the calls and messages we have had from so many of you we do realize that it is precisely because what we are doing through MER is so insightful, tough-minded, refreshingly candid, and on target -- and that it comes from persons not only expert about the Middle East situation but also about what is going on in Washington -- that we should in fact considerably expand our efforts at this critical time and actually pursue a greater agenda to gain a larger following and have a larger impact.
Our motto has always been: "News, Information, & Analysis That Governments, Interest Groups, and the Corporate Media Don't Want You To Know!" And for a number of years now we have been suggesting, "If you don't get MER, you just don't get it!"
It was the famous Washington journalist of the past, I.F. 'Izzy' Stone, who said: "The purpose of good journalism is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable!" And we certainly have felt that it is our responsibility to continually focus on what is being done to the powerless and to the oppressed, while exposing the distortions and lies of those who are powerful, wealthy, and all too often these days dangerously self-righteous.
The truth and meaning of all three of these expressions have in fact become considerably more important in recent years. But in these years it has also continually become more and more difficult to continue with MER. And indeed, if we are to continue and grow we now have to be prepared for even more difficult times ahead.
In the past there have been many attempts to co-opt or to undermine MER, and there have been more recently serious attempts to block and censor MER in a number of ways, including by AOL and others with this purpose in mind. Very frankly there have been persons of Jewish background who told us they would help provide financial support for MER, but only if we would be positive about the 'Peace Process' and not be so highly critical of Israeli policies. More recently there have been persons of Arab background -- including a Lebanese official at the World Bank and a Palestinian businessman in Canada -- who came to us saying they wanted to help support MER, but only if the tough articles dealing so revealing with the Arab 'client regimes' and the Arab American groups were no longer published.
MER is the unique publication and embryonic organization it is today because we have steadfastly refused to be co-opted by anyone or to tone down or twist our articles and commentary based on who is willing to provide financial support. We pride ourselves in serious hard-hitting truth telling to power at all times, as difficult as that can oftentimes be. But at the same time the additional reality we need to face is that we have had to work harder and harder to deal with the continual attempts to inhibit, slander, co-opt, block, censor, and defame MER. To say the least, it has not always been easy to handle all aspects of this overall situation; and in fact more and more time and effort and money have had to be expended to do so.
At this time, in addition to everything else, we have been working hard on a whole new concept which we think can attract a far greater following and influence. We want to literally take a major step and move to a new level of information and commentary updating everything 24/7 and seriously providing in real time the crucial analysis and focus so missing from the coverage of today's news by the corporate-sponsored and lobby-twisted media. You will be able to preview what we call the ME REPORT at www.MEReport.com. So far this is only a basic start, just a preview demonstration, of what we are now capable of doing if we can raise the financial support to make this effort successful on a much expanded basis with updates quite literally throughout the day every day. If we can do that through ME Report then we will finally be able to give voice to and emphasis to the really important things that people need to know but otherwise will not know in a very useable way -- and not only about past events but also about current developments breaking in the news everyday.
We are also working hard on a new faster and more reliable way to deliver MER articles and information worldwide, with bulletins and articles automatically being delivered to your computer and with the capability to allow persons receiving MER to regularly chat with and soon to talk on-line with key writers and activists, as well as with each other. This is called MER ONLINE and at this time we are working to be able to make the initial version of this available very soon. When working this will make it far easier to receive MER articles and information quickly and will get around those censorship practices now taking place. But again efforts of this kind require considerably more financial support that we have; and for this we can only turn to persons like you who have come to know and value MER, independent persons who appreciate what we are doing and why it is so necessary as well as so difficult.
Which of course brings us squarely to the crucial organizational and financing issues which we now have to take on forthrightly. A truly independent, honest, and hard-hitting effort like MER has to have truly independent financial support to make it possible to continue, to expand, to have growing impact, and to stand up to all the pressures and roadblocks thrown into our way. We also need the financial backing to do some serious promotion and media relations to make MER much better known. The Catch-22 of all this is of course that the more one is having an impact, the more the powers that be -- those interest groups, lobbies, governments and corporate media concerns of which we speak -- try to find ways, usually under the table ways, to try to discredit and to try to make it too difficult and too frustrating to continue.
We know of course that most people can only afford a small contribution, that most people cannot afford to contribute a large amount of money monthly, or even yearly. We ask you to contribute what you can at this crucial time and we promise you to continue to make MER even more uniquely worthwhile and insightful. Checks in the amounts of fifty or a few hundred dollars coming from a sizeable number of persons can amount to an important source of the support we now need. We realize of course that such contributions coming from many people are also an expression of concern and appreciation that goes beyond just the monetary value and makes an important statement in itself.
But we also know that some of you can afford to make more sizeable contributions; and very frankly that is very critically needed at this time. When it comes to making it possible for MER to continue in a serious way, and then to making the daily ME Report and MER Online projects possible and successful, we have to turn to those of you who have the financial means. This is in a sense a unique opportunity for those of you with substantial means to in effect join us as a publisher yourself. We have already done so much of the hard work to get MER going as we have, and we have already set in motion the important plans we've just outlined that can result in MER having considerable more potential and impact.
But now the reality is that it those of you of can afford sizeable financial contributions will really determine just what we can do and just how well we can do it.
This week will determine just what we are going to be able to do and what we are not going to be able to do. At this point, having taken so many positive steps in the past few years to make MER possible, to reorganize MER last year, and to deal with difficult problems and roadblocks that have been put in our way, it is to our financial base that we now have to urgently turn. To deal with these problems and to reorganize MER we have had to borrow and now we have to immediately raise $12000 right away. We urgently need to purchase new equipment that can greatly streamline and improve our capabilities, greatly enhance our productivity, and which will make possible the plans we have been working on for ME Report and MER Online. We need to pursue a promotion campaign with radio and TV talk-shows, we need to be in touch with students and university centers, we need to start publishing MER Op Eds in newspapers, and we need to make ME Report a daily reality and get MER Online off the ground. Indeed there is so much that needs to be done, and which we will do, if we can have your serious support to make it all possible.
Checks made to MER should be sent to:
MER
P.O. Box 4918
Washington, DC 20008
Contributions online and can be made using the popular Paypal service if you have an account. Using Paypal send to MER@MiddleEast.Org which is now verified with Paypal.
As I have emphasized in this update, many problems and difficulties have been put in our way. These are a part of "Mid-East Realities" in the largest sense of that expression. We know the times are urgent and we simply must find the ways not only to continue but to considerably improve and expand. In short, we are seriously determined and committed to overcome all of the problems and difficulties if we can have your serious help and support. We've already shown over the years how much we can do and that we can rise to new challenges and overcome new obstacles if that is necessary. Indeed, one significant sign of having a growing and significant impact is in fact when then try harder to stop you from continuing to do so.
So we ask you this week to respond in a tangible and serious way with your financial support. As you do we are going to use this week to take new organizational steps that are needed, to put in place new procedures and safeguards, and to get MiddleEast.Org back in operation in more robust ways than ever. We need to now take all of these steps to enable MER to move forward and then to get both ME Report and MER Online into operation, something we know you will much better understand and appreciate when you can use them daily as we have already begun testing.
In short, now is the time when your help and support is more imperative and more crucial than ever.
Thank you sincerely for reading this extensive summary about MER and for your concern, your understanding, and your support.
Mark Bruzonsky
MER Publisher
MID-EAST REALITIES
www.MiddleEast.Org
Phone: (202) 362-5266
Email: MER@MiddleEast.Org
Address: MER - P.O. Box 4918 - Washington, DC 20008
Originally written and sent to MER subscribers on 12 May.