Palestine Think Tank

A letter to Mr. Kevin Reilly, Jr., Mr. Sean Reilly, Mr. James R. McIlwain of Lamar (company that took the money to install a billboard paid for 8 weeks, but tore it down early) 

Dear Gentlemen:

For over one hundred years Lamar Company has nobly served this nation, its customers and shareholders.  It's generosity in offering free public service access to its billboards is truly laudable.

It's a company that reflects the best of our American values, hard work, superior service, good governance and outstanding service to its clients.   Thus it's expected that Lamar would also uphold our democratic values where divergent opinions, free speech, debate and dialogue are respected and nurtured especially when it comes to issues of life, death, immoral and illegal oppression of other people's lands and freedoms.   Lamar's primary service is to provide the public with information space bought by Americans whether companies, organizations, or individuals.

That is why it is most disturbing and disappointing to learn that Lamar in Albuquerque, N.M. reneged on its contract with a local grassroots organizations of diverse Americans from different faiths including Jews, Christians, and Muslims who had legally purchased ten billboards to run a message for eight weeks only to have it abruptly canceled in three weeks due to some minor complaints by Pro Israel supporters.  (Please see press release below).

The coalition was formed to highlight the immoral but politically motivated decision by our Congress to send thirty billion dollars above the annual billions of economic and military aid to Israel given the assault on Palestinian families in Gaza earlier this year that led to the deaths of hundreds of children.   The United Nations, the European Union, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Several Israeli human rights organizations, our National Lawyers Guild and so many more have deemed Israel's attack on Gaza as WAR CRIMES after their thorough investigation.   They found Israel even used illegal and banned weapons against civilians such as White Phosphorous bombs.

Although our knowledge maybe limited on the Israeli Palestinian conflict, one thing we as Americans understand and support is Freedom of Speech, our Constitutionally guaranteed First Amendment to free speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition.

Israel's supporters thrive on our freedom of speech by ensuring that Israel's interests in all our media, films, think tanks, and lobbies is paramount.   Unfortunately, the victims of this conflict, the Palestinians have no such wealth, funding or political voice in this country.  

Thus its vital for Americans with a human conscience and compassion who know first hand Israel's oppression of millions of helpless families under an illegal occupation as identified even by our own government have the smallest of opportunities to let America know of our blind, expensive, and counterproductive support of Israel, the sole nuclear power aggressor in the Middle East.

Gentlemen, I urge you to find the courage of your conscience, compasion, and patriotic love of our liberties to reconsider Lamar's decision to remove these billboards and allow them to stand for the remaining five weeks as per the agreed contract.   Lamar approved the billboard but is sadly succumbing to the complaints of the few in lieu of the liberty and survival of the many.

I am most grateful for your kind attention to this matter.   I await your response and God willing your reconsideration of this tragic decision.

God Bless, Respectfully

Mohamed Khodr M.D., M.P.H.

Member, The Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel

http://stop30billion.com/index.php

For Immediate Release April 28, 2009

Contact: Lori Rudolph, 505-550-9553, lorir@unm.edu, Rich Forer, 265-1898, rich_forer@yahoo.com

LAMAR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING BOWS TO PRESSURE FROM PRO-ISRAEL GROUPS:

REMOVES BILLBOARDS AND STIFLES FREEDOM OF SPEECH

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – An Albuquerque-based billboard company pulled ten billboards today that had featured a political message. The contract between a local grassroots group, the Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel, and Lamar Outdoor Advertising was supposed to be for eight weeks; the billboards were taken down after only three weeks.

Correspondence from Lamar indicated that the company had received complaints about the billboards’ message, which said: “Tell Congress: Stop Killing Children. End Military Aid to Israel.”

The Coalition has scheduled a meeting with Lamar officials on Friday. In the meantime, supporters are phoning Lamar to request the billboards be put back up.

On April 8th, the Coalition to Stop $30 Billion to Israel erected the billboards throughout the Albuquerque area in order to inform the public about the misuse of their tax dollars, denominated in human lives. The group was motivated by concern for the Palestinian people who had recently been

subjected to a massive invasion of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military. Over 1,400 Palestinians – mostly civilian, including three hundred children – were killed and over 5,000 were injured. In 2007 the Bush administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding that provides $30 billion of U.S. taxpayer dollars to Israel over a ten year period beginning in 2008. The majority of these dollars will be used to purchase American-made weapons.

The design of the billboard had been approved by Lamar and the billboards’ wording and final image were suggested by Lamar’s graphics designer.

According to information from Lamar, it appears groups claiming to be pro-Israel have conducted a campaign to pressure Lamar to remove the billboards. The Coalition believes this is a deliberate attempt to silence its right to free speech because the humanitarian message of the billboards supports equal rights for the Palestinian people, thereby necessitating criticism of Israel.

See also: http://marcovilla.instablogs.com/entry/stop-30-billion-to-israel/