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ACT! for America Chapter Responds to
Issue at Wright State University

Last Friday I told you about how the efforts of one of our supporters exposed RevolutionMuslim.com. Today I'm delighted to report to you how our ACT! for America chapters across the country are already making a difference in their local communities.

For instance, last Wednesday we emailed you the story about Moody Kassem, Director of International Student Affairs for student government at Wright State University, who is trying to get a permanent, private, Islamic-only prayer room established on campus.

Kassem, who is also Vice President of Wright State's Muslim Student Association, launched an online poll supposedly to find out how many Muslim students on campus would use such a prayer room. However, he sent his email request to Muslims all across America, most of whom we can assume would never use a prayer room at Wright State. It would seem Mr. Kassem was trying to rig the vote to make it look like there was a great deal more interest in such a prayer room than is actually the case.

Wednesday afternoon our ACT! for America chapter in Dayton contacted us to let us know they are planning to weigh in on this issue - and our staff was more than happy to provide them with suggestions as to what they could do about it. (If you live in the Dayton area and want to find out more about this effort, please email our chapter leader at daytonACT@woh.rr.com).

This is yet another example of how our grassroots citizen action network is starting to have an impact across the country. We launched the chapter organization program only five months ago, and here's just a sample of the activism we've seen already:

• Several of our California chapters have begun a public school textbook review program to identify false, misleading and distorted portrayals of Islam. Their goal is to take the results of this review to the proper government authorities. They have already provided some materials they have reviewed to a state assemblyman.

• Our New York City chapter conducted a free speech rally.

• Our central Minnesota chapter has responded to our call for action on the matter of TIZA, the taxpayer-supported charter school in Minnesota that appears to be essentially an Islamic school. As our email noted: "A visitor might well mistake Tarek ibn Ziyad for an Islamic School," reported Minnesota Monthly in 2007. The chapter has contacted the State Department of Education and received a reply acknowledging that the Department is now aware of the concerns and is going to investigate. We will be following up with further action.

• Leaders of several chapters have been conducting educational outreach events in their communities.

• A chapter leader prepared and submitted to us two Power Point presentations that were so good we have posted them on the Chapter Information page under Educational and Organizational Resources.

• Leaders in our ACT! Alaska chapter were recently interviewed on a talk radio program in their area.

• One of our chapter leaders has experience in media relations, and she prepared a sample press release for local ACT! for America chapters. We liked it so much that, after making a few minor edits, we made it a permanent part of our local chapter starter packet.

I'm sure there is other activity going on out there that we haven't even heard about. It thrills my heart and I swell up with pride for our great country as I hear about what our local chapters are doing.

My friends, this is only the beginning! If you are interested in leading a chapter or helping get one started, or finding out if there is a chapter in your area, please go to http://www.actforamerica.org/chapter-information-page/.

Thank you so much for your commitment, support and activism!

Yours in defense of America,

Brigitte Gabriel

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