FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct. 16, 2023

Rest In Power, Wadea Al-Fayoume

We Must Stand More Courageously Than Ever in Defense of Palestinians

Yesterday, a Chicago-area landlord broke into the home of a Palestinian family with a knife, severely injuring the mother and killing her 6-year-old son, Wadea Al-Fayoume.

Driven by the Islamophobia used to manufacture hate against Palestinians throughout the government and media recently, Joseph M. Czuba, the family’s landlord, tried to choke and stab the mother while yelling “you Muslims must die!” After she went to the bathroom to call 911, she returned to find that her landlord had stabbed her 6-year-old son, Wadea, 26 times. The murderer's wife disclosed his deep concern about the "national day of jihad," a false claim propagated by irresponsible media, elected officials, and police.

As Israel continues its brutal occupation and violent attacks on Palestinians in addition to cutting off food, water, electricity, and internet from Gaza, U.S. politicians and media continue to spew hateful lies and made up reports which demonize and dehumanize Muslims as “terrorists” in order to justify the U.S. and Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people.

Unfortunately, this racist rhetoric and the violence it emboldens are nothing new. After 9/11, anti-Muslim hate crimes in the United States rose 1,617%. The government and corporate media rely on hatred and fear to manufacture consent for the violence carried out by the U.S. military all around the world. They claim “self-defense” against an “unspeakable” “evil” “terrorist” “threat” as they commit unparalleled mass atrocities with impunity. When millions hear the President, their favorite news network, and their local members of Congress tell them that violence against innocent Muslims is not only justifiable, but necessary, they are encouraged to commit such horrific crimes as this one.

We must all vehemently reject the pro-occupation and pro-apartheid narrative which continues to spread at the insistence of the White House, Congress, and the media. As they incite fear and anger and hatred which stands to endanger us all, we must stand more courageously than ever in defense of Palestinians and in defense of our humanity.

May Wadea Al-Fayoume rest in power.

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