Guild Newspage 3

Happy Hour & MembershipMeetingpage 4

A Theology of Abolitionpage 5

To Live in Peacepage 6

Quaker Religion and Actionpage 7

Muslims Seek Social Justicepage 8

Honoring the Ancient Covenantpage 9

Law Students Report from the2010 NLG Convention

page 10

Legal Worker Award at theConvention

page 11

Mass DissentNovember 2010 www.nlgmass.org Vol. 33, No. 7

OMG, The Religion Issue

November 2010 Page 1

A young Guild membermentioned his concern that theNLG and other politically pro-gressive groups too often givethe impression that the reli-gious are not welcome. Heworried that perhaps all com-munities of faith were beingpenalized for the damage doneby the so-called ReligiousRight. We saw that as a usefulreminder to highlight the goodwork of several local religiousinstitutions and organizations.You might even say that it wasthe genesis of this issue.

The Guild has a long rela-tionship with CommunityChurch of Boston. On page 5,Rev. Jason Lydon describesthe church’s commitment toLiberation Theology and inparticular, its work to supportprisoners and abolish theprison industrial complex.

On page 6, Rev. BruceGreer provides the uniqueperspective of a progressiveBaptist Christian who is also aGround Zero veteran. Hewrites that the endless cycle ofviolence can only be brokenby “learning to live with com-peting meta-narratives, cultur-al and religious, economic andpolitical.”

Our own MargueriteHelen discusses basic Quakerprinciples on page 7 and howthey are put into practice,work often done alongside theNLG.

Anna Syed describes theextraordinary gathering thatoccurred at the IslamicSociety of Boston’s CulturalCenter when Gov. Patrick metwith over 1,200 Muslims, whodescribed their struggle foracceptance and inclusion. Seepage 8.

We close with an eloquentessay from Sheila Decter,page 9, on Judaism’s mandateto pursue justice.

Moving to more seculartopics, on page 10Northeastern studentsStephanie Gharakhanian andSharlyn Grace give us theirimpressions of the recent NLGconvention in New Orleans.

For those of you whoweren’t there, one of the high-lights was seeing our chapter’sfearless leader, UrszulaMasny-Latos, being honoredas Legal Worker of the Year.We have included her biofrom the dinner program onpage 11.

- Barb Dougan -

In This Edition

BOARD MEETING

NOVEMBER 16, 5:30 pm

14 Beacon St., 1st Fl.Boston

Massachusetts Chapter National Lawyers Guild 14 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108

November 2010 Mass Dissent Page 2

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIRPERSONSNeil Berman, Common Sense Legal Counseling

Barb Dougan, FAMM

TREASURERSPatricia Cantor

Jeff Petrucelly, Petrucelly, Nadler & Norris

MEMBERSLaura Alfring, CPCS Youth Advocacy Dept.

Thom Cincotta, Political Research Associates

Hillary Farber, Northeastern University

Jeff Feuer, Goldstein & Feuer

Christine Foot, federal attorney

David Kelston, Adkins, Kelston, Zavez

Mary Lu Mendonça, Suffolk Lawyers for Justice

Halim Moris, Moris & O’Shea

Judy Somberg, solo practitioner

Bonnie Tenneriello, MCLS

LAW STUDENT REPRESENTATIVESRaymond Austin, Northeastern

Margaret Ciborowski, New England

Lipou Laliemthavisay, Roger Williams

Zach Lown, Northeastern

Lauren Marcous, WNEC

Marianne Tassone, BU

Stephanie Young, Harvard

STAFF

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORUrszula Masny-Latos

LRS COORDINATOR/ADMIN. ASSIST.Sara DeConde

STREET LAW CLINIC COORDINATORSDaniel Werner

Mass Dissent (ISSN 0887-8536) is publishedmonthly except January, May, July and Augustby the National Lawyers Guild, Mass. Chapter,14 Beacon St., Suite 407, Boston, MA 02108.Second-class postage paid at Boston, MA.POSTMASTER: Send address changes toMass Dissent, NLG, 14 Beacon St., Suite 407,Boston, MA 02108.

NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILDMassachusetts Chapter, Inc.

14 Beacon St., Suite 407Boston, MA 02108

tel. 617-227-7335 • fax: 617-227-5495nlgmass@igc.org • nlgmass-director@igc.org

www.nlgmass.org

Street Law Clinic Project: The Street Law Clinic project providesworkshops for Massachusetts organizations that address legal needs ofvarious communities. Legal education workshops on 4th AmendmentRights (Stop & Search), Landlord/Tenant Disputes, Workers’ Rights,Civil Disobedience Defense, Bankruptcy Law, Foreclosure PreventionLaw, and Immigration Law are held at community organizations, youthcenters, labor unions, shelters, and pre-release centers. If you are a Guildattorney, law student, or legal worker interested in leading a workshop,please contact the project at 617-723-4330 or nlgmass-slc@igc.org.

Lawyer Referral Service Panel (LRS): Members of the panel provide legalservices at reasonable rates. Referral Service Administrative/OversightCommittee members: Neil Berman, Neil Burns, Joshua Goldstein, JeremyRobin, and Azizah Yasin. For more information, contact the Referral ServiceCoordinator at 617-227-7008 or nlgmass@igc.org.

Foreclosure Prevention Task Force: Created in June 2008, the TaskForce’s goal is threefold: (1) to draft and introduce policies that addressissues that homeowners and tenants of foreclosed on houses face, (2) toprovide legal assistance to these homeowners and tenants, and (3) toconduct legal clinics for them. If you are interested in working with theTask Force, please call the office at 617-227-7335.

Independent Civilian Review Board: In coalition with the AmericanFriends Service Committee and Greater Boston Civil Rights Coalition,the NLG has been pushing for the creation of an independent civilianboard to review complaints against Boston police officers. To getinvolved in the campaign, please contact the office at 617-227-7335.

NLG National Immigration Project: Works to defend and extend thehuman and civil rights of all immigrants, both documented and undocu-mented. The Committee works in coalition with community groups toorganize support for immigrant rights in the face of right-wing politicalattacks. For more information contact the NLG National ImmigrationProject at 617-227-9727.

NLG Military Law Task Force: Provides legal advice and assistanceto those in the military and to others, especially members of the GIRightsHotline, who are counseling military personnel on their rights. It alsoprovides legal support and helps to find local legal referrals when need-ed. The MLTF and the Hotline exchange many questions and informa-tion through their listserves. For advice and information, GI’s can call877-447-4487. To get involved, please contact Neil Berman (njber-man2@juno.com) or Marguerite Helen (mugsm@mindspring.com).

COALITIONS:

Jobs with Justice, a coalition-based organization addressing workers'rights. The NLG is a member of Jobs with Justice; any interested Guildmembers can attend meetings & events.

Join a Guild Committee

November 2010 Mass Dissent Page 3

ARTICLES FOR MASS DISSENT

The December issue of Mass Dissent will look at “The Guild in 2010”.

If you are interested in submitting an article, essay, analysis, or art work (cartoons, pictures) related to the topic,please e-mail the articles to nlgmass-director@igc.org.

The deadline for articles is November 15.

GUILD NEWSThe

Massachusetts Chapter’s NLG Presents... & HappyHour takes place on the 2nd Wednesday of everymonth, 5:30 - 8:00pm, at Kennedy’s Mid-Town Pub(44 Province St., 2nd Fl., Boston, close to Suffolk LawSchool). See below for the next event. Please join us.

TheMass Chapter and the ACLU will hold a “Know YourRights” training for local activists to let them knowwhat to do when FBI or other law enforcement agents“visit” our homes. The training will be on Wednesday,November 3, 6:00-8:00 pm at Community Church,565 Boylston St., Boston. Spread the word.

Youare invited to an event sponsored by the Nat’l PoliceAccountability Project of NLG, NLG Mass. Chapter, andthe ACLU of Mass. on “The FBI and the Murder of aBlack Panther” with Michael Avery (NLG member),King Downing (NPAP), Jeff Haas, author of “TheAssassination of Fred Hampton,” and Geraldine Hines,(Superior Court Judge). The event will be on Thursday,Nov. 18, 6:00-8:00 pm, at Northeastern School ofLaw, 250 Dockser Hall, Boston.

Pleasecome to the NLG holiday party: Friday, Dec. 3, 5:30pm.Stern Shapiro Weissberg & Garin (90 Canal St.)

NLG HAPPY HOUR

NLG HOLIDAY HOUR

“KYR” TRAINING

FBI - THEN & NOW

Street Law Clinic ReportThe following Guild members conducted trainings for law studentsand/or clinics for members of Boston area community organizations andagencies:

October 6: Stop & Search training at New EnglandSchool of Law, by Carl Williams.

October 8: Legal Observer training for the One NationRally volunteers, by Jeff Feuer.

October 13: Tenants’ Rights training at NortheasternUniversity School of Law, by Melinda Drew.

October 18: Workers’ Rights training at BostonUniversity School of Law, by Mark Stern.

October 19: Stop & Search clinic at Cambridge CaresAbout Aids, by students Matthew Schultz & DanielWerner, and lawyers Hayne Barnwell & Ben Falkner.

October 20: Stop & Search clinic at Cambridge Familyand Children’s Services, by students Lauren Russell &Jonathan Westover, and lawyer Jeff Varszegi.

October 21: Tenants’ Rights clinic at Kennedy Centerin Charlestown, by student Rachel Smith and lawyerNeil Berman.

NLG Presents.....

SARAH FUHRO & COLE HARRISON

“Stopping the War in Afghanistan and Protecting Dissent at Home”

Wednesday, November 10, 20105:30 - 6:30 PM

Kennedy’s Midtown 44 Province St., 2nd Fl., Boston

(next to Suffolk Law School, off Bromfield St.)

Cole Harrison, convenor of the AfghanistanTask Force of United for Justice with Peace,and Sarah Fuhro, of Military FamiliesSpeak Out, will take stock of the war inAfghanistan, now entering its 10th year, andthe state of the anti-war movement.

Cole Harrison will discuss the situation inAfghanistan and the anti-war movement inthis country, where a majority of Americanswant to end the war. Sarah Furho,whose sonhas served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, willtalk about the powerful movement by mili-tary families to end the war.

November 2010 Mass Dissent Page 4

In October, the NLG Mass Chapter held very exitingevents. On October 1, we collaborated with the BrattleTheater in Cambridge and premiered - to the sold outhouse! - Oliver Stone’s documentary "South of theBorder," with an NLG panel discussion moderated byIris Gomez. On the panel we welcomed Yana Garcia,a 3rd year law student; Mark Weisbrot, co-writer of"South of the Border;" and Gregory Wilpert, consult-ant on the movie (right).

On October 6, we welcomed NLG MentorshipProgram members and law students at a cocktail party,held at Revolution Rock Bar (below). What a great event!

(above) Attendees of the October “NLG Presents...” (Photo by Urszula Masny-Latos)(right) Nancy Kohn leading a conversation on the Cuban Five. (Photo by Sara DeConde)

OCTOBER “NLG Presents...” & HAPPY HOUR

NLG OCTOBER 2010 EVENTS

The October “NLG Presents...” hosted NANCY KOHN who talked aboutthe Cuban Five case, the latest legal developments, and what could be doneto bring justice for the five Cubans jailed in American prisons. The presen-tation was followed by a Happy Hour with great conversation and cama-raderie. Here are some pictures from the event (more pictures atwww.nlgmass.org and facebook - www. facebook. com/home.php?#!/pages/National-Lawyers-Guild-Massachusetts-Chapter/ 126032100753847?ref=ts).

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he Community Church ofBoston (CCB), a Unitarian

Universalist congregation, is oneof many religious organizationsworking closely with prisoners inMassachusetts. Many of ourmembers have loved ones cur-rently in prison or have beenincarcerated at some time them-selves. Our commitment to incar-cerated people is not only spiritu-al, it is a deep political commit-ment to abolishing the prisonindustrial complex and supportingprisoner led struggles in themeantime. We recently openedour membership to currentlyincarcerated people and havewelcomed nearly a dozen peopleinto the fold that way. We providethe prisoner membership withreflections from "free-world"members on the Sunday service,copies of the Sunday bulletin andprayer, monthly newsletters, andhope to establish a visiting pro-gram in the years to come.Prisoner members provide uswith their reflections and theirwritings to inform us of thosethings most pressing to theminside the prison walls here inMassachusetts. We strive to nur-ture the relationship to be asmutual as possible. For thosewho will one day be released, wewill welcome them into our "free-world" community.

Philosopher Josiah Roycesuggested that, "the future task ofreligion is the task of inventingand applying arts which shall winmen [sic] over to unity... Judgeevery social device, every pro-posed reform, every national andevery local enterprise, by the onetest: does this help towards the

coming of the universal communi-ty?" (Charles A. Howe, ClarenceSkinner: Prophet of a NewUniversalism, 1998.) When onelooks at the pervasive violence,oppression, and ineffectivenessof the prison industrial complex, itshould not be very difficult to findan answer to whether the prisonindustrial complex is bringing theuniversal community closer orpushing it farther away. Skinnerwrote in his own words, "All greatsocial problems involve theologi-cal conceptions. We may divorcechurch from state, but we cannotseparate the idea of God from thepolitical life of the people." Sothen, what does God, or thedivine as known by other names,have to say about the prisonindustrial complex?

I understand theology to exist,at its fullest potential, for the serv-ice of liberation. According toGustavo Gutierrez, "Theologymust be critical reflection onhumankind, on basic human prin-ciples... Theological reflectionwould then necessarily be a criti-cism of society and the Churchinsofar as they are called andaddressed by the Word of God; itwould be a critical theory, workedout in the light of the Word accept-ed in faith and inspired by a prac-tical purpose." (Gustavo Gutierrez,A Theology of Liberation, 1988.)

Because of the role of whitesupremacy in the prison industrialcomplex, people of color, andparticularly Black people, areincarcerated at rates far beyondtheir representation in our nation-al population. For any theologyto be relevant to those workingagainst the prison industrial com-plex, it must prioritize the experi-ences of Black people, women inparticular, and the writings of

womanists and Black liberationtheologians. The fundamentalconnecting point of all liberationtheologies is the prioritization ofthe experience of the particulartheologian’s oppressed commu-nity as the subject of theologicaldiscourse, all of which have a rolein shaping a theology relevant inthe face of the prison industrialcomplex. This means that a the-ology for the abolitionist move-ment must be influenced byqueers, ecofeminists, Blackscholars, Indigenous organizers,Palestinian freedom fighters,transgender survivors, and allothers struggling for liberation.

For those of us at the CCB,we know that the guiding princi-ples of Unitarian Universalismpush us towards the essentialwork of liberation. We know thatthose who are locked behind barsand walls are being prohibitedfrom living to their greatest poten-tial, and thus we all sufferbecause of that. Setting asidethe many innocent people behindbars, none of us want to bejudged by only the worst thing wehave done in our lives. We asindividuals are deeply complexand have endless gifts to give.The ministry of the CCB is tounderstand the gifts that peoplewho are incarcerated have to giveand be in relationship with themas we all work to overcome ourdeeply flawed humanity.

November 2010 Mass Dissent Page 5

A Theology for Abolition or “We Shall Set the Captives Free”

by Rev. Jason Lydon

T

Rev. Jason Lydon is the minister ofthe Community Church of Bostonand a passionate abolitionist organ-izer, especially focusing on theneeds of queer and transgenderprisoners.

n response to a Florida pastor’sthreat to burn the Koran and

the debate about building anIslamic center near Ground Zero,I write as a progressive BaptistChristian, as well as a GroundZero veteran. In 2001, I volun-teered on the Rhode IslandCritical Incident StressManagement (CISM) Team andas a local fire service chaplain,serving first responders after hor-rific incidents. By September 11,2001, I had already witnessedenough trauma and tragedy.Since our CISM team was experi-enced and so close to New YorkCity, we were among the firstteams called to Ground Zero.Our instructions on 9/12 wereblunt: get ready, call yourloved ones, and update yourfuneral arrangements.Secondary attacks andunstable buildings remainedan ominous threat.

As firefighters rested atGround Zero in the days after9/11, I encountered manyresponses, from lament tooutrage, from blank stares towarm smiles. Walking theperiphery of the “Pile” that wasonce the World Trade Center, tak-ing in the scale of death and dev-astation, I wondered: what wouldbe our response to this heinousact? Will we seek justice bymeans of diplomacy and globalcollaboration? Will we buildcross-cultural relationships, eco-nomic equity and thoughtful for-eign policy to enhance mutualtrust and understanding? Sadly,“Shock and Awe” was the answerfrom our government, killing tensof thousands of civilians and

thousands of combatants, whileleaving scars upon the minds andbodies of countless people. Suchviolence is endless, and timeless.

From the United States toAfghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, theSudan and countless otherplaces, we trace a trail of bloodthat leads to the edge of Edenwhere, according to ancient myth,Cain killed his brother, Abel.According to one of the brightestand best Baptists of our time, BillMoyers, the First Murder cameout of a religious dispute that ledto violence and death. The pat-tern has since been played outthrough generations of conflictbetween Jews, Christians andMuslims, let alone among others,so much so that “…a red trail of

religiously spilled blood runsdirectly from east of Eden…toevery place in the world wherethe compassion of brothers andbelievers, of sisters and seekers,turns to competition and vio-lence.” (Many Faiths, One Nation,55-56 in Moyers on America.)

According to America’s firstBaptist, Roger Williams, whoestablished Providence in 1636,civil society requires more thanmaintaining order. It alsorequires cultivating “…freedom ofconscience, freedom of expres-

sion, mutual respect, and socialsolidarity – values that support…the preservation of peace and anethos in which its citizens mightflourish.” For Williams, civilityand not orthodoxy was the chiefvirtue of a good society. (SeeJames Calvin Davis, The MoralTheology of Roger Williams, 44-45). A Calvinist of painful propor-tions, Williams nevertheless pre-saged one of the primary tasks ofour time: learning to live withcompeting meta-narratives, cul-tural and religious, economic andpolitical. Burning someone else’sholy book in the name of ortho-doxy, or protesting a faith com-munity’s plan for peaceableassembly out of mistrust, under-mines civil and democratic socie-

ty, while perpetuatingneedless violence andsenseless death.

When I met aBuddhist nun once at aconference, I told herthat Baptists andBuddhists have at leastfour things in common.“What are they?” sheasked. “The B, the I, theS and the T,” I replied.She laughed and theconversation flowed

from there. Trite, perhaps; butdeeper truth is there for all of us.Freedom of conscience, freedomof expression, mutual respectand social solidarity are the cor-ner-stones of civil society, andthey each rest on what may wellbe the deepest human desire ofall: to live in peace.

November 2010 Mass Dissent Page 6

I

To Live in Peace:A Baptist’s Perspective

by Rev. Bruce A. Greer

Rev. Bruce A. Greer is the InterimSenior Minister at the First BaptistChurch in Newton.

Civil society requires more than maintaining order.

It also requires cultivating freedom of conscience, freedom of expression,

mutual respect, and social solidarity.

November 2010 Mass Dissent Page 7

uaker religion, long regardedas progressive, was founded

on "religious values" that ledQuakers to be known as thestrongest and most activelyinvolved people in causes suchas prison reform, emancipation,and women´s rights, even thoughthe religion is small in numbers.

Many people mistakenlythink Quakers are related to oatsor Shakers. Many know truths:Mary Dyer, whose statue is infront of the Massachusetts StateHouse, was hanged on theCommon because of her Quakerbeliefs; William Penn foundedPennsylvania to be a model ofgovernance based on thosebeliefs. Quakers´ core belief isthat each person can communi-cate directly with god, howeverthey describe or understand god,without any intermediary, such asa minister, or any prescribedbeliefs, such as a creed. Theirform of worship is to listen insilence in which they learn truthsand are helped in living theirlives. What is most important isnot to talk about their beliefs butto try to act in accordance withthem, guided by set of principlesthat include peace, equality,integrity, community, and service- all also bases for Guild work.

Quakers organize from thebottom up; individuals gather ascongregations that then usuallyconnect into a regional gatheringof congregations which mayapprove a position on an issuebut has no authority to requireaction on it. However, acts ofconscience taken in conjunctionwith Quaker principles areapproved even by Quakers whopersonally think that some actionis illegal or pointless.

The "Peace Testimony" isembodied in most Quaker action.It comes from the belief that youcannot kill anyone becauseeveryone has in them "that ofgod"; that core of communication.Quakers hold Good Friday peacevigils at Park Street and join othervigils, marches, and demonstra-tions, often helping prevent alter-cations and to be observers.Quakers lead, participate in, andhelp with matters related to civildisobedience. One 90+ year-oldFriend, who has been arrestednumerous times, was instrumen-tal in closing the Vermont Yankeenuclear power plant. When aQuaker who, with others, vigiledregularly at Polaroid inCambridge against its work onmilitary equipment, was arrestedfor a sit-in there, he was assistedby other Quakers during his trial,incarceration, and writing about it.A number of Quakers withhold

income tax money that would payfor war; the congregation of oneheld a celebratory party for herand two members who disap-proved of her action as unlawfulyet still offered to help pay for anyfines or interest she might incur.In New England there´s a fundinto which tax resistors maydeposit what they withhold andinto which contributions are madeto help pay such fines and inter-est. Quakers oppose militaryrecruiters at high schools, recruit-ing stations, and military displayfairs. Quakers and the NLG workon the GI Rights Hotline, MilitaryLaw Task Force, and against"Don´t Ask, Don´t Tell."

Quakers have long beenactive against the death penaltyand in prison work. Quakershave joined the NationalReligious Campaign AgainstTorture, which focuses on endingtorture done or sponsored by theUSA. Quakers boycott Israel.Quakers from New England havespent long periods of time inPalestine, including Gaza, andNew England Quakers stronglysupported the Gaza FreedomFlotillas. Quakers show deepfriendship for LGBT’s. In Boston,they testified at hearings con-cerning gay marriage (one plain-tiff in the landmark lawsuit was aQuaker), are board members ofParents, Families & Friends ofLesbians & Gays, and form aproud contingent in the Gay Prideparade.

Quakers – religious, progres-sive allies with the NLG.

Quaker Religion and Actionby Marguerite Helen

Marguerite Helen, a Quaker anda member of NLG-MA, works asa counselor on the GI RightsHotline and with the Military LawTask Force.

Q

CONGRATULATIONS TO NLG MEMBERS

Nadine Cohen, Barb Dougan,Nancy Shilepsky, Eleanor Newhoff,

Lisa Thurau-Gray, and Barbara Zimbelon being recognized by Lawyers Weekly as

Top Women of the Law!

n Roxbury, at the corner ofColumbus Avenue and Malcolm

X Boulevard, there stands abuilding whose very addressevokes its community's commit-ment to social justice. Fromexploration and discovery to edu-cation and engagement, theCultural Center of the IslamicSociety of Boston serves as ahome for Boston's growingMuslim community. The Center,known locally as the ISBCC, pro-vides many sorts of spaces to itsvisitors: it contains a cafe, inwhich they may nourish their bod-ies; it houses a shop, in whichthey may clothe themselves; itincludes a prayer space, in whichthey may worship and it featuresa large event space, in whichthey may gather. It was within thisspace at the ISBCC last May thatsome 1200 Muslims from acrossthe Commonwealth gathered inpartnership with leaders of otherfaith communities to engage indialog with Governor DevalPatrick. The event's participantsbrought to theGovernor their sto-ries of sufferingand discrimination,their acutely feltneeds, and theirhopes for thefuture. Theysought his promiseto assist them inthe pursuit of theircivil rights, andcheered with joy as his pledgeswere received. From a promise touse a $50,000 grant to increasesensitivity training for lawenforcement officials, to a com-mitment to personally visit moreIslamic centers, the Governordemonstrated to his audience

that they formed a valued com-ponent of his constituency.

A closer look at the forum'splanning, execution and follow-upreveals the core ingredients ofgood community organizingwhich made this success possi-ble. In the weeks leading up tothe event, organizers met withhundreds of Muslims from acrossthe Commonwealth to listen totheir needs, and to work togetherto form the requests they wouldmake of the Governor. Time andagain, when asked about theirstruggles, these community rep-resentatives pinpointed the treat-ment of Muslims by law enforce-ment officials as a key problem.They also cited difficulties onbehalf of their children concern-ing public schools, where a lackof awareness of Muslim customstoo often creates feelings of isola-tion and hardship. They spoke ofproblems in soliciting permissionfrom their employers to attend theobligatory Friday prayers, and ofthe painful attacks which they andtheir families have suffered. Inresponse to these grievances,the leadership of the Greater

Boston Interfaith Organization, inpartnership with the MuslimAmerican Society and otherMuslim community leadersforged a plan to ask theGovernor, in person, for his help.Meeting with and generating sup-port within the widest possible

swathe of the Muslim communityensured broad support for theevent. Indeed, when the big daycame, representatives of at least25 different community groups(including 15 mosques) turned upin droves.

The faces of the crowdassembled at the forum spokevolumes of the richness ofMassachusetts' large Muslimcommunity. Men of all ages, boysand girls, immigrants andAmerican-born citizens, womenveiled and unveiled crowdedtogether within the Center to hearand be heard. With eagerness,sincerity and hopefulness, theylistened to one another. This pro-vided another ingredient of theevent's success: the possibilityfor community members to devel-op empathy for one another, topromote justice and to providemutual support.

As the election season drawsto a close, the Muslim communityseeks the fulfillment of GovernorPatrick's promises. While somehave already been enacted, moreremain. An upcoming meeting isplanned with the state's guberna-torial candidates to reaffirm theGovernor's commitments. Theorganizers of the Governor'sforum in May hope that this willform the lynch pin of their suc-cess. By reminding the Governorpublicly of his promises, theyhope to highlight the need for hisaccountability to his Muslim con-stituents.

I

November 2010 Mass Dissent Page 8

Massachusetts Muslims Seek Social Jusiceby Anna Syed

Anna Syed is an American bornconvert to Islam. She is pursuinga Master's degree in Library andInformation Science at SimmonsCollege. She lives in Roxburywith her husband and daughter.

When asked about theirstruggles, [Muslim] community representatives pinpointed thetreatment of Muslims by law

enforcement officials as a key problem.

he Jewish Alliance for Law &Social Action (JALSA) was

founded in 2001 by a circle of for-mer American Jewish Congressmembers and allies who werecommitted to preserving a vehicleto continue a passionate pursuitof economic and social justice forall which “derives authenticallyfrom the Jewish tradition anddeserves full and energeticexpression in our own time.”

Thinking about this article, Ipolled JALSA board members onthe possible wellsprings of theirefforts in pursuit of social justice.Foundations for some were reli-gious, for others his-torical, for some polit-ical. Several talkedof a “mandate” thatthey felt emanatedfrom their Jewishroots or an “imprint-ing” they absorbed asa child to change atroubled world for thebetter, and this held true regard-less of whether they are religious-ly observant in formal ways.Others said that justice and serv-ice have always been majorteachings of our faith, in theTorah, Talmud, etc., as exempli-fied by two scriptural commandswe cite frequently in JALSA com-munications: “Justice, justice,shall you pursue” (Deuteronomy16:20) and “It is not incumbentupon you to complete the work,but neither are you at liberty todesist from it” (Rabbi Tarfon,Pirkei Avot 2:21).

There is a notion that G-destablished a covenant with Noahand all living things after the greatflood, that Jews have accepted aresponsibility for the stewardshipof the world and that the Lord

would not deliver such a devas-tating flood again if we fulfilledthis obligation. There is the con-cept of Tikkun Olam, or “repair ofthe world,” that says we mustwork to perfect the world. Someinterpret this to mean that Jewsare not only responsible for creat-ing a model society among them-selves but also for the welfare ofthe society at large. This isexpressed in multiple places inthe Torah, including in Leviticusas “You shall treat the strangerwho resides with you no different-ly than the natives born amongyou, have the same love for himas for yourself; for you too wereonce strangers in the land ofEgypt.”

According to the Talmud,Rabbi Hillel famously capturedthe essence of Jewish teachingwith a version of the Golden Rule,saying, “That which is hateful toyou, do not do to your neighbor.That is the whole Torah; the restis commentary. Go and study it.”Some Jews believe that the per-forming of daily “mitzvoth,” i.e.commandments or good deeds,is necessary for the coming of theMessiah, the more mitzvoth beingdone, the sooner the MessianicAge will arrive.

A large percentage of JALSAmembers are attorneys. Theirdedication to our work seemsconsistent with the following ofTorah, which itself is known asthe Written Law of the Jewishpeople. JALSA’s Committee on

Law and Social Action has metweekly for decades to review anddiscuss possible advocacy andaction by JALSA, defending therights of minorities, promotingequal opportunity in employmentand education, upholding reli-gious freedom and protectingConstitutional guarantees for allAmericans.

Having a stake in eachother’s wellbeing is an enduringtheme of JALSA’s history; our useof coalitions to achieve changereflects the strength and advan-tages of communal vs. individualaction. We have responded toviolations of civil rights and civilliberties and assaults on the dig-nity and economic security ofthose of other nationalities, skincolors, religions and sexual iden-tities. Our members providedearly support to people withHIV/AIDS. We monitor and con-test budgets and legislation thatimpact the vulnerable. We haveorganized legal clinics for thosefacing foreclosure or eviction.

From the breadth of materialsin our ancient texts and history,clearly people can pull out differ-ent principles to guide their lives.Within the Jewish community, forexample, we see contrasting posi-tions on the role of governmentinterventions to address socialchallenges vs. emphasis on per-sonal responsibility to make theworld better. To me there is a pro-gressive exhortation to protect thevulnerable and make our commu-nities more just. As a JALSAboard member aptly pointed out,in “Justice, justice, shall you pur-sue” the operative word is pursue- not hope for, think about orobserve - but pursue.

November 2010 Mass Dissent Page 9

by Sheila Decter

Honoring the Ancient Covenant

T

Sheila Decter is ExecutiveDirector of JALSA.

In “Justice, justice, shall you pursue” the operative word

is pursue - not hope for, think about or observe -

but pursue.

e began conspiring to get our-selves to New Orleans on our firstday of law school orientation. Wedidn’t really know each other, butwe knew the National LawyersGuild and that we wanted to be apart of it. As activists in our homecommunities, Guild attorneys hadnot only represented many of ourfriends and allies in struggle, theirexamples had convinced us to go tolaw school in the first place. Wehad taken their advice, yet remainedskeptical and nervous about thejourney ahead. One ofthe few things that wedid feel sure about wasthat we would have ahome in the Guild.

And so, threeweeks and onefundraising party later,we skipped our after-noon civil procedureclass and boarded aplane to the conven-tion. Our only regretwas that we didn’tskip torts, too, andmake an earlier flight.

The NLG Convention was, forus, affirming, challenging, and life-giving. We found ourselvesamongst the practitioners that wedream of becoming, practitionerswho were excited to meet us, excit-ed to welcome us into the Guild,and eager to share their work andwisdom with us.

We were challenged to ques-tion what it means to “think like alawyer” when the law itself seemsdesigned to perpetuate injusticerather than further the commongood. If the first year of law schooltries to set out the “rules,” the con-vention taught us to think outsidethe box and look for useful law

wherever we can find it. Creativitywill take us places formulaic appli-cation never could! We heard pre-sentations by lawyers and organiz-ers who are re-envisioning thestruggle of immigrant workers asnot simply a labor contract issue,but as a 13th amendment issue—making workers rights a constitu-tional question of involuntary servi-tude. We heard from an attorneywho is actually trying to harness thehurdles of Iqbal for good by includ-ing a citizens’ tribunal report in a

complaint concerning police brutal-ity at political demonstrations inPuerto Rico.

We saw how the law exists inits inter-disciplinary, complex,multi-faceted glory. How a client’sor movement’s legal needs rarely fitinto the neat categories of our lawschool curriculum but ratherinvolve the intersection of manyfields. Labor law, criminal law, andimmigration law may all have bear-ing on a single case. With thatcomes the importance of workingtogether, something we saw somuch of in Guild practice. Legalworkers and community organiz-ers, scholars and attorneys,

engaged in a cooperative strugglefor justice, came together to shareit with an even wider audience.

We heard rumors and murmursof notable members of the Guild, ofthe groundbreaking cases they liti-gated and the other landmark occa-sions in People’s History in whichthe organization took part. We wereheartened and inspired to hearabout these historic people andmoments and wanted to learn more.In fact, after we returned we organ-ized a “History of NLG” event for

our school chapter.We also learned about

the “Alabama Manifesto”and the Guild’s ownstruggle to improve andchallenge itself toembody the equality andinclusiveness that it seekson the global scale.

Most importantly, weleft the Convention with agreater sense of commu-nity and hope. Friday’splenary session on theimportance of labor in the21st century left us

astounded, by both the amount ofwork that still needs to be done andthe energy of the Guild to do it. Inthis economy especially, it is easy tofeel redundant in law school. TheConvention, however, reminded usthat in the struggle to prioritizehuman rights over property inter-ests, there is always room for morefeet on the ground. Which side areyou on? For us, there’s no ques-tion.

November 2010 Mass Dissent Page 10

We, The Students, Report from the 2010 NLG Convention...

Stephanie Gharakhanian andSharlyn Grace are 1st year stu-dents at Northeastern UniversitySchool of Law.

W

Northeastern students (and a baby) with Mass Chapter staff and officersat a pre-banquet reception. (Photo by Sebastian Sokolowski)

November 2010 Mass Dissent Page 11

NLG Massachusetts Chapter Sustainers YES, INCLUDE MY NAME AMONG NLG MASSACHUSETTS CHAPTER

SUSTAINERS!

I, _____________________________________, ammaking a commitment to support the MassachusettsChapter of the Guild with an annual contribution of:

_____ $500 (not including my membership dues)

$ ________ (other above $500)

As a sustainer I will receive:• special listing in the Dinner Program;• 1/8 page ad in the Dinner Program;• acknowledgement in every issue of Mass Dissent;• two (2) free raffle tickets for a Holiday Party raffle;• invitation to special events.

Three ways to become a sustainer:• contribute $500 or more a year (not including dues)• pair up with another person and pay $250 each, or• join the “Guild Circle” and pay $50/month minimum.

Please mail to: NLG, Massachusetts Chapter14 Beacon St., Suite 407, Boston, MA 02108

In the spring of 2003, the Massachusetts Chapter of the NLG initiatedthe Chapter Sustainer Program. Since its inception, the Program hasbeen very successful and has been enthusiastically joined by the fol-lowing Guild members:

Adkins, Kelston & Zavez • Anonymous • MichaelAvery • Susan Barney & Kamal Ahmed • SamuelBerk • Neil Berman • Howard Cooper • BarbDougan • Robert Doyle • Melinda Drew & JeffFeuer • Carolyn Federoff • Roger Geller • LeeGoldstein & Shelley Kroll • Benjie Hiller •Stephen Hrones • Martin Kantrovitz • NancyKelly & John Willshire-Carrera • David Kelston •Leslee Klein & Mark Stern • Petrucelly, Nadler &Norris • Hank Phillippi Ryan & Jonathan Shapiro• Allan Rodgers • Martin Rosenthal • SharrynRoss • Anne Sills & Howard Silverman • JudySomberg • Stern, Shapiro, Weissberg & Garin

The Sustainer Program is one of the most important Chapter initiatives tosecure its future existence. Please consider joining the Program.

The rumors are true -- Urszula isPolish. And as you’d expect, Urszulawas involved in politics in Poland. In1976 she had just taken her universityentrance exams when riots triggered byincreased food prices were met withincreasingly harsh government repres-sion. Urszula joined an undergroundcommittee in defense of workers, clev-erly hiding the group’s newspapersunder son Sebastian’s crib mattress.

When Solidarnosc (Solidarity)was formed in 1980, Urszula and herformer husband were active in the stu-dent branch. But by 1981, they need-ed a break and planned to leavePoland for a year. They obtainedItalian tourist visas but sought politicalasylum in Vienna. They spent threemonths as political refugees until aMichigan church agreed to sponsortheir petition for U.S. citizenship.

NBC News interviewed Urszulafor a story on Austria’s refugee crisis.

Of course the crew was smitten withthis fiery ladna dziewczyna (cutie pie).She invited them -- and half the localvillage -- to the family’s going-awayparty, complete with a DJ and plenty ofvodka. Urszula eventually starred inan NBC propaganda piece, althoughNBC forgot to mention that Urszulaand her then-husband were socialists.

When Poland closed its borders,they decided to stay in the U.S. Afterearning a degree in the sociology oflaw, Urszula was awarded a FulbrightScholarship to study back in Poland.In Kraków, she became involved withFundacja eFKa (The Women’sFoundation). Contrary to Fulbrightrules, she helped organize against theban on abortion. Niektóre rzeczynigdy sie nie zmieniaja. (Some thingsnever change.) After organizing a filmfestival for Polish and Americanwomen directors, she decided toswitch her focus to arts management.

Upon her return to the U.S.,Urszula earned a Masters in non-prof-it management. While acting as busi-ness director for an Eastern Europeantheater company in New York, shealso translated materials for UNITE, aunion that was organizing in NewEngland. That led to a year in Bostonand naturally, a return to Urszula’s oldorganizing ways. During this time shemet Massachusetts NLG members. In1996, the chapter needed a new exec-utive director, Urszula applied – andthe rest is herstory.

No, some things never change –thank goodness. During her 14 yearswith the Massachusetts chapter,Urszula’s revolutionary fervor hasnever dimmed. And she can still out-party the rest of us. You go, odwaznakobieto (gurrrrl).

Convention Banquet program bio by Barb Dougan

Nat’l NLG Convention - Legal Worker Award to Urszula Masny-Latos

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