<[link removed]> February 2025 Newsletter President’s Note January 2025 sucks. From the Los Angeles fires, the airplane and helicopter crash at Reagan Airport, and the swearing in of a criminal as president and the accumulation of power of his awful minions. There is a saying that “every accusation is a confession” and for years, the Christian Right has been accusing American Muslims of influencing culture and laws with “creeping sharia law” and yet all along it was the Christian Right who was slowly but diligently working to turn America into a theocracy. For many years I’ve been writing and speaking up about the oversized negative role that religion plays in American politics. I call it “Christian Sharia Law” infused with pure authoritarianism <[link removed]> , or rather authoritariaNIZM, because it shares the same traits of Nazism. Please don’t write to me with your indignation. Do your homework and study the similarities between the policies of the Trump administration and the policies of the Third Reich. <[link removed]> The Muslim Right and their love for authoritarianism are also part of the problem. They share with the Christian Right a love of misogyny and homophobia, an affiliation for victimhood, and a captivation for blaming marginalized individuals for society’s problems, problems which are instead caused by the privileged few in power. It is these characteristics that have resulted in the masses being manipulated by religious leaders and politicians. As a result many in the Muslim Right voted for a criminal, a CRIMINAL. As we fight against this onslaught of authoritarianism in our daily lives, including the infringement of our right to dissent, I will not shy away from drawing attention to the Muslim Right’s complacency and collusion with the Christian Right and their combined efforts to undermine democracy and basic human rights by scapegoating feminists, the Queer community, immigrants, and anyone who may dare defy the singular vision of homogenized society they hold. The Muslim Right, who have always claimed religious authority and the singular power to define what is “moral” and “just”, can no longer claim to hold any moral authority. The hell they have helped create in America has endangered the lives of so many, including those who benefit from the life-saving aid we provide internationally. My first talk will be at the first Religious Nationalisms Summit in Washington D.C. on February 6th. My segment is titled “Zionism and Islamic Nationalism” and sharing the podium with me is Shelly Cohen Fudge of Jewish Voices for Peace, and a response by Mark Harrison of the United Methodist Kairos. To attend, please register here <[link removed]> . All that being said, if you like our work or if this message resonated with you in the slightest, please support Muslims for Progressive Values with a donation <[link removed]> because this is not a cause many are willing to touch with a 10-foot pole. Onward and upward… Ani Zonneveld Founder, President Muslims for Progressive Values UN Updates MPV is a member of the Multi-Faith Advisory Council for the United Nations’ inter-agency task force, and as co-chair of the Gender Working Group, Ani and its members produced a brochure explaining its function and the collaborative roles rights affirming faith organizations can play in advancing the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Please download the brochure here <[link removed]> . MPV in the Media Religion News | Multiple faith groups file amicus brief against Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law <[link removed]> | January 8, 2025 National Updates - Events & Advocacy MPV’s Ani Zonneveld will be speaking at two events in February. February 6, 9 am to 5 pm, in-person: Washington D.C. - The Religious Nationalisms Summit, Countering Religious Nationalisms Multi-Faith Public Witness in Today’s Political Climate Address: United Methodist Building 100 Maryland, Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20010 To learn more and to register, please visit the event website here <[link removed]> . February 14, 12 to 1 pm, in-person: University of Michigan Law School "Challenging Extremisms in 2025 America" National Updates - Statement on Ceasefire On January 19, 2025 the ceasefire in Gaza began, delayed by three hours in which Israel killed 19 Palestinians. You can read MPV’s full statement on the 42 day ceasefire here. <[link removed]> National Updates - MPV’s Community Survey As we enter into this new year, Muslims for Progressive Values wants to ensure that we are meeting the needs and expectations of our diverse community. In preparation for our upcoming in person Board of Directors Meeting on March 1, we have prepared this Community Survey to solicit feedback that the Board can use to shape future programs, initiatives, and organizational direction. Your participation in the survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete and will offer us invaluable feedback that will help us better serve you. If you plan to participate in the survey, please make sure you’ve submitted your response by 11:59 PST on Saturday February 15, 2025. Take the survey here! <[link removed]> MPV Chicago - Upcoming Events February 23 - MPV Chicago will be holding our monthly virtual chapter meeting at 2:30 PM CST. Please join us here <[link removed]> ! MPV LA - Upcoming Events MPV Los Angeles is excited to share that we will be organizing three iftars over the course of Ramadan, which we hope you’ll be able to join! Details for each iftar are below and can also be found on our MPV LA Meet Up Page <[link removed]> . Iftar at Ani’s <[link removed]> | March 1, 2025 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM PDT Iftar at Maisa’s <[link removed]> | March 15, 2025 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM PDT Iftar at Adnan’s <[link removed]> | March 22, 2025 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM PDT Iftar and pre-Eid Party! | March 30, 2025 6:45 PM - 12:00 AM MPV San Francisco - Upcoming Events & Updates The San Francisco Bay Chapter of MPV held a social gathering on January 26, for members to be together in community, and welcome new faces. A few members shared pictures and stories from their international travels, including one chapter director sharing about an Umrah trip where he served as an ASL translator for Deaf Muslims. Everyone enjoyed a small potluck and discussion, and prayed together. There were also several informal field trips. Some members went to see a movie about Gaza called "From Ground Zero," and in early January, some attended a demonstration to call for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine. The San Francisco Bay Chapter of MPV is aiming to gather monthly with a mix of in-person and virtual events. A virtual gathering <[link removed]> is planned for Saturday February 22. See the chapter meetup page for more details. MPV San Francisco MeetUp <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <mailto:[email protected]> Muslims for Progressive Values 1626 N. WILCOX AVE, SUITE 702 LOS ANGELES, CA 90028 U.S.A. Powered by Squarespace <[link removed]> Unsubscribe <[link removed]>