If they institute a Muslim registry, how should progressives respond? Donating to the ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Council for American-Islamic Relations and so on are good ideas but honestly, these organizations will function best AFTER such a registry is enacted, by challenging it in court.
I propose something simpler and more direct IN ADDITION to supporting the organizations above. See the bearded dude above? He was a CERTIFIED BADASS and is now Righteous Among Nations. Who doesn’t want to be in the company of someone like that? Only a yuge loser, that’s who.
So what did he do?
In the late spring of 1944, Nazi ships of death were making stops in the ports of the Ionian Islands. They had stowed 2,000 Jews from Corfu in their holds and another 400 from Cephalonia, and were heading for Zakynthos. The mission of the SS squads was to round up all of the members of the Jewish community in the region and sail them to the western port city of Patra, where they would be transferred onto trains for Auschwitz.
A couple of days before they arrived at Zakynthos, the commandant called Metropolitan Bishop Chrysostomos and Mayor Lucas Carrer to his office and told them they had 24 hours to submit a list with the names of all the Jews that lived on the island, together with details of their assets.
Indeed, they returned with an envelope before the deadline expired. The commandant opened the envelope but the paper within contained just two names: the bishop’s and the mayor’s.
When the Nazi commandant asked what the meaning of this was Metropolitan Chrysostomos replied:
Here Is the List of Jews You Required.
The mayor and Metropolitan Bishop Chrysostomos went on to organize hiding places for ALL OF THE ISLAND’S 275 JEWS. As a result, not one of Jews of Zakynthos died at the hands of the Nazis.
I propose that we, all of us, monitor this hateful proposal to register Muslims. And as it gathers steam (which I suspect it will) we begin to organize on Daily Kos and any other place we possibly can. If the registration of Muslims becomes a reality — let’s give them the names of the Muslims they require. As many goddamn names as we possibly can find. Let’s organize mass registrations. Black, white, gay, straight, Anglo, Arabic, Latino, AA, Asian, men, women… hell, I’ll sign my dogs up if I can. Let’s see if we can get every single Hillary voter registered as Muslim!
But that is not all.
We have to stay in touch, maintain contact, lists of contacts. God (however you conceive or do not conceive of that being) help us that it not come to this, but we may need to create a kind of long-term Air BnB/Couchsurfer program for our Muslim neighbors. And if we do this right, we may create the network to hide those who need shelter, to create safe space for them. A network to transfer people from one place of safety to the next. A kind of underground railroad you might say.
So, I don’t know about you but ever since I saw that hateful Trump supporter touting the registry of Japanese Americans as a model the weirdest thing happened… I started to feel all Islamic and stuff. I’m thinking that it might last a minimum of four years… longer if needed…
It would be an honor to follow in the the good Bishop’s footsteps and I’ve always wanted to be seen as a Metropolitan kind of guy.
So how do we begin? What is the best way to organize “Get-Out-The-Vote”, er, “Get-Out-The-Muslim” drives? This kind of thing only works if a bunch of us do this. Like, millions.
Apologies for the flippancy. l deal with stress and fear through humor.
UPDATE: HERE YOU GO!
Pledge To Register As Muslim Here.