IF Americans Knew: We Need Your help: Year-End Report

Dear Friends,

To continue our work at If Americans Knew, we need your help!

It is the end of another year, and once again we need your critical donations in support of informing Americans on the facts about Palestine.

http://www.ifamericansknew.org/about_us/donate.html

A few weeks ago I returned from spending almost three months traveling throughout Palestine, documenting the tragic reality.

During my time there I filmed interviews with children whose mother has been in prison for five years (she has three to go); with a young man who was crippled from the torture he endured while in prison; with the father of a little girl who is now a quadriplegic, "collateral damage" from one of Israel's illegal and ruthless assassination projects; and with numerous others whom the American media ignore, but whose suffering American tax money has enabled.

At If Americans Knew our goal is to get this information to our fellow Americans, because, like you, we cannot sit by while cruelty is perpetrated, and are not content with treating the symptoms.

http://www.ifamericansknew.org/about_us/donate.html

Therefore, we are not writing to ask you to help provide food for the hungry, or medical care for the injured, or homes for the newly homeless. Other groups are struggling to address these urgent needs and we applaud their critical work.

Instead, we are writing to ask you to help us go to the root of the disease, and cure it:

A misinformed American public that is allowing American might to be used in ways that are antithetical to principles of justice and morality; that create untold tragedy throughout the Middle East; and that are, in addition, creating conditions that are deeply – potentially catastrophically – injurious to Americans themselves.

It is within our power – and therefore obligatory – to change this intolerable situation. For that reason, we believe that for every hour we spend assisting those suffering from the misuse of American tax money, we must spend two working to build an informed American citizenry that will no longer allow our money to be so despicably misused.

At If Americans Knew we are using every means we can think of to do just that:

• Maintaining and expanding a website providing mainstream Americans with facts on the history and present reality of Palestine and that features original research documenting media distortion;
  

• Creating and distributing booklets, posters, flyers and cards to groups and individuals around the country;
  

• Giving speeches and writing articles, including an investigative report on a subject never before addressed;
  

• Producing videos that have now been made into a DVD and distributed to thousands of American citizens, offering these for a donation of just $5 for one, or $10 for five, to encourage people to give these to friends, neighbors, and community members.
  

• And finally, going the extra mile to ship this DVD, containing a video and accompanying article about the Israeli practice of strip searching women and children, to women's studies groups on campuses in every state of the union.
  

Our view is that if the media won't report the facts to the American people,
we'll do it for them.

Happily, we are finding supporters from across the political spectrum and among people of every age, religion, and ethnicity. While those who work to hide Israel's crimes – and to procure American funding for them – continue to dominate the power echelons of the United States. those of us who believe in a world of justice and humanity are gaining on them. Eventually, I firmly believe, we will prove to be an unstoppable force.

Your continued and expanded support is critical. We pledge to continue to work as effectively, strategically, courageously, forcefully, and innovatively as possible. But we can only do this with your contributions.

http://www.ifamericansknew.org/about_us/donate.html

Thank you,

Alison Weir
Executive Director
If Americans Knew