News

The Freedom and Justice Foundation (F&J) is involved in dozens of events and initiatives every year. Our staff are also prolific in the media, whether print or broadcast, advancing the policy views of the foundation's membership. We have included here a few of these events, media appearances and Legislative Alerts so that you may gain a sense of our work.

Explanation of the five topic areas linked above:

Public Diplomacy:  F&J staff have voluntarily served as "Citizen Diplomats" in many efforts to promote a more favorable impression of America oversees or to aid National Security Policies such as democracy promotion in Iraq.  We've included information on visits with State Department Officials, attendance at State Functions as well as Democracy Workshops for Iraqi Media Executives and European Muslim Leaders. We also enclosed an Op-Ed written by F&J's President on the 2006 Washington DC State Department Iftar Dinner.

Events:  F&J has organized numerous Candidate Forums for Local as well as the Presidential Elections of 2004, Annual Legislative Days with State Legislative Session opening ceremonies, as well as multiple Leadership Forums to guide community development. We also included for your benefit footage from the bill signing ceremony of the 1st Muslim focused piece of legislation in Texas, as well as mass mobilization efforts for better interfaith relations and peace oversees.

Legislative Advocacy: F&J has sponsored, organized or participated in numerous conferences on topics ranging from Religious and Civil Liberty, Shariah Law and its impact on Women's Rights to environmentalism and poor children healthcare and social services needs.  We have also supported reform efforts in the Texas electoral system to lessen the impact of corruption on the state legislative process.  And finally at the federal level we've supported efforts to rebuild the balance of powers between the different branches of government and provide due-process in immigration law.

Print Media: Though we can't share every print media op-ed we've written or column we're quoted in, we've shared a few good ones.  One very powerful OP-ED on the terminology in the Global War on Terror of whom our enemy is that has been republished in numerous papers including leading American Journalism Schools and Political websites.  We've also tackled tough policy issues such as Darfur and democracy promotion in the Muslim world. We've also shared columns we're quoted in from small towns such as Beaumont on Religious Liberty, mid-sized towns such as Austin on Shia and Baptist leadership changes as well as newswire pieces from Reuters on FBI interviews in the Muslim community as well as the president's use of terminology such as "Islamic Fascists" in the Global War on Terror. 

Broadcast Media: In this section we've shared both TV and Radio recordings. In the "Muslim Hour", there's 90 minutes of debate on the local FOX Channel Talk Radio Darrell Ankarlo Show on all issues controversial dealing with Muslims post 9/11. There's also a debate on American Policy around the 2006 War in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel with the Executive Director of the American Jewish Congress SW Region and former AIPAC Director, IDF Ret. Lt. Col. Gil Élan. Mr. Élan and Mr. Elibiary are matched up once more in a video debate before 1,000 College Students at East Texas Baptist University.  We also provide local Dallas TV footage on ABC News from before the Iraq War where F&J's President was arguing against the Iraq War invasion, as well as an NPR interview where Mr. Elibiary shared his personal perspective on why he was voting for President Bush's re-election in 2004. And finally we also provide local CBS TV footage of F&J's President challenging the President's use of terms such as "Islamic Fascists" in the Global War on Terror.