From nada kassass

The Free Gaza Coalition received this email about our friend Amer Adi, the president of the Youngstown Arab-American Community Center. I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Amer in bringing to esteemed speakers programs to our area, Phyllis Bennis of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and George Galloway of Viva Palestina.

A PLEA FOR HELP FROM HIS DAUGHTER

My name is Haneen Adi. I am 18 years old and I live in Youngstown, Ohio. I am a Palestinian American just graduated from high school this year and preparing to go to college.

I am the oldest of four children; but this letter is not about me, it is about my father, Amer Adi. He was notified that he has to leave the United States within 60 days, or he will be detained and thrown in jail. This is shocking and devastating news to me, and my three other sisters, my mother and father, and everyone around us. My father has done nothing wrong - he didn't break any laws, and he did not commit any crimes. He has been an example and an inspiration to me my entire life, and he has done everything possible for his family and makes all of us proud every day.

In 1980, when he first came to the United States thirty years ago, he met and married a woman named Linda Wood. My father's first marriage - like many marriages in our country - ended in divorce. Years later, the immigration authorities are claiming this was a fraudulent marriage, and because of this completely false statement, my father is being forced to leave our country, in which he has built his life and his family, for the past 30 years.

In 1988, my father met and married my mother. They have been happily married for 21 years and have four children. He is a businessman who co n tributes to the community. His car dealership, Penguin Auto, is a successful business on the lower end of town, and he is adored by all who know him. He is a leader and example in the Arab and Palestinian American community in Youngstown. He is the President of the Arab American Community Center of Youngstown. All of his life, he has worked his hardest to make things better for his community and for others around him. He has a huge heart and is always concerned with the human condition.

It distresses him greatly to see anyone in pain or treated unjustly, and now he is the one facing a great injustice. He has been struggling with this accusation for years - he has gone in and out of courtrooms, and filed appeal after appeal. The whole time, he assured us that everything would be all right - after all, the allegation was false, and eventually the truth would have to win out in a court of law.

Not only does my father not deserve this unjust, unfair and unnecessary punishment, he ONLY improves the quality of life for the people around him. He is an active and productive member of society and one of the kindest, most gentle souls I've ever known. I am overwhelmed with pride because I get to call this man my father and

I am asking you to help him.

Last week we received a letter in the mail stating the amount of time he had to pack his things, say goodbye to his family and leave. We can no longer file appeals, so even though I know it's a long shot, it's all I have.

I am asking you to act on my father's case and allow my family to get back to living a normal life, he deserves to be treated with fairness and equality.

I beg you to consider. Thank you for your time,

Haneen Adi

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U.S. Congressman Tim Ryan

U.S. Congressman Dennis Kucinich

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An example letter below:

FR: Your name here,

HELP STOP THE DEPORTATION OF A MODEL CITIZEN

We, the People appeal to your commitment to American and family values to help preserve the integrity of our justice system and help save the life of a local family, the family of Amer Adi of Ohio.

A terrible injustice has befallen Mr. Adi, a devoted family man and beloved father of four minor children. The U.S. Government has recently informed him of its decision to deport him within 60 days. His deportation would devastate his family and leave an enormous vacuum within our hard-pressed community.

This unjust decision cannot and must not stand within a nation under God, one dedicated to promoting justice for all and building strong families. Mr. Adi is a hard-working businessman, the president of the local Arab-American community center, and a model citizen who incarnates American values of industriousness, independence and integrity. Since his arrival in the USA as a young man from Palestine in 1980, he has done what tens of millions of immigrants who helped build this country have accomplished through sheer hard work and rugged individualism.

His story is part of the American story and the American Dream, one that now threatens to become a nightmare for him and his family. Do not let that happen. Use your considerable influence to reopen his case and reverse a terrible mistake.

Keep this good man here with his family that dearly loves him, and in his country that clearly needs him.

Sincerely,