In a letter to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, the Muslim Public Affairs Council has joined our call for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to halt their plans to build the Southern Owens Valley Solar Ranch adjacent to the Manzanar National Historic Site. The Manzanar Committee deeply appreciates their support.
February 25, 2014
Honorable Eric Garcetti
Mayor, City of Los Angeles
200 North Spring Street
Los Angeles, California 90012-4801
Dear Mayor Garcetti:
The Muslim Public Affairs Council strongly opposes the Southern Owens Valley Solar Ranch (SOVSR), a 1,200-acre industrial solar energy generating station that would be built adjacent to the Manzanar National Historic Site. It is our belief that the infrastructure will interfere with the preservation of the integrity of the Manzanar National Historic Site, where over 10,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II.
Immediately after the 9/11 attack on our nation, the Japanese American community reached out to the American Muslim community because they recognized right away that Muslims could easily become scapegoats and would have their loyalty questioned by some members of government and civil society.
The Japanese American community stood in solidarity with us to say to our nation, “Never again will we allow one group of Americans to be singled out and incarcerated in internment camps by the government because of their race, ethnicity or religion.”
The American Muslim community will never forget this gesture of solidarity and we organize members of our community to join the annual pilgrimage to Manzanar each year.
The Manzanar National Historic Site serves as an important symbol of a history that none of us can afford to forget. It is a reminder of one of the darkest periods in American history.
It is for these reasons that the Muslim Public Affairs Council stands in solidarity with our Japanese American brothers and sisters today to say we oppose the construction of a 1,200-acre solar ranch adjacent to the Manzanar National Historic Site.
Sincerely,
Salam Al-Marayati
President
Community members are urged to sign an online petition opposing the LADWP proposal. To view/sign the petition on Change.org, click on: Halt LADWP’s Plan To Build A 1,200-Acre Solar Energy Generating Station Adjacent to Manzanar National Historic Site.
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