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Here are a few examples of our chapter's activities: Rebiya Kadeer Last year, we worked year round on helping to shorten the sentence of Rebiya Kadeer. She was arrested wrongly and is considered to be a “prisoner of conscience” by Amnesty. We wrote letters to the Chinese government asking for her release and fair treatment. We also fund raised in order to do all we could to help her cause and wrote her “feel good” letters of support that did not mention her situation, so they might be delivered to her in prison. Due to our hard work, we were mentioned nationally in the March 3, 2004 Special Focus Case report on Rebiya Kadeer for being one of the most active groups in helping Rebiya Kadeer. The Human Rights Walk In Honor of Human Rights Day, our Amnesty chapter attended a protest, to raise awareness about violence against women in four different countries: Britain, Colombia, Mexico, and Japan. We got signatures for the petitions around our school community and then delivered them to the consulates of those countries. We not only delivered the petitions to these consulates, but also paraded around the city, increasing awareness in San Francisco of the intolerable violence against women around the world. We held signs, causing many busy shoppers in Union Square to peer our way and embrace new found (or renew) knowledge of such cruelty. One of our favorite signs read, "Silence is Violence, Will You Speak Out?". It reminded us once again of the many goals of our Amnesty chapter. One wonderful surprise that came from these petitions is that we (who signed the petitions) received letters from the British Consulate thanking us for our concern and action, and saying that they were trying to stop the violence the British had been inflicting on the women in Kenya. Although we never had the intent of being thanked and getting rewarded for such deeds, it is certainly nice to get a reminder now and then, that people do appreciate hard work and standing up for what is right. Not in Our Town: Northern California On March 1, 2004 members of our Amnesty Chapter attended a showing of Not in Our Town: Northern California. This film was a disturbing and saddening reminder that prejudice and hate crimes happen everywhere, including places that many consider to be much more liberal and open, such as the Bay Area. Not in Our Town: Northern California dealt with five hate crimes in the Bay Area. One about Gwen, a transgender teen, who was brutally murdered by teenage boys from her town. Another incident resulted in the murder of a gay couple who had been beloved members in their community. Another was about a group of people who set fire to a synagogue. There were also stories about a cross burning in front of an African American mother's house and the murder of a gay couple. The last story was set right here in San Francisco, at the public library, of a man who viciously destroyed books about homosexuals and people of other sexual orientations, other than heterosexuality, by slicing them with knives. These disturbing prejudices started to make me think about much less extreme variations of such acts. Whether it be homophobic comments around school or antics about a certain race or religion, prejudice is all around us, everywhere we turn. It's extremely sad to think of the hate crimes presented in the film, and to realize the torment and pain the victims and their families and friends suffered. Also, all of us are hurt by such acts of hate, for we feel rage and anger towards the murderers of Gwen and the individuals who burn crosses, burn synagogues and cut up books having to do with homosexuality. When thinking about these acts, one begins to realize it is often small acts such as a comment, that triggers even greater violence. Read more about Not in Our Town: Northern California on KQED's website. Amnesty Night At the end of the 2003-04 school year, we held an Amnesty Night, which proved to be extremely popular, and it was a great way to get the word out about our work. Amnesty Night included:
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