[News] IRS attacks IFCO for their support of Palestine, Cuba, prisoners and more

[Anti-Imperialist News]

As some of you know, since March 2011, just six months after the passing 
of our founding director Rev. Lucius Walker, Jr., the IRS began to 
conduct an audit of our organization. We have learned that the audit was 
in fact triggered by letters written by Congressional Representatives 
Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Sue Myrick (R-NC) (now retired) to the 
Commissioner of the IRS, the US Attorney General and the Secretary of 
the Treasury, alleging that IFCO "may be raising funds for Hamas", (an 
organization designated as terrorist by the US government).

This is a blatantly false allegation. IFCO is being persecuted because 
in 2009 we agreed to serve as a fiscal sponsor to the US component of 
the project Viva Palestina. Viva Palestina, is a UK-based charity 
organization that provides food, medicine and essential goods and 
services needed by the civilian population [of the occupied Palestinian 
Territories], and that highlights the causes and results of wars with a 
view to achievingpeace

In addition to condemning IFCO for its support of Viva Palestina, the 
IRS has also attacked our years of solidarity work with Cuba. In both 
instances our legal advisor, in the Appeal, eloquently described work we 
have historically done to advance the struggles of oppressed people for 
justice and self- determination. The Appeal proves that the projects we 
support and operate have faithfully furthered our mission and our 
organization's tax-exempt purpose (as was originally described).

*An Attack Against IFCO and An Attack Against Us All*

*This IRS attack against IFCO is an attack against the progressive 
community-based programs that we** have supported since our inception 
more than 45 years ago.*

In addition to our fiscal sponsorship of Viva Palestina and our Cuba 
Solidarity work, the IRS has found fault with programs as whose work is 
to promote universal healthcare and a project of young people working to 
transform blighted urban landscapes into models of community-based, 
social and environmental sustainability, using community organizing, 
artistic expression, and urban agriculture.

An attack against IFCO is an attack against the more than thirty 
different community based programs we support through our fiscal 
sponsorship work

As an organization that has historically engaged in social and spiritual 
activism, we
believe that anything that produces terror, fear, or panic can indeed be 
described as terrorism. Especially when the end result is political 
repression aimed at controlling or suppressing political opposition.

As a result, we reject the IRS' accusation that we are doing business 
with a so-called terrorist organization. It is time for us social and 
spiritual activists to reclaim the narrative; to accurately define terrorism

    Every year 15 million children die of hunger.
    As many as 20.5 million Americans live in extreme poverty
    Nearly 50 million people across the United States do not have
    medical insurance.
    100,000 people in the US die each year from prescription drugs

In reality, aren't these all forms of terrorism

If you agree then we need your help fighting this attack aimed at 
shutting down an organization that has historically worked to advance 
the struggles of oppressed people for justice and self-determination.

For nearly five decades, IFCO has demonstrated with actions our 
commitment to administer true justice, to show mercy and express compassion.
*
Dear Sisters and Brothers, Friends, and Compañeras/os, *

We wish we had happier news to share with you in this New Year.

But, we need to give you an important update about a critical attack 
against IFCO being waged by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  For 
more than two years, IFCO, a faith-based, social justice agency, has 
been the victim of political persecution and an aggressive harassment 
campaign by the IRS.  Now they are attempting to strip us of our 
tax-exempt, non-profit organization status -- 501(c)(3). Imagine, the 
first national foundation controlled by people of color in the United 
States, now being denied tax-exempt status by the US government.  Click 
below to read the 5 part IRS report.* *

    * *Part 1
      <http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=rt94HidqNNPbTbgNdkZoGQurZgc%2BNi1O>*
    * *Part 2
      <http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=pvRShYsWx5jeINfOmxVPxAurZgc%2BNi1O>*
    * *Part 3
      <http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Ew3ASJZ521KBpnGUr1kDFgurZgc%2BNi1O>*
    * *Part 4
      <http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=gSgR8itUvUVKzHEmzGcFswurZgc%2BNi1O>*
    * *Part 5
      <http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=iKlFT5wIJgmvHY83tfdOwgurZgc%2BNi1O>*

We have responded to this attack with a well-crafted Appeal written by 
our legal advisor to protest the IRS' recommendation to revoke our 
tax-exempt status. *You can read it here. 
<http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=t9yCYePyzUDHHdm6R7dSYAurZgc%2BNi1O>*

The US government is now using the IRS as a weapon against us since they 
have failed to defeat us with OFAC -- the Office of Foreign Assets 
Control (the government entity that enforces the blockade of Cuba). For 
the past twenty-two years we have stood firm in our faith and our 
conviction as we have organized our US-Cuba Friendshipment caravans. It 
is our faith which calls us to offer "a cup of cold water" (Matthew 
25:35) to our brothers and sisters suffering as a result of US policies. 
This is an attack on people of faith and conscience and IFCO is standing 
firm and fighting back, as we have done for nearly half a century.

We have no way of knowing how the IRS is going to respond to our Appeal, 
but we want you to know that as always, we are ready to fight; to defend 
and protect IFCO and its rich history.  As we wage this battle we are 
counting on your support and participation in this vital campaign to 
defend ourselves and those that we support, against this brutal IRS attack.

We want to share more details with you about this latest attack on 
religious and political liberties.

*Please click here for additional background information. 
<http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=sOtBBENfZ9kRp61%2F6DaU8QurZgc%2BNi1O>*
* *

We desperately need your help!   Here are 3 immediate steps you can take 
to assist us in this struggle:

1. Contact your Congress Members (Senator and Representative)  and let 
them know that we need their support. Ask them to contact the Treasury 
Department to ask them to stop this political persecution and harassment 
against IFCO

2. Contact the Treasury Department/IRS and as well request to stop the 
political persecution and harassment against IFCO:

          Department of the Treasury

          1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
          Washington, D.C. 20220

          Fax: (202) 622-6415

You can also use this link 
<http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1pQKZmkTJiBVD6DFu04UKwurZgc%2BNi1O> to 
connect with the Treasury Department via Twitter; Facebook; Flickr; and 
YouTube.

3. We desperate need your financial support to help cover our legal 
expenses.

o Send your check payable to IFCO to:

IFCO

             418 West 145th Street

             New York, NY 10031

o Visit us at www.ifconews.org 
<http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=BAjuisC3ipXbW1vO3Ab%2BlQurZgc%2BNi1O> 
and make a secure donation on line.

o Or call our office (212-926-5757 
<http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=fsHxXS2PuBoQtmJ0%2BkEEhwurZgc%2BNi1O>) 
to make a generous donation by phone to help us defend our religious and 
civil liberties. We need your help to spread the word about this vicious 
attack against people of faith and conscience and IFCO's firm and 
principled stand to protect our right to be in fellowship with our 
brothers and sisters in struggle. Ask your networks to help publicize 
this attack against us.

As always we thank you for your trust, your love and your support.

Yours in love and solidarity,

IFCO Co-Directors

-- 
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415 
863.9977 www.freedomarchives.org
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