Will You Stand With Me?

(DETROIT)...As horrific images continue to emerge of the dozens of Christians slaughtered during an evening worship service this past Sunday in Iraq - Christians throughout the Middle East are on high alert after Islamist extremists called them 'legitimate targets.' And al-Qaida posted an Internet statement saying "the killing sword will not be lifted" from the necks of Christians, in Iraq and across the region. Al-Qaida said their group will go after "your children" in Syria, Lebanon and Egypt, adding there are hundreds of thousands of Christians and hundreds of churches on what they referred to as Islamic soil. Al-Qaida said they will be targeted if Christians do not submit to their group's demands.

On Monday, November 8th, 2010 at 12:00pm Noon, John Akouri will speak at a rally set to take place at the McNamara Federal Building in Downtown Detroit, in support of the safety and security of Christians in the Middle East and denouncing the 'Black Sunday' church atrocities.

Around the world, rallies, protests and demonstrations will take place at the same time in major cities across the globe. Will you pledge to stand up to these cowardly terrorists, sending them a message that there heinous actions will not be tolerated. And at the same time, pressing the international community to step up and act now, for the protection and security of Christians in the Middle East.

Now more than ever, the words of late Lebanese President Bashir Gemayel ring even truer today when he declared: "In the name of all Christians of the Middle East, and as Lebanese Christians, let us proclaim that if Lebanon is not to be a Christian national homeland, it will nonetheless remain a homeland for Christians. Henceforth, we refuse to live in any dhimmitude. Our desire is to remain in the Middle East so that our church bells may ring out our joys and sorrow whenever we wish! We want to continue to christen, to celebrate our rites and traditions, our faith and our creed whenever we wish! We want to be able to assume and testify to our Christianity in the Middle East! And whatever may be the difficulty in offering this testimony, we will never renounce it. We will testify to our Christianity in Lebanon. We will testify to our Christianity in the Middle East!"