Michael Lopez-Calderon, a member of Palestine Media Watch, was dismissed on March 2, 2001, from his position as teacher at the Rabbi Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy in Miami Beach, Florida, for his involvement with Palestine Media Watch and his support of the Palestinian cause.

Mr. Lopez-Calderon was accused by anonymous monitors of the Palestine Media Watch mailing list of endorsing violence against Israelis when he stated in one of his emails that Palestinians have the right to resist the Israeli Defense Forces through violence when necessary. (See Statement from Michael Lopez-Calderon for the full account.)

Palestine Media Watch is shocked and deeply saddened by this development. It is extremely troubling that personal political opinions expressed outside of one's professional setting could result in punitive actions against the individual expressing those opinions. It is the definition of discrimination on political grounds, and it is shocking and shameful that such discrimination would occur here in the United States of America, where freedom of speech and expression are basic rights.

Moreover, it is highly troubling that Mr. Lopez-Calderon's accusers chose to surreptitiously monitor a subscriber-only mailing list and to make their accusations under the cover of anonymity. Mr. Lopez-Calderon's remarks, when read in their proper context, express the obvious: that in a situation where an army is shooting at civilians under occupation, those civilians have the prerogative to exercise their internationally enshrined right to resist by any means.

It is moreover telling that Mr. Lopez-Calderon's dismissal was not based on the merits of the accusations or the weight of any evidence, but simply because the accusers threatened the school administration with retaliatory action should Mr. Lopez-Calderon not be removed. This is blackmail of the worst kind and it is a shame that the school decided to cave in rather than stand on principle.

As anyone who has been member of Palestine Media Watch will attest, PMWatch is an inclusive watch group that welcomes and proudly counts among its membership Jews, Israelis, and anyone who is interested in reacting to rampant anti-Palestinian bias in the American press. (See our message to our Jewish supporters.) The group tolerates no anti-semitic expressions but instead operates on the basic principle that Jews and Arabs in the Middle East and anywhere else have equal right to life and liberty.

Mr. Michael Lopez-Calderon has been one of the most ardent supporters of the Palestinian cause. He has courageously put principle in front of self-interest by voicing his support for the Palestinian cause. Palestine Media Watch wishes to sound a loud call to all who support the Palestinian cause to stand in firm solidarity with Michael Lopez-Calderon.

• Action call: support Michael Lopez-Calderon
• Add your name to a petition protesting Mr. Calderon's dismissal
• Press Release from Palestine Media Watch
• Statement from Michael Lopez-Calderon