The latest issue of Diablo magazine ( the "only monthly publication written specifically for the San Francisco East Bay market—from Central Contra Costa, into the Oakland and Berkeley Hills, and throughout the Tri-Valley") features an article called "40 under 40". One of those featured is Reem Assil, owner of Reem's Bakery in Oakland The editor of the piece, Lauren Bonney could have and should have spent more time researching Reem's background
Yep. This is the same Reem Assil who features a mural of a convicted Jew-killer in her bakery. The same Reem Assil who has promoted other PFLP terrorists from her Twitter account. The same Reem Assil who did nothing while her friends and customers attacked elderly protesters in front of her bakery.
Lauren Bonney's oversight wasn't lost on the commentators, including David Rosenberg, who wrote:
It is unfortunate that you honored Reem Assil in the 40 Under 40 article without mentioning her support of terrorism and that she decorated her bakery with a full wall mural of Rasmea Odeh. Rasmea Odeh is a member of the terrorist group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who was convicted for the murder of Leon Kanner and Eddie Joffe (two students in Israel) and lied about it when applying for U.S. citizenship. In April 2017 Rasmea Odeh pleaded guilty to failing to disclose her previous conviction on her citizenship application. Her U.S. citizenship was revoked and she is being deported from the U.S. As long as Reem Assil honors Rasmea Odeh and supports her terrorism, I think that Reem is unfit to be included in the 40 Under 40 (or be recognized for anything other than her support of terrorism).
Michael Harris added·
To put Reem Assil's giant mural of the unrepentant murderer Rasmea Odeh in perspective, imagine a restaurant serving Southern cuisine that featured a giant mural of Dylann Roof, who murdered 9 African Americans in cold blood in South Carolina. Or an Israeli restaurant decorated with a mural of Baruch Goldstein, who murdered dozens of Arabs in a house of worship. Either of these would appropriately be met with widespread revulsion. Reem deserves no less.
Maria Parker concluded:
Touche. At least some people are paying attention.
this is a real shame. years ago when i worked in publishing Diablo Magazine was considered the gold standard for regional publications. at one point they changed their interior page lay out style which i thought really sucked and wrote a letter telling them so that i was surprised they actually printed. i think this would be a good time to write them another letter about something else they recently did with their magazine that really sucked.
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