Opinion Editorials, March 2014

CAIR: Don't Let Acts of Terror Cloud Judgment (NH Register) In spite of having just completed yet another Black History Month celebration, it is an unfortunate reality of life that more Americans know the name Dzhokar Tsarnaev than those who know the name Crispus Attucks.

Muslim Outreach Programs Reaching Hispanic Converts (RNS)

CAIR-CA: You Are Needed at the State Capitol Join us for the 3rd Annual Muslim Day at the Capitol.

Video: CAIR Rep Speaks at News Conference on Persecution of Muslims in Burma CAIR: Va. Editorial Slams Sheriff's Support for Anti-Muslim Trainer

The primary issue here is with the person who leads the seminars -- ex-FBI agent John Guandolo, who resigned from the agency under less than agreeable circumstances. He is labeled a "notorious anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist" by [CAIR]. ... Guandolo's program is described as a primer in Muslim stereotyping.

CAIR: Virginia Agency Pulls Accreditation for Anti-Muslim Training (Video)

CAIR-MI Welcomes Settlement of Suit to Modify Religious Dietary Standards at Jail CAIR: Sharia to Be Topic of Annual Open House at Maine Mosque (Bangor DN) Guest speaker Corey Saylor, legislative director for CAIR in Washington, D.C., will address the topic: "Is Shari'a Compatible with Democracy?"

Detroit Jury Awards Muslim Man a Record $1.1M in Discrimination Case

Why Robert Davila is the Most Famous Muslim in America This Week New Documentary Recounts Story of Heroic Muslim Spy (Religion News Service) IL: Woman Charged with Vandalizing 20 Churches, Mosques Investigators found text messages that indicated she was seeking access to a gun, and her mother told police that she had become obsessed with Nazis and serial killer videos, the prosecutor said. NE: Bosnian Youth Transform Lincoln Church Into Mosque TX: Imam Offers Opening Invocation for the Harris County Commissioners Court Newark Archbishop Explores Worship Spaces for Muslims Displaced by Fire

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR-AZ Condemns ADL's Stereotyping of Muslims in Bill 1062 Debate

(PHOENIX, AZ, 2/28/14) -- The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ) today called on the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to apologize for stereotypical statements made about Muslims during recent debate over Arizona Senate Bill 1062, which would have shielded businesses from lawsuits if employees acted on religious beliefs to discriminate against customers.

In testimony before a state Senate committee the ADL's assistant regional director posed a scenario in which, "A Muslim-owned cab company might refuse to drive passengers to a Hindu temple."

SEE: The Muslim Taxi Driver (Slate)

"It is unconscionable that a group purporting to defend civil rights would resort to religious bigotry to promote its political agenda," said CAIR-AZ Board Chair Imraan Siddiqi. "The introduction of this stereotypical scenario gave way to the narrative that Muslims are in some way serial abusers of 'religious freedom based denials of service,' which is completely baseless."

Siddiqi noted that Muslims, like the majority of other Arizonans, believe that those serving the public must treat all customers equally, or be prepared to seek another line of work.

In 2010, CAIR called on the ADL to retract its statement against the construction of an Islamic community center in New York City.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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CAIR-PA: A Jewish Voice for Philadelphia's Muslims (The Jewish Week)

Four months after Jacob Bender, a Jewish filmmaker from Manhattan, was appointed to a symbolically landmark position with an American Muslim organization, he says he is serving as an example of interfaith tolerance.

CAIR-MI: Campaign Aims at Ending Arabic Slur Against Blacks (Free Press)
In recent months, the director of the Michigan branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Dawud Walid, who is African American, has highlighted the use of the slur on Twitter by Arabs against black people.

Nat Hentoff: Federal Judge Removes US Muslims from Constitution
For the future of our republic, this decision, which trashes our Constitution, should be discussed and debated in our schools as its appeal moves through the federal courts — ultimately, I assume, to the Supreme Court.

U.S. Hate Groups in Decline as Radical Ideas Go Mainstream (Reuters)
The number of radical-right hate and militia-type "patriot" groups in the United States, which peaked in 2012 after four years of explosive growth, fell significantly last year due in part to the mainstreaming of right-wing ideas, a civil rights group said Tuesday.

NJ: Bridgewater Mosque President Asks For Equal Treatment

Yassir Abdelkader, president of the Al Falah Center, has a simple message: "We want to be treated like any other church or synagogue."

Muslim Superior Court Judge Shares Endeavors That Preceded His Election

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ADC Requests DHS-OIG to Investigate "Selectee Passport List" 

Washington, DC | www.adc.org | February 26, 2014 — In light of recent information provided by a former TSA officer, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has requested the Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General (DHS-OIG) to investigate and take action regarding the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) ‘Selectee Passport List’ Policy. 

The ‘Selectee Passport List’ provides TSA officers with a list of twelve (12) countries that automatically trigger special screening at airports. TSA officers are required to conduct special screening for passport holding nationals from Syria, Algeria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia and Sudan. All of the countries listed are Arab nations, with the exception of Afghanistan and Iran, which are predominantly Muslim nations. The remaining two nations on the list are Cuba and North Korea. Individuals from these nations are automatically ‘pulled aside for full-body pat-downs,’ subject to extra scrutiny, and extensive luggage examination.

The request made by ADC, which can be read here, states in part, “As the nation’s largest Arab American civil rights organization, ADC strongly encourages DHS to investigate the use of any racial profiling measures by TSA officers. The use of racial or ethnic profiling, through programs such as the ‘Selectee Passport List,’ must not be tolerated under any circumstances. Arabs and Arab Americans have been unlawfully singled out by TSA officers for far too long, and it is time that this ends.”

ADC will continue to monitor the matter, and encourages all community members who have experienced harassment at the airport to contact the ADC Legal Department at [email protected]. 

Read "Confessions of an ex-TSA Agent" at politico.com for a behind the scenes account of the TSA's day-to-day operations and the selectee pastport list. 

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NM: Police Arrest Man for Threatening to Stab Two Muslim Teens The 15-year-old said Wood pulled out a knife and told them he hates Muslims and he wanted to kill them. CAIR-WA: Anti-Islamic Messages Get FBI Attention (Seattle Times) Ten Islam-related books were discovered with handwritten "hateful messages" Saturday morning, each one placed in a separate parking spot in the lot near the center, according to Arsalan Bukhari, the executive director CAIR-Washington.

Video: CAIR-WA Says Clue May Have Been Left at Mosque Targeted by Hate Video: CAIR-WA Says FBI Will Probe Hate Messages Left at Mosque CAIR-WA: FBI Called on to Help Stop Incidents of Hate CAIR-WA: Islamic Center of Bothell Targeted with Anti-Muslim Messages The center is working with the Washington chapter CAIR to bring attention to the incidents in an effort to stop the targeted attacks.

"Merry Christmas," "Happy Hanukkah" Bill Considered in Alabama Legislature Video: CAIR Attorney Discusses Anti-Muslim Discrimination in U.S. (CCTV America) In 2010, Muslims planned to build a mosque near Ground Zero. It met a lot of resistance. That mosque did eventually get built and is now open. People might think anti-Muslim sentiments would have died down by now but it doesn't seem to be the case. CCTV's Anand Naidoo is joined by Gadeir Abbas, staff attorney of the Council on American-Islamic Relations to discuss discrimination in the U.S. CAIR: Va. Police Academy Nixes Training by Anti-Muslim Activist (Think Progress)

CAIR: Academy Pulls Support of Anti-Muslim Police Seminar (AP)

Delaware's Catholic, Islamic leaders meet Documents Show Rohingya Discrimination 'is Policy' A rights group says it has evidence of Myanmar's government discriminating against Muslim Rohingya, restricting their movements and family size. 'Omar' Now Playing in 40 Cities Nationwide For a list of showtimes and more information, please visit: http://www.adoptfilms.com/omar

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CAIR-WA: Anti-Muslim Messages Left at Bothell Mosque (Seattle Times)

Watch: CAIR-WA Says Hate Messages Left at Bothell Mosque Quran Damaged in NY Burglary (Newsday)

TN: Jewish, Muslim Communities Unite for Peaceful Cause (Tennessean) Masjid As-Sabur Mosque Opens Its Doors in Oak Park (Sacramento Bee)

CAIR Good News Alert:

Virginia Agency Pulls Accreditation for Anti-Muslim Training

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/24/14) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today applauded a decision by a Virginia state agency to withdraw accreditation for a training program by John Guandolo, a notorious anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist.

SEE: Statement by Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy CAIR: Virginia Counter-Terror Training by Anti-Muslim Activist Sparks Outcry

Last week, CAIR called on Virginia's Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to withdraw its accreditation for a three-day training program on "Jihadi Networks in America" that will be offered by Guandolo, who bizarrely claims that the current CIA director is a secret Muslim and asserts that American Muslims "do not have a First Amendment right to do anything." A similar request was sent to the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy, the agency that actually approved the DCJS accreditation.

In a statement issued earlier today, the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy said:

"After careful consideration and consultation with other law enforcement agencies and academies, having firsthand knowledge of this training, the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy will no longer be offering Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services in-service training credit for the upcoming seminar "Understanding and Investigating Jihadi Networks in America."

"The Academy has apologized to those law enforcement agencies and personnel affected by this decision and will work to ensure those officers receive the in-service training credits necessary and relevant to their positions."

"We applaud the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy and the Department of Criminal Justice Services for responding promptly and professionally to community concerns about the biased and conspiratorial content of Mr. Guandolo's training program," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "This welcome action sends the message that Virginia law enforcement authorities will receive only fact-based, objective training that does not stereotype any minority groups or faiths."

A representative of CAIR and a leader of the Culpeper, Va., Muslim community today offered a presentation on Islam and Islamophobia to sheriff's officers one day ahead of Guandolo's training.

On Friday, representatives of the Muslim community and CAIR met with Culpeper County Sheriff Scott H. Jenkins. During that meeting, the sheriff agreed to today's presentation. "We hope that today's presentation will provide sheriff's officers with the accurate information needed to identify and disprove Mr. Guandolo's conspiracy theories," said CAIR Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia Director Corey Saylor, who offered part of today's presentation. "We thank the Southern Poverty Law Center for bringing this matter to the public's attention."

Guandolo refers to America's mosques and Islamic centers as "barracks" and falsely claims "it is a permanent command in Islam for Muslims to hate and despise Jews and Christians." 

Video: Islamophobe John Guandolo Claims CIA Director John Brennan is a Secret Muslim SEE: US Military School Taught Soldiers to Wage "Total War" Against Islam

A 2012 article in the Tennessean newspaper reported Guandolo's belief that mosques are "front organizations for the Muslim Brotherhood with no right to exist." During a 2012 anti-Muslim training in Tennessee, Guandolo was videoed shoving a local news camera that attempted to record the training. He is linked to one of the nation's most vicious anti-Muslim groups, ACT! for America. SEE: ACT! for America to Launch Anti-Muslim Website for Law Enforcement CAIR Islamophobia Backgrounder: ACT! for America and 'Brigitte Gabriel'

Following calls for reform by CAIR and other groups following revelations of apparently widespread anti-Muslim bias in the training of law enforcement, security and military personnel nationwide, the Obama administration removed biased and inaccurate materials about Islam from federal trainings.

SEE: CAIR Asks Sec. Napolitano to Probe Use of Islamophobic Trainers Video: CAIR Decries Anti-Muslim Police Trainers

An 80-page report by Political Research Associates (PRA), titled "Manufacturing the Muslim Menace: Private Firms, Public Servants, & the Threat to Rights and Security," details a systemic failure to regulate content in counterterrorism training.

Washington Monthly magazine also published a major investigative article showing similar anti-Islam attitudes by private trainers of law enforcement agencies.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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CONTACT:

CAIR-AZ Board Chair Imraan Siddiqi, 480-415-4652,

E-Mail: [email protected];

CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726,

E-Mail: [email protected]

Council on American-Islamic Relations

453 New Jersey Ave, S.E., Washington, D.C., 20003

Opinions expressed in various sections are the sole responsibility of their authors and they may not represent Al-Jazeerah & ccun.org.

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