USLIM GROUP CONDEMNS SHOOTING AT D.C. HOLOCAUST MUSEUM - TOP (WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/10/09) - A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today condemned a shooting incident at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., during which a security guard and the alleged gunman were reportedly wounded. SEE: Gunman, Guard Shot at Holocaust Museum (MSNBC) In a statement, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said: “We condemn this apparent bias-motivated attack and stand with the Jewish community and with Americans of all faiths in repudiating the kind of hatred and intolerance that can lead to such disturbing incidents.” CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization, has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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. CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com ----- RELIGIOUS SLURS USED DURING ASSAULT ON TEXAS MUSLIM - TOP CAIR asks that attack be probed as hate crime, seeks protection for victim (WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/10/09) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on law enforcement authorities in Texas to investigate an alleged assault on a Muslim in that state as a hate crime. The alleged victim, a 34-year-old white convert to Islam, reported to CAIR that two former co-workers came to his Gilmer, Texas, home after midnight on Saturday and punched, choked and kicked him without provocation. During the assault, the alleged attackers reportedly used religious slurs such as, “You Muslim piece of sh*t,” “Pray to Allah motherf**ker,” and “You are a traitor…We’re at war with these people.” At one point during the alleged assault, the victim says he felt the barrel of a gun pressed to his head. As the attackers left, they allegedly threatened to harm him again if he called the police. He was reportedly told by one assailant, “If I can’t get you, my people will.” The victim has since moved out of his home in response to this threat. The FBI and local police are investigating the incident, but local authorities have not labeled it a hate crime. “Because of the religious slurs reportedly used during this attack, and the alleged threat to the victim’s life, we urge law enforcement authorities to investigate a possible bias motive and to offer police protection,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “These incidents can be the unfortunate result of the crude stereotypes of Islam that President Obama rejected recently in his Cairo address.” SEE: CAIR Calls President’s Cairo Speech ‘Comprehensive, Balanced and Forthright’ CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization, has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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. CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com ----- CAIR-LA: MUSLIM GROUPS DISAGREE THAT RELATIONS WITH FBI ARE 'VERY GOOD' -TOP Local leader says relations continue to be strained in wake of allegations of surveillance. Salvador Hernandez, Orange County Register, 6/9/09 Local Muslim organizations disagreed Tuesday with FBI Director Robert Mueller's assertion that relations between the groups and the agency are "very good." Despite continued concerns from Muslim organizations about the FBI's use of informants and surveillance in U.S. mosques, Mueller defended the agency's investigative tactics and described the FBI's relationship with Muslim organizations as mostly positive. Mueller's comments came days after a Michigan Muslim organization asked the Justice Department to investigate complaints that the FBI has asked mosque members to spy on Islamic leaders and worshippers, a claim that has been repeated in Orange County after an Irvine man publicly claimed he worked with the FBI as an informant at various local mosques and was asked by agents to identify Middle Eastern men in local gyms. Answering questions from reporters, Mueller said Monday that the FBI conducted operations while following evidence or information of possible criminal activity. "We don't investigate places; we investigate individuals," Mueller said. "To the extent that there may be evidence or other information of criminal wrongdoings, then we will ... undertake those investigations." Mueller added. "We will continue to do it." But local Muslim leaders disagreed with the director's comments, stating that the FBI appeared to be casting a wide net of suspicion on local mosques and Muslim organizations, straining the relationship between the law-enforcement agency and Islamic organizations. "I don't believe that at all whatsoever," said Shakeel Syed, executive director of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California. "Either he doesn't know what's going on under his own nose in his own department or he's lying." In February, a convicted felon named Craig Monteilh said he worked with the FBI as an informant, infiltrating local mosques and gathering information for the Orange County Joint Terrorism Task Force… Munira Syeda, spokeswoman for CAIR, said a concern was also the use of "provocateurs." "The debate is not about the use of informants," Syeda said. "American Muslims understand that informants are needed to fight criminal activities and apprehend those who break the law. However, the issue here involves provocateurs who are sent into peaceful places of worship to entrap law-abiding Muslims and radicalize them." Mueller also said there would be no change in the FBI's priorities. (More) ----- CAIR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: PROJECT MANAGER - TOP CAIR's Project Manager will work full-time for a period of 3-5 months in Washington, D.C., on a major educational and outreach initiative. Those applying for the position should be self-motivated team players who have good organizational, marketing and communications skills. The position may require travel, public speaking and fundraising. Experience in project management is required, as is an ability to maintain goals and deadlines and to work effectively with outside vendors. Salary: Competitive Please send resume and cover letter to info@cair.com with "Project Manager" in the subject line. In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goal of diversity, CAIR is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on any legally recognized basis. ----- MUSLIMS WELCOME OBAMA'S OFFER OF A 'NEW BEGINNING' - TOP Still, while his approach is honest, many eager for president's words to become actions Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi, Detroit News, 6/10/09 [Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi heads the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights.] President Barack Hussein Obama's historic speech at Cairo University last week ignited new hope to re-start relations between America and the world's Muslims on the basis of mutual interest and mutual respect. The president offered dialogue, diplomacy and engagement. Obama's message reminded me of his book, "Dreams from My Father," which ends: "We need to remind ourselves, despite all our differences, just how much we share: common hopes, common dreams, a bond that will not break." Muslim Americans appreciated the president's concept of a "new beginning." Islam has always been a part of American's story, the president said. The partnership between America and Islam must be based on truth, not paranoid fantasies. The promise to combat the demonization of Islam serves justice and constitutional integrity. By referring to Quranic verses, recognizing the contributions of the Muslim community in American social life and defending the right of Muslim women to dress traditionally while enjoying equal opportunities, Obama demonstrated his genuine desire to be a unifying leader. One day after the Cairo gathering, while Osama bin Laden, Rush Limbaugh and fanatic Israelis united in hate against Obama, a big interfaith crowd met at the Islamic House of Wisdom to listen to internationally known Christian speaker and healer Marilyn Hickey. (More) ----- TX: COVERED LIFE GIVES NEW PERSPECTIVE - TOP Ana McKenzie, Daily Texan, 6/5/09 Spencer Wall, fourth-year English and sociology major, talks about her experience wearing a hijab on Wednesday night at Kerbey Lane Cafe. Wall, a Christian from West Texas, embarked on a personal experience in which she dressed as a Muslim woman for a year, starting in April. I first noticed Spencer Wall in my religion and society class toward the end of last semester. She wasn’t particularly outspoken, but the shawl that covered her hair, neck and shoulders made her stand out in the large class. I usually gave her nothing more than a completely unconscious glance. But when she revealed to the class the decision that she made on April 27, I suddenly became aware of the attention I gave her. Wall, a 20-year-old sociology and English senior, decided to assume the characteristics and attire of a “typical” Muslim woman for a year starting in late April. She wears the traditional veil, or “hijab,” and loose-fitting clothing everywhere she goes and does not consume pork or alcohol in public. She avoids eye and physical contact with men and has adopted modest habits like walking with her arms glued to her sides or crossed in front of her to hide her chest. I witnessed the looks Wall gets on a daily basis when we met at Kerbey Lane on the Drag recently. She’s wearing a hijab splashed with vibrant shades of green and blue. A long-sleeved, black shirt and floor-length aqua skirt reveals only a few inches of skin. Some who pass us try to be inconspicuous with their intrigue, limiting themselves to quick side glances. But most don’t even try to be candid with their exaggerated double-takes or blatant stares. She passes by a group waiting to be seated, and all of them stare at the back of her head as she walks away. One guy even rolls his eyes. “It doesn’t surprise me,” she says when I tell her about the group. “But look around. They’re not the only ones.” She insists her decision is not a social experiment but more of a personal learning experience. As a white female from a small, West Texas town, Wall says she wanted to know what it would be like to be part of a “noticeable minority.” “I’m not representing Muslim women or the Muslim community,” she says. “I just want to know what it’s like to walk in their shoes for a while.” (More)