Double Standard on 'Terror' Counterproductive, Offensive
Attack on Texas IRS office not called 'terrorism,' despite fitting definition

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/22/10) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), along with other national Muslim organizations, today held a news conference in Washington, D.C., to express concerns over a perceived double standard on the use of the label "terrorism" as it relates to acts of political violence committed by people who are not Muslims.

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[Other Muslim groups taking part in the news conference included MAS Freedom and the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Council for Social Justice.]

CAIR's news conference was prompted by coverage of last week's politically-motivated airborne suicide attack on an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) office in Austin, Texas, which the Muslim civil rights and advocacy group called an act of terror."

SEE: Muslim Group Wants Government to Call Plane Attack Terrorism (The Hill)

In a statement read at today's Capitol Hill event, CAIR Legal Counsel Nadhira Al-Khalili said:

"American law defines 'terrorism' as 'premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets' or as 'the unlawful use of force against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.'

"When an act that fits these definitions is carried out by a Muslim individual or group, there is and should be no hesitation in labeling that act 'terrorism.'

"Regrettably, when an act fitting the legal definitions of terrorism is carried out by someone who is not Muslim, there seems to be a general reluctance on the part of commentators, public officials and law enforcement agenciesto use the term.

"Last week's attack on the IRS office in Texas perfectly fits either legal definition of terrorism, yet it has not been labeled as such. This apparent double standard only serves to render the term 'terrorism' meaningless and imbues it with a sense of religious and ethnic bias that is both counterproductive and offensive.

"As Glenn Greenwald wrote on Salon.com, 'The term now has virtually nothing to do with the act itself and everything to do with the identity of the actor, especially his or her religious identity.'

"Failure to label the IRS attack in Texas an act of terrorism has had real consequences. Supporters of the Austin terrorist on Facebook and Twitternow claim he is a 'true American hero.' This support would likely not have materialized if the attacker's Internet fans believed they were supporting terrorism.

SEE: Joe Stack is a "True American Hero"
Joe Stack's Daughter Calls Deadly Austin Attack on IRS 'Wrong,' but Labels Dad Hero

"American Muslims have consistently and repeatedly condemned acts of terrorism and repudiated all those who seek to justify the killing of civilians in order to achieve political or religious goals. It is time for others to do the same.

"If we are, as a nation, to achieve the safety and security we all seek, the terms used to describe the acts of those who would attack the innocent in order to achieve political or religious goals must be free of bias and applicable to all perpetrators, regardless of race or faith.

"Republican Congressman Mike McCaul, who represents Austin, Texas, is correct when he said 'any time you fly an airplane into a federal building to kill people, that's an act of terror.' America should identify such acts as terrorism whenever they are committed, wherever they are committed, whoever commits them."

SEE: Was attack an act of terrorism, rage or spectacle murder?

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.

By JEFF KAROUB, Associated Press Writer – Fri Feb 19, 8:22 pm ET

DEARBORN, Mich. – Mariam Wehbe learned about a program offering home-delivered meals made according to Islamic law at a good time — poor health made cooking impossible and a grandson who helps her had to cut back to devote more time to school.

Plus, as a Muslim, she could keep halal.

Wehbe, 70, who lives in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, is among the recipients of a new Halal Meals on Wheels program. It's the first in the country to work with a national halal food distributor and comes after a lengthy effort by nonprofit agencies that serve area senior citizens as well as Muslim- and Arab-Americans.

Like other Meals on Wheels programs, it's designed for people who are at least 60 years old, confined to their homes and unable to make their own meals. But the halal meals also are deemed permissible or lawful for Muslims because they are prepared according to Islamic teachings.

Amne Talab, social services director of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services in Dearborn, said the need has grown as the population ages and more elderly lose help from family members working more to make ends meet in a tough economy.

She also was inspired by the success of a local kosher Meals on Wheels program.

"(We) were aware of the regular Meals on Wheels program and wondered ... if they could make it halal," said Talab, who is also a member of the state's Commission on Services to the Aging.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100220/ap_on_re_us/us_halal_house_call;_ylt=Akw.Q8Ek936.Kzd2LBXH3bk7Xs8F;_ylu=X3oDMTJwNmZiYjVxBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMjIwL3VzX2hhbGFsX2hvdXNlX2NhbGwEcG9zAzYEc2VjA3luX3BhZ2luYXRlX3N1bW1hcnlfbGlzdARzbGsDaGFsYWxtZWFsc2Nv

U.S. Muslim Group to Challenge Double Standard on 'Terror'
CAIR says 'terrorism' label meaningless if it only applies to Muslims

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/19/10) - On Monday, February 22, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will hold a news conference at its Capitol Hill headquarters to express concerns over what the civil rights group says is a double standard on the use of the label "terrorism" as it relates to acts of violence committed by people who are not Muslims.

WHAT: CAIR News Conference to Challenge Double Standard on "Terrorism"
WHEN: Monday, February 22, 2010, 11 a.m.
WHERE: CAIR's Capitol Hill Headquarters, 453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C.
CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com

Yesterday, CAIR called the politically-motivated airborne suicide attack on an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) office in Austin, Texas, an act of "terror," while many media outlets, law enforcement agencies and government officials were reluctant to use the term.

SEE: Muslim Group Wants Government to Call Plane Attack Terrorism (The Hill)

"The position of many individuals and institutions seems to be that no act of violence can be labeled 'terrorism' unless it is carried out by a Muslim," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "The attack on the IRS office in Texas perfectly fits the legal definition of terrorism, yet it is not being labeled as such. This apparent double standard only serves to render the term meaningless."

SEE: Terrorism: The Most Meaningless and Manipulated Word (Salon.com)
Austin Plane Crash: Criminal Act or Domestic Terrorism? (Fox)

Section 2656f(d) of Title 22 of the United States Code defines the term "terrorism" as"premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets."

The Code of Federal Regulations defines terrorism as a crime that involves "the unlawful use of force against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." (Title 28 CFR § 0.85)

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.

CAIR ASKS CONGRESS TO PROBE FEDERAL AGENCY'S ANTI-MUSLIM BIAS - TOP U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom accused of discriminating against Muslim staffers, targeting Muslim countries (WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/18/10) - A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy group today called on Congress to probe allegations of anti-Muslim bias at the taxpayer-funded agency that advises the president and other government officials on issues related to religious freedom worldwide. Current and former staff and commissioners of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom say the agency discriminates against Muslim staffers, targets Muslim countries for extra scrutiny, focuses disproportionately on the persecution of Christians, and downplays violations of religious rights in places like Israel and Europe. A Muslim policy analyst contracted by the commission recently filed a complaint with theEqual Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging that her contract was canceled because of her faith and her past affiliation with an American Muslim organization. SEE: Agency that Monitors Religious Freedom Abroad Accused of Bias (Wash. Post) The commission was created by Congress in 1998 as part of the International Religious Freedom Act. It has a $4.3 million budget. Next year, Congress must decide whether to extend the commissions life beyond its 2011 sunset date. "The disturbing allegations of anti-Muslim bias at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom must be investigated by Congress prior to instituting any necessary reforms," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "Taxpayer dollars should not be used to promote the religious agendas or pet projects of those with an ideological ax to grind." Awad noted that the commission devoted extensive resources to examining the textbooks used at an Islamic school in Virginia, despite the fact that the agency was created to monitor religious freedom overseas. In 2001, a group of American Muslim, Christian and secular organizations criticized the commission's lack of balance in its reporting on violations of religious freedom. 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. CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com SEE ALSO: GROUP LAUNCHES RACIAL PROFILING: FACE THE TRUTH DIALOGUE SERIES - TOP From February 22-28, 2010, the Rights Working Group will host dialogue events to help people "talk about how government policies are undermining the civil liberties and human rights of people living in America and how to work together to ensure these rights are restored." This year's topic is racial, religious and ethnic profiling. CAIR strongly opposes such profiling and encourages people of conscience to join these conversations. To learn more about the project, see: http://www.nightof1000conversations.org/ ----- CAIR: BAY AREA PREMIERE OF INSIDE ISLAM: WHAT A BILLION MUSLIMS REALLY THINK - TOP CAIR-SFBA, ICCNC and Illume Magazine to host film based on Gallup Poll that dispels stereotypes, reveals Muslim views on gender, terrorism and democracy (SANTA CLARA, CA 2/18/10) - On February 20, the San Francisco Bay Area office of theCouncil on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), Illume Magazine and the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California (ICCNC) will host the Bay Area premiere of Unity Production Foundation's latest film Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think. The documentary provides an eye-opening view of global Muslim opinions on hot topics such as terrorism, democracy, women, and the West. It is based on the findings of the Gallup Organization's first-of-its-kind opinion poll of the entire Muslim world. Saturdays event also includes an on-stage conversation with author and Islam expert Dr. John Esposito about his new book The Future of Islam. Esposito, who is featured in the film, will be available to sign his books. WHAT: Bay Area premiere of UPF's Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think WHEN: Saturday, February 20, 2010. Film starts 4:30 p.m., conversation with Dr. Esposito at 6:15 p.m. WHERE: Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California, 1433 Madison Street, Oakland, CA CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Events and Office Manager Sana Rydhan, 408.986.9874, E-Mail:srydhan@cair.com Order tickets online here. Background: The film examines questions on every Americans mind: Why is there so much anti-Americanism in the Muslim world? Who are the extremists and how do Muslims feel about them? What do Muslims like and dislike about the West? What do Muslim women really want? This 55-minute documentary is executive produced by Michael Wolfe and Alex Kronemer(Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet; Cities of Light: The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain; Prince Among Slaves) and produced and directed by Robert Gardner (Arab and Jew:Return to the Promised Land; Elie Wiesel: First Person Singular; Islam: Empire of Faith). Unity Productions Foundation is a nonprofit production company whose mission is to develop balanced, fair and accurate journalistic material concerning the world's cultural and spiritual traditions in order to help increase understanding and tolerance. For more information, visit www.upf.tv. 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. CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Event and Office Manager Sana Rydhan, 408.986.9874, E-Mail: srydhan@cair.com; UPF Outreach Manager Daniel Tutt, 202-298-8088, daniel@upf.tv SEE ALSO: CAIR-OH: FILM EXPLORES MUSLIM LIFE - TOP Columbus Dispatch, 2/18/10 The Columbus chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations will sponsor a screening of Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think at 7 p.m. Sunday in the Drexel Theatre, 2254 E. Main St., Bexley. The 55-minute documentary examines the findings of a Gallup Poll in which researchers interviewed tens of thousands of residents in 35 predominantly Muslim countries. A panel discussion will follow the screening. Admission is $5, or free for students. For ticket information, call 614-451-3232 or send e-mail to bdarvish@cair.com. ----- DUIN: MUSLIMS HERE SINCE SLAVERY - TOP By Julia Duin, Washington Times, 2/18/10 Indiana University religious studies professor Edward Curtis' recent book, "Muslims in America," is, according to his publisher, the first single-author history of American Muslims from Colonial times to the present. There is not a whole lot of competition. I don't know of any textbooks that mention how there were Islamic names like Hassan and Ali in documents from our Spanish colonial period (in the American Southwest) in the 1600s. In 1730, roughly 280 years ago, the first identifiable Muslim arrived on the Eastern Seaboard. (More)

Attack on Texas IRS Office an Act of Terror
Muslim civil rights group condemns all politically-motivated violence

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/18/10) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) tonight called the apparent airborne suicide attack on an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) office in Austin, Texas, an act of terror.

Before taking off in the light plane that he allegedly used to attack the IRS office, Joseph A. Stack reportedly set fire to his own home and posted an anti-government screed on the Internet that was signed "Joe Stack (1956-2010)." At least 13 people were injured in the attack. Two of the victims are reported in critical condition. Stack is presumed dead.

Whenever an individual or group attacks civilians in order to make a political statement, that is an act of terror, said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. Terrorism is terrorism, regardless of the faith, race or ethnicity of the perpetrator or the victims. We pray for the speedy recovery of those injured in the attack.

SEE: Joseph Stack and Right-Wing Terror: Isolated Incidents or Worrying Trend?(Newsweek)

He said the USA PATRIOT Act defines terrorism as any action intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping, and (C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S."

Awad noted that if a Muslim had carried out the IRS attack, it would have surely been labeled an act of terrorism.

To read about CAIR's past anti-terror initiatives, go to:http://www.cair.com/AmericanMuslims/AntiTerrorism.aspx

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.

INTERFAITH DIALOGUE - TOP

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/16/10) - On Sunday, February 28, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will co-host a screening and interfaith dialogue about a new film on global Muslim public opinion at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Va.

The event is a partnership between CAIR and 20,000 Dialogues, a project of Unity Productions Foundation, the makers of Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think. 20,000 Dialogues is a nationwide initiative that uses discussions about films to build greater understanding of Muslims.

WHAT: Film Screening and Interfaith Dialogue
WHEN: Sunday, February 28, 6:30-9 p.m.
WHERE: Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5533 16th St. N, Arlington, Va.
CONTACT: Aseel Elborno, E-Mail: aelborno@cair.com, 919-696-7796

Please RSVP at: http://trinityinsideislam.eventbrite.com/

Co-sponsors of the event include Unity Production Foundation, Paulist Fathers, AMIN DC, Faith Act Fellows and Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think, the new documentary by Unity Production Foundation, provides an eye-opening view of global Muslim opinions on hot topics like terrorism, democracy, women and the West based on the findings of the Gallup Organizations first-of-its-kind opinion poll of the entire Muslim world.

Like Gallups research, the film challenges some popular notions concerning the conflicts that exist between the U.S. and the Muslim World. It provides information and analysis intended to spur a public policy debate based on facts, not fear. This ground-breaking research is crucial to the new foreign policy formulations now being made in Washington and around the world.

Experts featured in the film include: Dalia Mogahed, executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and a member of President Obamas Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships;John Esposito, University Professor at Georgetown University; and Kenneth Pollack, Director of Research at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution.

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.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

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VIDEO: CAIR REP DEBATES BODY SCANNERS, PROFILING ON FOX - TOP

View the video.

On Fox and Friends this morning, Steve Doocy hosted a discussion about concerns from Muslim-Americans that full-body scanners at airports violate Islamic rules on modesty.

After former homeland security research analyst Michael Hoffman suggested that some profiling was needed for airport security, Doocy brought up his wife's experiences going through airport security, saying that she gets searched even though she does not look like what we have presumed the people who want to blow up airlines look like.

Ahmed Rehab, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Chicago, quickly rebuked Doocys comment about the presumed appearance of terrorists. Behavioral profiling is one thing, how they look like is another, said Rehab. How they look like is racial profiling, which I'm not for. Doocy replied by asserting that all potential airline terrorists look alike. (More)

SEE ALSO:

CAIR-CHICAGO: RACIAL PROFILING IS INAPPROPRIATE - TOP
Daily Herald, 2/15/10

A gracious thank you to Ruben Navarrette, author of, "A missed opportunity against profiling," for bringing up the importance of addressing racial profiling. I also wished President Obama had condemned racial profiling during his State of the Union address.

This taboo subject has been swept under the rug. Racial profiling has been emotionally and mentally damaging for Muslim Americans. Without strong people speaking out against racial profiling innocent people will continue to be oppressed.

Singling people out because of their ethnicity or religion is wrong. If we want to tighten national security, we should focus on using intelligence more effectively and look out for suspicious behavior.

After all, racial profiling contradicts our Constitutional values and has been proven ineffective as research shows it hasn't kept Americans any safer.

Frances Boehnlein
Communications intern, Council on American Islamic Relations - Chicago

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VIDEO: CAIR REP DISCUSSES USE OF FULL-BODY SCANNERS IN AIRPORTS - TOP

View the video.

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CAIR: 'THE NEED OF IMMIGRANTS IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE' - TOP
Rediff.com, 2/16/10

When you are standing under the shower, you are also involving yourself in politics, declared Ravi Bhalla, a Hoboken, New Jersey councilor. The amount of taxes you pay for the utilities like water as well as the quality of the water are determined by political operators.

Bhalla was addressing a conference, titled 'Empowering South Asians in New Jersey', and stressing the need to be engaged with political and community organizations at all levels.

The two-day conference, attended by 100 people representing the local South Asian community, advocates, and service providers, was held atMontclair State University. It was the first regional conference organized by South Asian Americans Leading Together in partnership with 12 local organizations...

The organizations that participated in the events included the American Friends Service Committee, the Council on American Islamic Relations, the Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals, the Hindu American Seva Charities, Manavi, the Network of Indian Professionals, the New JerseyImmigration Policy Network, the Sikh Coalition, the University of Pennsylvania's South Asia Center, the South Asian Mental Health Awareness in Jersey, SATHI, and the United Sikhs. (More)

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CONSTITUTIONALITY OF PRAYER DEBATE HEATS UP IN PICO RIVERA - TOP
Bethania Palma Markus, Whittier Daily News, 2/13/10

PICO RIVERA - After a newly appointed mayor took a Bible off the dais and chose not to schedule prayer at each council meeting, the country's 220-year-old debate over church and state has sprung up in Pico Rivera.

Since he became mayor in January, Gregory Salcido has tried to include less religion during council hearings.

"It's a very black-and-white situation, clearly defined in the Constitution," Salcido said after the January meeting. "When our framers crafted the First Amendment of the Constitution, they put theestablishment clause in to protect the integrity of both institutions."

Invocations were returned to the next meeting at the request of the other councilmen. But a Bible that had been placed on the dais several years ago was removed.

State and federal case law says city councils can have invocations but the prayers must be kept generic, said Pico Rivera City Attorney Arnold Alvarez- Glasman...

The debate was highlighted recently when R. Rex Parris, mayor of Lancaster, called for "growing a Christian community" in his annual state of the city address, sparking an outcry from civil rights groups.

The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) filed a complaint with the Department of Justicealleging civil rights violations.

Parris apologized Tuesday.

"There has to be the right balance between religious inclusion as well as upholding the Constitution," said Munira Syeda, Southern California CAIR spokeswoman. "The Constitution has established clear lines that shouldn't be crossed." (More)