Islam-Bashers Try to Block Muslim Prayer in Va. Legislature
Action: Contact elected officials to support religious diversity, inclusion

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/11/2010) - CAIR is calling on American Muslims and other people of conscience to contact elected officials in Virginia to thank them for inviting a respected imam to offer the opening prayer in todays session of that states House of Delegates.

A coalition of notorious Islam-bashers has called for a boycott of the prayer by legislators.

SEE: Boycott Urged for Muslim Imam's Prayer in Virginia House (Wash. Post)
SEE ALSO: http://www.imamjohari.com

The head of one of the Islamophobic groups organizing the boycott, ACT! for AmericasBrigitte Gabriel, once told the Australian Jewish News: Every practising Muslim is a radical Muslim. She also claimed that Islamo-fascism is a politically-correct wordit's the vehicle for IslamIslam is the problem.

When asked whether Americans should resist Muslims who want to seek political office in this nation," Gabriel said:

"Absolutely. If a Muslim who has -- who is -- a practicing Muslim who believes the word of the Koran to be the word of Allah, who abides by Islam, who goes to mosque and prays every Friday, who prays five times a day -- this practicing Muslim, who believes in the teachings of the Koran, cannot be a loyal citizen to the United States of America."

The New York Times Magazine described Gabriel as a radical Islamophobe.

SEE: A Case Study in Sincere Hypocrisy: Brigitte Gabriel

Another group calling for a boycott of the prayer, the Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force, calls Islamic beliefs barbaric and claims Islamic law violates the Constitution.

"My hope is that from this gathering we will all get know each other and build new bridges of understanding, no matter how much some narrow-minded people dislike it, said ImamJohari Abdul-Malik, who will offer todays prayer.

We cannot let a vocal minority of hate-mongers deny American Muslims their constitutionally-guaranteed right to take part in the political process, said CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor.

Saylor noted that another group of Islamophobes is today seeking to block Muslim political participation in Florida.

SEE: Muslim Group Heads to Tallahassee; Anti-Muslim Group Stokes Fear