MUSLIMS THANK SEATTLE MUSEUM FOR BALANCING BIASED VIDEO - TOP

(SEATTLE, WA, 4/14/10) - The Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA) and American Muslims of Puget Sound (AMPS) today thanked the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) for its decision to offer a balancing perspective to a film promoting anti-Muslim bias that is part of a traveling exhibit.

MOHAI is hosting an exhibit that includes "The Enemy Within: Terror in America 1776 to Today," a short film developed by the Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. The film features interviews with notorious Islamophobes such as Steven Emerson and Daniel Pipes. In the film, advocates of profiling and torture are juxtaposed with images of Muslim rituals, Muslim religious leaders and scenes of violence.

[Daniel Pipes once warned a Jewish convention of the "true dangers" posed by "the presence, and increased stature, and affluence, and enfranchisement of American Muslims." (American Jewish Congress, 10/21/2001) Pipes has also been a vocal supporter of the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Steven Emerson blamed the bombing of the 1995 Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on Middle Easterners.]

A number of local individuals and organizations contacted MOHAI to express concerns about the sensationalistic nature of the film and to urge the museum to reject the film, as was done by at least one previous host of the exhibition, the Minnesota Historical Society.

After being contacted by CAIR-WA and AMPS, MOHAI officials agreed to meet with representatives of the two groups but refused to drop the film, citing "contractual obligations."

After more than two weeks of negotiations, MOHAI officials agreed to place two informational posters in the video booth. One poster informs viewers of the similarities between the bigoted focus on Muslims expressed in the film and the ideas circulated during the WWII era against Japanese-Americans.

The second poster describes terror attacks on U.S. soil since 9/11, all of which were in various stages of execution by people who were not Muslim.

"We thank MOHAI for understanding our concerns and helping to expose the real face of the film," said AMPS member Jafar Siddiqui.

"We appreciate MOHAI's willingness to address our concerns and to work with the Muslim community toward a resolution," said CAIR-WA Executive Director Arsalan Bukhari. "We hope that future hosts of this traveling exhibit will drop this biased and agenda-driven film so as not to contribute to the increase in anti-Muslim sentiment in our nation."

Bukhari noted that CAIR recently asked the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) to investigate a report of anti-Islam bias in the training offered to security personnel by that military law enforcement agency.

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-WA Executive Director Arsalan Bukhari, 206-367-4081, 206-931-3655, E-Mail: abukhari@cair.com; 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

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CAIR: D.C. DMV MODIFIES PHOTO POLICY OVER MUSLIM CONCERNS - TOP

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 4/14/10) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today thanked the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in Washington, D.C., for modifying its policy on driver's license photographs in response to concerns raised by Muslim women who wear a religious head scarf, or hijab.

CAIR had received complaints that DMV personnel were misinterpreting the phrase "full face, including the hairline" in existing policy to demand that Muslim women expose their hair in driver's license photographs.

After being contacted by CAIR, DMV Director Lucinda Babers apologized for the misunderstanding and agreed to modify the photo policy to state "up to the hairline without exposing the hair." Babers said DMV staff have been notified of the change and the department's web site will reflect the updated policy.

"We thank Director Babers for her prompt attention to the concerns of Muslim drivers," said CAIR Civil Rights Manager Khadija Athman.

Athman noted that the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recently offered an apology to a Muslim driver in that state who was initially refused the right to take her driver's license photograph wearing a hijab.

According to a 2004 CAIR review, most states - with the exception of Georgia, Kentucky and New Hampshire - have addressed religious accommodation concerns. Five states - Arkansas, Mississippi, Kansas, Missouri, and Maine - recognize some religious practices, while the other 42 states have adopted more inclusive approaches to religious accommodation policies.

SEE: Religious Accommodation in Driver's License Photographs

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 Civil Rights Manager Khadija Athman, 202-646-6033; 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

SEE ALSO:

CAIR-PA: DELAWARE DMV OFFERS APOLOGY FOR HEADSCARF INCIDENT - TOP
Teen told to take off hijab despite policy
Mike Chalmers, The News Journal, 4/14/10

Getting her driver's license should have been an exciting rite of passage for a Sussex County teenager, her mother said.

But when Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles workers told the 16-year-old girl to remove her Muslim headscarf -- despite an agency policy allowing her to wear it in her license picture -- the experience ended in tears and embarrassment.

"It's a crying shame that a piece of fabric on her head could cause such an uproar," said the mother, who asked not to be identified to avoid further public attention.

The girl eventually left the DMV with a driver's license, she said, but the picture showed her visibly upset and crying.

DMV Director Jennifer Cohan said the agency will remind its workers of its policy on religious and cultural issues. Muslim women may wear headscarves that do not cover their faces for their photos, she said. (More)

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CAIR VIDEO: MCDONALD'S ACCUSED OF HIJAB DISCRIMINATION - TOP

Watch the video here.

(WXYZ) - A Rochester Hills McDonald's is the target of a federal complaint. 19-year-old Naseehah Barlaskar says she was discriminated when she applied for a job.

The college student says during an interview the supervisor questioned her Muslim head scarf and even her nationality, which is against the law.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has filed a complaint against McDonald's with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claiming that Nasihah was denied a job because of her ethnicity and or religion.

The Oakland University student says what she hopes to achieve by this complaint is an equal chance for everyone no matter what they wear or what they believe in.

McDonald's issued this statement, "McDonald's has a strict policy prohibiting any form of discrimination. These allegations are not consistent with our policies."

SEE ALSO:

CAIR-MI: MUSLIM WOMAN SAYS MCDONALD'S DISCRIMINATED - TOP
Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 4/14/10

A Muslim woman from Troy filed a bias complaint today, saying she was denied a job at a McDonald's restaurant in Rochester Hills because of her religion and ethnicity. A McDonald’s official said their restaurant chain does not discriminate and has accommodated religious headwear for years.

Nasihah Barlaskar, 19, wears an Islamic head scarf known as a hijab. She told the Free Press that during a job interview on March 27, a manager at McDonald's asked her about her nationality. The manager then asked "if I had to wear that thing on my head," according to Barlaskar.

Barlaskar said she replied: "I do. Is that a problem?"

The manager then told Barlaskar she probably wouldn't be able to wear that if she was working, according to Barlaskar. (More)

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WOMAN CLAIMS MCDONALD’S DISCRIMINATES - TOP

Watch the video here.

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CAIR-MI: FBI REPORTS RAISE MORE COVERUP FEARS - TOP
Why would the FBI deny potential evidence to another law enforcement agency investigating the case?
Jeff Gerritt, Detroit Free Press, 4/13/10

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has declined to investigate the shooting by federal agents on Oct. 28 of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah. The reason: the FBI reportedly told her it would not give her office certain classified documents. This unusual action raises doubts that Michigan prosecutors can do a fair and thorough investigation of Abdullah’s death -- and raises more fears of a government coverup.

Why would the FBI deny potential evidence to another law enforcement agency investigating the case? Classified documents generally involve high levels of national security that don’t apply here, by any stretch. Nor does the Abdullah case involve foreign governments or -- at least officially -- terrorism. I raised the question with an FBI spokesman in Washington today. To my surprise, he said he didn’t think there were classified documents in the Abdullah case but promised to get back to me. What’s going on? (More)

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INCITEMENT WATCH: MUSLIMS CAN STAY IN THE U.S. IF THEY ACCEPT CHRIST - TOP
Walid Zafar, Media Matters, 4/12/2010

Last week, we highlighted the bigoted words of Bryan Fischer, the American Family Association's Director of Issues Analysis, who called for the deportation Muslim-Americans. In a post today, Fischer clarifies his previous remarks, writing, "of course, most Muslims in the U.S. are not actively looking to do us harm. They're not the ones we have to worry about." But the conciliatory tone and nuanced analysis stops there, and Fischer, who has in the past advocated for a Canaanite-like cleansing of Muslims, brings even more shame to the American Family Association.

He writes:

[...]

"Many Muslims are on our shores on student visas and such and have not yet become citizens. We must politely decline their request for naturalization (becoming an American citizen is a privilege, not a right) and use the money we would otherwise spend on their welfare, their education, their medical care and their incarceration to graciously assist them in returning to their countries of origin.

"Those who are willing to convert to Christianity and renounce Islam, Allah, Mohammed and the Koran may be welcomed, for they can become not just good Christians but true Americans." (More)

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PRAIRIE MUSLIMS BUILD MOSQUE FOR ARCTIC - TOP
CBC, 4/14/10

Winnipeg Muslims are building a little mosque on the Prairie, and plan to ship it to the Arctic.

Dozens of Muslim families in Inuvik, in the Northwest Territories, currently send their children to live elsewhere in Canada because the community doesn't have a mosque or Islamic education centre.

A Winnipeg-based charity plans to change all of that. (More)