Monday, June 25, 2012


BREAKING NEWS
D.C. Event with Assad Regime Figure Canceled
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/25/12) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced tonight that a Washington, D.C. event featuring Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun, who has been a source of threats against America's national security and a key supporter of the brutal Syrian regime, has been canceled.
Earlier today, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad contacted the U.S. State Department asking them not to allow Hassoun entry to the country because he has threatened the United States and Europe with suicide attacks and because of his supportive role in the brutal regime of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.
In an October 2011 speech, which is available on YouTube, Hassoun said, "I say to all of Europe, I say to America, we will set up suicide bombers who are now in your countries, if you bomb Syria or Lebanon."
CAIR also asked the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP), which was to host the event, not to include a supporter of violence like Hassoun in the event. This evening, Philip Wilcox, president of FMEP, told CAIR in an email:
"We have canceled the Thursday program because the Mufti's You Tube comments, of which [we] were not informed, were entirely incompatible with the theme we were led to believe he would project, 'Coexistence and Dialogue.'"
"We would like to thank the Foundation for Middle East Peace for their prompt response to our call to rescind the invitation to this Assad regime figure," said Awad. "Special thanks to the Syrian American organizations and all other activists who worked on this issue."
From earlier today:
CAIR Urges Denial of U.S. Visa for Assad Regime Figure
Religious leader provides religious 'veneer' for dictator's brutality
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/25/12) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton asking that Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun, a key supporter of the brutal Syrian regime and a source of threats against America's national security, be denied a visa to enter the United States for a speaking event later this week in Washington, D.C.
Hassoun, a loyalist and appointee of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, is scheduled to speak at a June 28 forum on "Coexistence and Dialogue in Syria" sponsored by the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP).
Hassoun has threatened the United States and Europe with suicide attacks. In an October 2011 speech, he said, "I say to all of Europe, I say to America, we will set up suicide bombers who are now in your countries, if you bomb Syria or Lebanon."
Last year, Hassoun praised Assad, saying the Syrian president is a leader "who wants to guide Syria to victory, put the Syrian people on the path to victory, and give the homeland's sons the opportunity to be proud of their values, religion and Arabism." The mufti told a German publication, "It is well known that I generally support [Assad's] policies."
According to an FMEP official, Hassoun's visa may be granted today.
In a letter to Secretary Clinton, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad wrote in part:
"We urge you to deny entry to Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun, who has threatened our nation's national security with calls for suicide attacks and whose state-appointed function is to provide a religious veneer for a brutal regime that has killed and tortured thousands of its own people...
"Hassoun's entry into the United States would only serve to provide credibility for his false claim that the ongoing revolution against the Assad dictatorship is inspired by foreign interests, instead of the Syrian people's clear desire for peace, freedom and the rule of law.
"By allowing Hassoun entry to the United States, we would send a contradictory and counterproductive message to the beleaguered people of Syria at time when they are suffering such hardships at the hands of the regime's forces."
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 National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR Urges Denial of U.S. Visa for Assad Regime Figure
Religious leader provides religious 'veneer' for dictator's brutality
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/25/12) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton asking that Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun, a key supporter of the brutal Syrian regime and a source of threats against America's national security, be denied a visa to enter the United States for a speaking event later this week in Washington, D.C.
Hassoun, a loyalist and appointee of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, is scheduled to speak at a June 28 forum on "Coexistence and Dialogue in Syria" sponsored by the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP).
Hassoun has threatened the United States and Europe with suicide attacks. In an October 2011 speech, he said, "I say to all of Europe, I say to America, we will set up suicide bombers who are now in your countries, if you bomb Syria or Lebanon."
Last year, Hassoun praised Assad, saying the Syrian president is a leader "who wants to guide Syria to victory, put the Syrian people on the path to victory, and give the homeland's sons the opportunity to be proud of their values, religion and Arabism." The mufti told a German publication, "It is well known that I generally support [Assad's] policies."
According to an FMEP official, Hassoun's visa may be granted today.
In a letter to Secretary Clinton, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad wrote in part:
"We urge you to deny entry to Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddine Hassoun, who has threatened our nation's national security with calls for suicide attacks and whose state-appointed function is to provide a religious veneer for a brutal regime that has killed and tortured thousands of its own people...
"Hassoun's entry into the United States would only serve to provide credibility for his false claim that the ongoing revolution against the Assad dictatorship is inspired by foreign interests, instead of the Syrian people's clear desire for peace, freedom and the rule of law.
"By allowing Hassoun entry to the United States, we would send a contradictory and counterproductive message to the beleaguered people of Syria at time when they are suffering such hardships at the hands of the regime's forces."
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 National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail:ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR: Calif. Coalition Commends Jewish Federation for Canceling Anti-Muslim Hate Group Leader's Speech
(LOS ANGELES, 6/24/12) -- A Southern California interfaith coalition today commended the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles for having the courage to stand up to bigotry by canceling an event featuring the leader of a notorious anti-Muslim hate group.
Pamela Geller, head of the group Stop the Islamization of America (SIOA), was invited by the Zionist Organization of America to speak at an event at the Federation's headquarters this morning to deliver a lecture on "Islamic Jew-Hatred: The Root Cause of the Failure to Achieve Peace."
SIOA has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Geller has also authored a book offering step-by-step instructions on how to stop mosque construction in America.
Background on Pamela Geller:
The event was cancelled following a statement of concern by the coalition, which includes: Council on American-Islamic Relations - Greater Los Angeles (CAIR-LA), Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace (ICUJP), Islamic Circle of North America - Southern California (ICNA), Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, Jewish Voice for Peace - Los Angeles (JVP-LA), LA Jews for Peace, Muslim American Society - Greater Los Angeles (MAS-LA), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), Muslim Ummah of North America, Southern California (MUNA), and Progressive Christians Uniting (PCU).
In a statement today, the coalition said:
"We commend the Jewish Federation for taking action to dissociate from Pamela Geller's bigoted views. It is also encouraging to see that when interfaith communities work together, we can help promote tolerance and reject misinformation that only serves to confuse and promote hate. Americans must continue to stand up and ensure that voices of hate and bigotry stay on the margins of our society, where they belong. We further ask people to take a moment to send a note of thanks to the Federation's leadership."
Geller once bragged that she uses a Quran, Islam's holy text, as a doorstop. She also called for the demolition of a mosque in Florida, and she will be speaking along with the violent racist group English Defence League's Tommy Robinson at an international event later this summer. SIOA is an outgrowth of a similar group in Europe that seeks to block the construction of mosques on that continent.
Its sister organization, Stop the Islamization of Europe, "considers Islamophobia to be the height of common sense." The United States Patent and Trademark Office refused to grant SIOA a trademark because: "The applied-for mark refers to Muslims in a disparaging manner because by definition it implies that conversion or conformity to Islam is something that needs to be stopped or caused to cease." Geller has claimed that "Hitler and the Nazis were inspired by Islam" and that Islam "mandates" lies and deception.
CONTACT: CAIR-LA, Munira Syeda, 714-851-4851, info@losangeles.cair.com; ICUJP, Andy Griggs, andy.icujp@gmail.com; ICNA SoCal, Waqas Syed, 949-521-0597; JVP-LA, Estee Chandler, losangeles@jewishvoiceforpeace.org; MAS-LA, info@masgreaterla.org; MPAC, Marium Mohiuddin, 323-258-6722,marium@mpac.org; Shura Council, Shakeel Syed, 714-239-6473, shakeel@shuracouncil.org

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR: Coalition Decries Hate Group Leader's Appearance at L.A. Jewish Federation

(LOS ANGELES, 6/23/12) -- A Southern California interfaith coalition today expressed "deep shock and alarm" over the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles' decision to offer a platform to the leader of an anti-Muslim hate group.
Pamela Geller, who will deliver a lecture tomorrow on "Islamic Jew-Hatred: The Root Cause of the Failure to Achieve Peace," is co-founder of Stop the Islamization of America (SIOA), an organization designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and author of a book offering step-by-step instructions on how to stop mosque construction in America.
Tomorrow's event is sponsored by the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) and is hosted by the Jewish Federation.

SEE: Active Anti-Muslim Groups (SPLC)
SEE: Another Hotel Turns Away Pamela Geller and Anti-Shariah Group

The interfaith coalition released the following statement:
"We are extremely shocked and alarmed to see a mainstream Jewish organization associating itself with one of the nation's leading Islamophobes who doesn't hesitate to share the podium with European racists and whose admirers apparently include Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik. Religious leaders and institutions have an increased and urgent responsibility to promote tolerance and mutual understanding among all Americans, instead of giving aid and comfort to fear-mongers like Geller. Imagine how hurt Jewish community members would be, and rightly so, if they discovered American Muslims hosting an anti-Semitic speaker."
The interfaith coalition includes: American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Council on American-Islamic Relations - Greater Los Angeles (CAIR-LA), Islamic Circle of North America - Southern California (ICNA), Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, Jewish Voice for Peace - Los Angeles (JVP-LA), LA Jews for Peace, Muslim American Society - Greater Los Angeles (MAS-LA), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and Progressive Christians Uniting (PCU).

Geller once bragged that she uses a Quran, Islam's holy text, as a doorstop. She also called for the demolition of a mosque in Florida, and she will be speaking along with the violent racist group English Defence League's Tommy Robinson at an international event later this summer.
SIOA is an outgrowth of a similar group in Europe that seeks to block the construction of mosques on that continent. Its sister organization, Stop the Islamization of Europe, "considers Islamophobia to be the height of common sense."
The United States Patent and Trademark Office refused to grant SIOA a trademark because: "The applied-for mark refers to Muslims in a disparaging manner because by definition it implies that conversion or conformity to Islam is something that needs to be stopped or caused to cease."

Geller has claimed that "Hitler and the Nazis were inspired by Islam" and that Islam "mandates" lies and deception.
She has also posted images on her blog that include a fake photograph of then-Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan in a Nazi uniform, another fake image of President Barack Obama urinating on an American flag and drawings purporting to depict Islam's Prophet Muhammad as a pig.
One image posted by Geller, headlined "Piss Be Upon Him," showed one of the controversial Danish cartoons of the prophet covered in urine. ("Piss Be Upon Him" is designed to mock the traditional phrase "Peace Be Upon Him" that Muslims use when mentioning any prophet of God, including Abraham and Jesus.)
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CONTACT: AMP, Kristin Szremski, 708-717-4180, kristin@ampalestine.org; CAIR-LA, Munira Syeda, 714-851-4851, info@losangeles.cair.com; ICNA SoCal, Waqas Syed, 949-521-0597; JVP-LA, Estee Chandler, losangeles@jewishvoiceforpeace.org; MPAC, Marium Mohiuddin, 323-258-6722,marium@mpac.org; Shura Council, Shakeel Syed, 714-239-6473,shakeel@shuracouncil.org

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  • New Yorkers Slashed in Anti-Muslim Hate Attacks (NY Post)
    Alejandro Gonzalez, 19, claimed he was "fighting terrorism" when he attacked three Middle Eastern men in two stores, sources said.
  • CAIR: Peter King 'Failed to Produce Promised Evidence' (USNews)
    CAIR spokesman Corey Saylor told Whispers that King had a "moment in the spotlight" with his hearing Wednesday, but "failed to produce the promised evidence to support his stigmatization of America's Muslims."
  • CAIR: Shock, Dismay Over Minnesota Mosque Refusal
    "This is the first one [in Minnesota] where we're seeing so much anti-Muslim hate involved," said Lori Saroya, president of [CAIR-MN].
    • CAIR: Texas Man Indicted in Tenn. Mosque Threat (NYT)
      Since the ruling, local Muslim leaders and [CAIR] have been working with the Justice Department, which has filed a brief in support of the mosque in that case, and are watching the permitting process carefully.
  • CAIR: Apple 'Profiling' by Refusing Sale to Farsi Speakers
    The National Iranian American Council on Thursday joined [CAIR] in denouncing Apple Inc. and asserted that Apple Store employees who have refused to sell iPads and other products to customers speaking Farsi, the language of Iran, have been "clearly engaging in racial profiling."
  • Exposing David Yerushalmi: Director of Anti-Sharia Movement (CAIR-Chicago)
    [T]he beliefs that legitimize excluding women from democracy are a close cousin of the beliefs that wish to see the voices of Muslims marginalized. 
    • American Enterprise Institute Embraces Islamophobia
      It announced that its resident scholar Michael Rubin would join blogger Robert Spencer, who is a vitriolic critic of Islam, and writer Claire Berlinski to lead a 10-day tour of Turkey.
  • Abdullah Brothers Put NFL on Hold to Pursue Faith
    The brothers -- both practicing Muslims -- will sit out the 2012 season to speak at mosques across the country this summer before making a pilgrimage to Mecca.


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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Solar plane makes attempt in Morocco flight


RABAT, Morocco (AP) — An experimental solar plane hoping to one day fly around the world tried again Thursday to fly over Morocco's Atlas Mountains after being thwarted a week ago by high winds.
The delicate Solar Impulse has the immense wing span of a commercial jet but is only the weight of a family car, making it quite vulnerable to bad weather. It took off in the morning from the capital Rabat and hopes to reach the city of Ouarzazate, 280 miles (465 kilometers) away by late evening, where it will fly over the site of Morocco's proposed solar power plant.
Pilot Andre Borschberg attempted the same flight on June 14 but had to turn back after unexpectedly strong winds buffeted the slow-moving plane and sent it reeling backwards. The plane has relatively weak battery-powered turboprop engines that are recharged by the 12,000 photovoltaic cells covering its body. It is the only solar powered craft that can fly day and night.
To read more go to

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  • CAIR Report: Peter King's Anti-Muslim Hearings
    After four hearings, King has failed in proving allegations against the American Muslim community is led by fundamentalists and does not cooperate with law enforcement. Evidence available prior to the first hearing, as well as five of the six law enforcement officers he brought to testify do not support these allegations.
  • CAIR: DOJ to Review Minn. City's Rejection of Islamic Center (Star Tribune)
    [I]t was prudent for [CAIR-MN] to ask the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate. The department has tapped the Minnesota District of the U.S. Attorney's Office to review the matter, spokeswoman Jeanne Cooney said.
  • CAIR: Smile. . .You're On Security Cameras Like Never Before (SHNS)
    "They mounted cameras outside every mosque to track who was coming and going," said [CAIR's] Ibrahim Hooper.
  • CAIR: Iranian-American Says Apple Refused to Sell Her an iPad
    "Apple must revise its policies to ensure that customers do not face discriminatory treatment based on their religion, ethnicity or national origin. If the actions of these Apple employees reflected company policy, that policy must be changed and all employees retrained," [CAIR's] Nihad Awad said.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Report: U.S. Mosques 'Healthy and Growing,' Active in Interfaith and Outreach Activities
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/20/12) –- The second installment in a series of reports based on the U.S. Mosque Survey 2011 released today indicates that Islamic houses of worship are "healthy and growing" and are engaged in a high level of educational, interfaith and outreach activities.
A coalition of major American Muslim and academic organizations sponsored the comprehensive study of mosques and the attitudes of mosque leaders in the United States from which the latest report, titled "The American Mosque 2011: Activities, Administration and Vitality of the American Mosque," was compiled.
To view the entire report, click here.
[WEBINAR ON THE REPORT: A webinar, "Developing an Agenda for Strengthening Masjids: Lessons from Report Number 2 of the U.S. Mosque Study 2011," will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2012 at 10 a.m. (Eastern.) The webinar will include representatives the study's sponsoring organizations. To register, click here. Presenters will discuss lessons from the report for strengthening the American mosque and the steps mosque leaders can take to develop an agenda for their institutions. Those presenting during the webinar include Mohamed Magid (President, ISNA), Nihad Awad(National Executive Director, CAIR), Zahid Bukhari (President, ICNA), Safaa Zarzour(Secretary General, ISNA), Iqbal Unus (Advisor, Fairfax Institute of IIIT), and Ihsan Bagby (Professor and Lead Researcher of the U.S. Mosque Study).]
To conduct the survey, researchers counted all mosques in America and then conducted telephone interviews with a sample of mosque leaders. (The study has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent.)
Major findings of the report released today include:
* Full-time Islamic schools have experienced significant growth in the past decade.
* Almost two-thirds (63 percent) of mosques indicated that they have hosted an open house for their neighbors of other faiths in the past 12 months.
* The majority of mosques (70 percent) use only English for the main message of the khutbah (sermon).
* The vast majority (88 percent) of American mosque leaders say domestic abuse should be addressed.
* In terms of social services, mosques compare very well with other religious congregations. For example, surveys show that only 26 percent of congregations of other faith traditions are involved in providing some type of health programing as compared to 45 percent of mosques. Only 29 percent of other religious congregations are involved in community organizing activities, while 47 percent of mosques are involved in these types of activities.
* A majority of mosque leaders (71 percent) agreed that their mosque is working for social justice. African American mosques are the most likely (87 percent) to be active in social justice.
* The role of the religious leader (Imam) is becoming more professionalized.
* The percentage of mosques unaffiliated with any national organization has increased significantly over the past few decades.
The report also outlines challenges faced by American mosques, including:
* Mosques need support and inspiration in establishing and strengthening weekend schools and youth activities.
* Mosques need to be made more women-friendly.
* The American Muslim community needs its own institutions to increase the number of American-born Imams and to supplement the training of Imams from abroad.
The first report based on the U.S. Mosque Survey 2011, released earlier this year, showed that the number of American mosques increased 74 percent since 2000 and that Islamic houses of worship are ethnically-diverse institutions led by officials who advocate positive civic engagement. A third report on women in American mosques is forthcoming.
Sponsors of the U.S. Mosque Survey 2011 include: The Hartford Institute for Religion Research (Hartford Seminary), the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB), the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Islamic Society of North American (ISNA), the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), and the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT).
The U.S. Mosque Survey 2011 is part of a larger study of American congregations calledFaith Communities Today (FACT), which is a project of Cooperative Congregational Studies Partnership, a multi-faith coalition of denominations and faith groups.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR Asks Apple to Change Policy After Farsi-Speakers Denied Service
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/19/12) –- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on Apple to change its policy following reports of Farsi-speaking customers being denied service.
[NOTE: CAIR is consulting with the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) on this and other discrimination cases. Some members of the Iranian-American community prefer the use of "Persian" to describe the language of Iran.]
Two Apple customers in Georgia said that local stores refused to sell them merchandise after they were overheard speaking Farsi, the language of Iran. One woman, a U.S. citizen and University of Georgia student, said an Apple employee refused to sell her an iPad Thursday after hearing her and a relative talking.
An Apple Store manager reportedly cited a policy prohibiting sales to Iran. An Apple customer service representative later apologized and told the woman she could buy the iPad online.
Another customer of Iranian heritage reportedly had a similar experience at another Apple Store.
"Apple must revise its policies to ensure that customers do not face discriminatory treatment based on their religion, ethnicity or national origin," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "If the actions of these Apple employees reflected company policy, that policy must be changed and all employees retrained."
Awad agreed with those who noted that not selling embargoed merchandise to Farsi speakers would be like not selling the same items to Spanish speakers because they might be from Cuba or Korean speakers because they might be from North Korea.
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 National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail:ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com
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CAIR
  • Video: CAIR Weekly News Update
  • Arab-American Festival-Goers Taunted with Pig's Head on Pole
    About a dozen with the group stood facing the festival on Friday with signs that made bigoted remarks about Islam and its prophet, Mohammed. One of the missionaries had a pig's head mounted on a pole that he displayed in front of his group.
    • Mainstream Christians Asked to Repudiate Anti-Muslim Extremists
      "We are confident that mainstream Christians will repudiate the hateful actions of this tiny minority of anti-Muslim extremists," said Dawud Walid, executive director of CAIR's Michigan chapter. CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, E-Mail: dwalid@cair.com
  • Video: CAIR Asks FBI to Probe Fire, Anti-Arab Graffiti at Community Center
    Officials at the Dearborn-based Council on American-Islamic Relations are asking for federal help in investigating a fire and graffiti discovered at a building associated with an area mosque.
  • CAIR: Muslims Hail President's 'Dream Act' Decision
    "Young people who have lived in America as contributing members of society should have an opportunity to come out of the shadows by legalizing their status," [CAIR] said in an online statement on Friday.
  • Muslim Players Have Faith in U.S. Basketball (RNS)
    At least eight Muslims compete in the NBA: four Turks, two African-Americans, one Iranian and one Tanzanian. One of them is center Nazr Mohammed of the Oklahoma City Thunder, now battling the Miami Heat for the championship.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR Applauds President's Order Blocking 'DREAM Act' Deportations
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/15/12) –- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today applauded President Obama's decision to allow hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children to obtain work permits and be safe from deportation.
In a statement, CAIR applauded the executive order that resembles provisions of the DREAM Act, which was blocked by Congress two years ago.
CAIR, the nation's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization, said:
"Young people who have lived in America as contributing members of society should have an opportunity to come out of the shadows by legalizing their status. This executive order will provide at least some relief for those whose sole wish is to live freely and openly in the only country they know."
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 National Legislative Director Corey Saylor, 202-384-8857, E-Mail:csaylor@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Manager Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR-MN Asks DOJ to Probe Bias in Rejection of Islamic Center
(MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 6/13/12) -- The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today called on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate allegations of anti-Muslim bias in the rejection of a proposed Islamic center in St. Anthony, Minn.
Last night, the St. Anthony City Council voted 4-1 to deny a conditional use permit for the Abu-Huraira Islamic Center, despite a recommendation by the St. Anthony Planning Commission to approve the project. The project had been on hold since a March moratorium by the council.
At yesterday's council meeting, the proposed Islamic center faced opposition from intolerant speakers who -- Islamic center proponents assert -- clearly exposed the real reason for the approval delay and rejection.
Several residents made anti-Muslim comments at the city council hearing, including: "There is no other religion in the world that condones violence. Islam is evil," and, "Where did you come from? [Go] change your own country."
In a response to the city council's rejection of the Islamic center, CAIR-MN sent a letter to the DOJ seeking a federal investigation.
CAIR-MN is asking federal authorities to determine whether the denial of land usage for the Islamic center constitutes a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
RLUIPA protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. RLUIPA and the Minnesota Constitution ban zoning restrictions that impose a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person or institution unless the government can show that it has a compelling interest for imposing zoning restrictions and that the restriction is the least restrictive way for the government to further that interest.
"We ask the DOJ to use the full measure of its authority to launch a thorough investigation into the recent denial of the proposed Abu-Huraira Islamic Center," wroteCAIR-MN Executive Director Lori Saroya in her letter to Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division.
Saroya said CAIR-MN is also asking DOJ officials to meet with St. Anthony Muslim leaders.
Yesterday, CAIR's Michigan chapter called on the FBI to investigate a possible bias motive for a fire and hate graffiti targeting a building associated with a Dearborn mosque.
Also yesterday, opponents of a Virginia mosque expressed anti-Muslim comments at a public hearing.
The DOJ has launched an investigation into 28 cases nationwide involving local denials of mosque construction applications.
One of the most controversial anti-mosque efforts nationwide involves a campaign by Islamophobes to block construction of a new Islamic Center in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
A number of recent reports have documented the growth and promotion of Islamophobia nationwide.
CAIR: Same Hate, New Target
Center for American Progress: Fear, Inc. 
Southern Poverty Law Center: Jihad Against Islam 
People for the American Way: The Right-Wing Playbook on Anti-Muslim Extremism
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-MN Executive Director Lori Saroya, 612-327-6700, E-Mail: lsaroya@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com

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