Help CAIR Counter Anti-Muslim 'Savage' Ads in D.C. Metro Donate to help more ads go up in D.C. metro stations and in other cities

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 10/12/12) -- CAIR today unveiled an advertising campaign designed to counter anti-Muslim "savage" advertisements sponsored by a designated hate group that are now on display in Washington, D.C., metro stations.

The Washington-based Muslim civil rights organization also called on people of conscience to support its anti-hate initiative.

CAIR: Muslim Advocacy Launches Its Own Metro Ad Campaign
Video: CAIR to Unveil D.C. Anti-Muslim 'Savage' Ad Counter Campaign
Video: CAIR Rep Says DC Anti-Muslim Ads Promote Bigotry

CAIR's counter ads feature a verse from the Quran stating: "Show forgiveness, speak for justice and avoid the ignorant." (The Holy Quran, 7:199) The CAIR 16-foot banner ads, which are scheduled to go up next week and stay up for a month in stations featuring the hate ads (Glenmont, Georgia Avenue/Petworth and U Street), also direct metro riders to the organization's "Explore the Quran" initiative.

"We hope, inshallah, to expand this anti-hate campaign in the nation's capital and throughout the nation," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "We need the community's help to challenge the growing propaganda campaign of anti-Muslim hate in our society with positive messages of what Islam is and who we really are."

CAIR intends this as the beginning of a year-long campaign using similar advertisements. This campaign will ultimately cost tens of thousands of dollars to carry out.

Awad added that other groups are placing ads designed to counter Geller's hate campaign and welcomed their clear rejection of hate.

SEE: Rabbis for Human Rights-North America
United Methodist Women
Sojourners

Awad noted that Pamela Geller, the sponsor of the hate ads, was recently the subject of a CAIR "Islamophobe profile" documenting the individuals and organizations involved in spreading anti-Muslim bias in the United States.

CAIR's profile of Geller states in part:

"Geller's organization Stop the Islamization of America (SIOA) is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which also named Geller as a member of the 'anti-Muslim inner circle.'"

Earlier this week, a broad-based coalition of 127 organizations -- led by CAIR, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Jewish Voice for Peace - DC Metro (JVP), and the Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace (WIAMEP) -- sent a letter to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) expressing concern about Geller's advertisements.

SEE: Coalition Letter to WMATA Board Chair Catherine Hudgins

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED:

Donate whatever you can to help defray the cost of the anti-hate advertisements. Click here.