CAIR-CA: GOP reprimands member for anti-Muslim remarks
Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Southern California chapter of CAIR, said: "I know what I would have done. I would have asked her to resign. It’s not about the person. It’s not about Ms. Eyzendooren. It's about sending the message that the Republican Party represents all Americans." (Read more)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

U.S. Muslim, Arab-American Delegation Visiting Morocco to Discuss Political Reforms

(RABAT, MOROCCO, 3/25/2013) -- A delegation of American Muslim and Arab-American leaders is currently visiting Morocco at the invitation of that nation's government to meet with civil organizations and officials for discussions about political reforms and the process of strengthening democracy.
The 16-member delegation, which includes American Muslim community and religious leaders, academics and political activists, has so far met with a number of civic associations and with Moroccan officials representing the parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Muhammadan League of Religious Scholars, the Central Authority for Corruption Prevention, and the National Council for Human Rights, among others.
Delegation members also travelled to the city of Dakhla in the Moroccan Sahara for meetings with the provincial governor and non-governmental organizations to learn more about rapid development taking place in that region.
"We are grateful for the tremendous hospitality we have experienced and for the opportunity to learn about ongoing political reforms and civic development occurring in Morocco," said Omar Zaki, a member of the delegation and board chair of the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). "When we return to the United States, we hope to share what we have learned with our community and the larger society." Zaki is also a member of the International Relations Council of Riverside, Calif.
"The relationship between our nation and Morocco has deep historical roots, which we seek to strengthen and deepen through exchanges such as these," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad, the leader of the delegation.

Later this week, the delegation will travel to Casablanca and the historic city of Fez for more meetings with government officials and for a conference on political reforms and bilateral relations with Moroccan scholars and researchers.

Delegation members include representatives of CAIR, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), the Muslim American Society - Public Affairs and Civic Engagement (MAS-PACE), the Syrian American Council (SAC), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), the Shura Council of Southern California, the Coordinating Council of Muslim Organizations in the Washington, D.C., area, as well as other community activists and academics.

The Muslim delegation was also joined by James Gomez, a representative of Rev. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and by Randa Fahmy Hudome, a government affairs consultant and former George W. Bush administration official.

Retiring CAIR Board Member Dr. Ihsan Bagby Honored

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/18/13) – On March 15, the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) honored retiring national board member Dr. Ihsan Bagby at a ceremony during the Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization's 10th annual National Council meeting in Arlington, Va. He has been on CAIR's national board since 1995. (Read More)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR Concludes 10th Annual National Council Meeting

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/18/13) – The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, has concluded its 10th annual National Council meeting, attended by representatives of CAIR chapters nationwide.

At the three-day meeting, which began on Friday, CAIR chapter representatives talked about ways in which to better serve the community and society, discussed pending and future legislative issues and outlined the Muslim community's political and civil liberties priorities for 2013.

PHOTO: CAIR 10th Annual National Council Meeting

"We would like to thank all CAIR's chapter staffers and board members for their ongoing commitment to strengthening civil rights and promoting justice in our nation," said CAIR National Board Chair Omar Zaki.

Zaki also praised the important civil liberties work carried out by CAIR chapters throughout the country.

CAIR chapter representatives are currently on Capitol Hill meeting with elected officials on a variety of important issues.

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.

AP: Anti-Islam Bill Revived in Florida, Passes Panel
After it failed last year, lawmakers on Thursday revived a bill that would ban Shariah, or Islamic, law and other foreign laws from Florida courts. ... "In general, these laws have no real-world impact," [CAIR's Corey Saylor] said. Judges "can't replace the constitution with religious laws. But in passing these laws, elected officials are now joining in on the conversation of inspiring fear of Muslims." (Read more)

SF Supervisors Unanimously Pass Resolution Condemning Islamophobic Bus Ads
On Tuesday, San Francisco's Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution condemning the content of Islamophobic advertisements placed on San Francisco buses. ... The resolution is the first of its kind in the nation, sending a clear message that San Francisco's elected leaders stand against hate and Islamophobia. (Read more)

• Nathan Lean: Anti-Islam Ad Campaign Is Only Spreading Hate
  The provocative placards suggest collective guilt on the part of the world's 1.6 billion Muslims for acts of terrorism, and the ads are the latest manifestation of the duo's desire to ignite a culture war along faith lines. (Read more)

CAIR-LA: CA Jews and Muslims React to Obama's Jerusalem Speech
Hussam Ayloush, executive director of [CAIR-LA], said he hopes Obama understands the dramatic changes occurring in the Middle East in countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Syria and that the Palestinians' own aspirations for freedom must be realized. (Read more)

AP: Study Finds Nearly 2 in 3 Hate Crimes Unreported
Despite growing awareness of hate crimes, the share of those crimes reported to police has fallen in recent years as more victims of violent attacks express doubt that police can or will help. (Read more)

Report: Muslims Hurt by NYPD Surveillance
A CUNY School of Law project released a report last week saying the NYPD's surveillance of Muslims in the city has bred self-censorship and distrust of others in the community. (Read more)

Photos: CAIR Leaders Meet with Parliamentarians, Human Rights Council in Morocco

Muslims Hope Pope Francis Will Salvage Relations (NBC)

CAIR-MI Represents Incarcerated Muslim in Halal Lawsuit
CAIR-MI is representing an incarcerated Muslim, who was denied halal food in the St. Clair County Jail. A lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan regarding the incident.

• CAIR: S.C. Jail Changes Policy on Religious Head Coverings
• Video: CAIR Convinces S.C. Jail to Allow Hijab

CAIR-LA: Syrian Revolution's Anniversary Commemorated in OC
To kick things off, the Council on American-Islamic Relations Greater Los Angeles Area office in Anaheim (CAIR-LA) is joining the Syrian American Council LA chapter in presenting an educational event from 6-9 p.m. Saturday at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Garden Grove.

• CIA Begins Sizing Up Syria for Drone Strikes (LA times)

CAIR-California Muslim Day at the Capitol 2013

Islamophobia Watch: Family Guy Clip – 'Muslim Guy'

• Islamophobe Eric Allen Bell on 'Jewish Supremacists'
• Islamophobe to Speak at Ohio Church (Dayton Daily News)
  The public is invited to attend a special address on the Muslim religion of Islam hosted by First Grace Church. Rev. Jim Murk, author the 21st Century Press book, "Islam Rising", will the guest speaker at the free event, which will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the church, 2624 Stonequarry Road.

Ohio Islamic Center Holds Prayer for First Time After Arson

• WI: Green Bay Man Accused of Setting Fire to Store Owned by Sikh
  Sikhs have often been mistaken for Muslims and targeted in hate crimes.

CAIR: Faiths United in Hope for Pope Francis
CAIR said Pope Francis should focus on creating a sustained period of productive relations contributing to the betterment of humanity.

New York's First Muslim Democratic Club Launches

Mississippi Lawmakers Debate Pro-Israel Resolution
The resolution noted that Israel occupies territory it received under "the oldest recorded deed, as recorded in the Old Testament."

CAIR: World Reacts to New Pope (CNN)
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a leading Muslim civil rights group based in Washington, offered its support. "We congratulate Pope Francis on his election by the College of Cardinals and offer the Muslim community's support and cooperation in every positive effort he will undertake for peace, justice and the betterment of humanity," Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a news release.

• Video: CAIR-LA Says Muslims Seek Good Relations with New Pope
• Video: CAIR-Cincinnati Director Comments on New Pope

CAIR Condemns Anti-Christian Violence in Pakistan

GOOD NEWS ALERT

CAIR Welcomes S.C. Jail's New Policy Allowing Hijab

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/14/13) -- The nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today welcomed a decision by a South Carolina jail to allow female inmates to wear religious head coverings, called "hijab."
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) made the request for a policy change following a complaint from a Muslim woman who was taken into custody on December 31, 2012, and was allegedly told to remove her hijab so she could have her booking photograph taken. The booking officer reportedly disregarded the woman's religious concerns and "intimidated" her into removing her scarf in the presence of a male officer. The Muslim inmate's husband was allegedly informed that "all Muslim women take off their scarves" when in custody.
In a letter to CAIR, Ronaldo D. Myers, director of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Columbia, S.C., wrote:

"As requested, we have reviewed and updated our policies to ensure clarity with our staff on the processing and searching of female detainees of the Muslim faith, and specifically have exempted the wearing of religious headwear from our facility's 'Prohibited Acts' policy."

"We welcome the detention center's decision to allow detainees to exercise their constitutionally-protected religious freedom," said CAIR National Legal Director Nadhira Al-Khalili. "We have recently received reports of denial of religious rights at correctional institutions in other states and are working to achieve similarly positive resolutions in those cases."
She said CAIR offers an educational toolkit, called "A Correctional Institution's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices," to help correctional officers gain a better understanding of Islam and Muslims.
Earlier this year, the CAIR's Washington state chapter welcomed a new policy in King County that permits hijab in all jails and courthouses.
SEE: Hijab Approved for King County Jail Inmates

Last year, CAIR's St. Louis chapter thanked county and law enforcement officials for agreeing to provide religious accommodation for Muslim women who wear hijab and are held in the St. Louis County Jail in Clayton, Mo.
CAIR: Muslim's Arrest Spurs Policy Review in St. Louis County
CAIR's Minnesota chapter helped resolve a similar case in which a Muslim woman sought to exercise her religious rights while in jail.
SEE: CAIR-MN Calls on Sheriff's Office to Grant Hijab Accommodation
In 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to overturn a lower court ruling that said a Muslim woman "had the right to wear the scarf unless jailers could show it was a security risk."
In that case, the Muslim woman's suit cited the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which prohibits state and local governments from imposing "a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person residing in or confined to an institution."
SEE: Muslim Woman Can Sue Jailers for Making Her Remove Her Headscarf
SCOTUS: Souhair Khatib Can Sue for Having to Remove Her Hijab

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 Condemns Anti-Christian Violence in Pakistan
CAIR, the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned anti-Christian violence in Pakistan, which this week has included a church being burned and a number of people being forced to flee their homes. (Read more)

CAIR-OK: U.S. Muslim Reaches Qatar, Despite Name on No-Fly List

• CAIR-OK to Host 7th Annual Awards Banquet

CAIR-SFBA: San Francisco Officials Blast Anti-Islam Bus Ads (KQED)

• CAIR-SFBA: Officials Denounce Islamophobic MUNI Bus Ads

Ariz. Paper Disables Commenting Because of Anti-Islam Hate Speech

Muslim Community Silenced by NYPD Spying, Report Contends

CAIR Employment Opportunities

ISLAM-OPED: Muslims Hope for Positive Relations with New Pope

ISLAM-OPED is a syndication service of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) designed to offer an American Muslim perspective on current political, social and religious issues. ISLAM-OPED commentaries are offered free-of-charge to one media outlet in each market area. Permission for publication will be granted on a first-come-first-served basis.
Please consider the following commentary for publication.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com
-----
ISLAM-OPED: Muslims Hope for Positive Relations with New Pope
By Nihad Awad
WORD COUNT: 474
[Nihad Awad is national executive director for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil liberties group. He may be contacted at: nawad@cair.com ]

Muslims have interacted with the Roman Catholic Church and its leaders -- sometimes negatively and sometimes positively -- for hundreds of years. These interactions have included negative periods of needless and counterproductive conflict, as well as positive cooperation on issues of importance to families of all faiths.
With the election of a new pope, Muslims and Catholics should focus on how the next hundred years can mark a period of sustained productive relations contributing to the betterment of humanity.
A Pope's words and actions impact billions of people, including Muslims.
As the 115 cardinals choosing the new spiritual leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics meet in the Sistine Chapel, American Muslims hope the successor to Pope Benedict XVI will share their worldview in which people of every faith and background interact based on mutual respect and a desire for peaceful coexistence.
I was honored to be one of the early signatories, along with 137 other Muslim leaders and scholars, to an open letter titled "A Common Word Between Us and You," which was sent to Pope Benedict, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and more than 20 other Christian leaders.
The open letter was designed to promote understanding between Muslims and Christians worldwide. It stated in part: "[L]et our differences not cause hatred and strife between us. Let us vie with each other only in righteousness and good works. Let us respect each other, be fair, just and kind to (one) another and live in sincere peace, harmony and mutual goodwill."
I urge Muslims not to hold all Christians responsible for any wrongs their brethren commit, just as I hope Christians do not hold all Muslims responsible for the actions of a tiny minority of extremists.
Forgiveness is a virtue, and a focus on what joins us together -- not on what may divide us -- and is key to the next 100 years of positive relations.

Shared values and the belief that God wants what is best for every citizen of the world should propel us to engage in initiatives to promote tolerance, bring peace and help the needy.

In the Quran, Islam's revealed text, God says: "O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves or your parents or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for God can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts) lest you swerve, and if you distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily God is well acquainted with all that you do. (The Holy Quran, Chapter 4, Verse 135)

We ask the new pope, whomever he is, to reach out to Muslims worldwide. We will be there extending our hands to stand for justice and to help him build on the foundation of interfaith trust and respect laid down by his predecessors.

CAIR: Okla. Muslim on No-Fly List Forced to Return to Qatar by Bus, Foreign Flights
Carla Hinton, The Oklahoman, 3/9/13
Adam Soltani, executive director of [CAIR-OK], said the thwarted attempts on the in- and outbound trips were frustrating. "We are very happy that he made it home, but we are disappointed that the U.S. government didn't allow him to fly and didn't provide him with a reason," Soltani said. "A citizen should not have to do extraordinary things to travel."

Video: MSNBC's Chris Matthews Slams Anti-Islam Conspiracy Theorist Pamela Geller

CA: Meeting on GOP Official's Comments Against Sikhs, Muslims Postponed
"I was told by one of Harmeet's friends that because of her religion, her loyalty is to the Muslim religion," Eyzendooren wrote in the Facebook post. "So she will defend a Muslim beheading two men without any hesitation. . .she is not a Republican." Sikhism is a separate religion from Islam, but Sikhs are often the target of anti-Muslim bigotry because some people believe they are Muslims.

CAIR-CAN: Anti-Mosque Speech Shows Importance of Making Space for Muslims
The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) politely and rightly objected to the talk, pointing out that permitting Islamaphobic hate-speech in a taxpayer-subsidized venue contravenes both the Human Rights Code and the Criminal Code of Canada. In the process, though, CAIR-CAN asked an important question: whether public speeches to denounce non-Muslim community centres and places of worship would be equally tolerated?

MD: Muslim Group's Proposed Development Meets Opposition

TN: Muslim Medical Clinic Offers 'Healthcare for All'
The message behind the Memphis Muslim Medical Clinic's slogan is evident in the waiting room. The people here -- people of every age, race, religion and infirmity -- seem to have only one thing in common: a lack of health insurance.

CAIR Employment Opportunities

Police Spying on American Muslims Is a Pointless National Shame (Rolling Stone)
While Muslims in the Northeast are the people most directly affected by this surveillance, it is a national problem – both in the sense that all of our rights are infringed if anyone's are, but also in a more concrete way.

CAIR-MD: Coalition Fights Against NDAA, for Due Process
Mudusar Raza, president of the Maryland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), warned that while the NDAA doesn't extend a requirement to detain an American in military custody under its provisions, "the authority or option to do so remains, " and that "To deny any person the right to due process in the name of national security makes our nation less free, but not more secure."

9th Circuit Gets Tough on Border Gadget Searches

MEDIA ADVISORY

CAIR-SFBA: San Francisco Officials to Denounce Islamophobic Bus Ads

What: City leaders, in conjunction with the Asian Law Caucus, the San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), the Ramallah Club, churches, mosques and other key community leaders from the Arab and Muslim communities, will hold a press conference to denounce Islamophobic and racist advertisements by the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI).
Last August, San Franciscans were outraged over AFDI advertisements on MUNI that referred to Arabs and Muslims as "savages." The new ads scheduled to run on MUNI buses today wrongly suggest that all Muslims are defined by extremism and violence. Board President David Chiu will introduce a resolution condemning the anti-Arab and Anti-Muslim advertisements at Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting.
(MEDIA NOTE: For more on this issue, see "Backgrounder" links below below.)
Who: District Attorney George Gascón and Board President David Chiu, who will be joined by several other elected officials from the city and county of San Francisco
When: Today, Monday, March 11th at 1 PM
Where: Steps of San Francisco City Hall (Civic Center Side), One Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco

CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR, 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 Executive Director Zahra Billoo, 626.252.0885, E-Mail: zbilloo@cair.com; Asian Law Caucus Staff Attorney Nasrina Bargzie, 925.330.1163, E-Mail: nasrinab@asianlawcaucus.org; DA Gascón's Office Representative Stephanie Ong Stillman, 415.553.1167 or 415.740.5134, E-Mail: stephanie.ong.stillman@sfgov.org

BACKGROUNDER:

Video: CAIR Responds to New Anti-Islam Ads Placed in DC Metro Stations
Talking Back to Anti-Muslim Subway Ads
Southern Poverty Law Center: Pamela Geller
CAIR Islamophobe Profile of Pamela Geller and Stop Islamization of America
Pamela Geller: CPAC is 'Enforcing the Sharia' (Salon)
CAIR: In Chicago, Dueling Ads Over The Meaning Of 'Jihad' (NPR)

CAIR-NJ Calls on Rutgers Officials to Condemn Anti-Islam Hate Ads CAIR-NJ today called on Rutgers University officials to condemn Anti-Islam Hate ads that use target images of Muslims or persons in predominantly Muslim countries that have been attacked or killed. CAIR-NJ says the advertisement will create a hostile learning environment for Muslim students. (Read more)

CAIR-CAN Condemns Vandalism of Canadian Mosque

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR Welcomes Sen. Paul's Stance on Drone Killings, Acknowledges Holder's Clarification

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 3/7/13) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed Sen. Rand Paul's (R-KY) efforts to obtain clarification as to whether the Obama administration believes armed drones could legally be used to attack Americans on U.S. soil.

CAIR also acknowledged Attorney General Eric Holder's written response today to Paul's questioning on drone killings, in which Holder wrote:

"It has come to my attention that you have now asked an additional question: 'Does the President have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil?' The answer to that question is no."

Document: Attorney General Eric Holder Drone Letter to Sen. Rand Paul

In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:

"We welcome Senator Paul's efforts to press for a firm answer as to whether drones may legally be used to kill American citizens on U.S. soil. Unfortunately, the initial administration response to that question left room for doubt. We acknowledge today's statement by Attorney General Holder and hope that it represents a clear and unequivocal rejection of that obviously unconstitutional authority."

Awad also questioned why the Obama administration has not fully informed the nation, and allowed judicial oversight, of the legal justifications currently being used to kill American citizens abroad.

Attorney General Holder told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that the president would address the issue directly "in a relatively short period of time." Congress has been seeking access to memos produced by the United States Department of Justice that lay out the legal rationale for drone strikes on Americans overseas.

Attorney General: Obama to Reveal More on Drone Strike Policy

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.

Video: CAIR Responds to New Anti-Islam Ads in DC Metro Stations

"People need to know that Pamela Geller, the sponsor of these ads, is one of the nation's leading anti-Muslim bigots," said Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "She's recognized as that. The Southern Poverty Law Center has named her as one of the nation's inner circle of hatemongers of Islam."

Backgrounders:

• Southern Poverty Law Center: Pamela Geller
• CAIR Islamophobe Profile of Pamela Geller and Stop Islamization of America
• Pamela Geller: CPAC is 'Enforcing the Sharia' (Salon)

Other stories:

• CAIR-Chicago: 'How Do Our Holy Books View Those of Other Faiths?'
  Speakers include Ahmed Rehab, executive director of CAIR-Chicago and board member of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
• New Report to Show Impact of NYPD's Spying Program on American Muslims
  On Mar. 11 members of the American Muslim community will release findings from a ground-breaking new report, "Mapping Muslims: NYPD Spying and its Impact on American Muslims" at 1 Police Plaza, and deliver the report to New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Ray Kelly and Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence David Cohen.
• New York's First Muslim Democratic Club is Set to Launch
• Video: CAIR-CAN Urges Hate Crime Probe of Mosque Vandalism

Video: CAIR Responds to New Anti-Islam Ads in DC Metro Stations "People need to know that Pamela Geller, the sponsor of these ads, is one of the nation's leading anti-Muslim bigots," said Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "She's recognized as that. The Southern Poverty Law Center has named her as one of the nation's inner circle of hatemongers of Islam." Backgrounders: •Southern Poverty Law Center: Pamela Geller •CAIR Islamophobe Profile of Pamela Geller and Stop Islamization of America •Pamela Geller: CPAC is 'Enforcing the Sharia' (Salon) Other stories: •CAIR-Chicago: 'How Do Our Holy Books View Those of Other Faiths?' Speakers include Ahmed Rehab, executive director of CAIR-Chicago and board member of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights. •New Report to Show Impact of NYPD's Spying Program on American Muslims On Mar. 11 members of the American Muslim community will release findings from a ground-breaking new report, "Mapping Muslims: NYPD Spying and its Impact on American Muslims" at 1 Police Plaza, and deliver the report to New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Ray Kelly and Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence David Cohen. •New York's First Muslim Democratic Club is Set to Launch •Video: CAIR-CAN Urges Hate Crime Probe of Mosque Vandalism

Calif. GOP Leader's Anti-Muslim Comments Denounced
The Facebook post has been deleted but the Chronicle included a screen grab of Eyzendooren's comments. "I was told by one of Harmeet's friends that because of her religion, her loyalty is to the Muslim religion," Eyzendooren wrote. "So she will defend a Muslim beheading two men without any hesitation. . .she is not Republican." Dhillon is a Sikh who emigrated from India as a child.

CAIR-WA: County Jail Will Allow Muslim Headscarves (Seattle Times)
Gist said CAIR wanted the policy written broadly enough that people of other religions could benefit from it. The group will use King County's revisions as a model in working with other jurisdictions across the state, she said.

• CAIR-WA: Hijab Approved for King County Jail Inmates (Audio)
• CAIR-WA: Teacher Who Made Anti-Muslim Comments Retires

Video: CAIR Rep Discusses Texas Geography Class Burqa Turmoil (Huff Post)

• CAIR-San Antonio Rep to Speak on Women and Islam

Video: Documentary Exposes Islamophobia of Brigitte Gabriel, ACT! for America
(NOTE: This is a re-airing of a 2011 Current TV documentary on Islamophobia.

• Video: Current TV Documentary Exposes Pamela Geller's Islamophobia
  Backgrounders:
  Brigitte Gabriel and ACT! for America
  CAIR Releases 'Islamophobe Profile' of Pamela Geller

OH: Repair of Arson-Damaged Islamic Center Remain on Schedule

Israel Introduces 'Palestinian Only' Bus Lines (Haaretz)
Starting on Monday, certain buses running from the West Bank into central Israel will have separate lines for Jews and Arabs.

CAIR-Philadelphia Annual Banquet Saturday, March 16th

Group Launches Campaign to Counter Anti-Muslim NY Subway Ads

CAIR-LA: Week Educates Students about Islam's History, Beliefs

Islamophobia Watch: NC University Paper Publishes Anti-Islam Ad

CAIR-MN Wants City, Catholic Charities to Reject Controversial Training

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR-MN Seeks Meeting with Church after Muslim Students Kicked Out
Exchange students forced to leave after they questioned speaker's anti-Islam bigotry

(MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 3/5/13) -- The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today called for a meeting with church officials in Perham, Minn., after two Muslim exchange students were kicked out of an event for questioning the anti-Islam bigotry of the speaker, Walid Shoebat. Shoebat is a notorious Islamophobe who claims "Islam is the devil."
CAIR-MN is also offering to provide the Assembly of God church leaders with accurate and balanced information about Islam and Muslims and to arrange for a presentation on the faith to church members.
The Muslim students, one from Indonesia and the other from Azerbaijan, say they heard falsehoods and distortions from Shoebat, and when they questioned his bigoted views, they were quickly told to leave.
VIDEO: Two Perham Exchange Students are Kicked Out of Church
"We hope the church will help promote mutual understanding and strengthen interfaith relations in our state by meeting with us and then offering an opportunity for its congregation to hear about Islam directly from Muslims," said CAIR-MN Executive Director Lori Saroya.
Saroya noted that Shoebat, who has been exposed by CNN as an anti-Islam fraud, once told a Missouri newspaper that he sees "many parallels between the Antichrist and Islam" and that "Islam is not the religion of God -- Islam is the devil." (Springfield News-Leader, 9/24/07)
Watch: CNN Exposes Walid Shoebat's Terror Training Scam -- Part 1 and Part 2

Shoebat claims that President Obama is a Muslim. In a YouTube video, Shoebat said, "[I]f Islam is not playing the major role in Antichrist spirit, why do you think the devil wants to appoint somebody connected to Islam in the White House?" He told radio host G. Gordon Liddy, "No one is called Hussein unless he is Muslim. So it is very clear that Barack Hussein Obama is definitely a Muslim."

Video: Shoebat Says Devil Wants Obama in White House
Walid Shoebat Falsely Claimed that Obama is "Definitely a Muslim"

According to an official who attended a Shoebat lecture at a conference in Las Vegas, the solution he offered for the threat of "militant Muslims" was to "Kill them...including the children."

SEE: Islam-Bashing Bigots Train Counterterrorism Agents

Shoebat claims to be a former "terrorist," yet the Washington Post noted: "Shoebat. . .says he was recruited by the Palestine Liberation Organization as a teenager. In 1977, he has said, he threw a bomb on the roof of the Bethlehem branch of an Israeli bank. The bank, however, has no record of the incident, and it was never reported by Israeli news outlets."

SEE: Washington Post Challenges Shoebat's Life Story

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.

DC Job Opportunity: Accountant

• CAIR-AZ: Be Part of Our Team / New Scholarship Program Announced
  

Anti-Muslim Activist Pam Geller Turned Away from CPAC

PA: Wharton Forum Cancels Narendra Modi's Video (Univ. of Penn.)
The surprise move Sunday came following a strongly-worded letter from a group of Wharton's professors and students saying they were outraged to learn that the forum had invited Modi as a keynote speaker. "This is the same politician who was refused a diplomatic visa by the United States State Department on March 18, 2005 on the ground that he, as chief minister, did nothing to prevent a series of orchestrated riots that targeted Muslims in Gujarat," it said.

• Backgrounder: CAIR Applauds Denial of Visa to Narendra Modi

CAIR-MN Action Alert:

Police, Catholic Charities Asked to Reject Controversial Training on Somalis

(MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 3/4/2013) -- The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today called on Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Saint Cloud and the Waite Park Police Department to reject a controversial law enforcement training the agencies are hosting at Waite Park City Offices on March 5.
The law enforcement training, "Understanding the People of Somalia," has generated negative publicity due to the Somali and Muslim community's claims that the presentation materials and trainers "lack credibility," and that the training "blames Islam and Muslims for the actions of extremists." The event flyer, which names Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Saint Cloud and the Waite Park Police Department, refers to the terrorist organization Al Shabaab as an "Islamic" organization.
In November 2011, more than 30 Twin Cities Somali and Muslim organizations challenged the credibility of the seminar in Minneapolis. Police departments across the state declined to participate.
SEE: Muslim groups to Bob Fletcher: There's No 'Islam' in Terrorism (Minnesota Public Radio)
Groups Object to St. Paul Somali Seminar, Call It Anti-Muslim (Pioneer Press)

In May 2012, Mankato Somali leaders announced that the seminar was canceled after they met with city leaders to discuss the controversial content of the seminar. As a result, leaders stated that all of the organizers pulled their support of the seminar.

Reports have highlighted law enforcement's use of biased experts and anti-Muslim training materials nationwide. The United States Congress has scrutinized these practices.

SEE: Congress Grills FBI Chief About Anti-Islam Trainings

"Terrorism is a real threat to our nation and law enforcement needs to be educated about that threat," said CAIR-MN Executive Director Lori Saroya. "Law enforcement and other agencies must look at the credentials and backgrounds of purported ‘experts' on Somalis and Muslims before allowing their officers to be trained by them."

Seminar organizer and key trainer, former Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher, is referred to by City Pages as "Ramsey County's most controversial cop."

In 2011, a Star Tribune article stated that "Ramsey County's new sheriff is suggesting that his predecessor [Bob Fletcher] exaggerated or falsified his investigation of domestic and international terrorism threats in the east metro."

In an interview with the Twin Cities Daily Planet, a spokesman for the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office stated that Fletcher's claims that Ramsey County residents were threatened by 22 domestic and 11 international terrorist groups "came from an active imagination" and that the Terrorism Information Briefs "never existed."

City Pages stated that "Fletcher's office apparently dreamed up the whole idea that his jurisdiction was under threat from dozens of domestic and international terrorism groups" and that "the research was done by staffers cruising the internet and watching CNN."

It further states: "It's hardly the first time Fletcher and his office have been at the center of controversy. Some of his department's handiwork was employed in the run-up to the 2008 Republican National Convention, when he directed preemptive raids against Twin Cities activists who later became known as the RNC 8. Two years after they were arrested in the guns-drawn raid, the cases against them fizzled."

SEE: Meet Bob Fletcher: Ramsey County's Most Controversial Cop (City Pages)
Fletcher Defends Terror Probe (Star Tribune)
Those 33 Terrorist Groups in Ramsey County? It Was 'A Very Big Lie' (Twin Cities Daily Planet)
Bob Fletcher, Former Ramsey County Sheriff, Fictionalized Terrorism Reports (City Pages)

The March 5 training flyer features "in-depth information regarding [terrorist organization Al-Shabaab's] creation, leadership, activities and recruitment in the United States."

ACTION REQUIRED:

Contact Catholic Charities and the Waite Park Police Department and tell them that trainings by unqualified, agenda-driven individuals influence the way peace officers perceive and treat the American Muslim community, leading to a rise in racial and religious profiling.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Saint Cloud
Steven P. Bresnahan, Executive Director
Email: sbresnahan@ccstcloud.org; info@ccstcloud.org; Phone: 320.650.1540

Renae Sternke, Chief Operating Officer
Email: RSternke@ccstcloud.org; Phone: 320.650.1546

Waite Park Police Department
David W. Bentrud, Chief of Police
Phone: 320.251.3281

Alicia Mages, Community Service Officer
Email: alicia.mages@ci.waiteparkpd.mn.us; Phone: 320.251.7393

Waite Park Mayor Richard E. Miller
Email: city.hall@ci.waitepark.mn.us; Phone: 320-253-1129

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-Philadelphia Annual Banquet Saturday, March 16th

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CAIR-LA: Week Educates Students about Islam's History, Beliefs

Islamophobia Watch: NC University Paper Publishes Anti-Islam Ad

CAIR-MN Wants City, Catholic Charities to Reject Controversial Training

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR-MN Seeks Meeting with Church after Muslim Students Kicked Out
Exchange students forced to leave after they questioned speaker's anti-Islam bigotry

(MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 3/5/13) -- The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today called for a meeting with church officials in Perham, Minn., after two Muslim exchange students were kicked out of an event for questioning the anti-Islam bigotry of the speaker, Walid Shoebat. Shoebat is a notorious Islamophobe who claims "Islam is the devil."
CAIR-MN is also offering to provide the Assembly of God church leaders with accurate and balanced information about Islam and Muslims and to arrange for a presentation on the faith to church members.
The Muslim students, one from Indonesia and the other from Azerbaijan, say they heard falsehoods and distortions from Shoebat, and when they questioned his bigoted views, they were quickly told to leave.
VIDEO: Two Perham Exchange Students are Kicked Out of Church
"We hope the church will help promote mutual understanding and strengthen interfaith relations in our state by meeting with us and then offering an opportunity for its congregation to hear about Islam directly from Muslims," said CAIR-MN Executive Director Lori Saroya.
Saroya noted that Shoebat, who has been exposed by CNN as an anti-Islam fraud, once told a Missouri newspaper that he sees "many parallels between the Antichrist and Islam" and that "Islam is not the religion of God -- Islam is the devil." (Springfield News-Leader, 9/24/07)
Watch: CNN Exposes Walid Shoebat's Terror Training Scam -- Part 1 and Part 2
Shoebat claims that President Obama is a Muslim. In a YouTube video, Shoebat said, "[I]f Islam is not playing the major role in Antichrist spirit, why do you think the devil wants to appoint somebody connected to Islam in the White House?" He told radio host G. Gordon Liddy, "No one is called Hussein unless he is Muslim. So it is very clear that Barack Hussein Obama is definitely a Muslim."
Video: Shoebat Says Devil Wants Obama in White House
Walid Shoebat Falsely Claimed that Obama is "Definitely a Muslim"

According to an official who attended a Shoebat lecture at a conference in Las Vegas, the solution he offered for the threat of "militant Muslims" was to "Kill them...including the children."

SEE: Islam-Bashing Bigots Train Counterterrorism Agents

Shoebat claims to be a former "terrorist," yet the Washington Post noted: "Shoebat. . .says he was recruited by the Palestine Liberation Organization as a teenager. In 1977, he has said, he threw a bomb on the roof of the Bethlehem branch of an Israeli bank. The bank, however, has no record of the incident, and it was never reported by Israeli news outlets."

SEE: Washington Post Challenges Shoebat's Life Story

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