• CAIR 'Disappointed' Key Voting Rights Act Provision Struck Down
• CAIR Action Alert: Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Oppose the SAFE Act, Ban All Forms of Profiling
  CAIR is urging voters to contact their elected representatives and urge them to reject piecemeal measures in the House that would increase racial profiling and unconstitutional detention and request that they include anti-profiling protections in the immigration bill.
• CAIR-LA: The Future of Religion? Look at OC (OC Register)
  Hussam Ayloush, head of the Orange County office of the Council on American Islamic Relations, a national advocacy group, led a recent push to elect local Muslims as delegates to the California Democratic Party.
• CAIR: Pork-Laced Ammo Made to Kill Muslims (ABC)
  Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the Hills were trying to exploit Muslims for their own profit. "This is just one of many individuals and companies who seek to make a quick buck exploiting the growing Islamaphobia in our society," Hooper said. "We're not motivated by giving them free publicity they so desperately seek. That's their intention -- to get people upset so that they talk about it and they make money. "If somebody did actually use one of these bullets to target a Muslim," he added, "I am sure that a hate crime enhancement would fit."
• UK: Pressure Mounts to Ban Anti-Muslim Speakers Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer from Demo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR Condemns Killing of Shia Muslims in Egypt

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/25/13) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the killingof four Egyptian Shia Muslims by a mob in a village near Cairo. Egyptian religious and political leaders have also condemned the killings.

SEE: Egyptian Grand Mufti Condemns Mob Shia Killings

In a statement, CAIR said:

"We condemn this inexcusable and un-Islamic attack and urge everyone in Egypt and throughout the region to avoid the trap of sectarian division. All those who participated in the attack on the Shia community in Egypt must immediately be brought to justice."

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.

• NJ Senate Advances Surveillance Measure Resulting from NYPD Muslim Spying 
• Video: Hate Mob Disrupts Tenn. American Muslim Advisory Council Forum
  • Right-Wingers Like Sarah Palin Who Mock 'Allah' Are Mocking God

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR-FL Seeks Review of UCF Courses Taught by Anti-Islam Prof 
Professor at publicly-funded institution works with anti-Muslim hate group, says Germany will be 'Islamic republic' by 2050

(TAMPA, FL, 6/17/13) - The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL), along with other community organizations, announced today that it has called on the University of Central Florida (UCF) to review the accuracy and objectivity of information offered to students in courses taught by Dr. Jonathon Matusitz.

CAIR-FL says Matusitz, an associate professor in the UCF Nicholson School of Communication, is "membership director" for the anti-Muslim hate group ACT! for America and bizarrely claims Germany will "become an Islamic republic by 2050."

Video: University of Central Florida Professor Spews Anti-Islam Hate

ACT! for America leader Hanah Kahwagi Tudor, who goes by the pseudonym "Brigitte Gabriel," says an American Muslim "cannot be a loyal citizen" and that Islam is the "real enemy." She once told the Australian Jewish News: "Every practicing Muslim is a radical Muslim." Tudor also claimed that "Islamo-fascism is a politically-correct word ... it's the vehicle for Islam ... Islam is the problem." The New York Times describes Gabriel as a "radical Islamophobe" who in the past has made statements like "Arabs have no soul" and "Arabs are barbarians."

Backgrounder: Brigitte Gabriel and ACT! for America 

Matusitz recently told a Tea party gathering, "The problem is not so much the average Muslim, as it is the ideology," and falsely claimed that the Quran has "a lot of hateful verses that urge the adherents to kill non-Muslims." Public outcry forced Florida Republicans to cancel a scheduled lecture by Matusitz titled "The Islamic Threat to America."

SEE: Pinellas GOP Wisely Cancels, Err, "Postpones" Speech from Controversial Anti-Islam Professor

Moderates within the Republican Party, such as Chris Latvala, son of state Sen. Jack Latvala, expressed concerns with Matusitz's talk, describing it on his Facebook as "bashing an entire religion practiced by many in Pinellas County."

SEE: Pinellas Republicans Criticized for Inviting Anti-Islam Speaker

In a letter outlining Matusitz's Islamophobic views sent to the Dean of the UCF College of Sciences Dr. Michael Johnson, CAIR-FL wrote in part:

"His presentations on these subjects are full of anti-Muslim bigotry in the form of hate speech, inaccuracies, sweeping generalizations and stereotypes that would mislead students to believe that all Islamic societies are nothing more than violent, hate-filled terrorist factories. ...

"The focus of Dr. Matusitz's teachings appears to be more about his personal ungrounded fear of Muslims than about teaching students how any culture actually facilitates terrorism. ...

"We are requesting that courses taught by Dr. Matusitz be thoroughly reviewed by the College of Sciences so that your students are not subjected to his apparent disinformation and bigotry."

Last week, Florida Atlantic University distanced itself from an advisor who made anti-Muslim statements on Facebook.

Video: FAU Responds to CAIR-FL Request to Drop Anti-Muslim Advisor 

Visit CAIR-FL's link 'Islamophobia in Academia' for the latest on this developing issue.

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.

- END -

CONTACT: CAIR-South Florida Executive Director Nezar Hamze,954-673-9459,nhamze@cair.com; CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Hassan Shibly, 813-541-4321,hshibly@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com

• Video: CAIR-MI Asks Feds to Investigate Closing of Muslims' Bank AccountsA Muslim civil rights organization has asked the U.S. Treasury Department to investigate JPMorgan Chase & Co. for closing bank accounts of U.S. Arabs and Muslims.
• CAIR-MI: Important Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination Against Muslims Moves Forward
• CAIR-MN Launches New Community Safety Training for Mosques
• CAIR Responds to False Claims by Congressman Pompeo
• Action Alert: Tell Congress that Immigration Reform Should Ban All Forms of Profiling
• Fox Host Tells Anti-Islam Leader 'We've Got Your Back'

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR Asks Florida Atlantic University to Drop Anti-Muslim Advisor

(SOUTH FLORIDA, 6/13/13) – The South Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFL) today called on Florida Atlantic University (FAU) to drop an advisor who has expressed and supported extremist anti-Muslim views online.

Roxanna Trinka, who is director of the Research Park at FAU and an advisor to the College of Engineering, posted and re-posted a number of Islamophobic messages on Facebook, including a "joke" about a future in which Muslims do not exist.

SEE: Facebook Page Reveals FAU Advisor Fears Muslim Law

Other online comments included, "[Islam is a religion of] Piece-full, heads here, hands there, legs here," and "We can't CO-EXIST with people that want to kill us. . .we are all infidels in their eyes." She also promoted the bizarre Islamophobic conspiracy theory that "Sharia Law" will soon take over America.

SEE: Roxanna Trinka's Facebook Comments

"Roxanna Trinka's bigoted and extremist views, coupled with her involvement with FAU, certainly raise concerns with the South Florida Muslim community," said CAIR-SFL Executive Director Nezar Hamze. "This type of bigotry has the potential to create a hostile learning environment for Muslim students and damages the university's image and creditability."

"It is for that reason that the university should disassociate itself from Ms. Trinka and her extremist and intolerant views," said Hamze.

He said this issue comes up as a Florida Dunkin' Donuts employee faced a bigoted tirade from a customer who called him a "little f----- sand n-----."

VIDEO: Florida Woman Goes on Vile Rant Against Dunkin' Donuts Employees

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

Featured Stories

Video: CAIR-MD Rep Speaks at Capitol Hill Protest of NSA Abuses Video: FAU Responds to CAIR-FL Request to Drop Anti-Muslim Advisor FAU Responds to Advisor's Anti-Muslim Comments; CAIR Calls for Her Dismissal CAIR-MI Says Banks Closing Accounts Without Explanation (Detroit News) CAIR-MI: Judge Allows Suit on Border Questioning of Muslims to Move Forward CAIR Alert: Ask Congress to End Indefinite Detention, Shut Down Gitmo

---

CAIR Video News Update, June 14, 2013

If you missed any recent news impacting the American Muslim community, here's a 5-minute video review.

Topics covered in the video include: CAIR-MI Asks Feds to Probe Closing of Muslim Bank Accounts CAIR, CAIR-MI Win Court Ruling in Border Questioning Case CAIR Rep Tells VOA That Islamophobia is Undermining Religious Tolerance Anti-Muslim Protesters in Tennessee Cheer Mention of Mosque Hate Crime CAIR Calls for Probes of Vandalism at Mosques in Minnesota, Georgia and Texas CAIR-San Diego Seeks Investigation of Threat to Muslim School CAIR-FL Ask for Independent Investigation of FBI Shooting

• CAIR: Pompeo's Claim About Muslim Leaders was 'Irresponsible' (Wichita Eagle)
  The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, called on Pompeo to correct his "false and irresponsible" remarks and provided him with links to dozens and dozens of statements by U.S. Muslim leaders condemning terrorism.
• CAIR-Chicago: Religious Leaders Call for Immigration Reform (Sun-Times)
  [CAIR-Chicago's] Ahmed Rehab has given more than 100 speeches on the issue in the past few years. "Families are broken; individuals are devastated," he said. "They're just human beings trying to make it. They're arrested and deported without any account for who they leave behind or how their lives are affected. "Social justice is a core belief in the Islamic faith, especially for those in a position of weakness. We're encouraged to stand by them."
• Watch CAIR's Latest Video News Update
• Video: What Would You Do? Anti-Muslim Harassment (ABC)
• NSA Admits Listening to U.S. Phone Calls Without Warrants (CNET)
• Sarah Palin on U.S. Decision on Syria: 'Let Allah Sort It Out' (ABC)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR Submits Testimony on NY State Hate Crimes Law
CAIR-NY submits testimony at hearing hosted by State Senator Brad Hoylman

(NEW YORK, NY, 6/16/13) - On Friday, the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) submitted written testimony for a public hearing on that state's hate crimes law hosted by ranking member of the Senate Committee on Investigations and Government Operations State Senator Brad Hoylman.

SEE: CAIR-NY Written Testimony
SEE: Public Forum on New York State's Hate Crimes Law

The forum to discuss New York's 13-year-old law came in the wake of a recent spike in hate incidents in New York City. CAIR-NY has received 10 reported incidents of anti-Muslim hate crimes in the last 10 months. 

The testimony submitted by CAIR-NY specifically addressed underreporting of hate crimes, the promotion of anti-Muslim sentiments in the community by discriminatory policing and the rise of anti-Muslim hate groups based in New York.

CAIR-NY urged those in attendance to familiarize themselves with the CUNY Center for Law Enforcement Accountability and Responsibility (CLEAR) Mapping Muslims Report to understand the damage created by the NYPD mass surveillance of Muslims. CAIR-NY also urged support for legislation in Albany introduced to end NYPD unconstitutional surveillance of Muslim communities.

SEE: Mapping Muslims, NYPD Spying and its Impact on American Muslim
SEE: Establishing an Independent Inspector General of the NYPD

The testimony also highlighted the interactions between the nine New York-based anti-Muslim hate groups and policy makers in the state.

"We look forward to following-up with Senator Hoylman to ensure our recommendations are taken to heart and to bring more awareness to the root causes of anti-Muslim violence in the state of New York," said CAIR-NY Executive Director Muneer Awad. "We cannot afford to focus only on responses to hate crimes while we have elected officials and policy-makers actively creating the atmosphere of anti-Muslim sentiment that facilitates these crimes."

The offices of various elected officials joined CAIR-NY to testify at the hearing including the offices of State Assembly Member John Millman, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, New York City Coucnil Member Daniel Dromm, and the Kings County District Attorney.

CAIR's National Office submitted written testimony to a Federal Hate Crimes Hearing in 2012, hosted by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

SEE: CAIR Submits Written Testimony for Senate Hate Crime Hearing

CAIR-NY is a chapter of 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.

Follow CAIR-New York on Twitter

• CAIR: Tenn. Muslims Vow to Keep Talking After Shout-Down (NPR)
  Ibrahim Hooper with the Council on American-Islamic Relations says the mood felt a bit like people should be carrying "pitchforks and torches." "Whenever you have hate crimes being applauded by an audience, you've got to wonder what's happening there," he says.
  • Video: Anti-Muslim Hate Crime Applauded in Tennessee
• Commentary: Anti-Muslim Hate Comes to Manchester, Tennessee
  As a representative of the Muslim community who was participating in the forum, the words of hate that I heard spoken on this day are something that I will not forget for a long time.
• TN: Muslim Group Says Coffee County Meeting was 'Hijacked'
• Freedom of Speech Under Attack by Islamophobes in Tennessee
• Islamic Law Bans Often Dismissed as a Joke, But Story Isn't Going AwayThese amused and amusing reactions are understandable given the absurdity of the notion that "creeping Sharia,"--the alarmist term sometimes used by advocates of these bills--is poised to overwhelm the Midwest. But they understate the seriousness and persistence of the movement behind such legislation, and its potential effects on American Muslims and non-Muslims alike. (Read more)
• Islamophobia Watch Video: Fla. Anti-Islam Activists Mock Jummah Prayers, Islam
  • WaPo Blogger Welcomes Evangelical Islamophobes to the Pro-Israel Tent
• CAIR: UK Mosques Urged to Install Panic Alarms, Safe Rooms (Guardian)
  Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for CAIR, said: "From the outside it definitely seems UK mosques are more at risk than anywhere, including the States. There have been a number of recent incidents targeting UK mosques, groups like the English Defence League marching on mosques and a spike in violent right-wing groups."
  
  • CAIR Offers Online Version of Mosque Security GuidelinesCAIR Community leaders may request a free copy of CAIR's "Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety," by going to: http://www.cair.com/mosque-safety-guide.html
• CAIR: It's Time to Tell Our Nation's Leaders to Stop Spying on Calls, Emails
  
  • CAIR: Would You Hand Over Your Phone Records for Greater Security?
• CAIR-CT: Open Forum on Islam 
• CA: Airport's Garage Now Muslim House of Worship
• Muslim Nominated as University of California Student Regent
  • An American Woman's Journey to Islam (NPR)
  • WI: Proposed Meat Plant Would Serve Muslims, Jews
  • PA: Unity and fun at Islamic festival

• CAIR Director Participates in Qatar's U.S.-Islamic World Forum
  Nihad Awad visits Syrian refugee camp in Jordan before traveling to Doha
• CAIR-MI: NSA Snooping Erodes American Values (Detroit News)
  We have real threats that face our nation, but the erosion of our freedoms is a greater threat to our national soul than any enemy, foreign or domestic.
• CAIR: Muslim Meeting on Tolerance Turns Into a Shouting Match (NPR)
  • "We Got Your Back": Fox Host Endorses Leader of Violent Anti-Muslim Hate Group
  • Student Pleads Guilty in NYC Muslim Cabbie Attack
• Rabbis Right to Express Disappointment with Invitation to Anti-Islam Blogger Pamela Geller 
• How do Muslims observe Ramadan where the sun does not set? (Economist)

BREAKING NEWS:

Judge Allows Suit on Border Questioning of Muslims to Move Forward

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/11/13) -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today announced that a federal judge in Michigan has allowed a lawsuit against U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the FBI over the repeated detention and questioning of Muslims at and inside the United States-Canada border and other ports of entry to move forward.

CAIR, which is co-counsel on the case with attorney Shereef Akeel, filed the lawsuit on behalf of four American citizens who reported that CBP and FBI agents detained and handcuffed them without evidence of wrongdoing and questioned them about their religious beliefs and worship habits.

Questions reportedly asked of Michigan Muslims by CBP and FBI agents have included:

• How many times a day do you pray?
• Do you pray your morning prayer in the mosque?
• Who else prays in your mosque?

Judge Avern Cohn allowed the case to go forward based on alleged violations of the Constitution's Fifth Amendment equal protection guarantee.

In his order denying the dismissal, Judge Cohn wrote:

"This case presents an issue of first impression that, to the Court's knowledge, has never been addressed by another court in the nation ... Plaintiffs have adequately pled that Defendants have a policy, custom and practice of questioning only Muslim-Americans at the border about their religious practices and beliefs. Moreover, Plaintiffs have sufficiently alleged that such policy, practice and custom targets a suspect class and has no rational basis."

Read the entire ruling by Judge Cohn

"We are pleased that this important case will move forward and those who faced unlawful government questioning about their religious beliefs will continue to have their day in court," said CAIR Staff Attorney Gadeir Abbas, who travelled to Michigan for the hearing on the government's motion.

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.

- END -