by Fauzi Labidi
On Friday April 12, 1996, the Muslim community in Central Ohio had the pleasure to listen to Nihad Awad, the executive director of CAIR. CAIR stands for Council on American Islamic Relations. Nihad Awad is a prominent Muslim activist who champions Islamic causes and works tirelessly towards the betterment of Muslims civil rights in North American. CAIR plays a vital role in presenting and defending issues relevant to the lives and the well-being of the Muslim communities in North America. Through their Action Alerts, they keep the Muslim communities abreast of what's happening to their fellow brothers and sisters in the U.S. and abroad, as well as monitor and advise media in matters related to Muslims. In his lecture, Br. Niahd highlighted the major functions undertaken by CAIR.
1. Media Relations
CAIR works with media professionals in the U.S. to help shape a positive image about Islam. Due to the fact that the American Public is generally ignorant about Islam, there is a tendency to stereotype Muslims in a very negative way. CAIR plays a critical role in trying to reshape and straighten people's views of Muslims by empowering the Muslim communities to take a pro-active role in the American social and political arenas. For example, when CAIR became aware that PBS was about to air a show titled "Jihad in America" portraying Muslims living in the U.S. as a group of thugs whose sole mission is to terrify people, an action alert was sent to all Muslim communities in the U.s. In their action alert, CAIR directed Muslims to contact their local PBS station protesting the airing of this show. Many communities in the U.S. were successful in blocking this show from going on the air. Some others, such as the one in Columbus, were successful in making the station invite representatives from the Muslim communities to express their views on following the airing of the show.
2. Conferences and Seminars
CAIR organizes conferences and seminars for media professionals, government officials, and the academic community. These events are designed to present otherwise unavailable information about Islam and Muslims.
3. Anti-Discrimination Work
CAIR solicits Muslims in North America to inform the organization of any discriminatory act committed against them such as denying the right of a Muslim employee to attend jumah prayer, or firing a sister from her job for wearing hijab. CAIR works through its legal advisors and local activists in pursuing these cases to ensure that Muslim civil rights are protected.
4. Lobbying
CAIR lobbies political leaders on matters relevant to Islam and Muslims in North America. CAIR plays a vital role in informing the mulsim communities about legislation that might have an effect on their rights and directing them to write and call government officials to express their feelings towards those matters.
5. Training/Outreach
CAIR trains American Muslim community activists and leaders in techniques of effective media and public relations, lobbying, and public speaking. They offer internships to students and interested individuals who wish to gain experience in media relations, political activism, and anti-discrimination work.
6. Inter-Faith Relations
CAIR plays a critical role in promoting a positive co-existence between Islam and the different religious denominations. CAIR works towards this goal through public education and inter-faith cooperation.
How can you help? You can help CAIR by doing one or all of the following: becoming a member, establishing a CAIR chapter in your community, and donating generously to help cover the expenses and costs incurred in this work. CAIR is a non-profit organization.
For more information on CAIR, please call or write to: _____________
Saturday, September 4, 2010
May 1996 News Fly Around
Movie Defames Muslims
Los Angeles, CA, April 1 - Muslim communities nationwide handed out leaflets about Islam outside theaters to counter the new anti-Islam stunt movie "Executive Decision" by Warner bros. In the movie all the non-Muslims in the movie were either victims or heroes, while every Muslim was either a criminal or a terrorist.
After negotiations with the producing company did not result in clipping stereotypical and defaming images about Muslims from the movie, Muslim organizations like CAIR opted for positive measures to counter the propaganda. Without causing a fuss that would further increase the sale of the movie, members from Muslim communities simply handed out the true facts about Muslims and highlighted the erroneous message of the movie, something that Warner Bros did not like.
Hotel Apologizes Rehires Muslim Woman
Washington, D.C. 4/22/96 Alhamdulillah, your calls, faxes and letters achieved a positive result once again. Management officials of a Virginia Quality Inn hotel have apologized to and rehired a Muslim woman who was denied a job because she refused to remove her head scarf. The hotel also gave the woman compensation for time lost and for attorney's fees. According to a Washington Post article on the incident, Philip Kirby, the owner of the hotel, said, "When we got a chance to look at it and see what the community's reaction was, we felt we had made a bad decision... We apologize for any inconvenience or suffering we caused her." The hotel plans to rework its dress code.
2500 Turn Out for Mosque Open House
Washington, DC April 2. Leaders of the Denver, Colorado Muslim community say some 2,500 people turned out for a mosque Open House propted by the March 19 intrusion into that facility by employees of a local radio station. Many local dignitaries, including Denver's mayor and the U.S. Attorney in Denver, attended the open house. Five people embraced Islam on the day of the open house, Alhamdulillah.
This mosque was subjected earlier to a hate crime by a local radio station - who invaded the mosque and harassed worshippers, while on the air. Five radio employees have been charged as a result of that stunt.
Editorial Cartoonist apologizes for Defaming Islam
Jim Morin, a syndicated cartoonist who works for the Miami Herald newspaper, has apologized for a recent cartoon in which he drew an ape-like creature with the word "Islam" on its head. The creature is shown saying, "We bomb innocent women and children to smithereens!" After CAIR and other Musli organizations posted information about the cartoon on the internet, Morin begn receiving cals, faxes and e-mail messages.
In a letter to CAIR, Morin said, "I have spoken to many hurt, outraged members of the Muslim faith this past four days. It has been an educational experience for me... To those whom I have unintentionally hurt or insulted, please accept my sincere apologies."
Web Site Removes NOI Connection
OSU Campus, April 5 - The MSA at OSU managed to convince YAHOO! , the world wide web search facility to remove the Nation of Islam from the list of Islamic resources. The MSA was concerned about how Yahoo included Nation of Islam resources with Islamic resources, and sent a strong letter of complaint to Yahoo..
"The students I represent are very offended that Yahoo would include the Nation of Islam - a religion that preaches racial hatred, founded less than 50 years ago - with Islam, a religion that speaks of peace and religious harmony founded almost 1500 years ago." said Alaa, MSA President in his protest.
In their response, Anne Callery from Yahoo said, "[We] find that the Muslim community in general does not consider the Nation of Islam as part of the Muslim religion. It was our initial understanding that the Nation of Islam identified strongly with Islam, which is why the cross reference to Islam was added. However, after examining the Nation of Islam web sites, we are unable to find evidence of this feeling in their organization. Therefore, the link to Islam has been removed."
George Mason University Gets New Union with Wudu Facilities
Fairfax, VA - March 12 - A new $30 million student union was opened with facilities for making wudu in every main restroom. Interestingly, the Muslim Student Association on that campus did not lobby for them. However, jummah prayer was held close to one of the deans' offices, who felt there was a need for a proper wudu facility and included the wudu area in the plan for the new building. This marks another positive step taken by some universities in recent months to accommodate Muslim students.
Islamic Attire: A View of Elegance and comfort
Date: May 11, 1996 - Time: 6-8 pm Location: Hitchcock Hall, (OSU)
Tickets: $3 - student $5 - adult (pre-sale and at the door) A sample of Muslim food specialties are included in the ticket cost.
To share our cultural attire for dress at home and at Muslim Women's functions while emphasizing the proper dress a Muslim displays while outside her home, Muslim sisters from a multiple of cultural background are participating in a program of fashion display (program for women only).
All proceeds from this event will go to the school fund for the full-time school in Hilliard. Donations are always accepted graciously.
For further information please contact Sr. Rhoda at XXX-XXXX or Sr. Bonita at XXX-XXXX or Sr. Shireen at XXX-XXXX. Inshallah, vendors of Islamic dress will be located outside of the hall. Any interested vendors contact the organizers.
Women Speaking from Behind the Veil
Speech by Sister Aminah Assilmi, noted Muslim Feminist at Hitchcock Hall, OSU May 15th from 6 to 8 pm.
IFCO Forms Public Relations Committee
by Asma Mobin-Uddin
The Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio (IFCO) has now formed a Public Relations Committee. Members of this P.R. Committee have met and have agreed that work will be done in four areas: media relations, school communication, establishment of a Speakers Bureau, and compilation of an Islamic Reference Base.
In the area of media relations, our goal is to promote an understanding of true Islam by working with the media to encourage accurate and respectful coverage of events related to Islam. The PRC is also establishing a network that can quickly respond when Muslim reaction to news coverage is needed. The committee regularly responds to current events and has worked on coverage of the present Eid.
The committee is also working to facilitate communication with local schools about Islam and we are setting up a Speakers Bureau of Muslim available to speak in the community. Six Muslim speakers will represent Islam the week of April 22 at the Bexley Schools during their week long commemoration to the city of Jerusalem's 300th anniversary.
The PRC is establishing an Islamic Reference Base to support the Speakers Bureau and to educate non-Muslims. A bibliography of all the literature in English available on Islam at the OSU library has been compiled. It contains over 2000 references by Muslim, Christian, and Jewish authors. This database will be available in hard copy and on a computer disk at the IFCO library. Diskette copies will also be available for those wishing to put this database on their home computer. May Allah support and bless the efforts of the committee as it strives in His cause. The members are: Rashid and Vera Al-Sabur, Andy Amid, Mohammad (Razi) and Ghazala Asghar, Vicki Bashir, Mohammed and Kathy Ballouz, Mohamed Gohar, Asma Mobin-Uddin, and Alam and Parveen Payind. If anyone wishes to work with the committee or be part of the Sepakers Bureau, please contact Sr. Asma Mobin-Uddin at XXX-XXXX.
ISGC forms School Task Force
Columbus, April 7 - At a joint meeting of all the school committees, the 10 member School Task Force was chosen based on being nominated by 50% or more of the committee members. If there were not 10 fount by this method, the remainder would be selected by the board of trustees of the ISGC based on committee recommendations. The new task force is: Amr Elsaadany, Arjumand Haque, Sohail Khan, Adnan Khasawneh, Mahmood Moosa, Amgad Saleh, Mohamed Shareef, Norma Tarazi, Ahmad Al Akhras, and Rhoda Abdul-Matin.
ISGC Summer School Planning meeting
Do you like to do craft projects with children? Would you like to start a soccer tournament for the kids this summer? Anyone for volley ball? Could you help children learning Quran? Come be a part of the planning - be part of the action. attend the planning session May 13th at 7 pm at the Omar Mosque.
The summer school program has usually been organized by interested parents and other adults as a volunteer effort to provide some fun and educational activities for children during some of the weekdays of summer. This summer we expect to use the new school facility in Hilliard, air conditioned and surrounded by grass, and just across the street from a beautiful park. We hope to be able to offer more than we ever have before.
Do you have any time to volunteer? Male OSU students are particularly needed to help with the boys.
Los Angeles, CA, April 1 - Muslim communities nationwide handed out leaflets about Islam outside theaters to counter the new anti-Islam stunt movie "Executive Decision" by Warner bros. In the movie all the non-Muslims in the movie were either victims or heroes, while every Muslim was either a criminal or a terrorist.
After negotiations with the producing company did not result in clipping stereotypical and defaming images about Muslims from the movie, Muslim organizations like CAIR opted for positive measures to counter the propaganda. Without causing a fuss that would further increase the sale of the movie, members from Muslim communities simply handed out the true facts about Muslims and highlighted the erroneous message of the movie, something that Warner Bros did not like.
Hotel Apologizes Rehires Muslim Woman
Washington, D.C. 4/22/96 Alhamdulillah, your calls, faxes and letters achieved a positive result once again. Management officials of a Virginia Quality Inn hotel have apologized to and rehired a Muslim woman who was denied a job because she refused to remove her head scarf. The hotel also gave the woman compensation for time lost and for attorney's fees. According to a Washington Post article on the incident, Philip Kirby, the owner of the hotel, said, "When we got a chance to look at it and see what the community's reaction was, we felt we had made a bad decision... We apologize for any inconvenience or suffering we caused her." The hotel plans to rework its dress code.
2500 Turn Out for Mosque Open House
Washington, DC April 2. Leaders of the Denver, Colorado Muslim community say some 2,500 people turned out for a mosque Open House propted by the March 19 intrusion into that facility by employees of a local radio station. Many local dignitaries, including Denver's mayor and the U.S. Attorney in Denver, attended the open house. Five people embraced Islam on the day of the open house, Alhamdulillah.
This mosque was subjected earlier to a hate crime by a local radio station - who invaded the mosque and harassed worshippers, while on the air. Five radio employees have been charged as a result of that stunt.
Editorial Cartoonist apologizes for Defaming Islam
Jim Morin, a syndicated cartoonist who works for the Miami Herald newspaper, has apologized for a recent cartoon in which he drew an ape-like creature with the word "Islam" on its head. The creature is shown saying, "We bomb innocent women and children to smithereens!" After CAIR and other Musli organizations posted information about the cartoon on the internet, Morin begn receiving cals, faxes and e-mail messages.
In a letter to CAIR, Morin said, "I have spoken to many hurt, outraged members of the Muslim faith this past four days. It has been an educational experience for me... To those whom I have unintentionally hurt or insulted, please accept my sincere apologies."
Web Site Removes NOI Connection
OSU Campus, April 5 - The MSA at OSU managed to convince YAHOO! , the world wide web search facility to remove the Nation of Islam from the list of Islamic resources. The MSA was concerned about how Yahoo included Nation of Islam resources with Islamic resources, and sent a strong letter of complaint to Yahoo..
"The students I represent are very offended that Yahoo would include the Nation of Islam - a religion that preaches racial hatred, founded less than 50 years ago - with Islam, a religion that speaks of peace and religious harmony founded almost 1500 years ago." said Alaa, MSA President in his protest.
In their response, Anne Callery from Yahoo said, "[We] find that the Muslim community in general does not consider the Nation of Islam as part of the Muslim religion. It was our initial understanding that the Nation of Islam identified strongly with Islam, which is why the cross reference to Islam was added. However, after examining the Nation of Islam web sites, we are unable to find evidence of this feeling in their organization. Therefore, the link to Islam has been removed."
George Mason University Gets New Union with Wudu Facilities
Fairfax, VA - March 12 - A new $30 million student union was opened with facilities for making wudu in every main restroom. Interestingly, the Muslim Student Association on that campus did not lobby for them. However, jummah prayer was held close to one of the deans' offices, who felt there was a need for a proper wudu facility and included the wudu area in the plan for the new building. This marks another positive step taken by some universities in recent months to accommodate Muslim students.
Islamic Attire: A View of Elegance and comfort
Date: May 11, 1996 - Time: 6-8 pm Location: Hitchcock Hall, (OSU)
Tickets: $3 - student $5 - adult (pre-sale and at the door) A sample of Muslim food specialties are included in the ticket cost.
To share our cultural attire for dress at home and at Muslim Women's functions while emphasizing the proper dress a Muslim displays while outside her home, Muslim sisters from a multiple of cultural background are participating in a program of fashion display (program for women only).
All proceeds from this event will go to the school fund for the full-time school in Hilliard. Donations are always accepted graciously.
For further information please contact Sr. Rhoda at XXX-XXXX or Sr. Bonita at XXX-XXXX or Sr. Shireen at XXX-XXXX. Inshallah, vendors of Islamic dress will be located outside of the hall. Any interested vendors contact the organizers.
Women Speaking from Behind the Veil
Speech by Sister Aminah Assilmi, noted Muslim Feminist at Hitchcock Hall, OSU May 15th from 6 to 8 pm.
IFCO Forms Public Relations Committee
by Asma Mobin-Uddin
The Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio (IFCO) has now formed a Public Relations Committee. Members of this P.R. Committee have met and have agreed that work will be done in four areas: media relations, school communication, establishment of a Speakers Bureau, and compilation of an Islamic Reference Base.
In the area of media relations, our goal is to promote an understanding of true Islam by working with the media to encourage accurate and respectful coverage of events related to Islam. The PRC is also establishing a network that can quickly respond when Muslim reaction to news coverage is needed. The committee regularly responds to current events and has worked on coverage of the present Eid.
The committee is also working to facilitate communication with local schools about Islam and we are setting up a Speakers Bureau of Muslim available to speak in the community. Six Muslim speakers will represent Islam the week of April 22 at the Bexley Schools during their week long commemoration to the city of Jerusalem's 300th anniversary.
The PRC is establishing an Islamic Reference Base to support the Speakers Bureau and to educate non-Muslims. A bibliography of all the literature in English available on Islam at the OSU library has been compiled. It contains over 2000 references by Muslim, Christian, and Jewish authors. This database will be available in hard copy and on a computer disk at the IFCO library. Diskette copies will also be available for those wishing to put this database on their home computer. May Allah support and bless the efforts of the committee as it strives in His cause. The members are: Rashid and Vera Al-Sabur, Andy Amid, Mohammad (Razi) and Ghazala Asghar, Vicki Bashir, Mohammed and Kathy Ballouz, Mohamed Gohar, Asma Mobin-Uddin, and Alam and Parveen Payind. If anyone wishes to work with the committee or be part of the Sepakers Bureau, please contact Sr. Asma Mobin-Uddin at XXX-XXXX.
ISGC forms School Task Force
Columbus, April 7 - At a joint meeting of all the school committees, the 10 member School Task Force was chosen based on being nominated by 50% or more of the committee members. If there were not 10 fount by this method, the remainder would be selected by the board of trustees of the ISGC based on committee recommendations. The new task force is: Amr Elsaadany, Arjumand Haque, Sohail Khan, Adnan Khasawneh, Mahmood Moosa, Amgad Saleh, Mohamed Shareef, Norma Tarazi, Ahmad Al Akhras, and Rhoda Abdul-Matin.
ISGC Summer School Planning meeting
Do you like to do craft projects with children? Would you like to start a soccer tournament for the kids this summer? Anyone for volley ball? Could you help children learning Quran? Come be a part of the planning - be part of the action. attend the planning session May 13th at 7 pm at the Omar Mosque.
The summer school program has usually been organized by interested parents and other adults as a volunteer effort to provide some fun and educational activities for children during some of the weekdays of summer. This summer we expect to use the new school facility in Hilliard, air conditioned and surrounded by grass, and just across the street from a beautiful park. We hope to be able to offer more than we ever have before.
Do you have any time to volunteer? Male OSU students are particularly needed to help with the boys.
Friday, September 3, 2010
April 1996 Progress in Communication
by Norma Tarazi
So often, we sigh and nod together, us Muslims, over the incomprehension of your faith by non-Muslims, of their disregard and disrespect for our feelings, our holidays, our salat, our moral values. Well, we need to note any step in the direction toward understanding that they make, and encourage them in that direction. Several stories came in over the news in the last 2 months about the improved relations we are making. did you know that at the University of Syracuse they now serve halal food in the student residences? They also closed the university in observance of Eid this year, just like they close for Christmas. they are probably the first university to do so, but such recognition is a start and we hope to continue in this direction. The Muslim community reported that their negotiations with university officials were cordial and reasonable at all times, and they obtained these changes in university policy peacefully, without threats or arm twisting.
Hillary Clinton gave an Eid Party at the White House this last Eid. Her daughter Chelsea, has been studying Islam at school and brought her new information to her mother some months ago, before their trip to South East Asia. this brought Mrs. Clinton to a better understanding of Muslims in our country, and she invited about 200 Muslims, families with their children, for an Eid Party, to respect our religion as Christmas, Easter, and Hanukah are represented at the White House. She wrote an article about this experience to the newspapers. They ate lots of different specialties, meat dumplings, pita bread, hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, and pastries. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, people say. The way to help improve understanding among people may be to share more food with them, like these Muslims did with Mrs. Clinton. Here in Columbus, our local MSA did with their Iftar Party at OSU. IQRA! wrote last month about the news coverage of Br. Hakeem Olajuwon's fasting during Ramadan. This month we saw Br. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf of the Denver Nuggets refusing to stand for the national anthem. This controversy did not turn out standard negative publicity for us. Several commentators compared Abdul-Rauf to other non-Muslims who have made public statements of similar kind, like Sandy Koufax. Several major writers spoke up defending his freedom of speech and discussing how poorly many spectators react to the anthem.
We now have Muslim public relations experts to contact the press and give them a reaciton from the Muslim community. CAIR and others were reasonably able to respond to reporters so that the public could understand this as a personal decision of Br. Abdul-Rauf, not as an act demanded of all Muslims. The event culminated with the interview of Br. Hakeem Olajuwon, who helped mediate the problem and resolve it in a peaceful, undramatic way. An article in Newsweek of March 25th is particularly interesting. Frank Deford, the author, manages to respect Abdul-Rauf for his faith and explain his act as an excess of zeal in a new convert. Deford's understanding of the Muslim situation is commendable.
We can see progress in media coverage of Muslims. Hopefully this is a trend. Let us seek to create more examples of this kind. The truth, properly and decently presented, may take more time to be noticed over the strident screaming of slander and sensationalism, but, with continuous effort and the help of Allah (SWT) we will create a better understanding of Islam throughout the United States and the world.
So often, we sigh and nod together, us Muslims, over the incomprehension of your faith by non-Muslims, of their disregard and disrespect for our feelings, our holidays, our salat, our moral values. Well, we need to note any step in the direction toward understanding that they make, and encourage them in that direction. Several stories came in over the news in the last 2 months about the improved relations we are making. did you know that at the University of Syracuse they now serve halal food in the student residences? They also closed the university in observance of Eid this year, just like they close for Christmas. they are probably the first university to do so, but such recognition is a start and we hope to continue in this direction. The Muslim community reported that their negotiations with university officials were cordial and reasonable at all times, and they obtained these changes in university policy peacefully, without threats or arm twisting.
Hillary Clinton gave an Eid Party at the White House this last Eid. Her daughter Chelsea, has been studying Islam at school and brought her new information to her mother some months ago, before their trip to South East Asia. this brought Mrs. Clinton to a better understanding of Muslims in our country, and she invited about 200 Muslims, families with their children, for an Eid Party, to respect our religion as Christmas, Easter, and Hanukah are represented at the White House. She wrote an article about this experience to the newspapers. They ate lots of different specialties, meat dumplings, pita bread, hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, and pastries. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, people say. The way to help improve understanding among people may be to share more food with them, like these Muslims did with Mrs. Clinton. Here in Columbus, our local MSA did with their Iftar Party at OSU. IQRA! wrote last month about the news coverage of Br. Hakeem Olajuwon's fasting during Ramadan. This month we saw Br. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf of the Denver Nuggets refusing to stand for the national anthem. This controversy did not turn out standard negative publicity for us. Several commentators compared Abdul-Rauf to other non-Muslims who have made public statements of similar kind, like Sandy Koufax. Several major writers spoke up defending his freedom of speech and discussing how poorly many spectators react to the anthem.
We now have Muslim public relations experts to contact the press and give them a reaciton from the Muslim community. CAIR and others were reasonably able to respond to reporters so that the public could understand this as a personal decision of Br. Abdul-Rauf, not as an act demanded of all Muslims. The event culminated with the interview of Br. Hakeem Olajuwon, who helped mediate the problem and resolve it in a peaceful, undramatic way. An article in Newsweek of March 25th is particularly interesting. Frank Deford, the author, manages to respect Abdul-Rauf for his faith and explain his act as an excess of zeal in a new convert. Deford's understanding of the Muslim situation is commendable.
We can see progress in media coverage of Muslims. Hopefully this is a trend. Let us seek to create more examples of this kind. The truth, properly and decently presented, may take more time to be noticed over the strident screaming of slander and sensationalism, but, with continuous effort and the help of Allah (SWT) we will create a better understanding of Islam throughout the United States and the world.
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