(ATLANTA, GA – 6/10/2017) – The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations today announced that attendees at its interfaith rally and food drive, “No To Extremism & Bigotry. Yes To Service & Unity,” donated over 500 pounds of nonperishable food for the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
“While armed anti-Islam bigots sought to divide our state with hate, Georgia’s interfaith community united our state in service,” said Ruwa Romman, communications director for CAIR Georgia. “Georgia Muslims thank our Christian, Jewish and secular neighbors for standing with us and donating over 500 pounds of food to those in need.”
SEE: PHOTOS INTERFAITH RALLY & FOOD DRIVE
During the interfaith event, a diverse line-up of faith-based and secular speakers expressed solidarity with the Georgia Muslim community and debunked anti-Muslim rhetoric and conspiracy theories spread by ACT for America at its “Marches Against Sharia,” including one in Piedmont Park.
“ACT for America has no idea what Islam teaches, much less what Sharia actually means,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, executive director of CAIR Georgia. “Like canon law in Catholicism and halakha in Judaism, sharia simply refers to the rules that Muslims follow, from praying five times a day to tithing annually to fasting during Ramadan.”
Mitchell added, “Although both ACT for America and ISIS hold radical interpretations of what Sharia means, they’re just as wrong as the KKK was about the teachings of the Bible. Terrorism, female genital mutilation, and other horrific practices have nothing to do with our faith, and we support the criminal prosecution of those who engage in such acts.”
ACT, whose hateful rhetoric has been documented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, attracted armed members of the III% Security Force to its protest at Piedmont Park. The rightwing militia group previously protested the construction of a mosque Newton County.
- SEE NEW VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2BubWrtKHQ&feature=youtu.be
- ACT for America is a Hate Group, Plain and Simple
- CAIR: June 10 Anti-Islam Hate Rallies Show Convergence of White Supremacism, Islamophobia.
Interfaith Rally & Food Drive Co-Sponsors:
CAIR Georgia
Al-Farooq Masjid
ACLU of Georgia
Amnesty International
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta
Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam
Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice
Black Lives Matter
Gwinnett Islamic Circle
Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta
Jewish Voice for Peace
Madina Institute U.S.A
Masjid Al-Momineen
Masjid Hamzah
Masjid Jafar
Masjid Omar Bin Abdul Aziz
Muslim American Society
Roswell Community Masjid – RCM
CONTACT: Communications Director, Ruwa Romman, 678-697-9684, rromman@cair.com.
Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, emitchell@cair.com
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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.
La misión de CAIR es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, fomentar el diálogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.
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