The national headquarters and New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced that it has demanded an apology and retraction from New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer after he sent and publicized a letter falsely claiming that CAIR and other groups supportive of Palestinian human rights had not criticized the treatment of protesters in Iran.
Gottheimer, who has previously faced condemnation for anti-Muslim remarks and supporting Israel’s human rights abuses, claimed in his letter that the targeted anti-genocide groups were “silent” about attacks on protesters in Iran.
In reality, CAIR issued a statement on January 14th that expressed opposition to a U.S. war with Iran and also “expressed support for the right of Iranians to peacefully protest, condemned attacks on peaceful protesters, and condemned violent attacks by rioters, including arson attacks on mosques and desecrations of the Quran.”
In a statement, CAIR and CAIR-New Jersey said:
“Rep. Gottheimer must retract and apologize for his latest smear of American Muslims, which was both defamatory and idiotic.
“If Rep. Gottheimer had done one minute of research, he would know that our organization and many other supporters of Palestinian rights have indeed spoken up against attacks on protesters in Iran, as well as against attacks by infiltrators on Iranian mosques and civilians.
“Rep. Gottheimer also knows that Iran is not funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars or armed with U.S. weapons, whereas Israel is, which is why the American people have an actual opportunity to force a change in Israeli policy and why so many Americans felt a moral obligation to stand up against its genocide in Gaza.
“This is not the first time that Rep. Gottheimer has attacked the American Muslim community. He is an anti-Muslim bigot and an anti-Palestinian extremist who supported Israel’s genocide in Gaza and now wants to target American Muslims who dared to oppose that genocide. He has no right to criticize anyone’s human rights record, and if he’s going to try, he better get his facts straight.”
SEE:In Tense Closed-Door Meeting on Gaza, Josh Gottheimer Comment on Muslims Sparks Fury
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut, smaksut@cair.com, 862-264-9414; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com