‘My Fellow American’: Short Film Offers Platform for Combatting Islamophobia
America has always been a melting pot, but in the post-9/11 world the environment can be downright hostile. Radio talk show hosts, pundits and politicians utter statements about Islam and Muslims that if they were to say the same about other religious groups, they would face severe consequences. This hateful discourse leaves me wondering how […]
Arab and Muslim Registry Ends, But Its Effects Remain
In the jittery months after the 9/11 attacks, the federal government created a program that required thousands of Arab and Muslim men to register with the authorities, in an effort to uncover terror links and immigration violations. After complaints that the practice, known as special registration, amounted to racial profiling, the Homeland Security Department scaled […]
CAIR-SFBA: Program Examines Japanese and Muslim Wartime Experiences
When Rascha Anayah first heard about a program to bring together Japanese American and Muslim high-school students, she thought “weird.” But in a good way.“You never hear about Japanese and Muslim people getting together and talking,” said the 16-year-old Palestinian-American from Danville. “It’s weird, it’s different.”The Bridging Communities program was created three years ago by […]
Muslim Victim of 9/11 Hate Crime Fights for Attacker’s Life
Days after the 9/11 terror attacks, 31-year old laborer Mark Stroman went on a shooting spree in the Dallas area. In a drug-fueled mission of revenge, he killed two South Asian immigrants and shot another — Rais Bhuiyan — in the face at close range, blinding him in one eye. Shortly after his arrest, Stroman […]
Video: Penn. Imam Fights Street Crime with Mosque Fight Club (CNN)
Editor’s Note: This piece comes from a new CNN special “Stories: Reporter,” which aired onSaturday, May 28at 7:30PM EDT. Watch the video here. Philadelphia (CNN) — Listen to the FBI and you will know that violent crime dropped over almost the whole country last year; murder, aggravated assault, forcible rape. Listen to people in some […]
65% of Inmates in Prison CMUs are Muslims
At the Women’s Building in San Francisco, the Center for Constitutional Rights gathered a panel of experts to discuss the history and the ramifications of solitary confinement and experimental isolation units in the U.S. prison system.The panel featured Zahra Billoo, Executive Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)-San Francisco Bay Area; Dr. Terry Kupers, M.D., the […]
CAIR: NJ Worker Fired for Burning Quran Gets Job Back
TRENTON — The New Jersey Transit employee fired for burning pages of the Quran at the site of a proposed Islamic center near Ground Zero will get his job back, according to a settlement obtained by The Star-Ledger. Derek Fenton, who sparked a national firestorm and condemnation from Gov. Chris Christie during his protest on […]
For Some Latinos, Islam Is Simple
Milena recently began attending Qur’an classes on Wednesday nights at the North Hudson Islamic Center in Union City, New Jersey. Milena is one of thousands of Latino Americans who has converted to Islam. She embraced the fast-growing religion four weeks ago. Milena has been married to her husband, who is originally a Pakistani-Muslim, for seven […]
How it Became Acceptable to Reveal Bias Against Muslims
Before gauging whether you are in line with most of America in your opinion about Muslim immigrants, here are two things you should know: Firstly, Americans are no more opposed to granting citizenship to Muslim immigrants than Christian immigrants. Secondly, despite no real difference in opinion, Americans are significantly more open about their opposition to […]
MN: Conference Panel Discusses Rights of Muslim Factory Workers
Union membership for Somali workers at companies such as Electrolux has helped bridge miscommunication and keep a growing segment of Central Minnesota’s immigrant population employed and involved in the community. That was the message at a panel discussion Monday at St. Cloud State University that is part of a three-day conference focused on Minnesota immigrant […]