The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today invited state Rep. Joseph Chaplik to meet with Arizona Muslim community leaders after he helped amplify anti-Muslim hate on social media.
His reposts of anti-Muslim propaganda on X (formerly Twitter) included one calling for the banning of American Muslims from public office, support for unconstitutional bans on “Sharia law” and a statement that, “Keeping Islam out of America is one of the most important issues for me.”
SEE: Another Arizona Republican keeps retweeting bigoted anti-Muslim posts – Phoenix New Times
In a statement, CAIR-Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif said:
“It is deeply disturbing to see an elected official in our state amplify dangerous anti-Muslim rhetoric that echoes the same hateful tropes used to marginalize and dehumanize communities across history. Statements like these do not just hurt Muslim Americans — they erode the foundations of religious freedom, pluralism, and equal representation enshrined in our Constitution.
“Such rhetoric help normalizes bigotry and empower those who wish to see American Muslims excluded from civic life. Public servants have a duty to uphold the values of freedom and respect, not amplify messages that divide and endanger Arizonans.
“We invite Rep. Chaplik to meet and engage with his Muslim constituents to better understand the people he was elected to serve. We offer to coordinate a meeting with Arizona Muslim community leaders so that he may learn why spreading misinformation about Islam and Muslims harms Americans of all faiths and backgrounds.”
CAIR-AZ also encouraged Arizona’s elected leaders and community members to denounce all forms of bigotry and to stand united against efforts to marginalize any minority group.
Earlier this month, CAIR-AZ joined some 30 statewide advocacy organizations in urging Republicans in the Arizona House of Representatives to take action against a GOP legislator who called for the execution of a Democratic congresswoman because she urged people upset with President Trump to peacefully protest in the streets.
Last month, CAIR-AZ welcomed a guilty plea by a man charged with making anti-Muslim threats targeting a Maricopa, Arizona, mosque.
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CONTACT: CAIR-Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif, 480-704-3786, aabuseif@cair.com; 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