The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) to apologize for appearing alongside a Confederate flag during a recent public event.
CAIR said that, regardless of intent, appearing next to a symbol of white supremacy and slavery sends a troubling message and warrants a public acknowledgment and apology.
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
“The Confederate flag is widely recognized as a symbol associated with slavery and white supremacy. Public officials have a responsibility to avoid normalizing or appearing to legitimize symbols that have long been used to intimidate and marginalize minority communities. Senator Sullivan should acknowledge the harm caused by this appearance and apologize.”
The civil rights organization has repeatedly called for the removal of Confederate names, holidays, flags, statues, and symbols nationwide.
CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging systemic anti-Black racism, antisemitism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]