The Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-DFW) said vandalism of a sign advertising the future site of the McKinney Islamic Association with crosses and “Jesus Christ” should spark greater interfaith unity.
CAIR-DFW: McKinney community reacts to vandalism at proposed mosque site – NBC
Mustafaa Carroll, the executive director of CAIR-DFW, told local media:
“It’s so commonplace and we’ve seen worse, but it’s so commonplace that I’m not really surprised. It’s always amazing to me the things people say and to some degree it points to their ignorance about what Muslims believe. The most important thing for people to do is get to know each other.”
Carroll later added: “Muslims honor Jesus as a prophet of Islam. An entire chapter in the Quran is dedicated to Mary, his mother. Isa and Maryam – Jesus and Mary respectively – are common Muslim names. This person likely meant to divide Texans, but we think it’s a chance to uplift commonalities in a state that is rapidly becoming a hotbed for the U.S. Islamophobia Network.”
Yesterday, CAIR’s Michigan chapter offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction and calls for a probe into a possible hate motive for a recent vandalism of a mosque and construction equipment in Warren, Michigan.
Earlier this week, CAIR’s Minnesota chapter called for an investigation of a possible bias motive for a fire that broke out Friday, September 5, after Friday noon prayers (Jummah) at Dar Al Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR offers a “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to all houses of worship.
The shared mission of CAIR and CAIR-Texas is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR-Austin Office Director, szayan@cair.com, 512-785-7105; Rawan Harirah, Chair and President of CAIR Texas-Houston, rharirah@cair.com, 713-254-2016; John T. Floyd, Board Member, CAIR Texas-Houston, jfloyd@cair.com, 713-254-2016; Mustafaa Carroll, CAIR-DFW Executive Director, mcarroll@cair.com, 469-200-0273