The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said it has joined some 500 non-profit organizations in a joint statement condemning political violence and opposing governmental attacks on free speech and nonprofit institutions.
The open letter stated in part:
“Political violence has targeted those of every political persuasion and of no political persuasion. It is un-American and wrong to use this act of violence as a pretext for weaponizing the government to threaten nonprofit and charitable organizations, other perceived adversaries, or any class of people. They did not commit this murder, and the vast powers of the government should not be abused to threaten their constitutionally-protected free speech and other rights.”
In a separate statement, CAIR said:
“We join over 500 nonprofit organizations across the United States in standing for peaceful debate, the rule of law and every American’s right to pursue social, civic, humanitarian, educational and charitable causes without the threat of government intimidation.
“Whether a duly-registered and operating 501c(3) nonprofit organization is conservative or liberal, religious or secular, pro-Palestine or anti-Palestinian, or of any other perspective, is irrelevant to the law and should be irrelevant to the government.
“Just as political violence is unacceptable, it would be unacceptable to use political violence as an excuse to engage in political repression.”
Washington, D.C., based CAIR previously condemned the murder of Charlie Kirk in Utah, offered condolences to his family and called for an end to the hateful rhetoric that often leads to political violence.
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CONTACT: 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