(PITTSBURGH/PHILADELPHIA, PA 12/16/2021) – The Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a chapter of the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, welcomes the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s move to replace Civil War markers, labeling Confederates as “enemy soldiers.”
After the removal of three Confederate historical markers near Gettysburg in September 2020, the commission replaced two of the markers with revisions. The two markers have been changed and depict the Confederates as a destructive force and accurately place them in the historical narrative. The third marker will not be replaced, it was dedicated by a neo-Confederate group prior to the commission gaining oversight.
SEE: Pennsylvania revises Confederate markers, recasts forces as “enemy” soldiers
https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2021/12/pennsylvania-confederate-monuments-gettysburg/
In a statement by CAIR Pittsburgh Executive Director Christine Mohamed said:
“We welcome this action by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as a step forward. We cannot be building monuments to people who went to war against the United States, in their treasonous and violent attempt to break the country into separate fragments.”
In a statement by CAIR Philadelphia Executive Director Jacob Bender said:
“CAIR-Philadelphia joins with other citizens of the Republic in righting the wrongs of white supremacy and its racist re-writing of American history.”
In a statement by CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said:
“We welcome this move by Pennsylvania to recognize the truth that Confederate soldiers were part of a traitorous invading enemy army seeking to preserve systemic anti-Black racism, slavery and white supremacy.”
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission 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: CAIR Pittsburgh Executive Director Christine Mohamed, 412-606-3601 cmohamed@cair.com; CAIR Philadelphia Executive Director Jacob Bender, 917.660.3805, jbender@cair.com