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We are in a State of Emergency

As-salaamu alaykum:

I have been getting calls from concerned parents, young Muslims and community leaders who are all worried about the growing toxicity of the anti-Muslim atmosphere in our nation. They are anxious about their future after November's election and are seeking CAIR's help.

We are in a State of Emergency - Our community has to come together and pool its resources to deal with this challenge. We have to support those organizations - like CAIR - that are standing up for the community every day.

CAIR's staff are working non-stop making American Muslims feel safe and at home by being their voice in the media and their defender - working with allies - in the public arena.

That's why I am writing to you to ask for your help in the last 10 days of Ramadan - a period in which blessings for good deeds are multiplied many times. 

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "(The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) would strive (to do acts of worship) during the last 10 days of Ramadan more than he would at any other time."

Ibn 'Abbas said: "The Prophet (Muhammad) was the most generous of people, but he would be his most generous during Ramadan." Sahih Al-Bukhari

We need to raise $490,000 in this period to meet our Ramadan fundraising goal. Will you do your part?

Why not gain additional blessings for yourself and your family these last days of Ramadan by sending your tax-deductible donation, zakat or sadaqah to CAIR, the nation's leading Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization?  

Please consider giving $30, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $2,500, $5,000, $10,000 or whatever you can. We appreciate any contribution you give.

Please take a minute RIGHT NOW to show your support for our work by going to www.cair.com to make a contribution. We also accept donations using PayPal. You may mail your contribution to: CAIR, 453 New Jersey Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C., 20003.

May Allah bless you and your family.

Nihad Awad

National Executive Director

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• CAIR Welcomes Hate Crime Charges for Assault on Maryland Muslim Mother, Daughter
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  • CAIR: Islamophobia Industry Spent $206M Building Hatred in US
    
• Video: CAIR Says Donald Trump's Islamophobic Rhetoric May Be Boosting Muslim Voter Registration
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• CAIR: As House Sit-In Ends, Paul Ryan Embraces ACLU's Opposition to Democrats' Watchlist Gun Proposal
  
  The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's leading Muslim American civil rights group, also came out against the proposal on Wednesday.
• CAIR Blasts Terrorist Firearms Prevention Act (Washington Times)

CAIR ACTION ALERT:

Tell Congress to Stop Supporting Discriminatory Anti-Muslim Gun Control Legislation

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/23/16) - The Council on American Islamic Relations, the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, is calling on American Muslims and all other people of conscience to contact their elected representatives in Congress and urge that they "OPPOSE" legislation that would ban gun sales to people placed on error-prone federal watch lists that disproportionately target Muslims and offer little remedy to appeal incorrect designations.

TAKE ACTION BY CLICKING HERE.

In the House, Democrats waged a 24 sit-in to force consideration of New York Rep. Peter King's "Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act" (H.R. 1076). Rep. King is best known for his 2011 series of Islamophobic hearings investigating the American Muslim community.

In the Senate, a bipartisan coalition yesterday introduced the "Terrorist Firearms Prevention Act of 2016," which also relies on federal watch lists to ban on firearms purchases and seems to be more concerned about an appeals process to obtain a firearm, instead of creating a similar process for listed individuals to challenge watch list designations.

SEE: The Intercept: Dramatic House Sit-In on Guns Is Undercut by Focus on Secret, Racist Watchlist

Despite what some claim in Congress, neither bill would have prevented the Orlando shooter from being able to purchase a firearm because he was not placed on the No Fly List and Selectee List. The Orlando shooter was also not on the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB), the list of 800,000 "known or suspected terrorists," commonly referred to as the "terrorist watchlist."

Congress seems willing to apply these constitutional limitations only when they target the American Muslim community, which is disproportionately impacted by federal No Fly List and Selectee List.

CAIR is calling on Americans to join in supporting reasonable gun safety reforms that could have the potential to stop mass-shootings like the ones that took place in Florida, Sandy Hook, Aurora, and Charleston. Polices like expanding background checks to all gun sales � including private handgun sales, gun shows and online sales; help keep guns out of the hands of individuals convicted of domestic violence or stalking. CAIR also calls for federally-funding research into the causes and effects of gun violence in America.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT: 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 Communications Coordinator Nabeelah Naeem, 202-341-4171, nnaeem@cair.com

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New CAIR, UC Berkeley Report Reveals Funding, Negative Impact of Islamophobic Groups in America
'Confronting Fear' offers four-point strategy to counter Islamophobia in the United
States

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/20/2016) � According to a report released today by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Center for Race and Gender at UC Berkeley, 33 Islamophobic groups had access to at least $205 million in total revenue between 2008-2013.

The report, titled "Confronting Fear," also presents a four-point strategy designed to achieve a shared American understanding of Islam in which being Muslim carries a positive connotation, and in which Islam has an equal place among the many faiths that together constitute America's pluralistic society.

Video: Full CAIR News Conference Announcing Release of 'Confronting Fear' Report
Confronting Fear: Islamophobia and its Impact in the U.S. 2013-2015
Video: CAIR 'Confronting Fear' Report Reveals Funding of Islamophobic Groups in America

The report also documents the negative impact of Islamophobia in America, including:

* Anti-Islam bills became law in 10 states.
* At least two states, Florida and Tennessee, have passed laws revising the way they approve textbooks for classroom use as a direct result of anti-Islam campaigns.
* In 2015, there were 78 recorded incidents in which mosques were targeted. In both November and December of 2015, there were 17 mosque incidents reported during each of these months, numbers almost equivalent to an entire year's worth of reports from the previous two years.
* Two recent phenomenon - "Muslim-free" businesses and armed anti-Islam demonstrations - raise deep concerns.

Finally, the report notes that progress has been observed in the reduced frequency and acceptability of anti-Islam law-enforcement trainings.

"The 2016 presidential election has mainstreamed Islamophobia and resulted in a number of un-constitutional proposals targeting Muslims," said Corey Saylor, director of CAIR's Department to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia. "'Confronting Fear' offers a plan for moving anti-Muslim bias back to the fringes of society where it belongs."

"The work of the Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project at UC Berkeley is enriched and inspired by the partnership and the hard work undertaken jointly with CAIR to produce another annual report that exposes the bigotry-producing industry in America while providing opportunities and strategies on how best to reclaim an open, democratic and religiously-inclusive society," said Dr. Hatem Bazian, director of the Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project at the Center for Race and Gender at UC Berkeley.

Bazian added: "The hope is that this report and others like it will provide the needed grounding for communities across the country to use for effective engagement with policy makers, educators, civil society leaders, and media outlets. Education and applied research is the best avenue to uplift and bring about a social justice transformation in society and this report is a step in that direction."

SEE: 2013 Islamophobia Report Legislating Fear
SEE ALSO: CAIR's Islamophobia Monitor

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

The Center for Race and Gender (CRG) is an interdisciplinary research center at the University of California, Berkeley that fosters explorations of race and gender, and their intersections. CRG cultivates critical and engaged research and exchange among faculty and students throughout the university, between the university and nearby communities of color, and among scholars in the Bay Area, in the U.S., and around the globe.

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• CAIR Needs Your Support:
  
  Tomorrow, CAIR and the Center for Race and Gender at UC Berkeley will release a report detailing the more than $200 million provided to 33 Islamophobic groups nationwide in recent years.
  
  These types of important efforts to push back against the rising tide of Islamophobia need your support. To gain the multiplied blessings of donating during the month of Ramadan, please contribute TODAY. Any amount is appeciated.
  
• Trump Says Profiling American Muslims Is "Common Sense"
  
  
• CAIR-AZ Seeks Hate Crime Probe After Syrian Refugee Family Receives Threats
  
  The Arizona chapter of Council on American Islamic Relations is calling on law enforcement to investigate threats made against a newly-arrived Syrian refugee family in Tucson as a possible hate crime.
  
  The family reported spotting a hateful note taped to the front door of their home Wednesday morning, stating "Go Away Killers" and "America hates terrorist (sic) like you!"
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• Video: CAIR-Houston Director Interviewed About Orlando Massacre, Threats Against Mosques
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  • CAIR-MI: Orland Nightclub Shooting Sparks Gun Control Debate (Video)

CAIR-NY, AMAL to Call for Islamophobia Hearings After Hate Attack Outside Bronx Mosque

(NEW YORK, NY, 6/19/16) �

The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) and the Association of Muslim American Lawyers (AMAL) will call on the New York City Council to hold public hearings on growing Islamophobia after a Muslim man was attacked outside a Bronx mosque.

[MEDIA NOTE: Tomorrow, CAIR and the Center for Race and Gender at UC Berkeley will hold a news conference in Washington, D.C., to release a report detailing the more than $200 million provided to 33 Islamophobic groups nationwide in recent years.]

SEE: CAIR, UC Berkeley Center to Release Report Exposing Funding of Islamophobic Groups in America

Mohammed Atique Ashraf was attacked from behind by three men as he went to the mosque for prayers on Thursday night. He believes his Islamic attire made him a target. He said the alleged attackers made comments about him being a Muslim. Police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.

SEE: Muslim Man Beaten on the Way to Bronx Mosque in Apparent Hate Crime
Muslim Man Attacked Outside Parkchester Mosque

According to a Muslim community activist, there have been six similar incidents since December.

Earlier this month, CAIR-NY called on the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to investigate a possible bias motive for an alleged attack on a Muslim man outside a Queens mosque.

SEE: CAIR-NY Asks NYPD to Probe Bias Motive for Attack on Muslim Outside Queens Mosque

"Given the high number of hate crimes, reported and unreported, and the rising tide of Islamophobia, it is overdue that local politicians hear from their local and growing Muslim constituents," said Iman Boukadoum, Esq. from the Association of Muslim American Lawyers (AMAL).

"We call on the New York City Council to immediately hold public hearings on growing Islamophobia and hate crimes in our city and state," said CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher.

She noted that CAIR recently issued a national community security alert urging Muslim community leaders to consider instituting additional security measures in the wake of the Orlando massacre and a number of recent hate incidents targeting Muslims and Islamic houses of worship.

CAIR Community Security Alert: CAIR Urges Mosques to Take Added Security Measures Following Hate Incidents

Nasher noted that incidents targeting American Muslims and their religious institutions have spiked in recent months, prompted at least in part by anti-Muslim rhetoric employed by public figures like Donald Trump.

CAIR: Mosques Increase Security as Anti-Muslim Actions Rise
Video: CAIR Seeks Hate Crime Probe of Assault on Maryland Muslim Mother, Daughter

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

If you believe your rights have been violated, you may call CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or email civilrights@cair.com.

Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
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Subscribe to CAIR's YouTube Channel

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Funding Islamophobia: $206m went to promoting 'hatred' of American Muslims

Council on American-Islamic Relations and University of California Berkeley report names 74 groups they say contributed to Islamophobia in the US
 
Inciting hate toward American Muslims and Islam has become a multimillion-dollar business, according to a report released on Monday.
 
Released by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) and University of California Berkeley’s Center for Race and Gender, the report names 74 groups it says contribute in some way to Islamophobia in the US. Of those groups, it says, the primary purpose of 33 “is to promote prejudice against, or hatred of, Islam and Muslims”.
 
The core group, which includes the Abstraction Fund, Clarion Project, David Horowitz Freedom Center, Middle East Forum, American Freedom Law Center, Center for Security Policy, Investigative Project on Terrorism, Jihad Watch and Act! for America, had access to almost $206m of funding between 2008 and 2013, the report said.
 
Corey Saylor, author of the report and director of Cair’s department to monitor and combat Islamophobia, said: “The hate that these groups are funding and inciting is having real consequences like attacks on mosques all over the country and new laws discriminating against Muslims in America.”
 
Saylor added that the Washington-based Center for Security Policy and Act! for America have the most impact, because they are trying to push their anti-Muslim rhetoric beyond their formerly fringe following.
 
Two groups on the list, the Center for Security Policy and the David Horowitz Freedom Center, have given awards of recognition to Jeff Sessions, a US senator from Alabama who chairs Trump’s national security advisory committee and is a possible vice-presidential pick.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/20/islamophobia-funding-cair-berkeley-report 

http://www.juancole.com/2016/06/groups-promote-sentiment.html  

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Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Ave, S.E., Washington, D.C., 20003

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