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New CAIR, UC Berkeley Report Documents Growing Islamophobia in U.S. Groundbreaking study offers recommendations to help challenge troubling phenomenon

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the University of California, Berkeley's Center for Race and Gender today released a report based on available data and interviews with experts that documents growing Islamophobia in the United States and offers recommendations about how to challenge the troubling phenomenon.

[Dr. Hatem Bazian, founder of the Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project at UC Berkeley, spoke at the Washington, D.C., news conference held this morning at CAIR's Capitol Hill headquarters to announce the release of the report.]

SEE: Same Hate, New Target

The groundbreaking report -- titled "Same Hate, New Target: Islamophobia and Its Impact in the United States 2009-2010" -- offers a definition of Islamophobia as a "close-minded prejudice against or hatred of Islam and Muslims" and an overview of its growing negative impact in the United States. After defining the term, the report states: "It is not appropriate to label all, or even the majority of those, who question Islam and Muslims as Islamophobes."

Special sections in the report focus on the manufactured controversy over the Park 51 Islamic community center in Manhattan, the 2010 Oklahoma ballot initiative targeting Islamic principles (Sharia) and Islamophobia in the 2010 elections.

"This report shows that Americans who embrace pluralism must act together to prevent Islamophobia from being accepted in mainstream society," said CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor, one of the report's co-authors. "Islamophobia is the new face of an old hate that has targeted minorities throughout our nation's history."

Corey Saylor: Concern that Islamophobia is Trending Toward the Mainstream in the U.S.

Saylor quoted from the report's executive summary: "CAIR's vision regarding Islamophobia in America looks toward the time when being Muslim carries a positive connotation and Islam has an equal place among many faiths in America's pluralistic society."

He said the report lists the "worst" Islamophobes and the "best" of those pushing back against growing anti-Muslim sentiment in American society and presents an initial set of recommendations for Muslims and Americans of other faiths to challenge Islamophobia.

Those commended for pushing back against Islamophobia include New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, among others.

Those listed as actively promoting Islamophobia included Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer, co-founders of the anti-Muslim hate group Stop the Islamization of America (SIOA); Act! for America leader Brigitte Gabriel; and GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda were also listed as sources of Islamophobia.

Recommendations in this first annual report are directed toward American Muslims and their institutions. The report states: "This is a reflection of our belief that American Muslims must take the lead in pushing back against Islamophobia. ... In a future report, we will offer recommendations to the public and private sectors."

The recommendations for American Muslims include being an example to others of the "Islamic traditions of patience and reason," being active in community and political activities, promoting volunteerism, and strengthening outreach to law enforcement authorities.

Suggestions are offered for to all those "who wish to help rid our country of Islamophobia and other forms of intolerance," including passing legislation banning racial profiling, speaking out strongly against smearing entire faiths or peoples and refusing to offer a legitimizing platform to those who spout anti-Muslim bigotry or Islamophobia.

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 National Legislative Director Corey Saylor, 202-384-8857, E-Mail csaylor@cair.com; UC Berkeley Professor Dr. Hatem Bazian, 510-914-6722, E-Mail: hatemb@berkeley.edu; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-341-4171, 202-488-8787, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

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• Salman Hamdani - Remembering Sept. 11, 2001 - Ten Years Later

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VERSE OF THE DAY: DON'T USE GOD'S NAME AS AN EXCUSE FOR EVIL - TOP

"Do not use God's name in your oaths as an excuse to prevent you from dealing justly, guarding against evil and making peace between people."

The Holy Quran, 2:224

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VIDEO: VA. MUSLIM WOMAN ACCUSES AIR FRANCE OF DISCRIMINATION (CAIR) - TOP
John Schriffen, News 4, 6/24/2011

A Virginia woman accused Air France of getting her terminated from the job she held briefly at Dulles International Airport because of her religion.

"The hijab, to me, it's empowerment," 19-year-old Riham Osman said. "When people, men and women, talk to me, they're looking at my personality, they're listening to what I'm saying, they know that I stand for something."

Osman is a proud Muslim from Herndon who wears a head scarf, or hijab, as a sign of her faith -- a sign of her faith that she says got her fired from Air France. According to the copy of her contract she was hired by the staffing agency Aerotek to be a passenger service agent for Air France at Dulles. (Watch the clip.)

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CAIR: U.S. MUSLIM WOMAN WEIGHTLIFTER BANNED FROM TOURNAMENT - TOP
Elham Asaad Buaras, The Muslim News, 6/24/2011

USA Weightlifting has agreed to take the case of hijab wearing weightlifter to the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) meeting in Malaysia on June 26.

Kulsoom Abdullah is banned from competing in the US Weightlifting Senior Nationals tournament this July because her knees and elbows are covered.

Writing on her web site Abdullah said, "It is like saying, if you are different, you can not compete. I am not asking people to change, I am just asking to participate and be able to dress the way I do." (More)

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CAIR: DHS ASKED TO INVESTIGATE USE OF ISLAMOPHOBIC TRAINERS - TOP
Elham Asaad Buaras, The Muslim News, 6/24/2011

The US Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, was asked to investigate the use of outside trainers who "offer hostile, stereotypical and grossly inaccurate information about Muslims and Islam to the nation's security personnel."

The request made in a letter sent on May 23 by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) came after revelations that stereotypes were used as part of a security drill at the Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport.

The Transportation Security Administration personnel used a person "who appeared to be Middle Eastern in descent or Indian/Pakistani" to test screening procedures.

In a statement to The Muslim News CAIR also criticised the Dept of Homeland Security (DHS) for sponsoring a conference which they say hosted "notorious Islamophobe" Walid Shoebat. (More)

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VIDEO: PIONEERING REPORT DOCUMENTS RISING U.S. ISLAMOPHOBIA (CAIR) - TOP
Marjan Asi, Press TV, 6/24/2011

A new groundbreaking report outlining the rise of Islamophobia in the United States in the 2009-2010 years was released at a press conference in Washington. The Council on American-Islamic Relations and the University of California, Berkeley's Center for Race and Gender collaborated on the report entitled "Same Hate, New Target." (Watch the clip.)

SEE ALSO:

• CAIR: Islamophobia on the Rise in US, Report Says
• CAIR Releases Report of 'Worst' Islamophobes
• CAIR: Study Shows Islamophobia in the United States is on the Rise
• CAIR: Muslim Report Shows Rise of Islamophobia in America
• CAIR, CRG Release First Annual Islamophobia Report
• CAIR: UC Berkeley Co-Sponsored Report Finds Islamophobia on the Rise

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SALMAN HAMDANI - REMEMBERING SEPT. 11, 2001 - TEN YEARS LATER - TOP
Newsday, 6/24/2011

Salman Hamdani, 23, of Bayside, was a police cadet and paramedic who went to the scene to volunteer on 9/11. His remains were found under the north tower.

In March, U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) honored Salman Hamdani at the House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Muslim radicalization as he spoke of how the NYPD cadet "bravely sacrificed his life." For his mother, Talat Hamdani, a substitute high school English teacher who lives in Lake Grove, the moment brought peace. "Finally his sacrifice was acknowledged - and in the U.S. Congress," she said. (More)