Thursday, September 10, 2009

Muslim Coalition to Host D.C. Hearing on Health Care Reform

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HADITH OF THE DAY: ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AND HEALTH - TOP

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Ask God for forgiveness and health, for after being granted certainty, one is given nothing better than
(good) health."

Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 780

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MUSLIM COALITION TO HOST D.C. HEARING ON HEALTH CARE REFORM - TOP

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/10/2009) - On Tuesday, September 15, the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections (AMT), a coalition of major national Islamic organizations, will host a Capitol Hill citizens' hearing on mobilizing Muslim support for health care reform.

DATE: Tuesday, September 15, 2009
PLACE: Rayburn Building, Room 2203, Capitol Hill, Washington, D. C.
TIME: 10 AM-1 PM (Social Hour 10-11 AM, Presentations 11 AM-12:30 PM, Lunch 12:30-1 PM)

Presentations:

  1. President Obama's Healthcare Initiative and the Legislative Process: This is How You Can Help!
    Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN)
  2. Why the Healthcare Status Quo is Untenable
    Khalique Zahir, M.D., President, Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA)
  3. The Obama Healthcare Initiative: Realties and Misperceptions
    Zahid Imran M.D., Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America (APPNA)
  4. Why Universal Healthcare is Both Medically and Economically Desirable and Feasible
    Esam Omeish M.D., Chief of Surgery, INOVA Alexandria Hospital, Va.
  5. US Healthcare: Human Dimensions
    Personal Testimonies
  6. Muslim American Free Clinics: A Brief Report
    Khizer Husain, Washington Liaison, Task Force on Health Affordability, American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP)
  7. Concluding Remarks
    Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN)

For More Information Contact: AMT Chair Dr. Agha Saeed, 510-299-9313, E-Mail: aghaksaeed@yahoo.com, Salim Akhtar, 773-507-5335

AMT is an umbrella organization that includes American Muslim Alliance (AMA), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), MAS-Freedom, Muslim Student Association-National (MSA-N), Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA), and United Muslims of America (UMA). Its observer organizations include American Muslims for Civic Engagement (AMCE), Islamic Educational Council of Orange County (IECOC), the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), and Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC).

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US MUSLIMS: BACKLASH FEAR BUILDS EACH 9/11 - TOP
By RACHEL ZOLL, Associated Press, 9/10

NEW YORK — There is the dread of leaving the house that morning. People might stare, or worse, yell insults. (More)

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EXERCISE TAILORED TO A HIJAB - TOP
Abby Ellin, New York Times, 9/10/09

The first time Julia Shearson rode her bike after converting to Islam seven years ago, her headscarf became stuck in the wheel.

She lost her balance, and by the time she got going again she was met with stares as she whizzed along, arms and legs draped in loose clothing, her scarf billowing in the breeze.

“You have to overcome the looks,” said Ms. Shearson, 43, the executive director of the Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “It’s already hard enough to exercise, and if you look different…it’s even harder.” (More)

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CAIR: ANTI-MUSLIM BIAS PERSISTS, POLL FINDS - TOP
Fewer in U.S. see Islam as violence-prone
Julia Duin, Washington Times, 9/10/09

Eight years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the general public thinks Muslims are second only to homosexuals in being discriminated against, a new survey shows.

Nearly six in 10 Americans -- 58 percent -- think Muslims are subject to "a lot" of discrimination, according to two combined surveys released Wednesday by the Pew Research Center. Almost two-thirds of those surveyed -- 64 percent -- said there was "a lot" of discrimination against homosexuals…

Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the conclusions of the Pew study match his group's tracking of bias against Muslims. Mr. Hooper said his organization's research shows that discrimination against Muslims has increased since the group began tracking it in 1995.

"It's unfortunate," Mr. Hooper said. "But I don't want to get into that idea that we are more of a victim than any other minority group. We don't want to see anyone targeted by bias or intolerance."

Mr. Hooper also agreed with the Pew study's conclusion that those who are more familiar with Islam were less likely to link the religion to violence.

"Our research has shown time and time again that when people know more about Islam, prejudice and stereotyping [go] down," he said. "I think that just confirms what we've seen a number of times in the past." (More)

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CAIR-MI: POLL: 58% BELIEVE MUSLIMS FACE DISCRIMINATION - TOP
Oralandar Brand-Williams, Detroit News, 9/10/09

Eight years after the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks, Americans know more about Islam, which may be helping foster more favorable views about Muslims, according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center.

At the same time, the survey found Americans believe Muslims in the United States face more discrimination than any other major religious group. Six in 10 adults in the United States say Muslims are subjected to far more discrimination than evangelical Christians, Jews, Mormons or atheists, according to the study, released Wednesday…

The Pew results are not surprising to Dawud Walid, Council on American-Islamic Relations -- Michigan executive director.

"Discrimination towards Muslims has steadily increased according to our own study, Walid said. "It seems Islam-phobia has drastically increased."

Walid says his organization is trying to bridge the gap in understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims through a campaign called Share the Quran campaign, which seeks to enhance understanding of Islam. (More)

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CAIR-NY: MUSLIM GROUP WELCOMES NYPD CLARIFICATION ON HOMEGROWN TERRORISM REPORT- TOP
Tom Hays, Associated Press, 9/10/09

Despite welcoming the changes, the New York-based Muslim American Civil Liberties Coalition accused the NYPD of not doing enough to publicize them. Also, the study still has passages that "criminalize religious behaviors," said Aliya Latif of the New York office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a coalition member. (More)

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CAIR-MI: COPS: GIRL SUFFERS BEATING AND SLURS IN ANN ARBOR - TOP
Group ripped Islamic scarf off, police say
Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 9/10/09

An Islamic advocacy group said a 16-year-old Muslim girl of Iraqi descent was verbally and physically attacked Tuesday afternoon in Ann Arbor by a group of African-American students.

The assailants allegedly said "(expletive) Arabs, they are dirty," pulled the girl's Islamic headscarf off, and dragged her to a nearby home where she suffered injuries from an assault that required six stitches, the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said Wednesday.

Ann Arbor Police Lt. Angela Abrams confirmed the incident.

Dawud Walid, head of Michigan CAIR, said Wednesday that police are investigating the incident, which he said began about 3:30 p.m. on a bus after school.

Walid said the attackers were five students. (More)

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CAIR-MI: GROUP CALLS FOR HATE CRIME CHARGES AFTER TEENS ATTACKED - TOP
Oralandar Brand-Williams, Detroit News, 9/10/09

Ann Arbor -- The Michigan chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations is calling for state and federal hate crimes charges to be filed against students who allegedly attacked a 16-year-old girl and her 17-year-old brother on a school bus coming from Skyline High School on Tuesday.

The siblings, who are of Iraqi heritage, were allegedly attacked by a group of black teens.

Dawud Walid, the executive director of CAIR-Michigan, said the teens hit the girl in the face and pulled off her hijab, a head wrap.

The teens also hurled racial slurs at the brother and sisters, according to Walid.

The girl required six stitches to her head, said Walid. Her brother was attacked while trying to come to his sister's defense. (More)

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CALLING 50,000 MUSLIMS TO PRAYER ON CAPITOL HILL - TOP
William Wan, Washington Post, 9/9/09

It began as the idea of one man in a New Jersey mosque after hearing President Obama speak about the need to reach out to Muslims in America. Now that man, Hassen Abdellah, is trying to mobilize 50,000 fellow Muslims from across the country to gather in front of Capitol Hill at the end of this month and pray for the country.

Abdellah says he's already obtained a permit from police to gather on Capitol Hill on Sept. 25. And he's heard from thousands willing to make the trek. "Fundraising is going slow," he admitted, "but the bottom line is all we're doing is praying, you don't need that much money to pray."

The gathering is not supposed to be political, Abdellah said in an interview. No placards or signs allowed. No major famous imams or popular celebrities scheduled so far. No real agenda other than to pray together.

"We want this to be purely about Islam," he said. "We want to change the perception of Islam to show we are not terrorists, but that most of us Muslims here love America and abide by its laws." (More)

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