CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced that Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors following the completion of prior CAIR National Board Chair Roula Allouch’s term in office.
CAIR also announced that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board of Directors.
In a statement, CAIR National Board Chair Dr. Manal Fakhoury said: “I am honored beyond words to be working with this incredible organization to defend the civil rights of American Muslims and all Americans. I can think of no greater joy than serving our community together with the amazing team at CAIR. I look forward to working with our staff to overcome new challenges and continue the growth and development of the American Muslim community.”
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“We congratulate Dr. Manal Fakhoury, an incredible leader with a long history of serving the community, on her appointment as Chair of our National Board of Directors. We are confident that her expertise and knowledge will lead this organization and our community to the next level, God willing,” Awad said.
“We also thank our inspiring leader Roula Allouch for her many years of excellent service as Chair of the National Board of Directors, as well as our other outgoing board members Massoud Nasimi and Ahmed Al-Shehab. Roula’s heroic leadership helped make this organization what is today, and we hope to continue benefiting from her example and wisdom in the months and years ahead.”
“We are excited to see how Dr. Fakhoury, our other returning board members, and our accomplished new members, attorneys John Floyd and Spojmie Nasiri, will help us build upon our progress as we continue to serve American Muslims, defend civil rights, and promote justice.”
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“Those traitors who waged war on our nation in order to defend slavery and white supremacy do not deserve to be honored on streets or in any other public spaces,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “We urge Alexandria officials to move forward with this plan and for local officials nationwide to follow their example.”
CAIR Condemns Alleged Pattern of Islamophobic Slurs Targeting Maryland Muslim Students, Calls for Release of Video Showing Altercation that Led to Student’s Suspension
Muslim civil rights group seeks clarity on Maryland school’s steps to provide support, address hostile learning environment
According to reports CAIR has received, during the last and current school years, Muslim students at Ridgeview Middle School have been called “bin Laden” and a “bomber,” told to “go get the bomb,” harassed with insults related to the September 11th attacks, and taunted with “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Great’) and racially and religiously motivated taunts and slurs, with little if any intervention from school administrators.
CAIR has requested a meeting with school officials to understand what steps have been taken to support the students who have allegedly been targeted in these incidents, and what corrective and/or restorative measures have been taken to address the hostile learning environment.
The Washington, D.C., based civil rights organization is also seeking the release of surveillance video of an incident last month that reportedly led to an altercation that resulted in a Muslim student’s suspension after he reportedly verbally defended another Muslim student who was allegedly being taunted and harassed with racial slurs and Islamophobic comments.
“Our son intervened to defend a friend and in turn became the victim of racial abuse himself,” said one Ridgeview MS parent to CAIR in a statement. “Incidents like these not only impact the student and their family but the entire community, particularly with the school response being so poor. It is not fair that he be penalized for being provoked by another student’s hurtful belligerent remarks toward him and a Muslim friend.”
“Diversity, equity and inclusion are more than buzzwords. Schools must demonstrate these principles through policies and actions that lead to a safe learning environment for their diverse demographic,” said CAIR’s Maryland director Zainab Chaudry. “We are appalled by the reports brought to our attention, and demand a thorough, swift and transparent investigation into these incidents. Our organization offers free anti-bullying, cultural diversity and bystander intervention trainings that we encourage the school to arrange to foster a safe, inclusive culture.”
CAIR – Guantanamo at 21: Advocates Renew Calls for Closing US Prison
The groups, which include Oxfam America and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also alleged that the prison stokes “bigotry, stereotyping and stigma”. By exemplifying those social divisions, Guantanamo “risks facilitating additional rights violations”, the groups said.
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CAIR Condemns Chinese Communist Party’s ‘Propaganda Tour’ of Uyghur Genocide Areas
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today joined the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), Campaign For Uyghurs and others inside and outside the Muslim community in condemning the Chinese Communist Party for hosting a “propaganda tour” to whitewash its genocide of Uyghur Muslims and other Turkic minorities in that nation.
A delegation of more than 30 Islamic figures from 14 countries participated in the Chinese government-organized propaganda visit. Afterward, some of the participants released a statement praising China for its “counter-terrorism” plan.
“The Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda trip cannot erase the fact that countless Uyghur Muslims are still missing, countless families are still divided, and countless mosques have been bulldozed or shut down,” said CAIR Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell. “Muslim leaders should express support for Uyghur Muslims and demand the release of all those currently held in Chinese concentration camps. Participating in propaganda tours without speaking the truth undermines the Uyghur people and emboldens China’s war on Islam.”
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
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