Press Conference:
CAIR Texas: CAIR, UC Berkeley to Release First Annual Islamophobia Report
CAIR Texas: CAIR, UC Berkeley to Release First Annual Islamophobia Report
(Houston,
TX 6/23/11) – Today, the Texas Chapter of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-TX) is announcing the release of “Same
Hate, New Target,” the first-of-its-kind annual report outlining the
disturbing growth of Islamophobia (unfounded fear of and hostility
towards Islam). Such fear and hostility leads to discriminations
against Muslims, exclusion of Muslims from mainstream political or
social process, stereotyping, the presumption of guilt by association,
and finally hate crimes) in the United States during 2009-2010. The
report is the result of a collaborative effort between CAIR and the
University of California, Berkeley’s Center for Race and Gender. Using
information gathered from the PEW Research Center the report cites some
disturbing trends and some encouraging trends that impact the American
Muslim community.
Some negative trends include:
• The public’s view of Islam sinking from 40% in 2001 to 30% in 2010
• 45% of Americans agree that Islam is at odds with American values.
• 28% of voters do not believe Muslims should be eligible to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court
• Nearly one-third of the country thinks adherents of
Islam should be barred from running
for President…
Some more positive trends include:
• Islam has a 75% or higher favorability rating among the general public
• A person’s Muslim faith considered an asset in private employment and public service.
• Politicians welcome and seek public support from Americans of the Islamic faith.
• Association with anti-Muslim movements or rhetoric
discredits those who put themselves
forward seeking
to earn the privilege of public service (politically).
The report also
makes detailed recommendations to American Muslim individuals as to what
they can personally do to help stem the tide of growing Islamophobia in
America. Some of those recommendations include:
1. Be an example of the Islamic traditions of patience and reason.
2. Be an open neighbor
3. Be active in community life.
This
report also lists the “worst” Islamaphobes and the “best” of those
pushing back against growing anti-Muslim sentiment in American society.
“This groundbreaking report creates a benchmark for examining the
troubling growth of anti-Muslim sentiment in our society and offers a
who’s who of those promoting or challenging Islamophobia,” said CAIR
National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “As the recent GOP presidential
debate demonstrated, Islamophobia is moving toward the mainstream and
therefore must be challenged by all Americans who learned from those
periods in our nation’s history when other minorities were similarly
targeted.”
SEE: Muslim Bashing by GOP Candidates? Nothing New Here (Wash Post)
SEE: Corey Saylor: Concern that Islamophobia is trending toward the mainstream in the U.S. (CNN)
Read more about Islamophobia, here.
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.
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Contacts
CAIR-TX Executive Director
Mustafaa Carroll
(713) 838-2247
(832) 549-1042
E-mail: mustafaa.carroll@cairhouston.org.
CAIR National Communications Director
Ibrahim Hooper
202-744-7726
202-488-8787
E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com
CAIR Communications Coordinator
Amina Rubin
202-488-8787
202-341-4171
E-Mail: arubin@cair.com |
