CAIR-NJ Calls on New Jersey GOP to Repudiate Candidates’ Anti-Muslim, Racist Posts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 5/20/19) -- The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today called on Republican State Committee Chairman Doug Steinhardt to repudiate anti-Muslim and racist posts made on Facebook by Republican primary candidate for Hamilton mayor David Henderson.
Henderson’s Facebook posts have included pictures of severed pig heads with messages such as “Sharia Law Saturday. Ha! There is no Sharia Law in America.” Another of a body builder carrying two pigs in each hand declared, “Happy Ramadan.”
SEE: Opponents slam Hamilton GOP gadfly over racist, Islamophobic posts
"The posts to Mr. Henderson’s Facebook page are, by any standard, crude and offensive, not only to Muslims, but to anyone of conscience and compassion,” said CAIR-NJ Executive Director James Sues. "The bigoted views expressed by Mr. Henderson are below the dignity of a public official and should serve to disqualify him as a candidate for an office that claims to represent the interests of all citizens, regardless of their race or faith. This is just another painful reminder of the extreme divisiveness that characterizes the current political climate at the national level.”
The Washington-based civil rights organization has reported an unprecedented spike in bigotry targeting American Muslims, immigrants and members of other minority groups since the election of Donald Trump as president.
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director James Sues, 908-668-5900, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CAIR New Jersey Urges Muslim Communities to Step Up Security During Upcoming Ramadan Fast
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR New Jersey Urges Muslim Communities to Step Up Security During Upcoming Ramadan Fast
(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J., 4/30/19) – The New Jersey Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, is urging Muslim communities in New Jersey to step up security during the month-long fast of Ramadan (rom-a-don) that begins on or about May 6.*
[*NOTE: Because the beginning of Islamic lunar months depends on the actual sighting of the new moon, the start and end dates for Ramadan may vary. Consult local Muslim communities for the beginning and end dates of Ramadan. The end of Ramadan will be marked by communal prayers called “Eid ul-Fitr,” (eed-al-fitter) or Feast of the Fast-Breaking on or about June 4.]
Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar during which Muslims abstain from food, drink and other sensual pleasures from before dawn to sunset. The fast is performed to learn discipline, self-restraint and generosity, while obeying God’s commandments. Fasting (along with the declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity, and pilgrimage to Mecca) is one of the “five pillars” of Islam.
Because many mosques hold special prayers and other activities during Ramadan, and because of recent anti-Muslim incidents in this country and overseas, CAIR is urging American Muslim leaders and Islamic institutions to take extra security precautions throughout the month.
CAIR New Jersey is urging mosques and other Islamic institutions to take measures outlined in its "Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety" booklet. Advice offered in CAIR’s security publication is applicable to all institutions, regardless of organizational mission
The booklet may be viewed at: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/cairhq/pages/15191/attachments/original/1523597950/CAIR_Mosque_Safety_Guide.pdf?1523597950
Last week, CAIR expressed solidarity with the Jewish community in the San Diego-area and nationwide within hours of a deadly shooting at a synagogue near that city.
SEE: CAIR Expresses Solidarity with Jewish Community After Deadly San Diego Synagogue Attack
An open letter, posted online purportedly by the suspect in that attack, claims that he committed the arson attack last month on a mosque near Escondido, CA and was inspired by the New Zealand mosque shooter. The open letter expressed a desire to defend the ‘European race’ and numerous anti-Semitic racial slurs and tropes targeting African Americans, Latinos, Arabs and Muslims.
CAIR has reported an unprecedented spike in bigotry targeting American Muslims and members of other minority groups since the election of Donald Trump as president.
CAIR 2018 Civil Rights Report: Targeted
http://www.islamophobia.org/reports/224-2018-civil-rights-report-targeted.html
CAIR: Anti-Muslim Assaults Have Tripled Since a Decade Ago, FBI Stats Show
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/odd-fbi-case-highlights-impact-anti-muslim-bias/story?id=61761006
Community members are being urged to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR-NJ's Civil Rights Department at 908-668-5900 or by filing a report at: https://nj.cair.com/your-rights/report-an-incident.html
CAIR launched an app to share critical “know your rights” information and to simplify the process to report hate crimes and bias incidents. CAIR is urging American Muslims and members of other minority groups to download the app and utilize this resource to stay informed and empowered.
For a quick download of CAIR’s civil rights app, click here: http://www.cair.com/app
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director James Sues, 908-668-5900, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CAIR-NJ Condemns Anti-Semitic Graffiti Found at Summit School
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 4/19/2018) -- The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned recent anti-Semitic vandalism of a girl’s bathroom at Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School in Summit, NJ. In the sixth incidence of anti-Semitic graffiti in the Summit school district since November, a swastika was found a week ago in the sixth-floor girls’ bathroom. "The hate symbolized by this act of vandalism has no place in New Jersey and cannot be tolerated,” said James Sues, executive director of CAIR-NJ. “This painful reminder of the extreme divisiveness that characterizes the current political climate at the national level should prompt us to remain vigilant in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes as they occur.” He noted that CAIR has reported an unprecedented spike in bigotry targeting American Muslims as well as members of other minority groups since the election of Donald Trump as president. SEE: Swastika graffiti found in NJ school district http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262069 SEE: Sixth Hate Symbol Incident Reported as Another Swastika Found at Summit Middle School In a published report, CAIR noted a 17 percent increase in bias-motivated incidents and a 15 percent increase in hate crimes against American Muslims since Trump took office. SEE: 2018 Civil Rights Report: Targeted http://www.islamophobia.org/reports/224-2018-civil-rights-report-targeted.html CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos. END CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director James Sues, 908-668-5900, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
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