CAIR joins a National Program rejecting Islamophobia

CAIR-MN Joins a National Call to Action Rejecting Islamophobia - The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) announced today it will join a coalition of some two dozen state organizations in a national call for action and events planned across the nation this week by Stand Together Against Racism & Islamophobia (STARI).

Minnesota anti-Islamophobia events include a rally, march and panel discussion. The call to action emphasizes a commitment to building a just society in which racism, Islamophobia and hatred in any form have no place, and in which refugees, immigrants, and indigenous people are fully respected. "Islamophobia is a real challenge facing the Minnesota Muslim Community," said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-MN. "It is much more than some comments made by politicians. It is something that is creating a very unsafe environment in our Muslim communities."

"We brought together representatives of over two dozen concerned organizations and created Minnesotans Against Islamophobia," said Karen Schraufnagel, the new coalition's founder. "We need to do more than just respond to the national call for action. We are creating an ongoing network to stand with a Minnesota community that is under attack. Muslims are welcome here."

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties 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.