Scott Simpson (Muslim Advocates)
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
A coalition of 129 national and local organizations sent letters to 29 mayors in advance of anti-Muslim marches scheduled in their cities on Saturday, June 10.
The letters call on the mayors to embrace “values of pluralism, diversity, and liberty for all while firmly rejecting the forces of hate and bigotry that seek to divide us.” Click here to see the letters addressed to the mayors of all 29 cities.
A series of anti-Muslim marches are being held in 29 cities to coincide with the Ramadan holiday and are being hosted by a hate group called ACT for America. As documented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Facebook pages for the marches include violent and racist rhetoric.
ACT for America’s founder, Brigitte Gabriel, regularly vilifies Muslims, claiming that practicing Muslims cannot be loyal to the United States. Both she and ACT have had a long history of promoting policies at the federal and state levels intended to manufacture fear of Muslims.
The letters cite vast increases in hate crimes against Muslims and urge the mayors of these cities to reject the bigotry of these marches, assure the safety of their constituents, and issue statements condemning the marches happening in their cities.
Quotes from Advocates at Convening Organizations
Madihha Ahussain, special counsel for anti-Muslim bigotry at Muslim Advocates
"As ACT for America spews anti-Muslim hate and seeks to divide our communities across the country with these hateful protests, we are encouraged by the countless Americans who are joining us in standing up against bigotry" said Madihha Ahussain, Special Counsel for Anti-Muslim Bigotry at Muslim Advocates. "We urge mayors around the country to reject bigotry, and ensure that their cities are safe and welcoming places for American of all faiths, especially during this time when hate violence has spiked and has people fearing for their lives."
Lindsay Schubiner, advocacy director for the Center for New Community
"These anti-Muslim rallies are blatant attempts to spread fear and inflame bigotry. It's no surprise that they have attracted support from white nationalists and neo-Nazis. ACT for America's attacks on Muslim communities erode the rights that we all hold dear. I am inspired to see so many people across the country speaking out against hate and in support of every person's right to live free from discrimination."
Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)
"Groups like ACT exist only to instigate and divide their fellow Americans. They are entitled to their free speech, but we also have an equal right to condemn their fearmongering. Together we will counter their hateful speech with a positive message that reflects the bedrock American values of unity, pluralism, and liberty for all, and we call on all public officials and other communities to join us."
The full letter and a list of all of its signers for all cities is below.
June 8, 2017
Dear Mayor,
We write to ask you to join us in publicly embracing our nation’s core values of pluralism, diversity, and liberty for all while firmly rejecting the forces of hate and bigotry that seek to divide us.
As you may be aware, ACT for America, the nation’s largest anti-Muslim hate group, has called for a protest in your city as part of a coordinated series of protests in over 20 cities across the nation on June 10th. Timed during the Islamic month of Ramadan when Muslims around the world fast during the daylight hours, these protests have been disingenuously branded “March Against Sharia” and explicitly target Muslims at a time when hatred and bigotry has swept the nation.
ACT’s founder, Brigitte Gabriel, regularly vilifies Muslims, claiming that practicing Muslims cannot be loyal to the United States. She also once said that “every practicing Muslim is a radical Muslim” and that Muslims are a “natural threat to civilized people of the world, particularly Western society.” Both she and ACT have had a long history of promoting policies at the federal and state levels intended to manufacture fear of Muslims, and the group has been named a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
We are deeply concerned about the type of message that these protests send to the American public and to the good people in your city--that it is acceptable to vilify people simply because of their faith.
Between 2014 and 2015, FBI data indicates that hate crimes against Muslims increased by 67%. Bias-motivated violence continues to target Muslims, Arabs, South Asians, and a number of other communities. Just this year alone there have been numerous murders of individuals who are Muslim or were targeted based on anti-Muslim bigotry, regardless of their religion. In addition, several mosques around the country have been targeted by arson. Negative misperceptions of Muslims have also resulted in children being the target of bullying and harassment across the country--one poll conducted by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding suggests that more than forty percent of Muslim children in grades K-12 are bullied because of their faith.
Now, more than ever, we must come together and support one another from viewpoints and groups that seek to divide us.
We, the undersigned national and local civil rights, faith-based, and community organizations, ask that you use your voice as an elected representative of your city to reject bigotry. We urge you to issue an official statement to reiterate to the people of your city that every person is welcome and has the right to feel secure regardless of how they worship, where they’re from, or who they love. Furthermore, we ask that you recognize that American Muslims have been an essential part of America’s fabric since before our nation was founded. The members of your community, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, must be reassured that bigotry, hatred, and prejudice against any individual or group based on their faith, gender, ethnicity, nationality, race, sexual orientation, or disability status will not be tolerated.
We look forward to hearing from you and hope that we can work closely with you in the future to positively engage all communities.
Thank you in advance for your partnership and principled leadership.
Sincerely,
#GetOrganizedBrooklyn
18MR.org
A Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
ACLU of Michigan
Advocates for Youth
All Peoples Christian Church
American Friends Service Committee
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Amnesty International USA
Anti-Defamation League
The Arab American Association of NY
Arab American Institute
Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC)
Asian Americans Advancing Justice - LA
Auburn Theological Seminary
Bend the Arc Jewish Action
Bend the Arc Southern California
Brazilian Worker Center Inc.
CAIR-MN
California Immigrant Policy Center
Center for New Community
Chapman University, Office of Church Relations
Church World Service
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
Colorado African Organization (CAO)
Colorado Muslim Speakers Bureau
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Council on American-Islamic Relations, Greater Los Angeles Area (CAIR-LA)
Council on American-Islamic Relations-Kansas (CAIR-Kansas)
CAIR San Francisco Bay Area
CREDO
Dominican Sisters of Houston
Eden Area Interfaith Council
El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos
Emgage
Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM)
Faith in Public Life
Franciscan Action Network
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Gainesville Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice
GSA Network
Harvard Islamic Society
Hispanic Federation
Hollaback Bosnia and Herzegovina
Hollaback!
Hollaback! Detroit
Hollaback! Seattle
Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters - JPIC - USA
ICNA Council for Social Justice
ILEARN
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Immigrant Service Providers Group/Health
Indivisible Northville
Interfaith Worker Justice
International Refugee Assistance Project at the Urban Justice Center
International Rescue Committee in Denver
Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati
Islamic Center of San Diego
Islamic Networks Group (ING)
Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
Islamic Speakers Bureau of Arizona
Jewish Community Relations Council
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Jewish Voice for Peace - Boston
Jewish Voice for Peace - Chicago
Jewish Voice for Peace - Cleveland
Jewish Voice for Peace - Denver
Jewish Voice for Peace- Indiana
Jewish Voice for Peace - New Haven
Jewish Voice for Peace - Northern New Jersey
Jewish Voice for Peace - Triangle, NC
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
Marin Interfaith Council
Michigan Muslim Community Council
Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice
Muslim Advocates
Muslim Alliance of Indiana
Muslim Community Network
Muslim Justice League
Muslim Public Affairs Council
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of La Raza
National Disaster Interfaiths Network
National Hispanic Media Coalition
National Immigration Law Center
National Iranian American Council
National Religious Campaign Against Torture
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS)
OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates
OneAmerica
Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans - PANA
Pennsylvania Council of Churches
Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition
Physicians for Policy Action
Poligon Education Fund
PRC
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Presbyterian Church (USA) Washington Office of Public Witness
Refugee Action Coalition of Colorado
Refugee & Immigration Ministries, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Shoulder to Shoulder
SIREN
South Asian Americans Leading Together
South Bay Chapter of Bend the Arc
Southern Poverty Law Center
Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning
Syracuse Cultural Workers
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
The Revolutionary Love Project
The Sikh Coalition
The United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society
Together We Rise CT
T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalist College of Social Justice
Unitarian Universalist Mass Action Network
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
UURISE - Unitarian Universalist Refugee & Immigrant Services & Education
Veterans for American Ideals
We Belong Together
Welcoming Gainesville and Alachua County
Women In Islam Inc
Women's March Michigan
Workers' Center of Central New York
