CAIR-Ohio Rep Addresses the Erosion of Civil Liberties in the Post 9/11 Era

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January
4

(CLEVELAND, OH – 1/4/12) – A representative of the Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) gave a presentation on the erosion of civil liberties in the post 9/11 area during the monthly meeting of the Libertarian Party of Cuyahoga County.

The talk, entitled the Erosion of Civil Liberties in the War on Terror, offered an in-depth look at various national security policies that have undermined civil liberties and dramatically increased racial, religious, and ethnic profiling in America. Presented by Julia Shearson, executive director of CAIR-Cleveland, the talk showed how the federal government’s ineffective, misguided and costly dragnet approach to national security makes us less safe and less free.

“Government policies that promote profiling and erode civil liberties are out of line with core American values and are counterproductive to national security.” CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia A. Shearson said. “Such ineffective policies should be realigned with constitutional norms or they should be dismantled.”

Note: CAIR-Ohio is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that does not endorse or support political candidates or political parties.

CONTACT:  CAIR-Ohio Communications Coordinator Nijma Darwish, 614-451-3232, E-Mail: ndarwish@cair.com.

CAIR-OHIO OFFERS WORKSHOPS ON ISLAM AND CHALLENGING ISLAMOPHOBIA

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September
28

(CLEVELAND, OH, 9/28/2011) – The Cleveland Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations offered two workshops today on understanding Islam and challenging Islamophobia at the 3rd Annual Hate-Free Lorain County Conference hosted by the Community Anti-Hate Task Force of Lorain.

The workshops offered information on Islam and Muslims including demographics, basic beliefs and practices; myths and stereotypes; hot-button issues such as terrorism, jihad and women in Islam, etc. The workshops also provided a brief overview Islamophobia, including the definition and key components; understanding the history and root causes; current manifestations on the Internet and in the public sphere; consequences of hate and bigotry; and how Islamophobia is promoted by religious figures, media pundits, politicians, and so-called “terrorism experts.” The workshop also offered practical steps and resources for reaching out to the Muslim community and challenging Islamophobia.

“Religious intolerance has a negative impact on communities” said Julia A. Shearson, executive director of CAIR-Cleveland. “These workshops are designed to raise awareness about anti-Muslim bigotry and provide resources to counter intolerance by building mutual understanding and fostering inclusion.”

For more information or to arrange a workshop, contact CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia A. Shearson, jshearson@cair.com, 216-830-2247 or 216-440-2247.

CAIR is America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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CAIR-CLEVELAND JOINS PANEL AT CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING

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September
19

(CLEVELAND, OH, 9/19/2011) – A representative of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Cleveland Chapter joined a panel today on inter-religious perspectives on end of life care held at Cleveland State University’s School of Nursing.

The panel covered issues related to death and dying from the perspectives of Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism. CAIR’s representative presented a Muslim perspective on illness and issues related to death and dying; interacting with Muslim patients and families; palliative care for the Muslim patient; religious rituals; end of life issues; burial practices; organ donation; etc.

CAIR offers a variety of presentations for healthcare practitioners and social service agencies. To arrange an in-service or for information about CAIR speakers, contact CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia A. Shearson, jshearson@cair.com, 216.830.2247 or 216.440.2247.

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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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CAIR-OHIO MEETS WITH PLAIN DEALER EDITORIAL BOARD         

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May
4

(CLEVELAND, OH, 5/4/2011) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Cleveland Chapter and leadership of the Islamic Center of Cleveland met today with members of the editorial board of the Plain Dealer to discuss issues of concern to the local Muslim community the greater Cleveland area.

At the meeting, the groups discussed the rise of Islamophobia exemplified by the recent controversy in Mansfield, Ohio surrounding Usama Dakdok, an anti-Islamic speaker brought to Ohio by the Mansfield North Central Ohio Tea Party. Concerns were also raised about the anti-sharia law bills being promoted in state legislators across the country.

The bills have been modeled in part on legislation drafted by David Yerushalmi, a driving force behind anti-sharia efforts, whose actions have been condemned by the Anti-Defamation League.

Officials from CAIR also presented information about dozens of cases of harassment and hate attacks against members of the Muslim community and against mosques and Muslim institutions.

For more information, contact CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia A. Shearson, jshearson@cair.com, 216.830.2247 or 216.440.2247.

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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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CAIR-Ohio Rep Addresses Profiling and Surveillance in the National Security Context

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April
16

(CLEVELAND, OH, 4/16/11) – A representative of the Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) recently presented a seminar on profiling in the national security context at the “Save Our Communities” social justice conference in Cleveland.

The seminar, entitled Profiling Islam: Faith Under Surveillance, offered an in-depth look at various national security policies that have dramatically increased racial, religious, and ethnic profiling in America. Presented by Julia Shearson, executive director of CAIR-Cleveland, the seminar showed how the federal government’s ineffective, misguided and costly dragnet approach to national security makes us less safe and less free.

“Policies that promote profiling, erode civil liberties, and undermine trust between communities and law enforcement are counterproductive and should be dismantled,”said CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia A. Shearson said.”

CONTACT:  CAIR-Ohio Communications Coordinator Nijma Darwish, 614.451.3232, E-Mail: ndarwish@cair.com

CAIR-OHIO OFFERS WORKSHOPS ON CHALLENGING ISLAMOPHOBIA

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April
5

(CLEVELAND, OH, 4/5/2011) – The Cleveland Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is offering free workshops on challenging Islamophobia.  Two workshops have been offered thus far to area mosques including the Muslim Association of Cleveland East (MACE) and the Unity Center.

The interactive workshops provide an overview of Islamophobia, including the definition and keys components; understanding the history and root causes; current manifestations on the Internet and in the public sphere; consequences of hate and bigotry; and how Islamophobia is promoted by religious figures, media pundits, politicians, and so-called “terrorism experts.” The workshop also offers practical steps and resources for challenging Islamophobia.

“Religious intolerance in America is on the rise, and Muslims and their families should know how to respond” said Julia A. Shearson, executive director of CAIR-Cleveland. “These workshops are designed to educate people about anti-Islamic bigotry and provide resources to counter the headwind of hate that our community is facing.”

For more information or to arrange a workshop, contact CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia A. Shearson, jshearson@cair.com, 216.830.2247 or 216.440.2247.

CAIR is America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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CAIR-OHIO JOINS EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION BRIEFING   

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March
2

(CLEVELAND, OH, 3/2/2011) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Cleveland Chapter recently joined an outreach briefing given by officials from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Cleveland Field Office.  Present at the briefing were Congressional staffers and members of civil and workers rights advocacy groups, such as Jobs with Justice and the NAACP.

The forum provided information on current legal developments impacting EEOC enforcement; intake and charge processing for employment discrimination complaints; mediation procedures; and information on the filing of employment discrimination charges in the federal sector.

“The mission of the EEOC to enforce federal anti-discrimination laws in the workplace is crucial to advancing economic prosperity and equality under the law,” said Julia A. Shearson, executive director of CAIR-Cleveland. “We appreciate and value EEOC’s outreach efforts to diverse groups including the Muslim community.”

For more information, contact CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia A. Shearson, jshearson@cair.com, 216-830-2247 or 216-440-2247.

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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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CAIR-OHIO JOINS PANEL ON THE STATE OF RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS IN GREATER CLEVELAND  

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March
2

(CLEVELAND, OH, 3/2/2011) – The Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Cleveland Chapter recently joined a panel on the State of Race and Ethnic Relations in Greater Cleveland held at the Westshore Unitarian Church. Also on the panel were Victor Ruiz, Executive Director of Esperanza, Inc.; Rev. Dr. Nozomi Ikuta, Minister of the Denison Avenue United Church of Christ; and Khalid A. Samad, of Peace in the Hood, Inc.

The panel provided insight on issues such as race and ethnic relations among Cleveland’s diverse communities from a current and historical prospective. Victor Ruiz of Esperanza explained the diversity within the Hispanic and Latino communities and focused on educational disparities. Khalid Samad of Peace in the Hood discussed problems of drugs and poverty, the prison pipeline for Black males, and the identity crisis among certain segments of African American urban youth. Dr. Nozomi Ikuta spoke of the internment of Japanese Americans, the history of Japanese in the Cleveland area, as well as her own identity issues growing up as a minority in Brook Park, Ohio. Julia Shearson of the Council on American-Islamic Relations discussed national and local efforts to unite African Americans, Hispanics, and Muslims, Arabs and South Asians to stand against racial, ethnic and religious profiling by local and federal law enforcement. Shearson also discussed local efforts to prevent hate crimes and methods to facilitate dialogue among diverse communities.

“Questions of race and ethnicity are at the core of America’s history, but the same questions are the key to our future as well” said Julia A. Shearson, executive director of CAIR-Cleveland. “The question is, will we let our differences create further divisions, or will we capitalize on our diversity as an engine of economic prosperity and multiculturalism.”

For more information, contact CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia A. Shearson, jshearson@cair.com, 216-830-2247 or 216-440-2247.

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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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CAIR-CLEVELAND REP SPEAKS TO NEW MUSLIMS AT THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF CLEVELAND

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October
13

(CLEVELAND, OH, 10/13/2010) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Cleveland Chapter recently participated in a panel discussion for the New Muslim Support Network at the Islamic Center of Cleveland.

The panel discussion included issues and challenges facing new Muslims including maintaining respectful relations with family members; maintaining one’s identity; cultivating one’s faith; avoiding extremism; maintaining positive relations with people of diverse faiths; culture versus religion; mosque life; dealing with discrimination, etc.

For information about CAIR speakers, contact CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia A. Shearson, jshearson@cair.com, 216-830-2247 or 216-440-2247. For information about the New Muslim Support Network, contact the Islamic Center of Cleveland at 216.362.0786 or nmsn.info@iccleveland.org.

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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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CAIR-CLEVELAND OFFERS SEMINAR ON ISLAM AT SLOVENIAN SOCIAL HALL

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October
13

(CLEVELAND, OH, 10/13/2010) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Cleveland Chapter recently offered a presentation on Islam and Muslims held at the historic Slovenian Holmes Hall Pensioners Club in the Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio.

The presentation, which was attended by more than 100 members of the Slovenian club, covered demographics of the Muslim community; basic beliefs and practices; myths and stereotypes about Islam and Muslims; similarities among the three Abrahamic faiths; as well as controversial subjects such as jihad and women in Islam. The presentation also covered the rise of Islamophobia in America.

“Being hosted by Holmes Hall Pensioners Club was truly an honor,” CAIR Cleveland executive director Julia Shearson said. “Being able to share information across religious and cultural groups in a friendly environment with wonderful hospitality was a great experience.”

To arrange a presentation or for more information, contact CAIR-Cleveland Executive Director Julia A. Shearson, jshearson@cair.com, 216-830-2247 or 216-440-2247.

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group, has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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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