(CLEVELAND, OH 3/9/06) – On Wednesday, March 8, members of the Cleveland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations were invited to participate in a forum entitled “The Cartooning of Mohammed: Free Speech or Hate Speech.”  The forum is part of a discussion series called “An Evening of Civil Discourse” sponsored by the Geauga County Public Library.

The event, held in the Bainbridge Public Library, offered a chance to exchange ideas on press freedoms and ethical journalism, as well as free speech, religious tolerance and foreign policy. Dave Lange, editor of the Chagrin Valley Times and the Times Courier newspapers provided a media perspective, while members of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Religion of Peace organization provided a Muslim perspective.  Approximately 30 people attended the program. CAIR presented the children’s book My Name is Bilal, written by Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin, as a gift to the library.