(CLEVELAND, OH – 1/31/12) – A representative of the Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) gave a presentation on the erosion of civil liberties and targeting of Muslims in the post 9/11 area during the weekly meeting of the New Muslim Support Network at the Islamic Center of Cleveland.

The talk, entitled Profiling Islam: Faith Under Surveillance, 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.”

CONTACT:  CAIR-Ohio Communications Coordinator Hanna Tyler, 614-451-3232, E-Mail: htyler@cair.com.