Civic

Atlanta Area Muslim Americans Fear Profiling in Federal Investigations

July 13, 2002

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/saturday/news_d3f24cf51683813b008a.html

On July 13, 2002 The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "recent federal raids of local jewelry stores coupled with reports that terrorism suspects are under nationwide surveillance has renewed anger and fear in Atlanta's Muslim community... 'People are very frightened...

Read more about Atlanta Area Muslim Americans Fear Profiling in Federal Investigations

Islamic Council Files Profiling Complaint Against Greyhound Buses

July 12, 2002

Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58462-2002Jul11.html

On July 12, 2002 The Washington Post reported a passenger and American citizen "of Middle Eastern descent was ordered off a Greyhound bus last month at the terminal in the District, prompting a complaint of ethnic profiling yesterday from... the Council on American-Islamic Relations...

...

Read more about Islamic Council Files Profiling Complaint Against Greyhound Buses

Controversy over Required Reading on Islam at University of North Carolina

July 12, 2002

Source: Chapel Hill Herald

On July 12, 2002 the Chapel Hill Herald reported that a "Christian advocacy group hopes to sue UNC on the grounds the book on Islam the university chose for its required summer reading program is a religious text and is therefore unconstitutional... � But university officials are defending the choice, strongly objecting to any implication that UNC is pushing Islam on its students...� The book is 'Approaching The Qur'an,' a collection of 35 translated passages from the holy work along with written commentaries on each. All new...

Read more about Controversy over Required Reading on Islam at University of North Carolina

Central Florida Religious Leaders Meet to Discuss Religion and Public Education

July 12, 2002

Source: The Orlando Sentinel

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-locrelschools12071202jul12.story?coll=orl%2Dhome%2Dheadlines

On July 12, 2002 The Orlando Sentinel reported that "religious leaders from a spectrum of faiths met Thursday night in a Winter Park [Florida] church to grapple with the contentious issue of religious faith and public education... Panelists agreed that teaching about...

Read more about Central Florida Religious Leaders Meet to Discuss Religion and Public Education

California Governor Sings Bill to Help Protect Integrity of Halal Products

July 9, 2002

Source: Los Angeles Times

On July 9, 2002 the Los Angeles Times reported that "a bill making it a misdemeanor to sell food products falsely labeled as halal, or sanctioned by Islamic law, was signed into law Monday by Gov. Gray Davis [of California]... during a news conference at the Islamic Cultural Center in Los Angeles... 'Halal is the Islamic equivalent to the Jewish kosher, and therefore a sacred necessity for the Islamic faithful,' Davis said... The law establishes a penalty of as much as 90 days in jail and a $600 fine for...

Read more about California Governor Sings Bill to Help Protect Integrity of Halal Products

Muslim Legal Defense Fund Formed to Represent Muslim Americans

July 8, 2002

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-islam08.html

On July 8, 2002 the Chicago Sun-Times reported that "a network of Muslim attorneys across the nation has formed the Muslim Legal Defense and Education Fund to give legal representation to the more than 1,400 Muslims who have been detained by the U.S. government since Sept. 11, organizers said Sunday... The defense fund now is representing...

Read more about Muslim Legal Defense Fund Formed to Represent Muslim Americans

Groups Work to Alleviate Troubling Discrimination in Southern California's Housing

July 8, 2002

Source: Los Angeles Times

On July 8, 2002 the Los Angeles Times featured an article on discrimination faced by Muslim Americans and South Asian Americans when renting apartments in Southern California. "Anxiety... heightened in May when the FBI issued a memo saying terrorists might target apartment buildings with explosives... The Los Angeles Police Department followed that memo by releasing a list of guidelines that encouraged owners to be more vigilant about prospective tenants... Some housing advocates and civil rights attorneys worry that the...

Read more about Groups Work to Alleviate Troubling Discrimination in Southern California's Housing

Muslims Continue to be Detained and Deported

July 8, 2002

Source: The South Florida Sun-Sentinel

On July 8, 2002 The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that "Since Sept. 11, the Immigration and Naturalization Service has rounded up hundreds of Muslims, including an estimated dozens in South Florida, as part of far-reaching terror investigations... Some of those detained were held for months before their release or deportation. None is known to have been charged with any terror-related activity... According to Amnesty International, which sued the government and received a list of 718 detainees in January,...

Read more about Muslims Continue to be Detained and Deported

Appeals Court Rules "Under God" in Pledge of Allegiance Unconstitutional

July 7, 2002

Source: The Denver Post

On July 7, 2002, The Denver Post reported that "when he was a child growing up in Los Angeles, Kanya Okamoto left out the words 'under God' when he recited the Pledge of Allegiance because the God referred to didn't fit with his Buddhist beliefs... Now, as minister of Tri State/Denver Buddhist Temple in downtown Denver, [Colorado] Okamoto still doesn't see the need for having that phrase in the pledge... 'But there are Buddhists who disagree with me,' he said. 'They have grown up with the phrase. That's OK...

Read more about Appeals Court Rules "Under God" in Pledge of Allegiance Unconstitutional

California Parents File Complaints Over Teachings about Islam

July 6, 2002

Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune

On July 6, 2002, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that "a Christian law firm is suing a San Francisco Bay Area school district, alleging it violated the Constitution with its way of teaching the Islamic religion to students. At issue is a world history lesson conducted at Excelsior School in the Byron Union School District... in October 2001. In a seventh-grade class, students reportedly were required to participate in various exercise simulations including selecting a Muslim name, wearing traditional Muslim...

Read more about California Parents File Complaints Over Teachings about Islam

Muslim Advocacy Group Backs Jewish and Muslim Police Deputies Fighting Uniform Policy

July 6, 2002

Source: The Chicago Tribune

On July 6, 2002, The Chicago Tribune reported that "two Cook County sheriff's police deputies will be allowed to wear religious head coverings while on duty, the sheriff's office announced Friday, apparently resolving a controversy that tested the limits of religious freedom on the job... Sgt. Larry Davidson, an Orthodox Jew, will be permitted to wear his yarmulke, and Crystal Clark, a Muslim, will be allowed to wear a scarf. But both must cover their religious headwear with a department-issued cap or hat."

Appeals Court Rules "Under God" in Pledge of Allegiance Unconstitutional

July 6, 2002

Source: The Providence Journal

http://www.projo.com/opinion/contributors/content/projo_20020706_cthicks6.835aa.html

On July 6, 2002, The Providence Journal featured an editorial by Prof. Douglas Hicks of the University of Richmond entitled "Let's Pledge to Respect Differing Beliefs." The piece emphasizes that "'One nation under God' means different things to different Americans... Both critics and supporters of the...

Read more about Appeals Court Rules "Under God" in Pledge of Allegiance Unconstitutional

Pages