CAIR-Philadelphia

The recent announcement that the Vatican has officially recognized Palestine should be welcome news to those who support peace and justice for all in the Middle East. The Holy See's recognition of the rights of the Palestinian people follows the historic meeting last summer when Pope Francis brought Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas together at the Vatican for a "Prayer Summit for Peace."

Executive Director Jacob Bender on Nick Taliaferro Show/WURD.

Ryan Tack-Hooper, an attorney with the Council on American-Islamic Relations Pennsylvania, said though he thinks the ads are false and hateful, SEPTA can't argue with the Constitution. "SEPTA's in a tough spot because people want to see them fight this, but at the same time, we don't want to have SEPTA damaging the First Amendment," Tack-Hooper said. "This is not about SEPTA giving in. I think they've already gone above the call of duty by fighting this in the district court."

"These ads are despicable and false, but fall under First Amendment protections," Jacob Bender, executive director of the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), said Thursday. "We have no problem with the judge's ruling, but have a great amount of antipathy for AFDI pushing a clearly hate-inspired, anti-Muslim message on the citizens of our fair city. One can only imagine the revulsion that tens of thousands of Muslim citizens will feel getting onto SEPTA buses and trolleys" bearing the ad.