Philadelphia Daily News Interviews Moein Khawaja on His Thoughts on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11
"... 9/11 hit us twice. First of all, our country was attacked. Muslim-Americans also died in the towers. Also, our faith was tarnished. We've always wanted to share in the loss [of the people who died in the attacks] with fellow citizens, but we've always encountered doubt and suspicion. My organization started in 2005 precisely because community leaders had seen an increase in backlash - in school bullying, workplace backlash."
Nationwide, CAIR is launching a series of public service announcements designed to highlight the bonds and similarities between American Muslims and other religions. One features a New York City firefighter who responded to the World Trade Center and is a Muslim. Another features pastors of various faiths. "We were all a part of 9/11. I have family in New York, and we were scared," said Conteh.