Dear Friends, As Salaam Alaikum (Peace be upon you) We at CAIR-PA call upon Pennsylvania voters to turn out in large numbers at the polls on November 4th as a positive response to Islamophobic bias and stereotyping in political campaigns.…
(Philadelphia, PA 10/23/08) – The Philadelphia Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-PA) is seeking Delaware Valley Muslims who are performing Hajj to share their experiences with the media. CAIR-PA would like to introduce several local Muslims from…
(PHILADELPHIA, 9/16/2008) – CAIR is calling on anyone who received the “Obsession” DVD in their newspaper to contact the papers publishers to ask why they believe it is appropriate to profit from anti-Muslim hate. ACTION REQUESTED: (As always, be firm…
(Philadelphia, PA 9/2/08) – The Philadelphia Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-PA) is calling on Pennsylvania Muslims and other people of conscience to write letters in support of Erich Scherfen, an airline pilot who was recently threatened…
Doctors are needed to lecture in Damascus as part of a peacemaking delegation of doctors to Syria in the first week of November, 2008. The visit is jointly sponsored by Common Humanity (CommonHumanity.org) and the Council of American-Islamic Relations Philadelphia…
Share the breaking of the fast with American Muslim families (PHILADELPHIA, PA, 8/8/08) – Beginning September 6, the Pennsylvania chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-PA) will host ‘Sharing Ramadan’ events that offer opportunities for people of all faiths…
(PHILADELPHIA, PA 7/10/08) – The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-PA) today announced the filing of a lawsuit against a McDonald’s franchise and a Wal-Mart store in that state by a Muslim woman who says she was…
"It is unfortunate that the Islamophobic views of one legislator apparently prevented the passage of a resolution recognizing our nation's religious diversity." said CAIR-PA Civil Rights Director Justin Peyton. "This unnecessary controversy indicates just how much work still remains to be done to promote true religious tolerance and to reject religious litmus tests."
Iftekar Hussain, chairman of the Council on Islamic American Relations in Pennsylvania, says the primary marks a watershed for many Muslim-Americans as they will be participating in far larger numbers. "One of the main things I've seen with Pennsylvania Muslims is that four or eight years ago I'd I talked to Muslims about the primaries they had no idea - they thought it was the November elections and that was it," he says.
"This time I've seen lots of Muslim participation and you will see it in the primaries which is something you didn't have before, and this has come through a learning process in the Muslim community."
