CIVIL RIGHTS UPDATE: CAIR-CHICAGO ATTORNEY REPRESENTS MUSLIM MAN IN POLICE MISCONDUCT CASE
September 25, 2006
CAIR-Chicago Attorney Rima Kapitan represented a Muslim man in a court hearing relating to a case of police misconduct. The hearing was regarding a charge against the man for resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
Mohammed Britel was held for over 8 hours by police after having asked police on his block a question about a parking ticket he was issued. Britel was held and questioned in the interrogation room and was told that he did not have the right to an attorney after he repeatedly requested one. The police also called the FBI, claiming Britel had admitted being tied to terrorists. Britel was then questioned by the FBI without an attorney after he, again, requested one.
CAIR-Chicago Attorney Rima Kapitan filed a motion to dismiss the charge against Britel. After city attorneys failed to respond to the motion, they offered to drop the “resisting” charge. Britel was also charged with two counts of assault, which officers agreed to drop if he apologized and “promised not to file an OPS complaint.” Britel, having grown weary of the drawn out process, agreed and the charges against him were subsequently dropped.
The case of Mohammed Britel is one of many cases involving misconduct by police officers against Muslims in the Chicagoland area. Law-abiding Muslims are often subjected to harassment and ill-treatment such as in this case. That police officers sworn to serve and protect the citizens of this city, including Muslims, would hold a man for eight hours, interrogate him without allowing him to obtain counsel, and call the FBI claiming he has ties to terrorists is a racist and flagrant abuse of power.
CAIR-Chicago will continue to advocate on behalf of Muslims such as Britel who experience such egregious infringements of their rights.
copyright © 2006, cairchicago.org
NBC 5: DISCUSSION ON SOX FORUM FANS HATE
September 21, 2006
http://www.nbc5.com/sports/9904895/detail.html
Baseball Officials Remove Thread
Some fans on the forum on the Chicago White Sox's Web site posted messages that had nothing to do with the team's fate in the American League wildcard race.
The messages, which have been removed, insulted Muslims, NBC5's Rob Elgas reported on Thursday. One discussion was titled "Muslims Keep Acting Like Savages," with more than 60 people responding.
"You can't help but get a pinch in the middle of your gut every time you see this stuff," said Ahmed Rehab of the Council of Islamic Relations. "Whether it's on a sports Web site or elsewhere. And I got to admit it's the first
Baseball officials said it's nearly impossible to prevent derogatory threads from appearing, but once online, supervisors can quickly remove them.
"I do not blame the White Sox at all, they could not have known about it until someone alerted them," Rehab said. "And they did the right thing taking it down as soon as they found out about it."
White Sox officials said they were surprised about the posts and contacted Major League Baseball personnel in the league's office in New York, which controls the Web sites of all the teams in the major leagues. Officials in New York immediately removed the posts .
"From the team's perspective, it doesn't belong there," said a White Sox spokesman. "It's a place for people to go talk about the White Sox, to vent if they're angry, and a lot of fans are frustrated. But when it goes beyond that line, regardless of the topic, it should go off."
For their part, White Sox fans made a point of noting that their current priorities have nothing to do with Muslims.
"Everyone knows it's a ball game," said White Sox fan Dan Costigan. "When you're there, you're a Sox fan. You're not black, white, Mexican, Muslim or Indian. You're a Sox fan."
Copyright 2006 by NBC5.com. All rights reserved.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE: POPE'S REMARKS TEAR AT FRAGILE RELATIONS
By Margaret Ramirez
September 19, 2006
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ nationworld/chi-0609190138sep19,1,6700736. story?page=2&coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed
The pontiff's comments and the fiery protests that followed strain the tenuous dialogue between Muslims and Christians worldwide
Despite a rare expression of regret and deep sorrow from Pope Benedict XVI over his use of an inflammatory 14th Century quote on Islam and violence, Roman Catholics and Muslims alike said they fear the incident may damage the increasingly important dialogue between the two world faiths.
Outrage in the Islamic world over the remarks represents the first crisis of Benedict's 17-month-old papacy, and the Vatican expanded efforts to defuse the situation Monday by ordering representatives to discuss the matter with leaders of Muslim countries. Catholic bishops meeting in Istanbul said the pope would visit Turkey in November as scheduled, though several Turkish leaders continued to object.
Even as Al Qaeda in Iraq vowed war on Christianity and violent protests continued in Syria and Indonesia, some Muslim leaders said the remarks demonstrated the crucial need for more dialogue between Catholics and Muslims, and many vowed they would continue such interfaith efforts.
On Sunday, Benedict issued a carefully worded apology for his remarks, saying he was "deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address ... which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims."
Many Muslim leaders worldwide, as well as some in Chicago, said the apology was inadequate because it was directed toward the "reactions" of Muslims and not an actual admission that he had done wrong. Other Muslim leaders called for further clarification about the point the pope had intended to make in his speech.
"Pope Benedict's apology is incomplete because it expresses remorse for Muslim anger to his questionable selection of quotations, rather than his own poor judgment in choosing them. Yet, we welcome it as a step in the right direction," said Ahmed M. Rehab, executive director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
"Muslims are still waiting for this pope to reclaim the reconciliatory path of Muslim-Catholic dialogue Pope John Paul mastered; when he does, he'll find many willing Muslim partners just as Pope John Paul did."
Visiting a German university on Sept. 12, Benedict delivered a speech that focused on the separation of faith and reason in Western society. The pope quoted from a conversation between a 14th Century Byzantine emperor--a Christian--and a "learned Persian" about the two faiths.
The emperor said: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." The emperor then argued that conversion by violence is unreasonable and therefore "contrary to God's nature."
Aminah McCloud, professor of religious studies at DePaul University and director of the school's Islamic World Studies program, said the pope's comments seem to suggest a lack of awareness of Islam's diversity. McCloud said the pope could rectify the situation by clarifying why he selected the citation and what light he believes it sheds on Muslim-Catholic relations.
"It shows a lack of understanding of Islamic thought, in general, today. But also, he is doing that thing that we hope people never do, which is lump all Muslims in one basket by making sweeping general comments, to imply that those who follow Islam are unreasonable and therefore prone to violence," McCloud said. "I think this did a lot of harm. I can't say whether or not that harm is irreparable. But it did a great deal of harm."
Catholic observers were equally divided as to the meaning and impact of the fallout.
Chester Gillis, chairman of Georgetown University's theology department and an expert on the U.S. Catholic Church, said the remarks reveal the first public signs of the pope's tougher stance in the church's dealings with the Islamic world.
Overtures of that stance came earlier this year when he shut down the Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue and transferred its head, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, the Vatican's leading expert on the Islamic world, to Cairo. Vatican observers viewed the move as a snub to Fitzgerald, who was widely viewed by his critics as being too soft on Muslims.
"I believe this does reveal a tougher side of Benedict," Gillis said. "His talk was about faith and reason and the need for rationality in religion. And his feeling is that violence is not a rational way to act."
Benedict has also been clear in distinguishing himself from Pope John Paul II by stating that any dialogue between Muslims and Christians should involve "reciprocity." That principle implies that if Muslims want to enjoy religious freedom in the West, then Christians should also be allowed to practice their religion in Muslim states without fear of being persecuted.
Even so, the pope's remarks don't represent any significant shift in church policy. Instead, they illustrate a theologian who underestimated the reaction that a fiery medieval quote could provoke in a post 9/11 world, Gillis said.
"Will leaders in the Islamic community refuse to sit with Catholics in dialogue? I don't think that's going to happen. The dialogue is just too important right now."
Rev. Donald Senior, president of Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, said a thorough study of the pope's entire speech finds that he was actually using the quote to explain certain reflections on the relationship between religion and rationality or faith and reason. At the end of the speech, he refers to the controversial quote again and says this is why we need dialogue and understanding.
Senior also notes that in the original German text, Benedict refers to the quotation as "crude." To take the quote out of context from the entire message of the speech is to mischaracterize Benedict, Senior said.
"The pope has spoken about Islam before. He has met with Muslim leaders in his first visit outside of Rome in Cologne (Germany.) He's concerned about the violence, as I think all thoughtful religious leaders of all traditions are. But he certainly has more of a track record than a quotation that he described himself as crude," Senior said.
"I think his concern was how far reason and intelligence can probe into the meaning of God's revelation. It has its limits, but it also has its validity. So, I think he was trying to start with a vivid example of an exchange about this. But unfortunately, it was seen as reflective of his own views."
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Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
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THE INNER JOURNEY OF YOUNG MUSLIMS IN AMERICA
By Judy Woodruff
September 15, 2006
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/ story.php?storyId=6071738
Two young women are discovering what it means to be Muslim in America. Assia and Iman Boundaoui talk about how they reconcile living between two worlds, and where their Muslim and American identities come together.
Part I: Young Muslim Americans Struggle with Identity
Part II: Wearing a Hijab
Sisters Assia and Iman Boundaoui grew up outside Chicago, their lives straddling what it is to be Muslim and American. Born to Algerian parents, they attended an Islamic school and a Sunni mosque around the corner from their home. They watched Nickelodeon and Al Jazeera. They got takeout food from Kentucky Fried Chicken and the falafel place down the street.
Assia, 20, and Iman, 18, reflect on what it means to dress differently because of their religion, and how they are perceived by non-Muslims.
"I'm proud to be Algerian, but it makes me mad when people think just because you have a scarf on, you can't be American," says Assia, who is 20. "You know, they have to ask you, 'Where are you really from? No, no where are you really from?'"
All of which might prompt a question: When it comes to their own identity, do you they think of themselves first as Muslim, or American?
"In America, we would say we're Muslim first, because that's what makes us different, I guess," Assia says. "So you identify with that one factor within you that stands out. But in another country, like in a Muslim country, and someone asks us to identify ourselves, we would say we're American."
Iman says she felt most American during a trip to Paris she took as a high school senior. Her group visited a Muslim school that was opened in response to a law banning religious headwear in public schools.
"We were talking to the girls and they were crying and telling us that before the school was made, the girls there had to make the choice of not going to school or attending school without the scarf," Iman says. "It was probably the hardest decision they've ever had to make. And me and my friends were looking at them and at that moment were like, 'Thank God we live in America, that I can walk down the street with my scarf on without having to decide to take it off because I have to go to school.'"
This month, Iman starts her freshman year at Northwestern University; Assia begins a college fellowship in Europe for an international human-rights organization.
Copyright © 2006, NPR
CHICAGO TRIBUNE: CANDIDATE'S PROFILING STAND ANGERING MUSLIMS IN STATE
By John McCormick
September 15, 2006
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0609150343 sep15,1,1012871.story?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed
It started as a simple campaign tour to commemorate Sept. 11 and distribute more than 1,000 American flag yard signs in a western Illinois congressional district where the incumbent has been sidelined by Parkinson's disease.
But Republican candidate Andrea Zinga's comments earlier this week about airport profiling and Middle Eastern men has set off a controversy that has angered Muslims in the state.
"Profiling doesn't bother me if we are profiling the people who, with one exception--and that would be Timothy McVeigh--have caused the outrages against our nation and caused the deaths of American citizens," she said, according to an Associated Press story. "We're talking about Middle Eastern men."
But Zinga, who also drew criticism during an unsuccessful 2004 campaign bid when she questioned the failing health of Rep. Lane Evans, said in an interview Thursday that the quote fails to provide the full context of what she was saying.
She said the point she was trying to make is that airlines need to have the freedom to more thoroughly screen any passenger who sets off red flags without worrying about whether they have exceeded any arbitrary ratio for that racial or ethnic group.
"Unfortunately, the preponderance of the terrorist crimes have been done by people from the Middle East," said Zinga, who narrowly won the 17th District primary in March. "But if suddenly your triggers started to show that everyone was, say, an Irish grandmother, then I don't have any problem with you screening as many Irish grandmothers as you need to screen to keep that plane from turning into a weapon of mass destruction."
The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, meanwhile, has condemned Zinga's comments.
"She is misinformed and she is more concerned about votes than issues," said Ahmed Rehab, the group's executive director. "This is language that we tend to hear during elections when candidates feel they can tap into the fears of voters."
A comment Zinga made Tuesday to a Moline television station-- that "the Islamic culture is bent on conquering and subjugating a great deal of the world"--further angered Rehab.
"There's just no excuse for a candidate running for public office in America to not know the difference between the threat of terrorism and the faith of Islam," he said.
Zinga said the discussion about profiling started with a question from a reporter in Springfield.
"One of the reporters said, `I have a Middle Eastern name, so should I be stopped?'" Zinga recounted. "I said `yes.'"
But in a district that leans Democratic, there is speculation that Zinga made the comments on purpose to draw attention to her underdog campaign.
"I think it is probably a calculated thing on her part and there aren't too many Muslims that are going to vote for her anyway," said Tom Getz, a former chairman of the Rock Island County GOP. "I think people are a little tired of what they go through at airports...They are saying why should an 85-year-old woman be asked to take her shoes off and all that."
Zinga's opponent, Democrat Phil Hare, a longtime Evans aide, has not said much about her profiling statement.
"He disagrees with racial profiling, but beyond that he hasn't made too much of a strong statement one way or the other," said Teresa Kurtenbach, a Hare campaign spokeswoman.
Despite criticism from Muslims, Zinga is not steering away from the controversy. She posted an extensive item about the incident Wednesday on her campaign blog.
"When you are trying to avoid a murderous hijacking, you look closest at the triggers and signs that you know are most likely, statistically, to lead to that eventuality," she wrote. "When I say profiling doesn't bother me, I refer specifically to profiling in airports."
Lara Uselding, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration, said there is no racial profiling on the part of her agency.
"All passengers who come to a checkpoint are subject to random and unpredictable screening," she said. "The screening rules are the same for everyone."
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Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO TRIBUNE: "WE'RE HERE TODAY TO ALWAYS REMEMBER"
By Brendan McCarthy and John Chase
September 12, 2006
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0609120175sep12,1, 2309811.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed
Time came to a standstill at 7:46 a.m. Monday on a busy block in downtown Chicago.
Outside Holy Name Cathedral, politicians stood silent, clergymen bowed their heads and passersby paused as a bell tolled from the cathedral's steeple. Cars quietly hummed by without honking horns. Chirping birds and other typical sounds of the city seemed muted
Exactly five years ago to the minute that a plane tore into the World Trade Center, Chicago remembered.
Across the region Monday, similar moments were seemingly frozen in time as steps both big and small were taken to commemorate Sept. 11, 2001.
At Holy Name Catholic Cathedral, 735 N. State St., Gov. Rod Blagojevich declared it a day of remembrance in Illinois.
Blagojevich, joined by Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn, Comptroller Dan Hynes and 15 men in uniform--ranging from suburban police and fire personnel to state police and a man in military fatigues--called Sept. 11, 2001, as infamous as Dec. 7, 1941, the day Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.
"We're here today to always remember," Blagojevich said.
Rev. Dan Mayall of Holy Name marked the anniversary by reading lyrics from "The Day America Cried," a song written by Jim Peterik and Johnny Van Zant.
"And now we stand as one," Mayall said. "As flags are raised to hail our heroes. ... We join our hearts to remember all who have died. The day America cried."
After the ceremony, Mayall led a solemn 8 a.m. mass for the politicians, public servants and about 75 other worshipers.
On Monday evening, as the sun set on a wet and dreary Chicago, scores of people from several faiths gathered in St. James Episcopal Cathedral downtown to remember the tragedy and pray for peace.
Inside the cavernous, dimly lighted church, a murmur of atmospheric music began the ceremony, reducing the attendees' hushed whispers to silence. Then even the music stopped.
A procession of religious leaders, led by the choir and a 4-foot-tall lighted candle carried by a Christian clergyman, stepped down the church's center aisle toward the sanctuary. They gathered on both sides of the massed choir, dressed in suits, clerical vestments and headscarves.
After an opening invocation and song, the religious leaders began their readings. First, Psalm 23 from the Hebrew Scriptures, in Hebrew and in English. Then, from the Christian Gospels, Matthew 5:43-47. Ahmed Rehab of the Council on American-Islamic Relations delivered the final readings, from the Koran.
"The merciful ones will be shown mercy by the all-merciful God," he read, in Arabic and English. "Be merciful to those on Earth; God will be merciful to you in the heavens."
In Libertyville, about 200 people took turns throughout the day standing silently in front of a school memorial.
Groups of four and five people spent half-hour shifts standing before the display in the lobby of Libertyville High School. The display consisted of two burning candles--one for each World Trade Center tower--a rose with a black ribbon tied around the stem and an American flag, said Stephanie Janczak, the school's student body president.
The school also observed a moment of silence Monday morning, followed by a marching band's patriotic anthems, a bugler and a gun salute.
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Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
In the News
- Chicago Sun Times: Visiting Muslim leader: pope's speech improper
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September 24, 2006
- Chicago Sun Times: Ramadan fast more than food, water
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September 23, 2006
- BBC News: US Muslims 'well integrated'
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September 21, 2006
- ABC 7: Chicago-area Muslims question Pope's choice of words
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September 19, 2006
- Chicago Tribune: Pope's remarks tear at fragile relations
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September 19, 2006
- National Public Radio: The Inner Journey of Young Muslims in America
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September 15, 2006
- Chicago Tribune: Candidate's profiling stand angering Muslims in state
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September 15, 2006
- Time Out Chicago: Five years later
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September 14, 2006
- Chicago Business (CRAIN'S): In trying to build bridges, he finds a much deeper divide
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September 12, 2006
- Alternet: Muslim Charities Struggle to Stay Open
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September 12, 2006
- Chicago Tribune: `We're here today to always remember'
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September 12, 2006
- Medill News Service: Muslim schools gain popularity
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September 11, 2006
- Pantagraph.com: Phobias against Muslims and Islam are a reality
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September 10, 2006
- Thueringer Allgemeine: An erster Stelle Amerikaner (In German)
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September 9, 2006
Press Center
- Media Advisory: OIC, CAIR, ADC, To Hold Press Conference On Islam/West Relations
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September 20, 2006
- Press Release: IL Muslims Condemn Candidate's Racist Remarks
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September 13, 2006
- CAIR-Chicago Attorney Represents Muslim in Case Against Chicago Police
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September 22, 2006
- Another Citizenship Delay Case Resolved
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September 21, 2006
- Civil Rights Intern Meets with National Lawyers Guild Representative
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September 20, 2006
- CAIR-Chicago in Negotiations with Cook County Sheriff's Office
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September 15, 2006
- CAIR-Chicago Continues to Support the Rights of Hotel Workers Negotiations with the Hilton
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September 15, 2006
- CAIR-Chicago Assists Local Muslim Community in Addressing "No-Parking" Regulations Targeting Muslims Attending Friday Prayer Services
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September 12, 2006
- Library Launches Quarterly Program on Islam
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September 7, 2006
Recent Events
- Executive Director to Present at Islamic Foundation North
September 24, 2006
- Rehab, Cohen to Discuss Perceptions of Islam at John Marshall Law School
September 20, 2006
- CAIR-Chicago Urges People to Stand Up Against Police Torture
September 15, 2006
- CAIR-Chicago to join 9/11 Commemoration at St. James Cathedral
September 11, 2006
- Communications Coordinator to Speak Before the Third Unitarian Church Forum
September 10, 2006
 
RECENT CASES:
Civil Rights Update – 09/24/06
The Civil Rights Department at CAIR-Chicago currently has 594 cases documented in which 240 cases are active and are being pursued by department personnel. Below are the cases that were reported to CAIR-Chicago within the last two weeks.
Government:
- The Muslim community of a local suburb was outraged at their village’s decision to enact "No Parking" signs in a residential area near the mosque they attend. The village stated that the reason for their decision to enact the new parking law was because of Muslims who would park in the residential area and trespass upon private property in order to walk to the mosque. The Muslim community in the area felt that the new parking law unfairly targeted Muslims, and did not address the trespass problem in its entirety. For CAIR-Chicago’s role, see “CAIR-Chicago Assists Local Muslim Community in Addressing ‘No-Parking’ Regulations Targeting Muslims Attending Friday Prayer Services” in the progress report section.
- Four more Muslims have reported delays in their citizenship process, having applied for their citizenship and passing all necessary USCIS requirements, but have been waiting for citizenship status due to pending background checks. CAIR-Chicago is incorporating these four cases into the Citizenship Delay Project. For more information on the Citizenship Delay Project, please see the action alert below.
- A Muslim family was delayed while returning home from an international flight. The family has gone through the procedure to register with the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA). CAIR-Chicago will continue to monitor the situation to see if the family still encounters unnecessary delays while traveling.
- A Muslim family was approached by police officers while stopped at a gas station. The officers told the family that after scanning their license plate, the reading told the officer to detain the man, though the man had no warrants against him. CAIR-Chicago contacted the authorities for more information and will take whatever action necessary to resolve the incident.
- A Muslim doctor reported harassment by local law enforcement officials and defaming articles by local papers which have negatively impacted his practice. CAIR-Chicago is investigating the complaint and will take whatever steps necessary to address the situation.
Employment:
- A Muslim medical student volunteering at a local medical clinic catering to the underprivileged was told by her supervisor that her religiously motivated headscarf (hijab) would negatively impact patient care. The medical student was not directly asked to remove her hijab, and has not been subject to further comments or negative treatment. CAIR-Chicago has advised the student to monitor her environment for further hostility and to document any incidents that arise.
- A Muslim woman working for an airline was terminated after her security clearance had been taken away by the Transportation and Security Administration. CAIR-Chicago is investigating the complaint and will advise the woman of the options available to her.
- A Muslim man was terminated from his place of employment after an altercation with another employee with a history of harassing the Muslim man. Shortly after the incident, the man was asked by a supervisor where he “came from,” and was then discharged. CAIR-Chicago is investigating the complaint and will advise the man of the options available to him.
- A Muslim man was terminated the week after he notified his employers of his need to attend Friday congregational prayer services (Jummah). CAIR-Chicago is investigating the complaint and will advise the man of the options available to him.
ONGOING PROGRESS:
View reports of ongoing progress for cases with the Civil Rights Department in the "Progress Report" section.
ACTION ALERTS:
Citizenship Delay Project - Religious Discrimination Delays Citizenship Process:
As a joint effort with the Arab American Action Network (AAAN), CAIR-Chicago is asking individuals who passed a citizenship examination and have been waiting for over 90 days, or have been waiting for a Green Card for permanent residence for over 90 days to contact us at either or
Travel Free Project - Muslim Americans Detained and Questioned When Traveling Outside of the U.S.:
As part of a potential class action law suit, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and CAIR-Chicago is asking anyone who has been detained and questioned on return to the US at any border crossing (land or airport) to please contact immediately. It is important for Muslims who have faced this type of treatment to join the lawsuit so as to show that it is not an isolated case. The more people that join the case the more strength it will have to force positive changes in how Muslim Americans are treated in the future at our borders.
Also, if you are being consistently delayed, detained, or have otherwise had your rights violated while traveling, contact .
Religious Discrimination at Standardized Testing Centers:
As part of a potential class action law suit, CAIR-Chicago is asking for anyone who has experienced any form of religious discrimination at a testing center to please contact us at . An example of a possible form of religious discrimination includes requiring or requesting the removal of a headscarf for searches, or discriminatory remarks made by employees about Muslims or Islam.
The facts of the above case are as follows:
A Muslim student was asked to remove her headscarf on two separate occasions at a testing center before she began a standardized test required for graduate school. The supervisor and employees of the testing center refused to show her a written copy of the policy requiring Muslim women wearing a headscarf to be searched. A witness at the testing center also observed the employees making discriminatory remarks about Muslims while the victim was taking the test.
Please let us know if you or someone you know have experienced a similar incident and would like to take action to prevent such forms of religious discrimination at standardized testing centers in the future.
 - CAIR-Chicago Urges People to Stand Up Against Police Torture
September 13, 2006
 - Ramadan Outreach - Islamic Society of Northwest Suburbs
September 25, 2006
- CAIR-Chicago to Hold a Voter Registration Drive at Bait-Ul-Ilm
October 1, 2006
- Executive Director to Speak at University of Maryland Journalism Conference in Las Vegas
October 12, 2006
- Executive Director To Deliver Sermon at Las Vegas Islamic Center
October 13, 2006
- Executive Director to speak on Muslim-American activism at the University of Nevada
October 13, 2006
- Ahmed Rehab, Fall Speaker at Minnesota State University Moorehead
October 24, 2006
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Former businessman learns the difficulty of being Muslim in post-9/11 U.S.
Ahmed Rehab walked away from the business world to become a spokesman for American Muslims — and walked into a firestorm.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Mr. Rehab was a consultant at Arthur Andersen in Chicago. In the wake of the attacks, he feared Americans would direct discrimination, distrust and worse toward Arabs and Muslims.
Three years later, with the U.S. engaged in a full-scale war in the Middle East and fears of further plots by Islamic extremists still running high, a college friend approached Mr. Rehab about starting a local chapter of the non-profit Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
More...
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: 2007 EVENT PLANNER
CAIR-Chicago is seeking a qualified volunteer to assist as the Event Planner for our 2007 Annual Event. The Event Planner will head CAIR-Chicago’s Annual Fundraiser Committee as the Chairperson, and will work closely with CAIR-Chicago’s Operations Coordinator, Board, and staff. This position is compensated.
The Muslim community, sponsors, and guests will be invited to review CAIR-Chicago’s past year accomplishments and will be asked to support our future efforts to benefit the Muslim American community in Chicago. If you are interested in serving the Muslim community as CAIR-Chicago’s 2007 Event Chairperson, please contact Sabah Ahmed at .
Position Details
CAIR-Chicago Welcomes New Activists to the Team
 Rashad Tahir joins CAIR-Chicago as an Operations Intern. He is currently pursuing a degree in Finance from DePaul University. Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Rashad has a strong interest in the fields of finance and accounting, and hopes to gain valuable knowledge and experience in assisting the community. Outside of school, he enjoys reading, and spending time with family and friends.
 Marwah Serag is in her third year of law school at DePaul University, College of Law and joins CAIR-Chicago as a Civil Rights Intern. She is concentrating her study of the law on Immigration Law and International Human Rights Law. She is pursuing an internship at CAIR-Chicago because she wants to protect and promote the rights of Muslims. In the future she hopes to work in the international community upholding human rights.
 Amy Chiang is in her second year of law school at Chicago-Kent College of Law and joins CAIR-Chicago as a Civil Rights Intern. She has an interest in Immigration Law, Civil Rights Law, and Family Law. She has worked for a family law firm for the past three years. She is a graduate of DePaul University where she majored in Business Administration and Economics. Amy is an avid Steelers fan and hopes to cheer them on to another Super Bowl victory this year.
 Rachel Rondy is in her second year of DePaul University College of Law J.D. program. She recently joined CAIR-Chicago as a Law Clerk in the civil rights department. Rachel’s main interests are international human rights law and civil rights. She spent the summer working on a land law development project in Cambodia.
CAIR-Chicago's Muslim Activist Website
Are you an Undergraduate or Graduate Student Looking to Earn College Credit While Interning at CAIR-Chicago?
CAIR-Chicago, the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), is currently offering 17 new internship opportunities. CAIR is the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization. The organization’s mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
All internships are unpaid. Internships last one semester and include a 12-hour/week commitment. Applicants should email a resume and cover letter to Dina Rehab, Outreach Coordinator, at: .
APPLICATION GUIDELINES:
clearly indicate which internship opportunity you are applying for in your cover letter. If you are applying for more than one position, please list in order of preference. All fall applications are due by August 28th (please note: fall internships run from August/September through December/January). Applications that do not list the above information will not be processed. If you have any questions, please email all inquiries to . Students interested in receiving class credit, should indicate so in their cover letters. Credit will be arranged during the first week of the academic semester.
Listing of all internships by department:
Civil Rights:
CIVIL RIGHTS INTERN
LAW CLERK (Law Students Only)
Communications:
COMMUNICATIONS INTERN
CHURCH PROJECT INTERN
FAITH CORE ONLINE MAGAZINE INTERN
Governmental Relations:
GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS INTERN
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING LEAD INTERN
VOTER EDUCATION PROJECT INTERN
POLICY RESEARCH INTERN
Operations:
OPERATIONS INTERN
RECEPTIONIST
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INTERN
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT INTERN
Outreach:
PUBLIC RELATIONS INTERN
PUBLIC EDUCATION INTERN
HUMAN RESOURCES INTERN
MUSLIMS CARE PROJECT INTERN
Dina Rehab is CAIR-Chicago's Outreach Coordinator, she can be reached via email at
    
Executive Director
Ahmed Rehab
Civil Rights Coordinator
Christina Abraham
Outreach Coordinator
Dina Rehab
Governmental Relations Coordinator
Sadiya Ahmed
Operations Coordinator
Sabah Ahmed
Communications Coordinator
Sultan Muhammad
Staff Attorney
Heena Musabji, Esq.
Legal Advisor
Maaria Mozaffar
Community Organizer
Haady Taslim
Board of Directors
Alif Muhammad
Ahmed Rehab
Hina Sodha, Esq.
Yaser Tabbara, Esq. - Secretary
Mazen Kudaimi, MD - Vice President
Safaa Zarzour, Esq. - President
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| CAIR-Chicago
