—FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—
JAMAICA, New York (March 29, 2011) – In a press release issued today, the Islamic Circle of North America thanked Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for leading hearings on the civil rights of American Muslims.
Earlier today the Senate Judiciary Sub-Committee on the Constitution held hearings on the Civil Rights of Muslim Americans. The hearings, led by Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Lindsey Graham, were a necessary step to counter the rise of Islamophobia and bigotry towards American Muslims. ICNA applauds both Sen. Durbin and Sen. Graham for their bi-partisan leadership and solidarity with American Muslims.
We also thank Cardinal Theodore McCarrick in particular, for commending American Muslim organizations ICNA and ISNA. He said “We appreciate the many sincere expressions of sympathy and condemnation that came from around the world, including from our dialogue partners in the Muslim community, following this act of grave injustice [against Christians in Muslim countries]. In particular, our partners in the American Muslim community including the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) have stood with us as trusted allies in speaking out against violence and injustice and in defense of religious freedom.“.
We urge the American Muslim community to contact Sen. Durbin and Sen. Graham and thank them for championing the rights of all Americans and upholding the values and freedoms our nation was founded on.”
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL):
202-224-2152
http://durbin.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/footer-contact?p=contact
http://twitter.com/senatordurbin
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC):
202-224-5972
http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=contact.emailsenatorgraham
http://twitter.com/GrahamBlog
See below for full statements of the hearing participants:
Senator Dick Durbin
Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez
Honorable R. Alexander Acosta
Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick
Muslim Advocates President Farhana Khera
