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A review of some existing Muslim civil rights organizations

CAIR

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is currently at the forefront of the fight for Muslim civil rights in the post-9/11 United States.

Based in Washington, DC, the group's role has evolved. When it was first established in 1994, its focus was primarily on speaking out against media bias towards Islam and Muslims in the news, as well as in the entertainment industry. From there, CAIR went from being reactive to pro-active, by educating employers and teachers across the nation about Muslim needs and concerns, and teaching Muslims about their rights, thus leading the organization into its primary role in the civil rights arena today.

CAIR has dealt with hundreds of cases of discrimination and bias against Muslims since 9/11, including a high profile one involving a Muslim secret service agent kicked off a plane who was en route to protect US President George W. Bush last year.

The advocacy group has also, since 1996, published a report on the state of Muslim rights and discrimination against Muslims in America. In April, it issued "The Status of Muslim Civil Rights in the United States", which details incidents and experiences of anti-Muslim violence, stereotyping, discrimination, and harassment during 2001, while presenting the backlash against Islam and Muslims that occurred following 9/11, as well as how anti-terrorism laws and policies resulting from 9/11 have affected Muslim civil rights in the US.

CAIR's website is at www.cair-net.org

The Muslim Public Affairs Council

MPAC is probably the oldest organization working for the civil rights of Muslim Americans. Established in 1988, it also aims to introduce Islam into mainstream American culture. It is well-known amongst Muslims in America for its efforts to involve Muslims in the US political process. It does this through events like meetings with presidential candidates, entertainers and local elected officials, setting up hospitality suites at Democratic and Republican state conventions, and sponsoring regional meetings to determine the needs of its constituents.

Most of MPAC's work focuses on monitoring the media, contacting legislators, decision-makers, and working with other religious and ethnic organizations. Research and organization about Islam and Muslims in America is also part of its work.

Its website is www.mpac.org

The American Muslim Council

Established in 1990, this is one of the oldest Muslim organizations that deals with civil rights. Initially, it focussed more on bringing a higher profile to Islam in the US. For example, helped in getting Brooklyn, New York-based Imam Siraj Wahhaj to lead Islamic invocations before the House of Representatives and Senate as far back as 1991. This was the first time a Muslim had led prayers before the government in American history.

Since the mid-1990s, the Washington, DC-based group has also worked to ensure that laws to protect national security safeguard civil rights. AMC's campaigns to abolish the use of "secret evidence," which keeps immigrants in jail without their having the right to see the evidence used against them, is just one example of this. Recently, it has also been working in conjunction with CAIR and other national Muslim organizations on civil rights issues.

AMC's website address is www.amconline.org

The Muslim Legal Fund Of America

This nascent organization was established this year, and aims to provide funding to any American Muslim individual or Muslim institutions indicted for, charged with or convicted of offenses for being Muslim, "holding and/or expressing opinions friendly to Islam and Muslims and for engaging in legal activities which promote and protect the image and interest of Islam and Muslims."

The funds, its website emphasizes, are from US-based sources.

The group also says it will file Friend of the Court in cases in which it is not directly involved to defend a particular individual, Muslim or non-Muslim.

Its website is http://www.muslimlegalfund.org/

The Muslim Civil Rights Center

This Chicago-based organization was formed in 1998 to develop a concerted and collective voice of resistance against discriminatory actions against Muslims in the United States. Although one of its aims is also to support Muslim individuals and organizations whose civil rights have been violated, its primary focus is educating Muslims in the US about civil rights. This it has done through symposiums and workshops on civil rights issues impacting the Muslim communities in the Chicago area.

The Muslim Civil Rights Center's website is at www.muslimcivilrights.com

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