CAIR National PSA Campaign Challenges Growing Islamophobia in the US

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Public service announcements feature Muslim 9/11 first responders, interfaith leaders

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/1/2010) --

A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today launched a national public service announcement (PSA) campaign featuring Muslim 9/11 first responders and designed to challenge the growing anti-Muslim bigotry in American society.

[SATELLITE FEED FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND NEWS DIRECTORS: Feed Dates are Wednesday, September 1st, 2010, and Thursday, September 2nd, 2010. Both Feed Times: 1:00-1:30 p.m. ET (Fed in Rotation) Coordinates: Galaxy 19/C07 Slot B, FEC: 3/4/ Symbol Rate: 6.1113 / Data Rate: 8.448 / Downlink Freq: 3835.500V, Synaptic Digital Satellite Operations Trouble Line: 212-812-7134]

CAIR's PSA campaign is also designed to offer an implicit challenge to the Florida church that plans to burn copies of the Quran, Islam's revealed text, on September 11.

CAIR '9/11 Happened to Us All' PSA, Firefighter (30-Second) CAIR '9/11 Happened to Us All' PSA, Firefighter (60-Second) CAIR '9/11 Happened to Us All' PSA, Medical Responder (30-Second) CAIR 'We Have More in Common than We Think' PSA, Interfaith (30-Second)

The PSAs are also available at: www.thenewsmarket.com/CAIR (Registration is required.)

Two of the three PSAs, which will be distributed today and tomorrow by satellite to television stations nationwide and online through social media sites, feature Muslim first responders to the 9/11 terror attacks, with the theme "9/11 happened to us all." Copies of the PSAs will also be mailed to selected television stations, with a focus on stations in New York and Florida.

The third PSA features Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders describing the "golden rule" as expressed by their respective faiths -- and ends with the phrase, "We have more in common than we think." That PSA is designed to show the commonalities between faiths and to challenge those who -- like the members of a Florida church who plan to burn Qurans on September 11 -- would divide America along religious lines.

A 2005 CAIR public service announcement (PSA) rejecting terrorism and religious extremism and was seen by some 10 million television viewers nationwide. That PSA, called "Not in the Name of Islam," featured ordinary American Muslims stating "that those who commit acts of terror in the name of Islam are betraying the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad."

SEE: CAIR 2005 'Not in the Name of Islam' PSA

Other national American Muslim organizations took part in the news conference outlined each group's individual and joint initiatives designed to promote religious freedom, challenge growing anti-Muslim bigotry in American society and to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

The other Muslim organizations that took part in the news conference included: (in alphabetical order)

Coordinating Council of Muslim Organizations in the Washington Area (CCMO) Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) MAS Freedom

Earlier this month, CAIR released an online toolkit designed to help Muslim communities organize proactive local educational and outreach initiatives tied to events such as a "National Day of Unity and Healing" on the upcoming anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

SEE: 'Teachable Moment Community Response Guide' Toolkit

The toolkit, called a "Teachable Moment Community Response Guide," offers guidance, tools and resources to help Muslim communities respond to specific current events such as the end of Ramadan Eid al-Fitr holiday occurring near September 11, the upcoming "Burn a Koran Day" by a church in Florida, the anti-Muslim bigotry generated by the smear campaign against a planned Islamic community center in Manhattan, and the ongoing tension and misunderstanding surrounding the building or expansion of mosques nationwide.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its 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.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, or 202-488-8787, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

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