A Coalition of
African American
Muslims (CAAM)
held this press
confence,
Thursday, Sept.
2, 2010 at the
National Press
Club in
Washington, DC.
The controversy
over the Park 51
Project (Islamic
Center in Lower
Manhattan) is
indicative of a
general rise in
racist bigotry
towards people
of color in this
country. While
the issue has
its particular
and unique
distinctions, it
cannot be
separated from
the rising
violence against
African
Americans and
Latinos, or the
increasingly
inflammatory
rhetoric and
exclusionary
politics driving
the national
debate on
immigration.
As
African-American
Muslims, we feel
our unique
perspective has
been missing
from an emerging
national
discussion. We
wish to join
that discussion
by first of all
affirming that
among our
forbears are
Muslims who have
lived peacefully
and productively
in this country
since its
inception. They,
and others among
our people have
sacrificed too
much, both in
enduring the
horrors and
brutalities of
chattel slavery,
and during the
long march to
freedom, civil
and human rights
for us to
silently accept
a return to Jim
Crow
exclusionary
practices and
policies that
relegate either
ourselves or our
co-religionists
from other
ethnic
backgrounds to
second-class
citizenry.
|
