American-Muslim's Are American Too

Muslim-Americans launch PR initiatives, promote Sept. 11 as day of national service

 

By Liz Goodwin liz Goodwin – Wed Sep 1, 11:13 am ET

In an effort to push back against negative views of Islam and Muslims, grassroots Muslim groups are launching a series of initiatives to convey to non-Muslim-Americans that they are also Americans.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) released a series of advertisements today that will run on national television, clearly intended to counter some of the furor over the proposed mosque near Ground Zero. In one spot, a New York firefighter who was a first responder after the Sept. 11 attacks talks about losing a loved one before announcing that he is a Muslim.
CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said the point of the ad is to "challenge the notion that Muslims were not also targeted on 9/11."
Previously at The Upshot:
• Poll: Most Republicans think Obama 'sympathizes' with Islamist goals• Two mosques far from Ground Zero get hate messages• NY cab driver stabbed in alleged anti-Muslim hate crime
A national CBS poll from last month showed that 40 percent of Americans had an unfavorable view of Islam. More than 70 percent of respondents said building a mosque near Ground Zero was not appropriate. And only 62 percent of Americans think Muslims should have the same right as other groups to build places of worship in their communities, a Pew Research poll found.
You can watch the CAIR "first responder" ad after the jump:

9/11 Happened to Us All @ Yahoo! Video

Meanwhile, Edina Lekovic, director of policy at the Muslim Public Affairs Council, is helping to organize a grassroots Muslim Day of Service planned for Sept. 11. The group coordinated more than 3,500 service projects in the past year as part of President Obama's National Day of Service initiative, but Lekovic says the push is especially important now.
"Given the climate in the country right now and the ... intense levels of attacks that many Muslims are feeling, this effort is meant to channel those emotions toward something that is good both for our faith and our country," Lekovic said.
Rather than just be "outraged" over incidents like the group planning to burn Korans in Gainesville, Florida on Sept. 11, Lekovic told The Upshot the day of service is an opportunity to "show who we are rather than just talk about who we are."
A separate grassroots initiative called "My Faith My Voice" also launched an advertisment this week featuring Muslim-Americans saying they renounce terrorism and do not want to take over the country or impose their faith on anyone.
"These are sincere efforts by everyday American Muslims to demonstrate who we are and that we are in every possible way just like every other American, and the kinds of awful and dangerous attacks that are happening now are fundamentally un-American," Lekovic said. "We're actually quite boring!"
Anti-Islamic sentiments are spreading well beyond the battle over the proposed Park51 community center near Ground Zero. At least two mosques far from New York have received hate-filled messages opposing the proposed mosque in Lower Manhattan, and a fire at a mosque construction site in Tennessee is now being investigated as arson.
(Photo: Anti-mosque protesters near Ground Zero/AP)

9/11 Happened to Us All @ Yahoo! Video

Bikini OR Headscarf

 Here is a great article

By Krista Bremer, (O, The Oprah Magazine

June 9, 2010 -- Updated 1609 GMT (0009 HKT)  ) I found on the CNN web site

  that discusses the topic of how one American woman married to a Libyan , living in the US reacted when her young daughter decided to wear the head scarf . This is really a love story , one of trust and respect .I think many women like her will relate to her dilemma of conscious .If you are non Muslim , it will give you a glimpse into a life that many find mysterious and unfathomable .
Bikini or headscarf -- which offers more freedom? - Topix

Muslims In America

I came across these articles and thought you might like to read them too .They are about Muslims in America .

New Documentary Film Explores Muslim Experience in America

"The film portrays the experience of Muslim Americans by examining various Muslim communities across America, from big cities in the East to small towns in the Midwest. The film focuses heavily on the voices of ordinary American Muslims and how Muslims fit into contemporary American society.
The research team traced the roots of Islam in America back to Sapelo Island, off the coast of Georgia. There they met a descendant of an African slave brought to the country in the 19th century. They also visited the oldest mosque in America in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The film team conducted interviews with Muslim and non-Muslim students, political and religious leaders, and community members to explore the breadth of socio-cultural perception of the Muslim-American community and the attitudes of that community."

Muslim Americans Find Their Voice Through Advocacy, Engagement

Muslim organizations bringing message of inclusiveness, involvement

The Muslim Public Affairs Council is part of a growing constellation of national organizations that are making Muslim voices and views heard. They include the large and influential Islamic Society of North America, the advocacy group Council on American-Islamic Relations, and the New York-based American Society for Muslim Advancement, which stresses its work in interfaith activities and cultural exchanges.
Two active legal organizations have emerged as well: Muslim Advocates, founded in 2005, and the nearly 500-member National Association of Muslim Lawyers.

Diversity, Faith Define Evolving Identity of Muslim Americans

Muslim Americans forging a community that “flourishes in democracy”

They are Muslim and American — and constitute part of a remarkable community that, in large measure, mirrors the diversity of the United States itself.
Muslims in the United States come from 80 different countries and tend to be younger, better educated and in more highly skilled or professional careers than the general population, says Zahid Bukhari of the Georgetown University-based Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.
Along with their varied ethnic identities, they are Sunni and Shiite — and range from orthodox to secular in their beliefs. They comprise recent immigrants as well as younger generations born in the United States, according to a 2007 survey by the Pew Research Center.
“We are the only country where you have a representation of the global Muslim community,” says Daisy Khan, executive director of the American Society for Muslim Advancement. “You can call us a mini-hajj — and an opportunity to be a model community for others.”