compiled by JULIE POUCHER HARBIN, EDITOR, ISLAMiCommentary on FEBRUARY 6, 2015:
Here is a selection of press releases and related commentary on the meeting from Muslim American groups and the White House.
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by HODA ELSHISHTAWY for MPAC.ORG on FEBRUARY 4, 2015:
Meeting the President to Expand Muslim Civic Participation
Dear Friend,
Today, I had the honor of participating in the first meeting between President Obama and American Muslims to discuss a range of national and domestic issues. It is historic in that it was the first meeting with our President to address pressing issues impacting our community.
After a brief address by President Obama, American Muslim scholar Dr. Sherman Jackson pointed out that American Muslims are part of the broader American society, and that Islam and Muslims have a great deal to contribute and have contributed to American civic life.
I began by highlighting the remarks made by the President during his conversation with British Prime Minister David Cameron with respect to the unique experience of American Muslims and that they, like every other American, are part of this nation. I also discussed the impact of role models and how important they are in inspiring civic and political engagement in young people, as well as the value of American Muslims serving their country in senior-level positions in the government.
We are aware of the various challenges American Muslims face to enter into careers in government and we want to ensure that American Muslim involvement, especially from young people, are part of the process and at the highest levels. The impact of having American Muslims serving at Cabinet-level and Undersecretary positions will demonstrate that American Muslims really are part of the process.
I personally handed the President a list of highly qualified American Muslim professionals to consider for appointed positions within the Administration. These individuals come from a variety of industries including STEM, national security, foreign policy and education. These Americans are building bridges between our nation and Muslim communities worldwide and are eager to serve our country at the highest levels possible.
Other issues raised during the meeting were the intersection of national security and civil liberties and the continuing reform of the Department of Justice racial profiling guidance to eliminate the border and national security loopholes. American Muslim leaders around the table also brought up healthcare, technology and entrepreneurship, and youth development.
We discussed the administration’s potential role in pushing back against anti-Muslim bigotry, especially when it comes from public officials. Foreign policy and issues of religious freedom, both domestically and internationally, were also raised during the meeting. Leaders focused on the protection of minorities in Muslim-majority countries.
We look forward to the Administration engaging the broader American Muslim community for the remainder of President Obama’s term.
Sincerely,
Hoda Elshishtawy
National Policy Analyst
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via INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL POLICY AND UNDERSTANDING (PRESS RELEASE) on FEBRUARY 5, 2015:
ISPU’s COO meets with President Obama as part of a group of American Muslim leaders from across the country.
On February 4, 2015, ISPU’s Chief Operating Officer and Director of Policy Impact, as part of a group of American Muslim leaders from across the country, met with President Obama and high ranking administration staff.
February 5, 2015
Washington, DC – On February 4, 2015, ISPU’s Chief Operating Officer and Director of Policy Impact, as part of a group of American Muslim leaders from across the country, met with President Obama and high ranking administration staff. This historic, first of its kind meeting between President Obama and American Muslims afforded the diverse group of participants the opportunity to discuss a broad range of issues impacting the American Muslim community. Among the topics discussed were the Affordable Care Act, issues of anti-Muslim violence and discrimination, the 21st Century Policing Task Force, and the upcoming White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism.
Mr. Latif shared ISPU’s research on the American Muslim community with the Obama administration on specific topics such as anti-Muslim bigotry, civic engagement, entrepreneurship, and concerns about anti-Muslim rhetoric around the upcoming elections. The meeting also presented an opportunity to share insights about how American Muslims are serving as job creators, innovators, and philanthropists in their communities, and making nationally significant contributions to America’s growth and development.
ISPU would like to recognize and thank all of its scholars, thought leaders, practitioners, partners and supporters for contributing to the production of invaluable research that will continue to serve as a resource to the White House and national decision makers.
About ISPU:
The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) is an independent nonprofit public policy research organization. Our mission is to provide expert analysis, insight and context to critical issues facing our nation, with an emphasis on those issues related to Muslim communities in the U.S. and abroad. To learn more about ISPU, and to download copies of our publications, please visit www.ispu.org.
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via COUNCIL ON AMERICAN ISLAMIC RELATIONS (PRESS RELEASE) on FEBRUARY 6, 2015:
CAIR Welcomes President Obama’s Prayer Breakfast Remarks on Islam, Urges Visit to U.S. Mosque
Last Updated on Friday, 06 February 2015 17:24 | | | Hits: 100
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/6/15) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed President Obama’s remarks yesterday at the National Prayer Breakfast in which he stated that terrorists who “professed to stand up for Islam. . .in fact are betraying it.”
He also described the terrorist group ISIS as “a brutal, vicious death cult that, in the name of religion, carries out unspeakable acts of barbarism.”
The president added:
“Lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.”
Those remarks drew criticism from many conservative political opponents.
“We thank President Obama for clearly separating the brutal actions of ISIS from the faith of Islam and for reminding us all that violence and injustice are not part of any faith,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.
He repeated the call by American Muslim leaders urging President Obama to visit a U.S. mosque.
“We invite the president to show public support for American Muslims by making the symbolic but significant gesture of visiting an American mosque in this time of growing Islamophobia,” said Awad.
Video: Announcement of Oklahoma Muslim Day at the Capitol Draws Hate Backlash (CAIR)
CAIR Islamophobia Monitor
Awad noted that CAIR and other American Muslim groups have repeatedly condemned the violent actions of ISIS as “anti-Islamic.”
Video: Excerpts From CAIR News Conference Condemning ISIS’s Killing of Jordanian Pilot
Video Compilation of CAIR Condemnations of ISIS Terrorism
CAIR: D.C. News Conference Announcing Muslim Scholars’ Open Letter Refuting ISIS’s Ideology
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.
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The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 04, 2015
Readout of the President’s Meeting with American Muslim Leaders
The President this afternoon met with American Muslim leaders to discuss a range of domestic and foreign policy issues. The President thanked the participants for their work in a variety of fields and for coming together to offer views on issues of importance to their communities, noting that his regular interactions with different faith communities provided him with valuable insights and feedback. Among the topics of discussion were the community’s efforts and partnerships with the Administration on a range of domestic issues such as the Affordable Care Act, issues of anti-Muslim violence and discrimination, the 21st Century Policing Task Force, and the upcoming White House Summit on Countering Violence Extremism. The President reiterated his Administration’s commitment to safeguarding civil rights through hate crimes prosecutions and civil enforcement actions. The President discussed the need to continue countering ISIL and other groups that commit horrific acts of violence, purportedly in the name of Islam. Noting the remarkable contributions of Muslim Americans to our country, the President also encouraged the participants to remain civically engaged in their communities, and told them that he looked forward to seeking additional opportunities to continue the discussion of these and other issues.
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