Civil Rights Leaders to Join MPAC in Confronting Religious Intolerance in the '08 Elections
March 17, 2008
On March 22, the Muslim Public Affairs Council will bring well-respected political and civil rights allies of the Muslim American community to speak out against the disturbing rise in "Religious Intolerance in the 2008 Elections" during a benefit dinner to honor the MPAC Foundation.
Civil rights leaders Constance Rice, Co-Founder of the Advancement Project, and Rabbi Steven Jacobs, Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Kol Tikvah, have long been voices of conscience and vision in Southern California working for the advancement and integration of minority communities. 
WHAT:
"RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE IN THE '08 ELECTIONS"
A Benefit Dinner for the MPAC Foundation
WHEN:
Saturday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE:
Islamic Center of Southern California
434 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90020
COST:
$20 for adults / $10 for students
Childcare available upon request.
RSVP:
(213) 383-3443 or contact@mpac.org
During a recent speech at MPAC's annual convention, Jacobs said:
"There are religious, ethnic and racial hatreds that have become the engine of an epidemic dehumanization of this world in which we dwell. It is time for all of us to stop the dehumanization of Muslims who will help make this country greater." Click here to hear audio of his full remarks.
This election season has come to be defined by mud-slinging and whisper campaigns revolving around the issues of religion, race and gender.
As Nicholas Kristof wrote in his column in the New York Times recently, "the most monstrous bigotry in this election isn't about either race or sex. It's about religion.... For many bigoted Americans in the 21st century, calling someone a Muslim is still a slur. Are our hate and fear of a minority religion in our country so threatening that we would exploit the same hate and fear for political gain?"
SEE: "Obama and the Bigots" (New York Times, 3/9/08)
Just in the past six months, voters have heard a litany of offensive statements and positions exuded from presidential candidates:- Sen. John McCain say he would be "uncomfortable" with the prospect of a Muslim in the White House, and recently hailed as a spiritual adviser an Ohio megachurch pastor who has called upon Christians to wage a "war" against the "false religion" of Islam with the aim of destroying it.
- Sen. Barack Obama has been the subject is an insidious and bigoted campaign to paint him as a "secret Muslim" as a way of disqualifying him from the leading the nation.
- Sen. Hillary Clinton said that Sen. Barack is not a Muslim, "at least to her knowledge."
- Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) ruled out the possibility of a Muslim serving in a Cabinet level position.* Rudy Giuiliani's political advisor Rep. Peter King (R-NY) stated that "unfortunately, there are too many mosques" in the United States and accused Muslims of not cooperating with law enforcement.
- Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) suggested that the United States should bomb the holy sites of Mecca and Medina to "send a message to the terrorists."
Please join MPAC for this important event, and urge candidates to put an end to Islamophobia in the U.S. presidential election. Candidates must instead reach out constructively to the Muslim American community, soliciting their participation at all levels in the election and joining them to fend off hateful sentiments that serve only to demonize Muslims and perpetuate differences between Americans.
