MPAC's weekly round-up of DC news and events that impact the Muslim American community. By highlighting Congressional hearings and policy forums, MPAC connects you directly with the Senate, House of Representatives, think-tanks, organizations, and federal agencies. We monitor important conversations on Islam and Muslims in order to enhance the role of American Muslims in the future of our nation. We invite you to do the same... [ Subscribe to receive DC News & Views in your inbox ]

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  NSA Surveillance Program Takes a Page out of '1984'

  June 14, 2013
  The notion that we must give up liberty for freedom has taken our country into a whole new realm of Orwellian life. This week, reports revealed a top-secret NSA program, PRISM, has been collecting data on American citizens through monitoring emails, text messages, phone calls and other methods of communications.

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  TSA Passenger Screening Program Nothing More than Sanctioned Racial Profiling

  June 7, 2013
  Agents at Boston's Logan International Airport said fellow employees in the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) behavior detection program were targeting minorities for questioning based on their race or ethnicity. In fact, the TSA’s own Inspector General found that the behavioral detection program has done little more in the past seven years than racial profiling of unsuspecting passengers.

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  A New Era for the Next FBI Director

  May 31, 2013
  This week, it has been reported that President Barack Obama is prepared to nominate James Comey to direct the FBI. Currently, Director Robert Mueller’s term is set to expire in September leaving the position vacant and the Bureau satiated with public relations problems.

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  President Outlines America’s Crossroads in Counter-Terrorism Policy

  May 24, 2013
  Yesterday at the National Defense University, President Barack Obama laid out a comprehensive outline of our counter-terrorism policy to end our state of continual warfare. In what seemed like a speech filled with frustrations, the President finally put to words and laid to rest the thoughts and feelings many have had about our use of targeted force, dismantling of Al-Qaeda and detention facilities.

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  Honest Democracy in Pakistan’s Historic Election

  May 16, 2013
  Last Saturday, Pakistan’s national election proved to be a milestone in the political development of a country that has been entrenched in turmoil and grief for several months, if not years. In more than 60 years, this is the first time in the country’s history that one elected government served its full five-year term and subjected itself to the electorate in a free and fair manner.

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  'Now Is the Time' is Correct; Close Guantanamo Bay

  May 10, 2013
  With all the political gridlock of Washington, DC, it seems the only status of detainees in Guantanamo (Gitmo) Bay is limbo. Though President Barack Obama reaffirmed his commitment to shutting down the detention facility as a moral and national security issue, the reality is that more than half of the Gitmo detainees are approaching the third month of their hunger strike.

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  Mr. President, the Red Line in Syria has been Crossed

  May 3, 2013
  What exactly are President Barack Obama's red lines when it comes to the crisis in Syria, and when does crossing them translate into actual global action? This week, reports released by the Syrian National Coalition, the opposition party recognized by the U.S., show that Bashar al-Assad’s regime has used chemical weapons against his own citizens. How much more evidence do we need before we finally step in and stop the atrocities?

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  Radicalism’s Hollow Inspiration

  April 26, 2013
  In the aftermath of the tragic events in Boston, the hot topic once again is the conversation around countering violent extremism and the role the American Muslim community can play in ensuring that our nation remains safe. Though Muslim organizations, institutions and leaders sent out messages of unity and solidarity in response to the tragedy, we must continue to show leadership in approaching and eliminating the scourge of violent extremism.

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  AP Makes Important Revision to Misleading Terminology on Islam

  April 13, 2013
  American Muslim activists have unfairly been accused of being Islamists, as in synonymous for militants, extremists or radicals. We applaud AP for this step in accurate reporting about Islam and Muslims, and we look forward to other media outlets following AP’s lead.

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  Facing Tough Realities of Muslim Minority Communities in the West

  April 5, 2013
  Last week, MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati and Haris Tarin, DC Director, traveled to Paris, France for the first international Muslim Minorities Colloquium hosted by the World for All Foundation. Founded by Ebrahim Rasool, currently the South African Ambassador to the U.S., the foundation convened an impressive array of Muslim leaders from over 20 countries to share their experiences in dealing with civic, political and social integration in their respective societies.

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