August 15, 2012

The Muslim Public Affairs Council invites you to take part in a national town hall-style conference call on “The Real World Impact of Hate Rhetoric in America” on Wednesday, August 15, at 5:30 p.m. PST/ 8:30 p.m. EST.

The 60-minute teleconference will feature experts from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the Center for American Progress and MPAC sharing recent data and analysis on recent irresponsible hate rhetoric by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and other public officials. They will also share resources to aid communities in combatting hate rhetoric.

During the call, SPLC’s  Intelligence Project Director, Heidi Beirich, will discuss the latest annual count of the nation’s hate and hardline, anti-government groups. In addition, Beirich is the SPLC’s expert on vextremism, including the white supremacist, nativist and neo-Confederate movements.

Also on the call will be Wajahat Ali, a playwright, journalist, attorney and expert on the $40 million dollar Islamophobia industry in the U.S. As one of the co-authors of “Fear, Inc.: The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America,” Ali will discuss the size, reach and influence of this dangerous network. He will report on the Islamophobia network’s ability to influence politicians’ talking points, which feeds into the climate of anti-Muslim sentiment.

MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati will address the connection between the rhetoric of hate from public officials and discrimination and violence by Americans targeting other Americans. 

WHAT:           MPAC National Teleconference on “The Real World Impact of Epidemic of Hate Rhetoric in America”

WHEN:          Wednesday, August 15 at 5:30 p.m. PST/ 8:30 p.m. EST

WHO:            Wajahat Ali – Co-Author, “Fear, Inc.: The Roots of the Islamphobia Network in America”

     Heidi Beirich – Intelligence Project Director, Southern Poverty Law Center

     Salam Al-Marayati – President, Muslim Public Affairs Council

RSVP:             Email rsvp@mpac.org with the subject line “Nat’l Conference Call” and your full name, city and email address in       the body of the email. You will receive a reply with the dial-in access information for the teleconference.