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CAIR-NY is urging all persons subject to racial profiling to
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ACTION ALERT: PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY--FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAIR-NY CALLS ON VICTIMS OF RACIAL PROFILING
New York, N.Y. [August 17, 2006]--CAIR-NY is urging for all persons subject to racial profiling at airports, train stations, or any other location by law enforcement officials to report their incidents to the Civil Rights Department.
With the recent arrests in London of about two-dozen individuals on July 11, 2006 for allegedly plotting to use liquid explosives on passenger flights traveling from the United Kingdom to the United States, a great concern for the implementation of racial profiling has resurfaced. Complaints filed with CAIR-NY and other CAIR chapters report that members of the community have been interrogated and detained at airports for long periods of time.
John Faso, Republican Candidate for Governor stated, "Last time I checked we did not have a report of a grandmother from bay side terrorizing our citizens, but if a 25 year old Muslim man who has been traveling frequently to Yemen or Pakistan tries to board a plane than not only statistical analysis but common sense tells us that he is more of a potential threat than the grandmother."
Homeland Security Chairman Peter King also encouraged racial profiling techniques when he stated that people of "Middle Eastern and South Asian" descent should go through additional screening and security checks because of their race and religion. "If the threat is coming from a particular group, I can understand why it would make sense to single them out for further questioning," said Mr. King.
American Muslims support strong law enforcement however we also advocate for the protection of civil rights as outlined by the U.S. Constitution. Individuals should not be singled out because of their ethnicity or religion, as suggested by Mr. King and Mr. Faso. These statements in fact, only further suggest that racial profiling exists and is on the rise. There is no justification for racial profiling. It is unconstitutional, ineffective, and moreover will not be tolerated. In an interview with NY1 News, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer "Profiling is something that is not only wrong and frowned upon, but doesn't work."
If you or someone you know has been a victim of racial profiling, please contact Faiza N. Ali, Civil Rights Coordinator at 212.870.2002. For all other queries, please send an email to Advocate@cair-ny.org.
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- CAIR-NY
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 246
New York, N.Y. 10115
212.870.2002(P)
212.870.2020(F)
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[I changed some strange looking symbols, in the original e-mail received, to quotation marks for this cut & paste...looked right...but, be advised...]
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