July 29, 2014
Yesterday, CNN’s Belief Blog published an op-ed called “President Obama's Ramadan Slap at Muslims” by Salam Al-Marayati, President of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. The op-ed describes how the President’s pro-Israel remarks at the annual White House Iftar left guests and many American Muslims feeling “shocked and dismayed” and called it a talking point that “is code for whitewashing decades of atrocities committed against the people of Gaza.”
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READ MOREJuly 25, 2014
Let me tell you about a civil rights case we have been working on recently. At this moment, you might be thinking – “MPAC works on policy, not on civil rights, doesn’t it?” In reality, we leverage our government relations to directly defend and secure the rights of American Muslims, both to aid individuals and to shape policies that impact all of us. -
READ MOREJuly 22, 2014
Over 560 Palestinians have lost their lives due to Israeli military aggression in Gaza in just three weeks, more than half of them in the past five days. Yesterday, President Barack Obama expressed “serious concerns” over civilian deaths in Gaza, dispatched Secretary of State John Kerry to Cairo to “push for an immediate cessation of hostilities” and announced $47 million in humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza. Humanitarian aid is badly needed; so too is dealing with the roots of the conflict. Now that Kerry is in the region, what should he push for? -
READ MOREJuly 21, 2014
In an effort to halt the suffering of the people of Gaza, the Muslim Public Affairs Council encourages American Muslims to leverage the power of the last ten days of Ramadan by participating in the “10-10-100” Campaign, a national effort launched today to “create immediate and real change for the people of Gaza.” -
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READ MOREJuly 18, 2014
For the last nine days, Israel has steadily increased its military aggression against Palestinians in Gaza. More than 260 Palestinians have been killed, with the United Nations reporting that 80 percent were civilians and 2,000 more have been injured. What has Congress’ response been to this bloodshed? Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee approved a defense spending bill that provides $621.6 million for Israeli missile defense, including a $351 million increase in funding for Israel’s Iron Dome system. -
READ MOREJuly 16, 2014
For the last nine days, innocent Palestinian civilians have been bombarded with an aggressive Israeli military campaign by land, sea and air, backed by U.S. political cover and financial support. MPAC calls on all people of conscience to speak up for Palestinians who have been treated as silent statistics instead of innocent human lives. Changing U.S. policy requires changing U.S. public opinion on the conflict. -
READ MOREJuly 14, 2014
In 1996, MPAC collaborated with diverse organizations to work with then First Lady Hillary Clinton to host the first White House Eid celebration in recognition of the heritage and contributions of American Muslims to the mosaic that makes up America. If mainstream American Muslims are not at the table, they will be replaced by voices who seek to further marginalize our community and promote problematic policies. This year, we plan to discuss the NSA and FBI surveillance of American Muslims and the administration's failure to call on Israel to halt its appalling assault on Palestinians. -
READ MOREJuly 9, 2014
“No country can accept rocket fire aimed at civilians and we support Israel’s right to defend itself against these vicious attacks,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said yesterday. Since then, the Israeli military, including jets and naval gun fire, pulverized the Gaza Strip killing at least 13 people and injuring 90 others. Furthermore, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called up 40,000 reservists for a possible ground invasion and has begun moving convoys of tanks and armor to the Gaza border. -
READ MOREJuly 5, 2014
Today, the Muslim Public Affairs Council sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry calling upon him to intervene on behalf of 15-year-old American citizen Tariq Khdeir, who was beaten at the hands of Israeli police officers in Shuafat, Jerusalem. -
READ MOREJuly 3, 2014
With the Fourth of July just around the corner, the savory smell of a barbecue blurring the lines between smoke and heat wave peaks excitement across the nation. The flags we wave perform as dazzling emblems of liberty and the fireworks we spark respond to John Adams’ requests for independence. But how far have we come in expanding upon and embodying the ideals of our Founding Fathers? Have we embodied and continued their work or merely paid homage through red, white and blue decor? -
READ MOREJune 20, 2014
The vile work of ISIS cannot and should not dictate how we deal with our fellow humans; indeed we must ensure that communities are immune from the depraved sectarian disease that seeks to destroy us all. Let us confess as Muslims that outside sinister forces have succeeded in creating division in the Muslim world and in Muslim communities throughout the world because we have not heeded, let alone applied, the Quranic mandate to prevent sectarianism. -
READ MOREJune 6, 2014
What happens when a violent conflict, that has already claimed the lives of over 140,000 people, continues with no end in sight? Very little, by the looks of our policy on Syria. Sadly, the longer the conflict drags on, the more that the moderate voices who represent the vast majority of the Syrian people are being drowned out by extremists on all sides. This is a disservice to the righteous cause of freedom which Syrians are striving for. -
READ MOREMay 30, 2014
This week, President Barack Obama delivered the commencement address at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY. There, he laid out his vision for a foreign policy strategy that would adapt to a changing global landscape. -
READ MOREMay 23, 2014
Following the world’s largest democratic elections, India’s new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, will officially be sworn into office on Monday. Leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Modi won along with his party members who now make up the majority of Parliament. In the words of the New York Times, “critics fear that this will untie Modi’s hands to pursue the cultural agenda of the Hindu far right, a dangerous path in a country that is 15 percent Muslim and with sizable Sikh and Christian populations.” -
READ MOREMay 9, 2014
It is ironic that election season often highlights the rhetorical gravitas of candidates pandering for a cheap vote. Already during this election season, some candidates are deploying divisive and exclusionary speech to play on people’s fears and ignorance. Campaign season is just heating up and we are already witnessing name-calling and fear-mongering. -
READ MOREMay 8, 2014
On Sunday, MPAC hosted its first L.A. County Election Forum at the Islamic Center of Southern California with candidates for L.A. Sheriff. Moderator Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC President, talked about the importance of being civically engaged and voting, especially with regards to issues important to Muslim Angelenos. -
READ MOREMay 2, 2014
It’s not the NBA playoffs that made the news this past week; Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers was recorded arguing with his girlfriend over photos of her with Earvin “Magic” Johnson and other African American athletes. The recording captured Sterling making racist comments ranging from African Americans' roles in society to the treatment of Ethiopian Jews in Israel. Understandably, the nation is appalled that an owner of a national basketball team could hold such anachronistic views. However, why is it that comments on race spark such national outrage, but everyday institutionalized racism is ignored? -
READ MOREApril 25, 2014
With negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis nearing its deadline on April 29, the United States has once again suffered a setback in another round of peace talks. Following an announcement of a unity pact between Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel cancelled a session of U.S.-brokered talks with Palestinians that had been set to take place Wednesday. -
READ MOREApril 18, 2014
This week, the Director of MPAC’s Washington, DC office, Haris Tarin, was part of a White House event at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government commemorating the tragic Boston Marathon bombing. -
READ MOREApril 11, 2014
Twenty years ago the world witnessed one of the most horrific acts of violence between countrymen in Rwanda. This week, the world is remembering the Rwandan genocide, an atrocity that claimed the lives of over 800,000 people in the span of three months.
