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Council
of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago 231
S. State Street, Suite 300
Chicago, Illinois 60604 PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9/15/2006 Candidate's Discriminatory Comments Condemned By Chicago
Muslims
Contact: Janaan Hashim, Council Spokesperson, (312)
218-4961 Chicago, Illinois - Sept. 15, 2006: The Council of Islamic
Organizations of
Greater Chicago is outraged at the comments that
congressional candidate for
the 17th District of Illinois, Andrea Zinga,
made to reporters on Monday at
a 9/11 commemoration event.
Zinga
stated that racial profiling at airports of Middle Eastern men doesn't
bother her because they "have caused the outrages against our
nation."
Although her campaign manager sought to later clarify her
comments, "such
comments should not have been thought of in order to have
been made," said
Council Chairman Abdul Malik Mujahid. "This simply
reflects how
Islamophobia is taking root in our nation as the only remaining
form of
acceptable, overt discrimination against a people."
Mujahid
calls upon Congressmen to condemn these remarks as a step backwards
for
America. "Such comments are no less discriminatory and prejudiced than
if they were directed at African Americans, Jews, women or anyone on the
untouchable list of discrimination," said Mujahid.
"To openly make
such a comment about a group of people is more than
irresponsible, it is
ignorant," said Mujahid. "America of the 21st century
is better than
this and we trust that the American people will see the
candidate for what
she represents."
Profiling is a complex issue which requires thoughtful deliberation and
which should not be used as a political football,� he added.
The campaign manager for Zinga's Democratic opponent this fall, Phil
Hare,
said that Hare opposes racial profiling.
-END-
The
Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago is a federation of
over
fifty mosques and Islamic centers, schools, and organizations thereby
representing the 400,000 Muslims who call Chicago their
home.
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