ADC – May 28, 2020
ADC statement on racism & anti-blackness
Washington, DC | www.adc.org | May 28, 2020 – As the largest Arab-American civil rights organization in the country, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) knows that the liberation of all marginalized groups is tied to that of our Black brothers and sisters. ADC stands against injustice, discrimination, and racism regardless of the group it is targeting.
Although the systemic racism Black Americans face is a daily reoccurrence, new recorded instances of the complete disregard for Black lives- whether by civilians or at the hands of police brutality- have been on the rise. Ahmaud Arbury, Dreasjon Reed, Yassin Mohamed, Breonna Taylor, and most recently, George Floyd, who was murdered just a few days ago by Minneapolis Police on May 25, 2020. All of them, Black Americans who would be alive today if it weren’t for the clear racism and anti-blackness.
ADC strongly believes that Black Lives Matter- and we will continue working with Black civil rights organizations and activists to fight against injustice and racism. As Arab-Americans, we must acknowledge that many of the rights we have today were fought for by Black Americans whose blood, sweat, and tears have gone into shaping this country. Although we have some shared struggles, we must also acknowledge that now is a time for us to listen to Black Americans and Black civil rights groups about their unique experiences and about how we can best support our collective struggle against injustice. It is also our duty as Arab-Americans to educate ourselves on the struggles our Black brothers and sisters face and how we can do our part to tackle anti-blackness.
We must also ask ourselves “Have I done enough to rid my community of anti-blackness and racism?” What are we doing in our homes, our places of worship, and our businesses to fight this? Remember, it starts with us. Let’s have those tough conversations and take a stand against bigotry.
ADC is here to listen, to support, and to engage with all groups working towards eliminating racism and injustice in our country. We are also here for Arab-Americans who would like advice on how to engage in these difficult but necessary conversations within our communities.
ADC stands in support with those protesting the recent murders and hopes for their safety.
https://www.adc.org/statement-on-racism-anti-blackness/
Arrest & prosecute officers in George Floyd case now
(Minneapolis, MN, 5/27, 2020) The Muslim American Society condemns in the strongest words possible the death of yet another unarmed Black man at the hands of police brutality. The choking death of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and the complete disregard to his life and health is a cruel and unnecessary abomination. A white officer pressed his knee against the neck of George Floyd, and refused to lift the pressure for several minutes despite the plea and distress Mr. Floyd expressed. As witnesses begged the officer to listen to the screams of Mr. Floyd and ease off, he refused to listen and continued to apply pressure while other officers held him down and another kept guard. All four officers have been fired.
“A Black man lost his life. It is not enough that the officers are fired. They must be arrested and held accountable immediately for the taking of a life. We know that when justice is delayed and deferred, it truly is justice denied,” said Ismahan Abdullahi, Executive Director of MAS-PACE. “Americans became outraged when Colin Kaepernick peacefully knelt for justice against police brutality. But when a white officer kneels and takes the life of an unarmed Black man, we hesitate to bring him to justice! They must be arrested immediately.”
“Our faith teaches us that if you take one life, it is as if you took the lives of all of humanity,” said Asad Zaman, Executive Director of MAS-Minnesota. “The loss and brutal murder of George Floyd has impacted all of us. The officers involved in his murder must be held accountable without any delay.”
While our communities, especially the Black community, are reeling and processing the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breanna Taylor, Sean Reed and countless others, we are faced with the tragedy of yet another life lost unnecessarily. Until Black lives are valued and they truly matter in these United States of America, we must continue to speak out and speak truth to power. We mourn for the family of George Floyd and our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with them and all lives impacted by white supremacy and police brutality.
The Muslim American Society is a dynamic charitable, religious, social, cultural and educational organization. Its mission is to move people to strive for God consciousness, liberty, and justice, and to convey Islam with utmost clarity. We organize, advocate and build leadership in the community to build a just and equitable world.
https://www.muslimamericansociety.org/arrest-prosecute-officers-in-george-floyd-case-now/
Joint action to condemn the murder of George Floyd
On May 29, 2020, Muslim Public Affairs Council joined the following organizations to condemn the killing of George Floyd: Intellect Love Mercy Foundation, ISLAH LA, LA Voice, Project Islamic Hope and Word of Encouragement Church. Here is the joint statement:
We have seen the video and were deeply disturbed and horrified by the callous actions of the police officer holding Mr. Floyd down by his neck and ultimately causing his asphyxiation, despite Mr. Floyd repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe”. We have seen the bystanders nearby witnessing Mr. Floyd’s suffering, pleading with the police officer to release him, to no avail. We recognize the pain and anguish of the African American community that has endured this kind of treatment at the hands of police for far too long. We have also seen that the mistreatment of Black people by police rarely ends with any repercussions whatsoever for the officers inflicting harm, and in too many cases, including this one, murder.
We understand that police brutality has left Black Americans carrying a heavy weight of fear - for themselves, their spouses, children, families, friends and neighborhoods. We know that this terrible incident has triggered emotions from sadness to rage, and that those feelings have resulted in protests, some peaceful and some not, that deserve our compassion and understanding, and not our disbelieving condemnation. In the words of Rep. Ilhan Omar, who represents the congressional district that includes Minneapolis, "To watch our city burn really is one of the most devastating things that has happened to us.
It's also devastating to know the anger and the frustration that people feel.” Her perspective was echoed by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who said, “Our state watched George Floyd’s humanity get erased. Our feelings of anger, anguish, and disillusionment are justified.” The Major Cities Chief Association, comprising chiefs of police from Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Austin, and other major cities, condemned the murder of George Floyd. In the story quoting various police chiefs from around the country, there is a major shift in sentiment within law enforcement that is breaking the code of silence.
Achieving peace requires justice, and we support the letter from Rep. Ilhan Omar and other members of Congress from Minnesota to U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, calling for thorough investigations and accountability at the local, state, and federal levels for George Floyd’s death. We will also advocate in the partnerships we are building with law enforcement, because they are built on a fragile foundation if other officers do not condemn these actions.
We ask that you get involved:
1. Call the Minnesota District Attorney's Office to file an indictment against the officer who killed George Floyd
2. Contact your House of Representatives Member to demand the US Attorney to prosecute officers involved in the murder of George Floyd
3. Support these organizations doing work toward racial justice and equality: Intellect, Love and Mercy ILM, Muslim Ant-Racism Collaborative (MuslimARC), Minnesota Freedom Fund, and Black Vision Collective, and Reclaim The Block.
4. Make a donation to the official GoFundMe for George Floyd’s family
Our commitment to address racial and socioeconomic inequality is stronger than ever. Because none of us is free until all of us are free.
https://www.mpac.org/blog/statements-press/we-condemn-the-murder-of-george-floyd.php
The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott
Special Correspondent
Maryam Turab
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