Thank Peter Roskam for Standing Up for Muslims in Illinois

ACTION REQUESTED: (SPRINGFIELD, Ill., 11/18/05) - At the same time that Congressman Mark Kirk stays defiant on explaining or apologizing to his constituents over the bigoted comments he made about the Arab and Muslim communities, strong deference to the many adherents to the Muslim faith in Illinois is being paid by State Senator Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton) who recently introduced a measure to recognize October as the holy month of Ramadan in Illinois.

Senator Roskam is running for the 6th Congressional District which Congressman Henry Hyde currently represents and plans to retire.

Senate Resolution 493 states that, “the citizens of Illinois should respect and honor the faith and tradition of Muslims; therefore by it resolved by the Senate of the Ninety-Fourth General Assembly of the State of Illinois, that we recognize October as the holy month of Ramadan.”

In a statement, Roskam said, “America is a diverse country with many different people from many different cultures and backgrounds, We have, as a country, made it a point to set aside various months and weeks throughout the course of the year to celebrate our nation’s diverse heritage. I see no reason why we cannot focus a little attention on Muslims and their culture. After all, this country has and always will be a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities.”

“This is an historic moment for Muslims in Illinois because for the first time the state legislature has undertaken such a broad measure to recognize an important Islamic tradition,” said Moon Khan, the York Township Trustee, who provided the impetus for the legislation.

ACTION REQUESTED:

1. Contact your state senator and ask him or her to support resolution 493. Go tohttp://www.ilga.gov/senate/default.asp for the list of Illinois Senators.

2. Call Senator Peter Roskam and thank him for this initiative. He can be reached at 630-221-0006 or email your feedback to him at info@roskamforcongress.com. Please visitSenator Peter Roskam's Official Website for more information.

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