Christina Abraham Speaks to Northwestern Journalism Class about the Patriot Act and Civil Liberties

Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham spoke at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, where she discussed the implications of the Patriot Act and other national security policies on Muslim Americans. “I was pleased that they invited me to speak because it’s incredibly important that news reporters fully understand these controversial legal issues and how they affect so many people’s lives,” said Abraham. “I’m glad that Medill is ensuring they produce well-informed, culturally sensitive journalists.”

Abraham also talked to students about FBI interviews, immigration, travel and discrimination by financial institutions.

Professor Timothy McNulty invited Abraham to speak because he felt it was important for students to know how many Muslim-Americans are being marginalized and having their civil liberties infringed upon.

McNulty, former senior editor at the Chicago Tribune, understands the importance of culturally sensitive journalism. Having been a war correspondent reporting from 65 countries, McNulty is passing that lesson on to a new generation of journalists.

“Ms. Abraham’s talk gave us a great insight into the legal and social issues that impact the Muslim community in America. Her discussion of law enforcement interests and techniques helped us understand the tension that is at the crux of national security and civil liberty concerns,” said McNulty.

In an encouraging, and hopefully lasting trend, Chicago schools have been reaching out to provide students with diverse perspectives, and CAIR-Chicago has been right there to answer that call. CAIR-Chicago regularly receives invitations to speak at numerous universities, particularly to journalism, religious studies, and political science programs.