CAIR-Chicago Reacts to Orlando Massacre
"We are angry and sad. We fully stand with their right to freedom, safety, and prosperity in our shared republic.” - Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago
In the aftermath of the horrendous Orlando attack that left 50 dead, CAIR-Chicago’s staff is meeting with LGBT leaders Monday afternoon to discuss ways to rise up together against the forces of hate, violence and polarization. We recognize that these misguided and evil forces represent a common threat to vulnerable minority communities. CAIR-Chicago stands in solidarity with the LGBT community.
On Sunday afternoon, CAIR-Chicago posted a swift message to its social media accounts:
“We send our love and prayers to the victims and families of all those affected by this morning's mass killing in Orlando. We vow to continue our struggle against hate and violence and against those who oppose freedom in all its forms.”
CAIR-Chicago’s Ahmed Rehab had this to say on social media:
“The alleged perpetrator of the heinous Orlando attacks was an unstable, non-religious, wife-beating, violent homophobe, according to his own family. That is not only not me and my community, but the very opposite of me and my community. There is nothing in my Muslimness that gives me special or extra insight into a random Joe's senseless violence, even if his name is not Joe, but Omar. My reaction is shock and bewilderment. It would be no more reasonable of you to seek answers from the "mosque going" community than from the "selfie taking" community…. But most importantly: while his actions obviously do not represent me or my community or religion; our faith behooves us morally to stand firmly with any group facing suppression and injustice, and today we stand firmly with the gay community. We recognize that they were targeted solely for their sexual orientation. We are angry and sad. We fully stand with their right to freedom, safety, and prosperity in our shared republic.”
CAIR-Chicago representatives are speaking to the media.