In a controversial legal step taken by the Dutch Parliament, the Cabinet has proposed to pass legislation that bans the traditional Muslim garments, the niqab and burqa, by 2013.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today calls on Muslims and other people of conscience to ask their elected representatives to support the Due Process Guarantee Act, which would bar the military from detaining U.S. citizens without charge or trial.

Netanyahu’s speech did not pave the way for peace, it did not put in motion any new strategies that could be implemented to promote peace, nor did it address the dire concerns of the Palestinians. His victimization of his nation—despite having the strongest regional military force—is quite disturbing.

“It’s a very timely and much needed initiative,” Ahmed Rehab said. “There has been a very one-sided conversation from Congress on Muslim rights and the Durbin hearing promises to balance the conversation… There have been a lot of politicians who are in denial as to the growing threat of Islamaphobians to the U.S. itself, this fear mongering, paranoid approach to anything Muslim.”

“Its an embarrassment to our political system,” said Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director. “There is nothing wrong with questioning the sources of radicalization, the nature of radicalization. The problem is when he fails to differentiate between the mainstream on one end, who is us, and the extreme on the other end – the many and the few – the community and underground individuals. Failing to distinguish between the two is precisely the problem we are seeing at the hearings.”

Christina Abraham, Civil Rights Director at CAIR-Chicago, debates anti-Muslim blogger Robert Spencer over Rep. Peter King’s Islamophobic hearings on “Radical Islam” in America.

Muslim Americans in Chicago call Thursday’s hearings embarrassing; Embarrassing to Muslims and Embarrassing to Americans as a whole. The result is America is no better off today than it was yesterday when it comes to representing the intentions and the population of the Muslim people in the United States.

“It seemed like a political circus. It seemed like it was for political show and not an honest attempt by Rep. Peter King to address the issue of radicalization,” said CAIR-Chicago Executive Director, Ahmed Rehab, in a press conference responding to the congressional hearings.

“The whole issue of Muslim community, radicalization, Islamaphobia, etc, it is being politicized more and more,” said Ahmed Rehab. “And as we approach the next presidential elections, I fear it may explode just like it did with the last presidential election cycle. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that this is happening. It’s not good for our nation. It’s not an intelligent way to discuss the issues. It’s insulting.”

CAIR-Chicago and the Muslim Congressional Staffers Association (CMSA) are encouraging Muslim college students to apply for Congressional internships in Washington D.C. This is a great opportunity to learn about the legislative process firsthand and build a lasting relationship with your Congressional Representatives