
COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS - CHICAGO | DEFENDING CIVIL RIGHTS. FIGHTING BIGOTRY. PROMOTING TOLERANCE
CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab talks to Shari Elliker about the failures of racial profiling and the outspokenness of American Muslims in condemning acts of terror. Rehab also addresses questions posed by callers to the show.
“There is no evidence to suggest that there is a link between religious Muslim behavior on a plane and terrorism. It is quite the opposite. All terrorists that we have come to know of, who have performed or attempted acts of terrorism on a plane, have actually not been engaged in outward Islamic behavior. And in every case where someone was involved in outwardly Islamic behavior, and were then seen as suspicious, were clearly absolved of being potential terrorists, including the 6 imams who won their case in court,” said Ahmed Rehab.
“Racial profiling doesn’t work,” exaplains Ahmed Rehab. “Richard Reid (the ‘Shoe Bomber’) didn’t have a Middle Eastern sounding name. Al-Qaeda is perfectly capable of recruiting individuals that pass through our racial profiling criteria.”
“To me, the lesson learned from the potential Christmas Day bombing is that we missed clear red flags and we can’t ignore that and start talking about new measures while the existing measures could have work had we actually implemented them,” said Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago.
“I would love the opportunity to talk about my faith proactively when there isn’t something terrible happening. And everyday, good things are going on, but the one day that something bad happens, that’s when people become interested in our faith and that is troublesome,” said Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director.
Listen to brief samples of CAIR-Chicago’s commericals now running on 820 AM’s Progressive Talk Radio! The public service announcements are another way we are working to ensure that the vibrant contributions of Muslims to society are recognized as a part of the mainstream.
learly, Barack Obama’s ascension to power marks a dramatic departure from the last eight years in terms of presidential political philosophy and outlook.
Ahmed Rehab talks to Flashpoints’ Solange Etcheverriez on Pacifica National Radio about anti-Muslim hate crimes in Chicago.
Listen to the audio here (Arabic & English)