Media Advisory: Groups Condemn Hate Speech by Republican Candidate to 5th Congressional District Seat Rosanna Pulido

(CHICAGO, IL, 3/30/09) WHAT: Diverse community advocates join to condemn hate speech and call for the Republican Party to repudiate offensive comments. Participants will denounce intolerant and hateful remarks made by Rosanna Pulido – the Republican candidate for the 5th congressional district seat – against these communities.

“Ms. Pulido’s statements under the blog moniker “Chicagolady” contain vicious remarks maligning groups such as Muslims, Catholics, Mexicans, immigrants, and other groups,” said Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) Chicago. “All Americans including Pulido are entitled to a free opinion; by the same logic, we are entitled to oppose bigotry, particularly from those seeking leadership positions within our country.”

WHERE: ICIRR John “Juancho” Donahue Immigrant Training Center; 55 E. Jackson Blvd. Suite 2075; Chicago, IL

WHEN: Tuesday, March 31, 2009; 11:00 A.M.

WHO: Juan Salgado, Board President of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights; Reema Ahmad, Government Affairs Coordinator of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) Chicago; Junaid Afeef, Executive Director of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC); Jane Ramsey, Executive Director of Jewish Council of Urban Affairs; Ricardo Meza, Executive Director of MALDEF; Father Larry Dowling from Priests for Justice for Immigrants; Shayla King, NAACP student chapter president, Loyola University of Chicago.

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CONTACT: Catherine Salgado, Communications Director, ICIRR, E-Mail: csalgado@icirr.org, 312.332.7360 x 235; Reem Rahman, Communications Coordinator, CAIR-Chicago, 312.212.1520; E-Mail: communications@cairchicago.org