Outreach Coordinator Gerald Hankerson describes his experience on an intercultural and friendship tour in Turkey. The trip was organized by the Niagra Foundation and its international partner in Turkey, BAKIAD.

CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Amina Sharif, and Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham were invited to speak at a meeting hosted by the Illinois Society for International Development on November 10th which took place at DePaul University.

Current Governor Patrick Quinn and State Comptroller Daniel Hynes stopped at the Union League Club of Chicago on Wednesday, Nov. 18 for a gubernatorial rally, the first of two such events scheduled for the day.

A Chicago woman says she was hassled by a security guard when she walked into a bank, because of something she was wearing.

A security officer at Citibank in Gresham, Illinois apparently told a Muslim woman that bank policy did not allow customers to wear a headscarf while transacting business.

A Citibank security guard reportedly objected to a Muslim woman receiving service because it would encourage more of “them” to come into the bank. Throughout the process, which the Muslim customer described as “humiliating,” the guard allegedly made anti-Muslim remarks.

Join the Jewish-Muslim Community Building Initiative (JMCBI) and other allies of faith on this day to emphasize the call of our faith traditions to welcome immigrants into our society.

By casting the minaret, a mainstream symbol of normative Islam, as some kind of Trojan horse bearing the Achilles heel that will vanquish Swiss political and cultural hegemony, the SVP seems to have petrified people into a knee-jerk acceptance of a draconian ban that amounts to throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

About 250 traditions and 10,000 people from around the world are expected to attend the conference. Luminaries in attendance include His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Rehab will be speaking on four panels.

“In the past, journalists only studied writing,” Sharif explained. “In this age of globalization, journalists need to know how to research and accurately report on other cultures that they may not be familiar with.”

"Hate crimes are their own class of crime for a very good reason: The enhanced classification and punishment deters people from criminally acting out on their bigotry. It is the government's obligation to its citizens to take a no-tolerance position on such crimes," writes Ahmed Rehab.

On Friday, November 27th, Muslims all over the world and in America will mark the end of the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj, with communal prayers and celebrations. Each year, some two million Muslims, including thousands of American Muslims, go for the Hajj pilgrimage. This Islamic holiday is called Eid ul-Adha (EED-al-ODD-ha), or “festival of the sacrifice” and it commemorates the Prophet Abraham's faithfulness in willing to sacrifice his son (who was then spared) at God's command, an important historical event in Christianity and Judaism as well.

A critical mind is a terrible thing to waste according to CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, who spoke at the American Islamic College on November 19. As a speaker for the event “Islamic Intellectualism: Promoting a Critical Mind,” he clarified to participants that Islam strongly encourages intellectual inquisitiveness and creative problem solving.

"Ironically, if those who are viscerally opposed to the sight of a hijabi actually took the time to look at the facts of her life, they may realize that hijabis make for a positive stereotype worthy of their admiration rather than a negative one they ought to fear," writes Ahmed Rehab.

Ahmed Rehab, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he could not recall when any American retailer mentioned the holiday in its ads. "It makes perfect business sense to acknowledge and celebrate a holiday that one out of four people celebrate," Rehab said.

Two more CAIR-Chicago clients were recently sworn in as United States citizens after enduring years of difficulties and delays. With the assistance of the Civil Rights department, they received a response from the government and obtained their citizenship.

Mayor Daley presented Zarzour with the 2009 Arab Heritage Month Award for Outstanding Contributions to Chicago’s Arab Community and commended him for his exceptional community service. “I am truly honored to receive this recognition on behalf of a dignified community from a city I am proud to serve," said Zarzour.

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Director Christina Abraham and Staff Attorney Kevin Vodak presented on the state of civil rights in post 9-11 America at an event entitled "The War on Terror and the Rights of Muslims," sponsored by the American Constitutional Society (ACS).

"I think (a charge of hate crime) sends the appropriate message that these kinds of race-based lash-outs are unacceptable," said Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "Every time something like (the Fort Hood shootings) happens, the Muslim community prepares for a backlash."

Manzullo shouldn't blame the reader for misinterpreting his comment. Instead, he should blame himself for using such a bombastic generalization about an extremely sensitive issue.