Ariel Sharon’s decision to leave the Likud Party and form a new centrist party has led many to praise the Israeli Prime Minister. Jesse Jackson writes, “At the same time, Sharon and Peres deserve Palestinian counterparts in reaching for new and higher ground” and praises Sharon’s “pursuit of peace” (“At last, tiny springs of hope in the Middle East, Dec. 13”)

The suspension of a high school student for speaking Spanish should make all Americans question what being an American truly means (“Suspension over speaking Spanish is talk of the town,” Dec. 11).

Since the death of Israeli civilians in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinians has been acknowledged, there must now also be recognition of the innocent Palestinian children, women and men who have been killed by Israeli settlers and military (“Mourning all the lost Julias,” Dec. 11).

CAIR-Chicago Executive Director, Yaser Tabbara, attended Saturday the annual dinner at the Islamic Foundation.

Thanks again to Dawn Trice for taking the time to reaffirm the dangers of racial and ethnic profiling ("From any angle, racial profiling is still wrong," Metro Dec. 8).

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Coordinator Christina Abraham attended a meeting with several community based organizations and local representatives’ offices regarding the growing problem of citizenship delays among immigrants.

After her recent meeting with European foreign ministers discussing American use of torture, Condoleezza Rice said at a press conference, “I think it’s only natural that sometimes we have these discussions,” (“Rice, Europeans agree to disagree on torture,” Dec. 9).

WHAT - Khutbah (Friday Prayer Sermon)

SPEAKER - Ahmed Rehab, Director of Communications, CAIR-Chicago

CIOGC Chairman, Dr. Abdul Malik Mujahid, Imam Jamal Said and Dr. Zaher Sahloul of the Mosque Foundation,...

CAIR-Chicago Civil Rights Coordinator Christina Abraham met with Assistant Deputy Superintendent Debra Kirby on Thursday to discuss the Chicago Police Department’s procedures in handling complaints against officers for police misconduct.

Thanks again to Dawn Trice for taking the time to reaffirm the dangers of racial and ethnic profiling (“From any angle, racial profiling is still wrong,” Metro Dec. 8).

I would like to thank the editorial staff of the Chicago Tribune for including the story about Najaf and Mosul with the coverage of President Bush’s latest Iraq speech (“A tale of 2 scarred cities: Najaf and Mosul,” Dec. 8).

Kudos to the Tribune for a fine feature piece that showcased interviews with four Arab Americans. It is high time we heard from and about Arabs and Muslims who are ordinary citizens and not terrorists or alleged terrorists. This type of coverage that sheds light on the human face of Arabs and Muslims will go along way in diffusing myths and stereotypes about them that sadly remain prevalent among many.

The Arab voices included in the December 8th Metro section are a great start to inviting readings to engage with the people who are talked about so much yet rarely heard from (“Arabs-from fascination to hatred to tolerance”).

WHAT - Restore Human Rights for America's Workers Rally.

Calling it a blow against the guilt-by-association mentality that has dogged the Islamic community since Sept. 11, Muslim leaders are celebrating the acquittal of a Florida professor accused of assisting a violent Palestinian group.

One would assume that when the United States in 1994 ratified the U.N. Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the discussion over when and how much torture will be tolerated will never come up again. The convention clearly states, “No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political in stability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture.”

A Greektown mosque and restaurant was vandalized during the weekend, leaving worshipers wondering why their house of worship was targeted.

The Hanania household has a curio cabinet adorned with a menorah and Torah, doorways with hanging mezuzahs (a tiny scroll for blessings and luck) and an elaborate ketubah marking a Jewish marriage.

CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Yaser Tabbara, and Director of Communications, Ahmed Rehab attended the reception for the first Muslim-Jewish Professorship to be administered jointly by the University of Illinois at Chicago and Chicago Kent college of Law.