The habit of law enforcement officials entering Muslim buildings to do "threat assessments" should be curtailed in that it violates civil rights.
Jews are improving interfaith relations by "twinning" with mosques and other successful programs they should share with other denominations--Muslims are still new to the U.S. religious community. Toward a better understanding of them, we should understand the structure of their communities.
We've come a long way. Filmmakers create dialogue on issues that challenge all of us. Muslims are the first line of defense in fighting against extremism in this country. What changes are needed and which ones have been accomplished? Changes should occur quickly!
How can American Muslims run their charities without getting into trouble?
Muslims should not be afraid to speak out in criticism of the U.S. government.
*****
The event closed with remarks by Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division.
He spoke of what the DoJ would do as a result of this conference, stressing that the enforcement of civil rights must be a bipartisan undertaking (Republicans in general are far more critical of Muslims than are Democrats).
Teddy Kennedy would say that this country has a long way to go. Perez shared Kennedy's oft-quoted famous statement, "Civil rights remains the unfinished business of this country."
We need an open and honest critical dialogue. We are one nation for all, with no asterisks or footnotes added. Our actions are governed by rules of engagement; we need engagement since we are partners in crime solving and engagement begets action.
The Obama administration has seen two areas of major growth within the purview of the DoJ: LGBT issues and prejudice against Muslims, Sikhs, and South Asians. More hate crimes were prosecuted this year than in a long time; there is a need for reflection and recalibration; profiling at airports should occur with "a scalpel, not a meat axe."
The Department of Homeland Security recalibrated what it was doing. We must be sure to have quality control, continuing to engage, act, and reflect. There is a false dichotomy between security and civil rights; both must be conducted in tandem.
Remember [as Gandhi said] that silence is anything but golden in the face of oppression. We must always speak out to silence it.
*****
Regarding the disconnect I detected between two foundational realities evident in the narrative this morning, I must conclude, at this point, that complexities breed contradictions. Or perhaps Islamophobia is not really on the increase so much as public awareness of it is being raised by the interfaith groups that Rabbi Saperstein asserted more than once were key to resolving these latest issues that catch the United States in a self-contradictory mode. Self-contradictory because self-criticism is built into our fabric as much as hypocrisy is. I shall once again quote Noam Chomsky: "This is the greatest country in the world."
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