CAIR Welcomes Elimination of Osama Bin Laden

Distributed by the www.ArabAmericanNewsWire.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR Welcomes Elimination of Osama Bin Laden

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 5/2/2011) – A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today welcomed the announcement of the elimination of Osama bin Laden as a threat to America and the world.

[MEDIA ADVISORY: CAIR will hold a news conference on Monday, May 2nd to offer the American Muslim community’s reaction to Osama bin Laden’s death. The news conference will take place at 11 a.m. in CAIR’s Capitol Hill headquarters, 453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com Other CAIR chapters may hold similar news conferences. Go to: http://www.cair.com/Chapters.aspx ]

In a statement issued following President Obama’s announcement of bin Laden’s death, the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said:

“We join our fellow citizens in welcoming the announcement that Osama bin Laden has been eliminated as a threat to our nation and the world through the actions of American military personnel. As we have stated repeatedly since the 9/11 terror attacks, bin Laden never represented Muslims or Islam. In fact, in addition to the killing of thousands of Americans, he and Al Qaeda caused the deaths of countless Muslims worldwide. We also reiterate President Obama’s clear statement tonight that the United States is not at war with Islam.”

CAIR coordinated one of the first joint American Muslim statements condemning the 9/11 terror attacks, issued just hours after they occurred.

To read about CAIR’s anti-terror initiatives, go to:
http://www.cair.com/AmericanMuslims/AntiTerrorism.aspx

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

ACCESS Dearborn, Statement to the media on the death of Osama bin Laden

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hassan Jaber

Executive Director, ACCESS

Statement to the media on the death of Osama bin Laden

For the past decade, the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, have been what defined our country, both at home and abroad. The death of Osama bin Laden thankfully closes out this long winter of political upheaval, social turmoil and economic disparity – so much of it precipitated by 9/11. We commend the Obama Administration and the U.S. security and intelligence agencies for their work in bringing this painful chapter to a decisive close, and in doing so, helping the families of the 9/11 victims and those of the first responders who also suffered and died, to find closure.

This is, indeed, a new day in America. Osama bin Laden is dead. We must not allow his legacy to live on by continuing to divide us. Extremism of any type demands our ongoing vigilance and our attention as a nation. At ACCESS, we believe the best way to counteract it is to put our shoulders to the work of healing from within to build our strength as a nation – to stand together rather than separate. We can start this process first by learning to accept one another for all our differences, for the vibrancy which makes us stronger. This is the first step in helping to heal the rifts in our fragile economy and the paralysis of our tattered political system, to demand governance that supports the well-being of all Americans and stands as a model of democracy to the rest of the world.

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ACCESS is a human services organization committed to the development of the Arab American community in all aspects of economic and cultural life.  ACCESS helps low-income families, as well as newly arrived immigrants, adapt to life in America.  Its goal is to foster a greater understanding of Arab Culture in the U.S. and in the Arab world.  ACCESS provides a wide range of social, mental health, educational, artistic, employment, legal, and medical services, and is dedicated to empowering people to lead more informed, productive, and fulfilling lives.

Arab American Student Union of Michigan receives NAAJA Journalism Award

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The National American Arab Journalists Association on Saturday April 30, 2011 presented the 2011 Student Activism Award to the American Arab Student Union representing hundreds of Students from Wayne State University. (Click here for information on the AASU).

AASU activists have been instrumental in strengthening the voice of the American Arab community in the Detroit region through their pro-active programs and activities. Their students are leaders in bringing American Arabs and Muslims together for a common purpose to showcase their professional college and educational goals and to strengthen American Arab and Muslim Networking.

Their leadership has strengthened the accurate voice of American Arabs and Muslims and are an example for other American Arab and Muslim student groups around the country.

NAAJA is proud to recognize their achievements. The award was presented on Saturday at the 6th Annual GALA Banquet at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn before an audience of 300 attendees by NAAJA Staff activist Zeinah Zahr.

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