CAIR says ‘Learn, Don’t Burn’ Book

By ARAB NEWS

WASHINGTON: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will hold a news conference in Washington, D.C., to announce a major educational initiative in response to an extremist Florida church’s plan to burn copies of the Quran, Islam’s holy text, on Sept. 11.

CAIR’s “Learn, Don’t Burn” initiative involves distribution of 200,000 copies of the Qu’ran to replace the 200 copies that the Florida church plans to burn.

At the news conference, CAIR will also announce other activities planned on Friday and Saturday in Florida and will release its new “Challenging Islamophobia” pocket guide.

“This educational initiative is designed for those who seek a proactive and constructive response to the church’s very un-American actions,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “The tiny group of extremists carrying out the book burnings clearly do not represent our society or its values and have been repudiated by all mainstream religious and political leaders.”

Awad noted that he sent a letter to CENTCOM Commander Gn. James N. Mattis asking that he personally visit the Florida church to request that the Sept. 11 burnings be canceled.

Last week, CAIR distributed public service announcements (PSAs) designed to challenge growing anti-Muslim sentiment in American society. Those PSAs have already been viewed by more than 12 million people.

Earlier this month, CAIR released an online toolkit designed to help Muslim communities organize proactive local educational and outreach initiatives such as a “National Day of Unity and Healing” on the upcoming anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

The toolkit, called a “Teachable Moment Community Response Guide,” offers guidance, tools and resources to help Muslim communities respond to specific current events such as the end of Ramadan Eid Al-Fitr holiday occurring near Sept. 11, the upcoming “Burn a Koran Day” by the Florida church, the anti-Muslim bigotry generated by the smear campaign against a planned Islamic community center in Manhattan, and the ongoing tension and misunderstanding surrounding the building or expansion of mosques nationwide. 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.

Comments

MIKE

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I just want to ask if the Flag of America is burned should Americans be outraged. Americans believe the Stars and Stripes as sacred to their freedom. Muslims believe the Koran as freedom. How come there is no discourse in the Muslim world about burning the American flag?

ROBIN

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Mike, the people burning the USA flag are not burning it as Muslims. On the most part they are from subpressed people that do not have the liberty to speak out toward their on country so it is easier (and supported by their governments) to speak out against the USA. Most of these people only have their religion to identfy with because their countries have provided them with nothing. As it is not against any USA law for this idiot in Florida to burn the Qur'an in the States it is not against the law in those countries to burn our flag. Just as books are mass produced so are flags. The burning of any religious book is childish. The only reason this guy chose to do it is because he knew what the response would be. We have our official FLAGS none of which have ever been distroyed. We also have flags for table settings, printed on shirts, and sometime we make a special flag for those other idiots to burn. If you remember back in the Viet Nam era protesters were burning the American Flag on college campasses. The government wanted to jail the protesters but couldn't under OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION. If we want to maintain our freedoms we also have to allow others those same freedoms. We may not like it but we have to accept it. If not we are no better than they.

ALAWI FRANCIS

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Either way, Book-burning, Or no Book-burning, terrorists attacks will never stop till the whole world fits the exact version of the terrorists' Islam. Even a little different version of Islam means terrorist attacks will go on.

ROBIN

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Alawi Francis, I invite you to read the following article in today's Arab News

http://arabnews.com/world/article133851.ece

ALAWI FRANCIS

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@ROBIN, I have limited time on my hands and I cannot answer every question. If I have a specific question I will surely take the time. Kindness is often the key to a peaceful life. I am guided by Jesus.
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