As Imam Magid noted in today's khutbah, the Congressional Homeland Security Committee hearings yesterday have generated much comment, and many in the community have asked how they can make their voices heard.
We therefore encourage all ADAMS members, families and friends, to contact your Congressional Members, and those other Members who testified or spoke at the Hearings yesterday in support of otherwise for our Community.
We urge all ADAMS members to send a message to the following Congress Members, by phone or e-mail, using this model (but putting it into your own words).
Simply Google the name of each to get an online e-mail form, or the telephone number of their office in Washington:
Suggested message:
Dear Congressman (or Congresswoman) XXXX:
As a Muslim-American living in your Northern Virginia, I appreciate your remarks at the Homeland Security Hearings on Thursday, and am grateful for the support you have given to Muslims throughout our great nation. I applaud you for having the courage to stand up for what is right - and for what drew my family and millions of other citizens to come to America over the past centuries: freedom and democracy. I was very sorry the other Members of the Committee chose not to recognize that our own District in Virginia includes one of the most progressive and highly cooperative Muslim organizations in America - the All Dulles Areas Muslim Society (ADAMS), which has continually stood up against any radical activities, and has done many outreach events with local police and with the FBI. This is exactly what Congressman King claims he wants to promote, but failed to mention. Please know we deeply appreciate your courageous and highly principled stand against those who would use fear to try to win political support from those who know little if anything at all about Islam.
Message to Congressman Frank Wolf:
Dear Congressman Wolf:
As a Muslim-American living in your District, I appreciate your remarks at the Homeland Security Hearings on Thursday, and am grateful for the support you have given to Muslims in Bosnia, Sudan, etc. While I disagree with your comments about CAIR, I respect your right to challenge them. But I remind you that as Sheriff Baca said, CAIR has never been charged with any criminal offense. Most important, I am sorry you did not mention that your District includes one of the most progressive and highly cooperative Muslim organizations in America - the All Dulles Areas Muslim Society (ADAMS). Just today, ADAMS has again condemned any such extremism in our Friday prayer services. ADAMS has continually stood up against any radical activities, and has done many events with local police and with the FBI. This is exactly what Congressman King claims he wants to promote, and I am sorry that you did not mention this in your testimony. I am also sorry you forgot to mention that the various terror related incidents in Virginia incidents like the Ashburn Metro bomber or the 5 youths who went to Pakistan, were all reported to the FBI by fellow Muslims. This was a major oversight and I hope you will be able to issue a press statement pointing out the Muslim Community cooperation that your District has shown so many times in the past.
Dear Congressman King:
As a Muslim-American living in Virginia, I understand your concern for investigating any threats to our country via the Homeland Security Hearings on Thursday, and am grateful for the support you had given to Muslims in your own District in the past. I disagree with your comments but I respect your right to challenge CAIR, though I remind you that as Sheriff Baca said, CAIR has never been charged with any criminal offense. Most important, I am sorry you had overlooked that Congressman Wolf's District in Virginia includes one of the most progressive and highly cooperative Muslim organizations in America - the All Dulles Areas Muslim Society (ADAMS), which has loudly opposed any radical activities, and has done many events with local police and even the FBI. This is exactly what your Committee claims to want to promote, and I am puzzled you did not mention this in the Hearing, or invite anyone from ADAMS to participate as a witness. I am also sorry you forgot that the various terror related incidents in Virginia (like the Ashburn Metro bomber or the 5 youths who went to Pakistan) were all reported to the FBI by fellow Muslims. This was a major oversight and I hope you will be able to issue a press statement pointing out the Muslim Community cooperation that has been shown so many times in the past.
Please remember to be polite and courteous in any dealings with Congress, and to show the proper respect even if we disagree with the positions a Member may have taken.
Please do not allow our Community to be marginalized by apathy! We must make ourselves heard - and can only do that it every member of our community is willing to take time to voice our opinions!
If these Congress Members receive 1000 messages, they WILL listen - and they WILL take us seriously.
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