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PRESS
RELEASE CHICAGOLAND MUSLIMS SADDENED BY The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (the Council), an umbrella organization representing over 400,000 Muslims throughout Chicagoland, expresses grave concerns and sadness over the impending war on Iraq, considering it unjustifiable, counter to American interests, and detrimental to the critical pursuit of peace and stability across the world, especially in the Middle East. We once again join the pained voices of the vast majority of religious leaders from across the United States and abroad in asserting that, despite the undisputedly brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussain and given the distinct possibility of diplomatic solutions and ongoing concerted efforts of the UN, a unilateral and preemptive offensive against Iraq would be a morally indefensible and misguided initiative. Reacting to recent developments portending an impending war, Kareem Irfan, the Council's Chairman, stated: "America's Muslims will, of course, stand in solidarity with our fellow Americans in support of our troops if they are deployed into action. However, we remain critical of the war and continue to pray and hope that the U.S. will even now work diligently in concert with the international community toward a peaceful solution so that a devastating war on Iraq may yet be avoided." The Council particularly urges President Bush to take the moral high ground and forego a unilateral, destructive offensive that could: 1) inflict severe civilian and military casualties (including those of the already suffering Iraqi civilian population as well as our own sons and daughters in the armed forces); 2) isolate the United States as a nation within the global community precisely when international collaboration is essential as we battle terrorism, repression and occupation all over; 3) violate long-standing precepts of International law; 4) seriously weaken the credibility and effectiveness of key international alliances like the UN and NATO; and 5) also be domestically divisive by ignoring the unprecedented outpouring of religious sentiment and massive public protests against this war from millions within the United States and across the world. The Council is also concerned about the escalation of backlash and hate crimes against Muslim and Arab-Americans in the event of a war. It is distressing that acts of vandalism and threats against Muslims and Islamic Institutions have already re-surfaced in recent days. We trust that our law enforcement agencies will proactively safeguard the civil rights and ensure the safety of all Americans (regardless of religious, ethnic or national background), especially against hate crimes and speech, particularly as their First Amendment rights of free speech and dissent are exercised in these testing times. We also urge all those expressing opposition to the war to do so peacefully and with utmost regard for the law and also with civility and tolerance toward opposing viewpoints.
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