House Resolution 869 is Gaining Support to Recognize American Muslims’ History and Contributions to our Nation

National News Conference June 27th to Call Attention to Growing Movement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Mr. Rameez Abid, Communications Director
ICNA Council for Social Justice
Contact us.

Washington, DC– 06/24/2018 U.S. House of Representatives Resolution 869 is gaining support to recognize American Muslims’ history and contributions to our nation.  There will be a national news conference on Wednesday, June 27th to call attention to this growing movement and to encourage people across the United States to support this resolution. Visit www.icnacsj.org/RMR for details.

House Resolution 869 seeks to recognize American Muslims’ contributions to our nation, dating back to before the Revolutionary War.  The resolution points out many American Muslims have served and continue to serve in the United States Armed Forces.  It points out the significant contributions American Muslims have made to strengthen the U.S. economy, working as physicians, business owners, professional athletes and in other leading careers.  It calls attention to Muslim American efforts to serve their fellow citizens as elected officials or representatives, police officers, fire fighters, soldiers and more.

U.S. Representative Judy Chu of California filed House Resolution 869 in early May, 2018.  Currently, 25 of her House colleagues are now cosponsors.  ICNA Council for Social Justice and the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations will lead the June 27th news conference.  It will be held at Noon at the ICNA Council for Social Justice headquarters located at 1952 Gallows Road, Suite 102 in Vienna, VA 22182.

“History shows the remarkable contributions American Muslims have made to help make the United States everything it is today.  We believe U.S. House Resolution 869 serves as an important reminder of the patriotism American Muslims have always shown for our nation,” says Dr. Zahid Bukhari, Executive Director of ICNA Council for Social Justice.  Dr. Bukhari adds, “We urge Americans everywhere to support this resolution, which will help unite all of us as one people.”

The news conference will launch a 45 day campaign to build support nationwide for House Resolution 869. The title of this campaign is “Recognizing American Muslim Roots”.  Advocates are encouraging Americans to call their U.S. Representatives to urge them to support the resolution.

The campaign will highlight the historic efforts of 43 American Muslims who have made contributions and major impacts to shape the future of our United States.  The campaign will feature their bios and photos.  Americans are being encouraged to post two-minute videos to social media, talking about an American Muslim who made a difference in their lives.   This campaign is using the hash tag #RecognizeMuslimRoots.

ICNA Council for Social Justice (CSJ) is a social justice/human rights organization that strives to systematically facilitate assertive Muslim involvement in the field of human struggle for the rights of the poor and oppressed in the United States.  Established by the Islamic Circle of North America, CSJ enters the social justice/human rights arena in America to cooperate with existing social justice efforts, and organize new initiatives when appropriate, to eliminate barriers to full citizenship rights and privileges, work to restore civil liberties required for a democratic society, and to raise public awareness and work to remove the gross inequities of the US criminal justice system.  Visit www.ICNACSJ.org for more information.