American Muslims on "Racial Profiling" Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - owner-amc@list.us.net Fri Jun 11 18:49:24 1999 With the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Media Department 202.789.2262 AMC Applauds President Clinton Calls for an End to Profiling (Washington P, DC June 10)--- In a speech delivered on June 9, 1999 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC, President Clinton identified racial profiling as one of the weak links in civil rights law enforcement. The Director of the American Muslim Council, Aly R. Abuzaakouk congratulated President Clinton for addressing such a crucial issue. Mr. Abuzaakouk asserted that, "Civil rights constitutes basic threads that weave the community together. Racial profiling has extended to ethnic and religious profiling and has created feelings of mistrust and alienation in different parts of the community. The American community is richly diverse and this is a cause for celebration. By directing his Cabinet to collect information on racial profiling, the President is sending a clear message that infringing on American civil rights in the name of security will not be tolerated." Mr. Abuzaakouk futher pointed out however that the American Muslim community has been subjected to unwarranted racial, ethnic, and religious profiling - from police officers in the streets to immigration and security officers in the airport. Some excerpts from President Clinton's speech include: "We have to restore the trust between community and police in every community in America. It is the only way that community policing can really work to make our streets safe." "Racial profiling is, in fact, the opposite of good work, where actions are based on hard facts, not stereotypes. It is wrong; it is destructive; and it must stop." "As a necessary step to combat it, we, too, need hard facts. Today, I am directing my Cabinet agencies to begin gathering detailed information on their law enforcement activities. The Justice Department will then analyze this data to assess whether and where law enforcement engage in racial profiling and what concrete steps we need to take at the national level to eliminate it anywhere it exists. We are committed to doing this, and we hope that all of you will support us in this endeavor." "Some say police misconduct is an inevitable byproduct of the crackdown on crime. I don't believe that's so. As a society, we don't have to choose between keeping safe and treating people right, between enforcing the law and upholding civil rights. We can do both. Everybody in this room knows it, and you know we have to do both. Actions to be taken: Contact the White House and show your support for the President in addressing racial profiling at (202) 456-1111, or fax (202) 456-2461, or email president@white.gov. Contact your representative informing how characterization of racial, ethnic, and religious profiling is an infringement upon our civil rights. To look up your representatives, please visit http://www.vote-smart.org. /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ | (* ___ | | || / \ MERICAN |/\ 1212 New York Ave. NW | | / \ | |_| | |\/ Suite 400 | | |____| |_|-|_||-\ /-| USLIM |/\ Washington DC 20005 | | /| || |\ | \/ | ___ |\/ Phone: (202) 789-2AMC | | || || || |_|\/|_|/ __\OUNCIL|/\ Fax: (202) 789-2550 | | __________ | |__ |\/ E-Mail: amc@amermuslim.org | |------------- \___/ |/\ URL:http://www.amermuslim.org | \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytrc-06.13.99-00:05:00-10397