CAIR-NJ Welcomes Ruling Against Toms River BOE Member for Anti-Muslim Facebook Postings 

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 3/23/2021) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today welcomed the judge’s ruling on the case of former Toms River Board of Education member Dan Leonard.

In August of 2019, complaints were filed with the School Ethics Commission of New Jersey against Dan Leonard alleging social media posts he made violated the School Ethics Code.

On March 18, 2021, a judge issued a decision and found two violations of the school ethics code. The judge further concluded that censure be the appropriate penalty imposed on Leonard for his anti-Muslim social media postings.

The judge’s decision is a recommendation for the School Ethics Commission.

SEE LEONARD’S FACEBOOK POSTS:  

https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/DanLeonardPosts.jpg

SEE JUDGE’S RULING: 

https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/StateofNJ.pdf

BACKGROUNDER: CAIR-NJ Calls for Resignation of Board of Education Member Who Shared Anti-Muslim, Racist Posts

https://nj.cair.com/5021-2/

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksutsaid:

“We applaud the judge’s initial decision and recommended penalty against Dan Leonard. Our hope is the School Ethics Commission will adopt the decision and the penalty in its entirety.”  

“Anti-Muslim rhetoric should never be tolerated by anyone, let alone those in leadership of our education system. To end violence and discrimination against minorities requires our local leadership uphold inclusive and respectful language and behavior.”  

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut, 908-267-3119, smaksut@cair.com

CAIR-NJ Joins Coalition in Solidarity with Rutgers Professor Attacked by Far Right-Wing Indian Nationalists

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 03/19/2021) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today co-signed a joint letter, titled “Malicious campaign of intimidation against Dr. Audrey Truschke, associate professor,” expressing solidarity with Rutgers professor Audrey Truschke.

Earlier this month, Truschke, who has previously been attacked by members of the Hindu right several times in the last few years for her research on medieval India, said she had been facing an “avalanche of hate speech, anti-Muslim sentiments, misogyny, violent threats, things endangering my family (yes, I have to leave that vague for safety reasons), and aggression towards my students.”

SEE SAMPLE OF HATE MAIL: https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/prof.png

SEE LETTER: https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ProfTruschke.pdf

SEE ALSO: Rutgers Faculty Extends ‘Unreserved Support’ to Professor Audrey Truschke 

https://thewire.in/rights/audrey-truschke-rutgers-university-faculty

Excerpts from Open Letter to Rutgers Executives: 

“The real reason behind the campaign of intimidation against Dr. Truschke is her courageous and unwavering opposition to Hindutva, the supremacist ideology espoused by the RSS and its affiliates. It is this hateful ideology that is the driving force behind the rapidly escalating bigotry and horrific violence in India.”  

“The campaign attacking her scholarly integrity is intended to silence her, curtail her academic freedom as well as her advocacy for peace and pluralism.”  

“Hindutva’s propagandists loathe that Dr. Truschke deploys her scholarship to devastating effect in debunking its supremacist myths they are desperate to perpetuate. These include the spurious claim that India is foremost a country of Hindus and that Muslims and Christians are outsiders, claims that India’s Hindu nationalists use to justify violence against these minorities.”  

“Over time, Dr. Truschke’s powerful voice has helped to bring increased global attention to — and scrutiny of — India’s persecution of its religious minorities, who are 260 million of its 1.3 billion citizens.”

Signed by:   

Hindus for Human Rights
Students Against Hindutva Ideology
Ambedkar International Center
Ambedkar King Study Circle
Dalit Solidarity Forum
Boston South Asian Coalition
Council on American Islamic Relations CAIR – New Jersey
Islamic Society of Central Jersey
Indian American Muslim Council
India Civil Watch International
Coalition to Stop Genocide
ICNA Council for Social Justice
Justice for All
Center for Pluralism
South Asian Left Activist Movement
API Chaya
Stand With Kashmir
The Humanism Project, Australia
Dr. Chloe Breyer, The Interfaith Center of New York
Dr. Aslam Abdullah, Interim President, World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations (WCMIR)
Dr. Rehan Khan, President, International Society for Peace and Justice 

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:

“Our office offers its full support to Dr. Truschke and her academic scholarship that exposes the evils of far right-wing Indian nationalism.  

“Today’s violence against religious minorities in India is painfully underreported. More needs to be done to shine light on the truth, and Dr. Truschke is leading in this principled effort.  

“The death threats, some of which are laced with anti-Muslim sentiment, received by professor Truschke are disturbing. We ask for Rutgers University to ensure the safety of all its staff and students.”

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut, 908-267-3119, smaksut@cair.com 

CAIR-NJ, AMP-NJ Welcome Jewish Link Apology for Anti-Palestinian ‘Joke,’ Call for Additional Remedial Steps   

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 3/19/2021) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) and American Muslims for Palestine of New Jersey (AMP-NJ) today welcomed the Jewish Link’s apology for its “Purim satire” edition piece entitled “100,000 Palestinians shot by Israeli soldiers.” CAIR-NJ and AMP-NJ called on the Jewish Link to take additional measures to remedy any remaining bias against Palestinians within its network.

Jewish Link Apology:  

“We apologize for our news brief in our February 25, 2021 Purim Satire section, entitled “100,000 Palestinians shot by Israeli soldiers.” It was offensive, in poor taste, and we regret it.”

SEE APOLOGY: https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/JewishLinkApology.jpeg

SEE ALSO: NJ paper raises ire with satire about shooting 100,000 Palestinians (with vaccine) 

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2021/03/16/nj-jewish-paper-jewish-links-raises-ire-palestinians-satire/4706691001/

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:

“Acknowledgment is always the first step toward reconciliation. We welcome the Jewish Link’s apology and hope this teachable moment be used to address internal bias and educate against the use of dehumanizing language.”

In a statement, AMP-NJ Vice Chairman Wassim Kanaan said:

“The normalization of violence against the Palestinian people is a pressing matter in mainstream American culture. As we have seen far too often, hateful and dehumanizing rhetoric is very often followed with direct acts of discrimination.  

“This step is the first step; however, in order to rectify this issue, there must be robust and honest conversations within the communities that Jewish Link serves about the reality of Palestinian day-to-day experiences and the colonization of Palestine as a whole. AMP-NJ is committed to contributing to the conversation.”

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

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CAIR-NJ Congratulates Aymen Aboushi on Appointment as Paterson Law Director  

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 3/15/2021) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today congratulated Aymen Aboushi, Esq. on his appointment as Paterson’s first Muslim Law Director.

Mayor Andre Sayegh announced that Aymen Aboushi would begin serving as Paterson’s Corporation Counsel for the Law Department on March 15.

Aboushi has worked in defense of Paterson residents in Civil Rights litigation relative to alleged misconduct by police officers.

Aboushi will become the first Muslim and Arab American Department Head in Paterson’s history.

SEE:  Seasoned Attorney Aymen Aboushi to serve as Paterson Law Director, Sayegh Announces  

https://www.tapinto.net/sections/government/articles/seasoned-attorney-aymen-aboushi-to-serve-as-paterson-law-director-sayegh-announces

SEE: Sayegh picks Aymen Aboushi to serve as Paterson’s chief attorney  

https://patersontimes.com/2021/03/12/sayegh-picks-aymen-aboushi-to-serve-as-patersons-chief-attorney/

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:

“We applaud Mayor Sayegh’s appointment of Aymen Aboushi as Paterson’s first Muslim Law Director and welcome the increased representation of Muslims in the city’s highest offices.

“Aboushi is a respected civil rights attorney who has fought hard against police brutality. We hope Aboushi’s extensive expertise brings much needed progressive change to Paterson, a city with a troubling history of police misconduct.

“With its ever so diverse administration, we pray all Paterson officials, including Aboushi, will work hard to undo the systemic oppression and corruption in the city, and fervently uphold justice for the sake of its residents.”

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut, 908-267-3119, smaksut@cair.com