(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 11/5/2017) — The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today decried the distribution of a racist flyer with the heading “Don’t let Terrorism Take Over Our Town,” with the picture of Sikh mayoral candidate, Ravi Bhalla.
The flyer which was distributed on car windshields in Hoboken, NJ is an apparent effort to sway voters in an upcoming Mayoral election there. The distribution of this flyer comes just 2 days after a racist postcard was mailed to voters in Edison, NJ targeting Asian School Board candidates with the slogan “Make Edison Great Again”.
“This is the second time we’ve seen this kind of divisive campaign rhetoric in this election cycle here in New Jersey.”, said James Sues, executive director of CAIR-NJ. “The repugnant racist tactics represented in these campaign materials do a disservice to the welcoming community that New Jersey truly is. This is just a painful reminder of the extreme divisiveness that characterizes current political climate at the national level.”
[NOTE: Sikh men who wear beards and turbans as part of their faith are often targeted by bigots who mistake them for Muslims.]
SEE: Fliers attack Sikh mayoral candidate, portraying him as a terrorist
http://pix11.com/2017/11/04/fliers-attack-sikh-mayoral-candidate-portraying-him-as-a-terrorist/
SEE: Racist ‘Make Edison Great Again’ mailer targets Asian school board candidates
http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2017/11/racist_campaign_posctards_being_mailed_in_edison.html
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
La misión de CAIR es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, fomentar el diálogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.
