Civil advocacy groups denounce Supreme Court decision (Continued p-3)
USCMO Decries Muslim Ban, Affirms Justice for All
The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), the largest coalition of leading national, regional, and local Muslim-American organizations, considers the U.S. Supreme Court's decision today (June 26, 2018) to uphold President Donald Trump's disgraceful and bigoted Muslim Ban a sad and regrettable one.
"This is a tragic day for America and affirms to the world that the torch of liberty, tolerance and justice - once held high in this nation - has been cast down," said USCMO Secretary General Oussama Jammal.
"The decision to empower Presidential fear mongering contradicts America's signature stance astride the most welcoming land in the world - a country known for inspiring nations to 'Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free ...'. This decision wil lfurther tarnish America and its peoples dimming prestige on the world stage," said USCMO board member and Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA) Executive Director, Khalil Meek
The USCMO statement said:
“History will judge this Court harshly and its decision to endorse discrimination against a religious community - Muslims - as a travesty of justice. This decision will take its place of infamy alongside past morally repugnant High Court verdicts, including Dred Scot v. Sanford (the Supreme Court ruled that Americans of African descent, whether free or slave, were not American citizens and could not sue in federal court), Korematsu v. U.S. (which interned Japanese Americans), and Plessy v. Ferguson (separate but equal).
“The great majority of Americans - who overwhelmingly and commendably oppose this thinly veiled vilification of Muslims and their religion - instantly voiced their outrage at this decision and their intent to fight this unfairness until they once again vindicate this nation and its open culture.
“The American Muslim community stands arm-in-arm with their fellow Americans, ready to work to uplift those who are sinking into a dark place of hate and incivility that is now almost becoming governing policy and law.”
ISNA denounces the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the travel ban
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Tusday (June 26, 2018) denounced the Supreme Court 5-4 ruling to uphold the Muslim travel ban. In a statement, ISNA said: “We at the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) are disheartened by the U.S. Supreme Court’s majority opinion in United States v. State of Hawaii in upholding the travel ban targeting Muslim-majority countries. This is a dark chapter in our American history.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling is misaligned with our nation’s professed values and is clear evidence of the historical continuation of discriminatory policies towards people of color, immigrant populations, and religious minorities. Today’s ruling joins the regretful ranks of the Korematsu Decision, which separated Japanese-American families, and forced them to live in internment camps during World War II. Like Korematsu, and other unfortunate episodes in America’s history, this case will be seen by future generations as cause for national remorse.”
On his part, ISNA President Azhar Azeez said:
“Maintaining family unity is the cornerstone of a healthy and stable society. This ruling will instead exacerbate the status quo of families being torn apart; mothers unable to hold their infants; funerals of grandparents unattended; and siblings separated by oceans. Although today’s ruling implicitly upholds the clear and direct animus this administration holds towards Muslims and Islam, the impact of this pain will be felt by our entire country.
“While we are deeply hurt, our spirit is not broken, and we are appreciative of the support from our allies. Like our partners, we remain committed to the political process, and draw upon our faith values of pluralism, freedom of religion, equity, and justice to ensure that everyone in our society is treated with human dignity as the sisters and brothers that God created us to be.
“Criminalizing religious communities isn’t just morally wrong; it also doesn’t keep us any safer. Our organization remains committed to ensuring healthcare for all people, sensible gun safety measures, food security for all, and the protection of our environment so that our planet remains habitable for all people, especially the most vulnerable among us. We will continue to work on these issues to ensure that our nation provides true opportunities for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
“As Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor forcefully stated in her dissenting opinion, ”The court blindly accepts the government’s invitation to sanction an openly discriminatory policy and is essentially replacing one gravely wrong decision with another.” Today’s ruling is a dark chapter, but it is only one chapter in an evolving story, one we will continue to participate in.”
MPAC: Supreme Court just legalized religious discrimination
The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) said that the Supreme Court ruling upholding President Trump’s Muslim ban has legalized religious discrimination.
In a statement, the MPAC said:
“We are disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision to ignore religious freedom and nondiscrimination protections by ruling in favor of the Trump Administration. The Muslim Ban puts the religious liberty of all Americans at risk, impacting American families and American interests.
“When Trump signed his first Executive Order to ban Muslims from coming to this country, many were reminded of the horrific Japanese American internment which led to the 1944 Korematsu v. United States case. Back then the Supreme Court stood on the wrong side of history, ruling against the American people in favor of military necessity. Today, the Supreme Court had the chance to redeem themselves for their complicity in endorsing discrimination during the case of Korematsu. But after over 75 years, the courts have not learned from their mistakes.
“Though the Supreme Court decision stood against the Muslim community, deeming the President’s actions lawful and within the limitations of the Constitution, we cannot and will not give up. We urge the American people to not be defeated by this Supreme Court decision, but to use this as catalyst for political action in the upcoming elections.”
Ilhan Cagri, Senior Policy Fellow for Religious Freedom for the Muslim Public Affairs Council said, “While other people can talk about the theory of the Supreme Court case, we really need to talk about the practicality of what is coming down the road. What this president has done and continues to do is un-American, and it’s immoral,” she added. “What happens as a result of these policies is that we are pushing toward the worst in America, and that is why we must really stand up against this.”
Engie Mohsen, Policy Program Manager for the Muslim Public Affairs Council said the decision put the religious liberty of all Americans at risk. “If it can happen to Muslims, it can happen to anyone."
MAS denounces Supreme Court decision to uphold Muslim Ban
The Muslim American Society (MAS) in a press statement denounced the Supreme Council decision to uphold Muslim ban.
The ban, which has caused outrage both domestically and internationally, severely restricts the entry of immigrants into the US from 7 countries, 5 of them Muslim-majority: North Korea, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Venezuela.
In a statement earlier today, Executive Director Mazen Mokhtar said: “This is not the first time the SCOTUS takes the wrong side. Dred Scott v. Sanford and Korematsu v. United States are only two examples of Supreme Court decisions that have resulted in injustice and oppression against a minority, fueling baseless fears, racism and years of pain for the targeted groups.”
The MAS statement said: “The SCOTUS’ ruling deals a large blow to many Americans eagerly awaiting to be reunited with family members, many of whom are in limbo, especially those coming from war-torn Yemen. MAS strongly urges its members and all people of conscience to stand against this highly discriminatory ban, and to donate to organizations such as the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) that are in the forefront of this struggle for justice and equality.”
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