Faith-based group ISAIAH MN, which has led precinct caucus training sessions for years, and the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN), have responded to anti-Muslim reactions to an effort to engage more Muslim Minnesotans in the upcoming precinct caucuses.
Bluestem had first posted about the reaction in Anti-Muslims flip over what democracy looks like at eight caucus trainings at Twin Cities mosques. At the Star Tribune, J. Patrick Coolican dug deeper in GOP Rep. Cindy Pugh, local GOP official warn of Muslims "infiltrating" precinct caucuses.
ISAIAH's Statement Regarding Viral Islamophobic Attack on Faith and Democracy:
ST. PAUL – Jan. 30, 2018 — We are honored to work with the Muslim faith community on our common values and our vision for Minnesota. We are partnering with Muslim people across Minnesota because we all share a commitment to dignity in democracy and an economy that cares for all of us. This work of encouraging civic participation has provoked some politicians and people to launch a divisive and hateful attack on Muslim people’s right and responsibility to engage fully and powerfully in our civic life. As people of faith, we repudiate and reject any attempt to bully or threaten people to keep people of faith silent. This is a danger to the well-being of people and it is toxic to our democracy.
ISAIAH is working to engage thousands of people of faith to participate in our democracy in Minnesota in 2018. As people of faith we are called to work together for a democracy that honors the dignity of all people and an economy that allows all Minnesota families to thrive. We have been involved in this work for years and faith leaders across the state, including Greater Minnesota cities like Wilmar and Saint Cloud, have been creating partnerships and neighborliness with Muslim communities.
From the beginning, we knew that some people would seek to divide us to distract us from creating the future all of us deserve. Last night, a video of an ISAIAH Muslim faith leader and a lead organizer conducting a caucus training went viral with many heinous, verbal attacks on faith and democracy. Indeed, that strategy of divide and conquer has begun.
Instead, we will celebrate, with joy and determination our path as people of faith towards a future where all Minnesotans are treated with dignity and respect.
We hope all Minnesotans of good faith will stand with us.
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About ISAIAH
ISAIAH is a statewide, faith-based, nonpartisan organization for Christians, people of faith, and congregations to act and fight faithfully for racial and economic justice in Minnesota.
(MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 1/30/18) -- The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today called on the Republican Party in that state to dismiss an official who claims that he uncovered a plot to “mobilize Muslims to infiltrate our Republican caucuses on Feb. 6.”
Dave Sina, chair of the Fourth Congressional District GOP, claimed Monday that a friend went to a mosque and witnessed Muslims being taught to “penetrate” and “infiltrate” the political process.
SEE: Local GOP Official Warns of Muslims 'Infiltrating' Precinct Caucuses
“It is a sad state of affairs when encouraging positive civic engagement by a minority community provokes such a bigoted, conspiratorial and un-American reaction,” said CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein. “The Minnesota Republican Party needs to clean its own house by removing Mr. Sina from its ranks.”
Hussein noted the disturbing rise of Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry targeting Muslims and other minority groups nationwide since the election of Donald Trump as president. . . .
The press release included a screenshot of Dave Sina's post. Here's the first paragraph:
A bit of legwork at the Republican Party of Minnesota's website matching Basic Party Operating Unit (BPOU) chairs with CD4 boundaries should narrow the list of who might be the original "CD 4 BPOU Chairman" who attended the training. Perhaps the party could deal with that person as well.
Photo via ISAIAH: video of an ISAIAH Muslim faith leader, Iman Asad Zaman and a lead organizer, Laura Johnson, conducting a caucus training went viral with many heinous, verbal attacks on faith and democracy. As labor leader Javier Morillo-Alicea noted on Facebook:
If you've not followed this story, you should. It is a little funny but mostly sad, tragic in fact. ISAIAH, a coalition of over 100 religious congregations across the state of Minnesota, has been doing non-partisan trainings for their members to learn how to caucus (with any political party). While for many years, ISAIAH was made up entirely of Christian congregations, they have recently begun to work with Minnesota mosques. They have been doing joint trainings with these faith partners. This is where things get weird.
Anti-Muslim radicals got wind of these trainings and--no gentle way to say it--lost their damn minds. A post describing these events as sinister plots where Muslims were planning to attend caucuses in order to push to--get this!-- win immigration reform, fight islamophobia, and increase education funding. The horror! That, by the way, is from the islamophobes' *own retelling* of this sinister plot. If the participants weren't Muslim or didn't look "other," this would just be reported as "American citizens go to caucus. Snore." In the video, Laura Johnson, the ISAIAH organizer in a video that has now gone viral amongst the anti-Muslim crowd is wearing A VIKINGS JERSEY, God love her. This whole thing is as American as apple pie and as predictable as the Vikings disappointing Minnesotans.
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