Date Posted: Tuesday, October 28, 2003

Interfaith leaders to join in breaking of the fast, feeding homeless

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

(WASHINGTON, DC - 10/28/2003) - The Muslim American Society's Freedom Foundation* (MAS Freedom), along with other Islamic, interfaith, and civic groups, today held a press conference in the nation's capital to express disappointment with the Bush administration's lack of substantive dialogue with the Muslim-American community.

Speakers announced plans for Muslim and non-Muslim leaders and activists to have an Iftar (breaking of the fast) in Lafayette Park across the street from the White House to celebrate Ramadan. Upon breaking their fast and offering evening prayers, the group will distribute food to the homeless in the spirit of the holy month.

The Iftar, which will begin shortly after 5pm today, will coincide with a White House Iftar ceremony hosted by President Bush. Most of the nation's Muslim leaders have either turned down their invitation to attend the White House gathering, or were simply not invited at all.

"It seems that the only time this administration wants to meet with us is for photo opportunities, not to hear our concerns about policies here at home and abroad," said Mahdi Bray, executive director of MAS Freedom. "How can they claim to have good relations with our community when they don't even have dialogue with its leadership?"

Bray pointed out specific concerns that the Muslim-American community would like the President to address: the refusal to reassign Lt. Gen. William Boykin after he made disparaging comments about Islam; the recess appointment of Daniel Pipes to the U.S. Institute of Peace; the administration's foreign policy; the erosion of civil liberties as a result of the USA PATRIOT Act; the unwarranted detention of thousands of Muslims; and the seizure of Islamic charitable assets.

Other speakers at the event included Khalid Turaani, executive director of American Muslims for Jerusalem, Ismail Kamal of the Muslim Students' Association of the U.S. and Canada, former congressman Rev. Walter Fauntroy of the Civil Rights Leadership Roundtable, Joseph Groves of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and Claudia Brown of the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church. Also, a statement was read on behalf of Najee Ali of Project Islamic H.O.P.E.

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* The Freedom Foundation is the public affairs arm of the Muslim American Society (MAS), a national grassroots religious, social, and educational organization. Learn more at www.masnet.org.

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MAS Freedom Foundation

1050 17th Street NW #600

Washington, DC  20036

Tel:  (202) 496-1288

Fax:  (202) 463-0686

URL:  http://www.masnet.org/index_publicaffairs.asp

Email: freedom@masnet.org

Contact: Mahdi Bray

         (202)-421-3623