“Ironically, if those who are viscerally opposed to the sight of a hijabi actually took the time to look at the facts of her life, they may realize that hijabis make for a positive stereotype worthy of their admiration rather than a negative one they ought to fear,” writes Ahmed Rehab.
“More Muslim women like Abusumayah need to speak up,” said Amina Sharif. “If you keep quiet, the bigotry will only continue.”
“Usually after incidents like Fort Hood, there tends to be a spike in hate crimes,” said Christina Abraham. “Current events cause people to act out in bigotry.”
Two days after the Fort Hood shootings, a Tinley Park, Ill., woman grumbled about the massacre and tugged the headscarf of a US-born Muslim woman, Amal Abusumayah, standing in line at a local grocery store.
“I think (a charge of hate crime) sends the appropriate message that these kinds of race-based lash-outs are unacceptable,” said Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “Every time something like (the Fort Hood shootings) happens, the Muslim community prepares for a backlash.”
Tinley Park has been the scene of two recent incidents targeting Muslims. Two days after the Fort Hood shootings, a Tinley Park woman allegedly yanked the head scarf off a local Muslim woman and made derogatory comments. A day later, a Muslim family found derogatory graffiti on their Tinley Park home.
Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he’s pleased with the arrest.
“I’m happy to see the Tinley Park Police Department is not one where hate gets a free pass,” he said. “No group of Americans is left behind when it comes to equality.”
“I was shaken up,” Abusumayah told the SouthtownStar about the Nov. 7 assault. “This is my dignity and this is my religion.”
Ahmed Rehab of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said his organization has reached out to the FBI to pursue federal charges.
“Pulling a woman’s head scarf is clearly a hate crime and should therefore be investigated as such,” said Christina Abraham, the Chicago civil rights director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
CAIR-Chicago executive director Ahmed Rehab comments on the assault on a Muslim woman in Tinley Park, IL. Amal Abusumayah was shopping when another customer made hateful comments against Muslims and attempted to pull off Abusumayah’s headscarf.
CAIR-Chicago’s Ahmed Rehab responds to the harassment and assault of a Muslim woman in a Tinley Park, IL grocery store. CAIR-Chicago is reaching out to the FBI to pursue federal charges against the aggressor.
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