Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

CAIR offers witty cure for Islamophobia, hands out anti-Islamophobic 'pills' to GOP

by

CLEVELAND Jul 19, 2016 - 12:00 am GMT+3
Nihad Awad, the National Executive Director of Council on American-Islamic Relations, holds a pack of chewing gum the group made called 'Islamophobin'. (EPA Photo)
Nihad Awad, the National Executive Director of Council on American-Islamic Relations, holds a pack of chewing gum the group made called 'Islamophobin'. (EPA Photo)
by Jul 19, 2016 12:00 am

The normally straight-laced Council on American-Islamic Relations tried humor to win over Republicans at their national convention on Monday, handing out packets of a satirical medicine called "Islamophobin," a treatment for Islamophobia.

Islamophobin, which is really just chewing gum in a clever package, promises to treat "blind intolerance, unthinking bigotry, irrational fear of Muslims, (and) U.S. presidential election year scapegoating."

On the first day of the Republican convention to nominate Donald Trump for the Nov. 8 election, CAIR leaders urged the party not to push Muslims voters away.

Trump has proposed a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. He opposes letting in refugees from the Syrian war, suggesting some may be militants posing as the downtrodden. He has made claims, unsupported to date, that thousands of Muslims in New Jersey openly cheered the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

In an interview broadcast Monday on CNN, Trump's wife Melania, due to speak at the convention later in the day, said of her husband: "He's not racist, he's not anti-immigrant," and added, "He wants to keep America safe."

CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad urged Republicans instead to court Muslims voters, saying they could be crucial in swing states that decide presidential elections.

"Too often over the course of this campaign, Republican presidential candidates have pandered to these inner-core Islamophobic leaders and their supporters with proposals like patrolling so-called Muslim neighborhoods, surveilling and shutting down mosques, and openly questioning whether a Muslim can serve as president," Awad said.

As a prescription, Awad offered Islamophobin, a concept borrowed from Muslims in Sweden who created a similar product. CAIR sells a package of 12 sugar-free pieces for $1.99 on amazon.com.

The package says: "Take two and call a Muslim in the morning."

But it comes with a warning.

"Those who already believe in religious diversity, tolerance and mutual understanding should not use this product," the package says.

"Stop taking this product if you begin to develop warm feelings toward Muslims, immigrants or refugees."

Nearby at a separate event, Christian demonstrators tried to eclipse a speech by Rose Hamid, a Muslim woman who was ejected from a Trump rally in South Carolina in January for her silent protest, by standing up wearing her head scarf and a T-shirt reading, "Salam, I come in peace."

As Hamid spoke in favor of a peaceful coexistence at a platform in Public Square set aside for scheduled speeches, the small group behind her hoisted signs such as one saying, "Muhammad is a liar, false-prophet, child-raping pervert."

When they tried to drown out Hamid with a bullhorn, she turned around to see them for the first time and remarked, "Oh, they're lovely." Police then removed them from the scene for demonstrating without a permit.

About the author
Research Associate at Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Jul 19, 2016 2:00 am
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    world
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Icy beauty: Harbin Ice and Snow World in China
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021