CALIFORNIA – The California State Assembly – the legislature of America’s richest state – successfully passed a resolution on Tuesday to recognize August 2016 as “Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month”.
The historic resolution was presented by California Assembly member Bill Quirk in June after a community activist urged him to do so in the wake of burgeoning anti-Muslim sentiment.
“Muslim Americans have made contributions to education, science, entertainment and medicine both nationally and globally,” Quirk told NBC News in an email. “Unfortunately, the Muslim community has been, and continues to be, the target of harassment, discrimination and assaults.”
He added, “It is appropriate to acknowledge and promote awareness of the myriad invaluable contributions of Muslim Americans in California and across the country, and extend to them the respect and camaraderie every American deserves.”
https://twitter.com/AsmBillQuirk/status/760220248188461056
The resolution is an effort of the California chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). CAIR-Sacramento Valley Executive Director Basim Elkarra told NBC News that the passing of the resolution represented a day of hope for the Muslim-American community.
https://twitter.com/CAIRSacramento/status/760191730486353920
Xenophobia is on the rise in America, with White House hopeful Donald Trump fanning racist sentiment in his speeches.
Earlier, last week the real estate mogul came under flak for his opinion regarding Ghazala Khan, the mother of a U.S. Army captain who was killed in Iraq.
Trump supports are now taking aim at Bill Quirk for his efforts to appreciate Muslims.
