Thousands join ‘I am a Muslim too’ rally

 Demonstrations were held in cities around the US this weekend to support Muslim Americans and to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

More than a thousand people of various faiths rallied in New York City on Sunday.

The “I Am A Muslim Too” event was held in Times Square and was organised by several groups, including the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding.

Some protesters waved American flags, while others held signs saying “No Muslim Ban.”

Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke at the peaceful rally, saying “we have to dispel the stereotypes”.

“The message I want to give as Mayor of the city to everyone regardless of background or faith or where you were born is that this is your city and this is your country,” he said.

The Mayor said America was founded by people who were fleeing religious persecution and was founded to respect all faiths and all beliefs.

“This is who we are as Americans and this must be protected. An attack on anybody’s faith is an attack on all people of faith,” he said.

Trump has initiated a crackdown on illegal immigration. He also has called for a temporary ban on people entering the US from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Headlined by American entrepreneur and author Russell Simmons and actress Susan Sarandon, the rally on Sunday saw participation by several faith leaders who denounced the divisive political environment in the country and called on Americans to stand up for Muslims facing increasing threat and pressure.

He said the Muslim community was being used as a scapegoat, but that “diversity will prevail.”

Lauding the 900 Muslim members of the New York Police Department, de Blasio said the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world are “overwhelming peace loving” people who care about their community.

“We have to dispel the stereotypes” faced by the Muslim community, de Blasio said declaring at the end of his speech that “I’m proud to say today I’m a Muslim too”.

Eminent Sikh-American speaker and activist Simran Jeet Singh said he is supporting the rally “because as a Sikh, we know what discrimination and oppression feels like. We want a world that is acceptable and tolerant”.

Sarandon said given the political environment in the country, it is no longer possible to be neutral. “If you are silent, then you are complacent.

“We are here because we will not be a cog in a machine that is dismantling our constitution, that is dismantling our bills of rights,” she said to loud cheers from the crowd.

In Oregon, hundreds of people demonstrated on Sunday in front of the Oregon State Capitol to voice their support for immigration rights.

Yesica Navarro spoke about growing up as an immigrant. She said she came to the US as a child with her family, and they managed to succeed despite the odds, The Statesman Journal reported.

“We love this country, and we want to be accepted. This is our home,” Navarro said.

The crowd, which organisers said neared 1,000, cheered and clapped as cars honked their horns, the newspaper said. The rally was part of a national effort called Immigrants’ March Presidents Day 2017.

In Dallas on Saturday, police estimated about 1,700 people rallied downtown in a peaceful show of support for immigrants and refugees.

The Dallas Morning News reported that religious and civic leaders were among those protesting President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

Some marchers carried US flags or banners from other nations and chanted: “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here.” No arrests were made.

About a dozen counter-protesters stood nearby in support of Trump

Washington President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban targets the same seven countries listed in his original executive order and exempts green card holders and those who already have a visa to travel to the US, even if they have not used it yet.

According to a senior White House official, the order will target only those same seven Muslim-majority nations — Iran, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan and Libya.

The President came up with a second order after federal courts held up his immigration and refugee ban. The order could come sometime this week, Fox News reported.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the order, said green card holders and dual citizens of the US and any of those countries were exempted.

The new draft also no longer directs authorities to single out — and reject — Syrian refugees when processing new visa applications.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the version being circulated was a draft and the final version should be released soon.

Even if Syrian refugees are no longer automatically rejected under the new order, the pace of refugees entering the US from all countries is likely to slow significantly.

That is because even when the courts put Trump’s original ban on hold, they left untouched the President’s 50,000 per year refugee cap, a cut of more than half from the cap under the Obama administration

source : gulfnews