Progressive Christians Uniting

An Interfaith Appeal and Open Letter to Senator Barbara Boxer

Please Reject Islamophobia and
Restore the Good Name of CAIR
(Council on American Islamic Relations)

Dear Sen. Boxer:

As interfaith leaders and concerned citizens, we are alarmed that you hastily rescinded the appropriate recognition your office had given to Basim Elkarra, who represents the Council on American Islamic Relations in Sacramento.

You took this action rashly after the award came under intense attack from Joe Kaufman, Steve Emerson, and others who make it their particular business to discredit and defame Islamic organizations based in the U.S. You did not consult people like ourselves before rescinding the award. We could and would have freely and accurately characterized CAIR as a responsible and highly-esteemed force for reconciliation and sanity, both in international affairs and in deepening interfaith understanding here in the United States.

Our purpose, however, is not to scold but to ask very simply that you not put CAIR at further risk of isolation and defamation. You can do this by stating clearly that you have not found any evidence to the effect that CAIR endorses terrorism or offers support and comfort to groups that engage in terrorism. The FBI will be happy to assist you in this.

We believe that the staff who advised you to rescind the award to Mr. Elkarra did so out of a panic response, recognizing that people like Kaufman and Emerson are capable of doing damage to your own reputation and exposing you to ridicule for allegedly consorting with a questionable organization. We believe that much greater damage to your reputation is being done every single day that your actual and grave mistake—rescinding the award rather than taking time to discover the facts—is allowed to stand. But more than this, we are profoundly disturbed by the immense long-term damage now being done to CAIR’s reputation, to intergroup relations, and to American principles as a result of a tempest precipitated by some extreme right-wing Islamophobes.

We in California have particularly sad memories of what can happen when a minority group is unfairly and unjustly isolated, accused, and convicted in the public’s mind as disloyal and dangerous. The internment camps for Japanese Americans stand as a stark reminder of the danger and tragedy that loom near when entire groups are subjected to character assassination and false charges.

Please show us that you understand the danger, that your principles remain strong, and that you are committed to a truly open society in which a particular faith tradition or ethnic background may never again be automatically equated with disloyalty. State clearly and unambiguously what we all know and attest to be true: that CAIR is a worthy participant in our ongoing democratic discourse and in our interfaith community life.


Signed...

Name and (Zipcode)

  • Rita Nakashima Brock, Ph.D. , Director, Faith Voices for the Common Good ( 94610 )
  • Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker , President, Starr King School for the Ministry ( 94709 )
  • Rev. Peter Laarman , Executive Director - ProgressiveChristians Uniting ( 90017 )
  • Rev. Dr. David Sammons , Visiting Professor of UU Heritage and Ministry ( 94709 )
  • Rev. Vail Weller , Minister, Unitarian Universalists of San Mateo ( 94402 )
  • Cilla Raughley, MHROD , District Executive, Pacific Central District of th... ( 94609 )
  • Rev. Barbara F. Meyers , ( 94536 )
  • Rev. Carol S. Rudisill , Interim Minister, UUFNN ( 91024 )
  • Rev. Jennifer H. Kottler , Deputy Director, Protestants for the Common Good ( 60602 )
  • Rev. Roger D. Jones , ( 95126 )
  • Reverend Neil G Thomas , Senior Pastor ( 90069 )
  • Mister Henry Jefferson , ( 91762 )
  • Richard Moore , ( 91711 )
  • Rev Robert Wayne , ( 92056 )
  • Dr. Juan Martinez , ( 91040 )
  • Mary Williams , ( 92865 )
  • Raymond G. Helmick, S.J. , Professor of Conflict Resolution, Boston College ( 2467 )
  • Dr. Frank O. Andersen , ( 92651 )
  • Maureen Fiedler, SL , Sr. ( 20782 )
  • Rev. Timothy F. Simpson , Interim President, Christian Alliance for Progress ( 32203 )
  • William N. Kennedy , ( 94062 )
  • Karen Chapman Lenz, PhD , Quaker for Peace & Social Justice ( 91767 )
  • Terry Jones , ( 77008 )
  • Dr. Frederic Bush , ( 92657 )
  • Gail Blackwell , ( 90043 )
  • John W. Sturm , ( 90065 )
  • The Very Rev. David Hilton Jackson , ( 91711 )
  • Dr. Ward McAfee , ( 91711 )
  • Michael Ligon , member, ICUJP & 1st Unitarian Church, LA ( 90046 )
  • Robert Simpson , member All Saints Church, Pasadena ( 91306 )
  • Rev. Michael A. Crane , ( 6357 )
  • C. Lindsey , ( 92646 )
  • Rev. Kenneth Dale , ( 91711 )
  • Nichola Torbett , Member, First Congregational Church of Berkeley ( 94704 )
  • Diane Kenney , ( 91107 )
  • Elbert D. Hoffman , United Methodist Minister, retired ( 95209 )
  • Rev. Dr. Truman A. Barrett , ( 91748 )
  • John B. Cobb, Jr. , ( 91711 )
  • Dorothy E. Jones , ( 91711 )
  • Rev. Dr. Bill McKinney , President, Pacific School of Religion ( 94709 )
  • Thomas B. Hubbard , Episcopal priest ( 91711 )
  • Prof James A. Sanders , ( 91711 )
  • David K. Farley , Pastor , Echo Park United Methodist Church, L.A. ( 90026 )
  • David Styffe , Member, First Christian Church, Fullerton ( 92831 )
  • Mrs. Frances Bray , ( 91711 )
  • Jane Rinaldi , Instructor ( 92870 )
  • Shirley Corbin , church organist ( 92586 )
  • George W Poutney , ( 92870 )
  • Rabbi Rebecca Alpert , ( 19119 )
  • Aida Porteneuve , First Congregational Church, L.B. ( 90803 )
  • Rev. Kurt A. Kuhwald , ( 94102 )
  • Robert Smith , ( 92612 )
  • Robert R. Smith , ( 92612 )
  • Judy Roberts , ( 92675 )
  • Laurie Fox , Elder, West Hollywood Presbyterian Church ( 90015 )
  • Stanley Yon , Member, St. Luke's Episcopal, Long Beach ( 90802 )
  • Barbara Mark , ( 93023 )
  • Rev. Nancy Palmer Jones , Senior Minister, First Unitarian Church of San Jose ( 95112 )
  • Ralph Midtlyng , Pastor ( 91344 )
  • Phil Barney , ( 90041 )
  • Steve Schatz , ( 90715 )
  • Jim Brillon , ( 92805 )
  • Naomi Mehl , ( 91702 )
  • Dean Inada , ( 92630 )
  • Mr. Abid Khalaf , ( 90260 )
  • Suhail Kassis , Senior sicentist and engineer ( 92886 )
  • Raed Manasrah , ( 92570 )
  • Shereen Sabet, PhD , ( 92648 )
  • J Olson , ( 90211 )
  • samera sood , vice president/ PALESTINIAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S ASSOC... ( 92651 )
  • Dina Shorafa , ( 90505 )
  • Raana Smith , ( 92602 )
  • Tawfieq Mousa , Engineer ( 92802 )
  • Arthur Waskow , Rabbi; director, The Shalom Center ( 19119 )
  • Andrew Helms , ( 93108 )
  • Luis M. Lozano , ( 90803 )
  • Bisher Ahdab , ( 92602 )
  • nagwa amin , ( 92336 )
  • Rev. Jan Chase , ( 91767 )
  • Rev. Eileen Noyes-Verchereau , ( 28801 )
  • Faisal Buharie , ( 92802 )
  • Rheva Nickols , United Methodist for peace and social justice ( 91405 )
  • Mr. Zafar Husain , ( 92879 )
  • Rhetta Alexander , United Methodist for Peace and Justice ( 91405 )
  • Laurie A. Brand , Professor ( 90041 )
  • Rev. Jerry Stinson , Christian Minister ( 90804 )
  • Felicity Figueroa , ( 92614 )
  • Rev. Lindi Ramsden , Executive Director, Unitarian Universalist Legisla... ( 95814 )
  • Thaddeus F. Heitmann , ( 92651 )
  • Barbara English , ( 92656 )
  • Rev George V. Pixley , ( 91711 )
  • Robert Lane , ( 94566 )
  • Rev. Judith Meyer , Minister, UU Community Church of Santa Monica ( 90404 )
  • Mayssun M. Kahf , ( 92683 )
  • Reverend Carol Hilton , ( 92056 )
  • Lee Marie Sanchez , Consulting Minister Unitarian Universalist ( 92649 )
  • Melinda Benton , M.A.R., Yale Divinity School ( 90049 )
  • Jackie Brown , member, First Christin Church, Fullerton, CA ( 92831 )
  • Rev. Jolene Cadenbach , ( 91006 )
  • Hali Cespedes-Zane , ( 92606 )
  • Professor Mohammad A. Auwal , ( 90032 )
  • Rev. Bets Wienecke , ( 93013 )
  • Lawrence Swaim , ( 94537 )
  • Don O. DeWald , Baha'i Faith/Interfaith Initiative ( 93117 )
  • Rev. Mr. Donald J. Cunningham , ( 94501 )
  • Jack Luikart , Board Member Graduate Theological Union ( 94123 )
  • Marilyn Snider , human being ( 91767 )
  • Ed Bacon , Rector, All Saints Church ( 91101 )
  • Anita Trush , UCLA Social Work (MSW) Student ( 90291 )
  • Nadia S Bettendorf , ( 90631 )
  • Mr. Jim Deaton , ( 90807 )
  • Rev. Silvio Nardoni , ( 90039 )
  • Jennifer Kubit , ( 92648 )
  • Jay Atkinson , Parish Minister ( 91344 )
  • Claire Hoffman , ( 90290 )
  • Roni Portillo , ( 92653 )
  • K. Q. Kubit , ( 92648 )
  • Ms Jeanne Whitesell , ( 92649 )
  • George Fulton , ( 92660 )
  • Frank Amon , ( 91767 )
  • Mrs R. Najeeb , ( 92647 )
  • Nancy Howell , ( 92692 )
  • Miss Stephanie Sieveke , ( 92886 )
  • Betsy Barnhart , Elder, Presbyterian Church ( 92007 )
  • Shawn Koester , Member, Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congreg... ( 91737 )
  • Rev. Susan Craig , ( 91103 )
  • Marilyn Brunger , ( 91711 )
  • Jane Affonso , ( 90278 )
  • L. Cullerton , ( 91769 )
  • Jan Meslin , Chair, Social Action, Tapestry Unitarian Universal... ( 92691 )
  • Nicholas (Nick) Dibs , Community Leader ( 92845 )
  • Md Musa , Civil Engineer ( 92870 )
  • Suzanne Darweesh , Christian ( 92831 )
  • David Robinson , Executive Director, Pax Christi USA: National Cath... ( 20017 )
  • Bob Blair , ( 92821 )
  • Rev. Dr. David L. Wheeler , Pastor, First Christian Church of Antelope Valley,... ( 93584 )
  • Carol Fujita , ( 91746 )
  • Howard Emery , ( 92612 )
  • LaValle Bullard-Muhammad , ( 91730 )
  • Rev. Thomas E. Ambrogi , Progressive Christians Uniting ( 91711 )
  • J. Morrison , United States Marine Corp. Wife ( 92054 )
  • K.Elnaggar , ( 91701 )
  • Nicholas Moore , Network Engineer ( 90047 )
  • mark alkoraishi , ( 92835 )
  • Adnan Fakih , ( 90504 )
  • Jawharah Jackson , ( 92404 )
  • Mr. Ismail Dadabhoy , ( 90630 )
  • Mr Shakeel Syed , ( 90232 )
  • Sammy Montana , ( 90814 )
  • Mr. Akram AbuZaineh , ( 92880 )
  • Amne Fakih , ( 92026 )
  • Rev. Thomas Ryan , ( 10019 )
  • Mrs. Linda Peterson , ( 92866 )
  • Yasmin Khan , ( 92614 )
  • Susan Eaton , ( 92660 )
  • David P. Chandler , ( 90240 )
  • Bruce Borden , ( 92680 )
  • Roslyn Manley , ( 92604 )
  • o aref , ( 92618 )
  • Kyle Hammans , ( 91040 )
  • Joyce Kamei Wills , ( 92821 )
  • Manal El-Shinawy , ( 91108 )
  • Jim Gibson , ( 92637 )
  • Randall Heyn-Lamb , Member, Middle East Task Force, Episcopal Diocese ... ( 91104 )
  • hadi , ( 92821 )
  • Linda Vogel , Professor Emerita ( 91711 )
  • Rev. Audrey W. Vincent , Minister Emerita ( 93060 )
  • Chris Korzen , ( 2144 )
  • Rebecca Martin , ( 91106 )
  • Rev. Darrel Meyers , Minister, Presbyterian Church (USA) ( 91504 )
  • Mr Goolam Jeewa , ( 90620 )
  • Rev. Darrell McGowan , Senior Pastor, First Christian Church of Fullerton... ( 92821 )
  • Lee Greer , ( 92354 )
  • Mr. Frank Banales , ( 93103 )
  • Rev. Jane Ramsey , ( 94805 )
  • Ray Kubit , Chair, St. Mark Presbyterian Peace & Justice Commi... ( 92648 )
  • Linda Cahill , Employe Development Director ( 92802 )
  • Jennifer Snow , Associate Director, Progressive Christians Uniting ( 90017 )
  • Sally Barron , co-chair, Justice, Outreach and You (JOY) Ministry... ( 92651 )
  • Haitham Al-Sayed , ( 92672 )
  • Rev. Sarah Moldenhauer-Salazar , Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship ... ( 92651 )
  • Mehboob Aslam , Utilities Engineer ( 91801 )
  • Rev. Sandra L. Strauss , Director of Public Advocacy ( 17109 )
  • Sr, Marianne Farina CSC , Assistant Professor, Dominican School of Philosoph... ( 94708 )
  • Carol Wilson , ( 92780 )
  • Rev. Dr. George F. Regas , ( 91101 )
  • Sharon L Genung , Technical Writer ( 93110 )
  • maryam abdelnaby , ( 90503 )
  • Sabiha Simjee , CPA, CEO ( 91765 )
  • Zeke Hernandez , President, Santa Ana LULAC #147 ( 92703 )
  • Harlan Christianson , Environmental Consultant ( 91731 )
  • Rev. Jim Conn , Dir of New Ministries - UMChurch ( 90405 )
  • Kay Lindahl , Interfaith Minister ( 90803 )
  • Nadeem Goraya , ( 93311 )
  • Reverend Patricia de Jong , ( 94708 )
  • The Rev. Dr. Gwynne Guibord , Officer of Ecumenical &Interreligious Concerns - T... ( 90004 )
  • Nazema Gosla , ( 92694 )
  • Rev. Peggy Price , Seal Beach Church of Religious Science ( 92647 )
  • Javier Stauring , Co Director, Office of Restorative Justice, ACC of... ( 90010 )
  • Rev. Dr. Diana C. Gibson , Co-Director, Council of Churches of Santa Clara Co... ( 94025 )
  • Rev. Dr. Dorsey O. Blake , ( 94605 )
  • The Rev. Anne Felton Hines , Minister ( 91364 )
  • Rev. Peggy Wallace , Interim Minister, United Church of Christ ( 91730 )
    • Gloria Wildman , ( 92868 )