A major Muslim civil rights organization urged President Obama to use his national address Sunday evening to address rising tensions with the Muslim community in the U.S. following attacks in California and Paris, where the attackers are suspected to have had affiliations with the Islamic State.
“As he prepares for his address to the nation this evening, we ask President Obama to include a clear condemnation of the rising anti-Muslim attacks and hysteria we have witnessed in recent weeks, and to state that violence against American Muslims and their institutions will not be tolerated,” said Nihad Awad, national director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, in a statement.
“Hate-filled rhetoric and anti-Muslim attacks are putting the lives of American Muslims and their families in real danger,” Awad continued. “We are particularly concerned by an emerging pattern of government officials and employees, as well as other public figures, seeming to endorse or encourage violence against Muslims.”
“ISIS knows it cannot defeat our nation militarily, so the terror group’s only hope is to divide Americans along religious and ethnic lines. This address provides the opportunity to clearly demonstrate national unity, not division,” Awad concluded.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest announced that Obama’s speech at 8 p.m. EST will focus on steps the government is taking to keep Americans safe, including an update on the investigation into the San Bernardnino, Calif., mass shooting where the attackers are suspected to have had ties to the Islamic State. The president will also address the “broader threat of terrorism” and his commitment to defeating the Islamic State.
CAIR says it is the largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization in the U.S. and has a mission to “enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.”