John,

Islamophobia is ugly, deadly, and counter to our ideals as Americans who place a high value on religious freedom.

The human cost can be too much to bear, as we saw in the brutal murder of a six-year-old boy in Plainfield, Illinois, because his family was Muslim.

Last May, when President Biden established a national dialogue of political and faith leaders to address the dangers of anti-semitism, he also recognized the need for a similar plan to “counter the scourge of Islamophobia.”

Unfortunately, this anti-Islamophobia strategy has yet to emerge. But we can’t wait for action, given the pressures of the moment and people’s lives at stake.

Fortunately, there is something President Biden can do right now, without waiting for Congress or allowing time for a national dialogue. In 2004, Congress created a Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti Semitism. President Biden has the authority to establish a similar envoy to combat Islamophobia now.

Sign the petition today to urge President Biden to create a Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia now.

Establishing such an envoy would “advance U.S. commitments to human rights, religious freedom, and the global fight against bigotry and hatred.”

Sadly, hate crimes are the lived experiences for many of our friends, families, and neighbors. Whether it’s someone we know or a complete stranger, we cannot tolerate the intolerance of hatred.

We need to create a safer and more inclusive environment for us all, and establishing a special envoy can be a part of this process.

The founder of Chicago’s Inner City Muslim Action Network, Rami Nashashibi, met with members of the Biden administration to help begin a dialogue, but he was not satisfied with the initial efforts. He said he was concerned that too many people confuse support for Palestinian self-determination with support for the terrorist attacks, which may contribute “to an atmosphere where we could see even more deadly results and more targeting.”

That’s why we need to build support for the President’s efforts by signing the petition to create a Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia.

Thank you for your commitment to creating a safer and more inclusive environment that respects human rights and religious freedom for everyone.

- Amanda

Amanda Ford, Director
Democracy for America
Advocacy Fund