Let’s Really End The Endless War On Terror By Closing Guantanamo; ACTION ALERT: Islamophobia Envoy; Amicus Brief Opinion;  Deadline Extended: CLDP

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Issue 62: Friday, 28 Jan 2022


THIS WEEK IN DC — Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer Plans To Retire; Biden Reaffirms Pledge To Nominate Black Woman To Supreme Court; Progressives Urge Senate To Pass Build Back Better By March 1; Top House Democrat Open To Lower Income Caps For Child Tax Credit To Win Over Manchin; Harris Discusses Pandemic, Migration During Visit With New Honduran President Woman To Supreme Court; Top Biden Official Says Information Classification System Undermines National Security, Public Trust; McConnell: I'm Going To Give Biden's Supreme Court Nominee 'A Fair Look'; Clyburn Calls For Full-court Press On Voting Rights; Record 14.5 Million People Sign Up For ObamaCare; Pelosi Is Running For Reelection But Is Silent On A Bid To Retain Her Leadership Post; Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman Speaks Publicly For First Time Since Jan. 6 Insurrection.

IN THIS ISSUE
* Featured Issue: Let’s Really End The Endless War On Terror By Closing Guantanamo
* ACTION ALERT: Islamophobia Envoy
* Amicus Brief Opinion: Johnson v Baker
* DEADLINE EXTENDED: Applications are Open for our 2022 Congressional Leadership Development Program
* ICYMI: Interfaith Press Conference: Interfaith Leaders Join to Protest Violence


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** Let’s Really End The Endless War On Terror By Closing Guantanamo
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By: Amine Ben Naceur, MPAC Senior Non-Resident Policy Fellow
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Image credit : Joint Task Force Guantanamo (Flickr)


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This month marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo detention center in the U.S. Navy base on the Cuban island. Since its opening in 2002, more than 800 detainees have entered the cells of the detention center known for its frequent human rights violations. Considered the last vestige of the War on Terror, U.S. authorities do not seem willing to close this obsolete detention center, even though the latest decisions of Congress and the Biden Administration go against the commitments made by the President during his campaign. In this context, MPAC reiterates its unconditional commitment to the closure of this institution, which further tarnishes the moral authority of our country on the international stage that has already been undermined by the previous administration.

Read full article ([link removed]) → ([link removed])


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ACTION ALERT:

On December 14, 2021, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5665, the Combatting International Islamophobia Act. ([link removed]) Following this passage, the Senate introduced a companion bill ([link removed]) , led by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

This legislation, if passed, would require the Department of State to establish a Special Envoy for tracking and combating Islamophobia globally. The creation of the Special Envoy will also help lawmakers and other government officials better understand anti-Muslim hatred and violence, allowing for the development of a comprehensive strategy that will establish U.S. leadership in addressing Islamophobia worldwide.

MPAC and Emgage Action are actively working on advocacy to encourage this effort.

Stay tuned for more details in the coming days.


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** Amicus Brief: Johnson v Baker

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In conjunction with the Yale Free Exercise Clinic, last summer MPAC submitted an Amicus Brief to the United States Supreme Court in support of the right to religious freedom of an inmate from Nevada.

This week ([link removed]) , the Ninth Circuit issued an opinion in Johnson v. Baker, affirming that under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which provides expansive protection for religious liberty, States may not inquire into the centrality of a religious practice to a faith, so long as the belief is sincerely held, and also better defining what constitutes a substantial burden.


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** DEADLINE EXTENDED: Applications are open for our 2022 Congressional Leadership Development Program (CLDP)

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Important announcement – we are so grateful for the incredible interest requests for our 2022 CLDP cohort. Due to this overwhelming demand, we are pleased to announce an application extension to Sunday, February 20, 2022.

Are you or someone you know ready to avail this unique opportunity valued at $10,000?

Our CLDP program is offered at zero cost to accepted candidates and places youth in a coveted Capitol Hill internship position for 10 weeks during the summer. Fellows gain critical first hand experience on how Congress functions, what goes on behind closed doors – and what the legislative process actually looks like.

If this extension impacts you or anyone in your network to avail this opportunity, please share this program with your network. We are grateful to our stakeholders, advisors and staff for stepping in to support this increase in demand. We thank you for your support.

Deadline to submit applications is Sunday, February 20th!

Learn more and apply for our CLDP program → ([link removed])



** ICYMI: Interfaith Leaders Join to Protest Violence
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In the wake of the attack on the synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, last week a group of multi faith leaders joined together ([link removed]) in solidarity to protest hate, violence, and polarization.

Watch the full press conference → ([link removed])


GOOD TO KNOW
* Hamtramck's all-Muslim City Council condemns ([link removed]) antisemitism
* Art created by Guantánamo Bay detainees to be shown ([link removed]) in new ODU exhibition
* Abdul-Jabbar says Stockton vaccine comments ([link removed] says Stockton vaccine comments make athletes look like 'dumb jocks') make athletes look like 'dumb jocks'
* Biden’s diplomats are flooding ([link removed]) the zone on Russia. But even some allies aren’t convinced
* These companies decided ([link removed]) to go fully remote -- permanently


- THIS WEEK IN HISTORY -

Jan 23, 1913 - The 'Young Turks' lead a coup d'etat against the Turkish Government, assassinating Minister of War Nazim Pasha; Jan 24, 1960 - Algeria uprises against French President de Gaulle; Jan 25, 1850 - Muslims from West Africa that had been made slaves and forcibly transported to Brazil by Portuguese slave traders revolted in the Brazilian city of Bahia; Jan 26, 2010 - A French parliamentary committee's report on a partial ban of the burqa, or full Islamic veil, has been made public; Jan 27, 661 - The fourth Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, and the first Shi'ite Imam, Ali ibn Abi Talib, is struck on the head while praying at the Great Mosque of Kufa, Iraq with a poison-coated sword wielded by Ibn Muljam a Kharijite, and dies two days later; Jan 28, 1099 - First Crusaders begins siege of Hosn-el-Akrad Syria; Jan 29 1991 - Iraqi forces under Saddam Hussein attack Saudi Arabian town of Kafji, but are turned back by Coalition forces.

Jan 23, 1973 - US President Richard Nixon announces an accord has been reached to end Vietnam War; Jan 24, 1962 - Jackie Robinson is first African American elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame; Jan 25, 1875 - Anti-slavery society forms in New York; Jan 26, 1961 - First woman personal physician appointed to a US President (Janet G. Travell to John F. Kennedy); Jan 27, 1825 - US Congress approves Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), clearing the way for the forced relocation of the Eastern Indian tribes via the "Trail of Tears"; Jan 28, 1986 - Space Shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, with all 7 crew members killed, including Christa McAuliffe who was to be the first teacher in space; Jan 29, 1850 - Senator Henry Clay drafts the Compromise of 1850 to defuse tensions between slave states and free states over territories won during the Mexican–American War.

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