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Dear John,
In the weeks following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, there was a wave of attacks motivated by anti-Muslim sentiment that claimed the lives of nine Americans, while injuring dozens others. House Resolution 662 honors those who lost their lives due to hate crimes and assaults against American Muslims and those incorrectly perceived to be Muslim.
Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX-30) this resolution would:
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Recognize the victims of these hate crimes and express condolences to surviving family members;
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Encourage the 9/11 Commission to recognize the victims and survivors of post 9/11 hate crimes;
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Recognize the positive contributions which Arabs, Muslims, Sikhs, and South Asians make to United States society; and
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Recommit the United States to serving as a world leader in condemning all results and expressions of racism, xenophobia, ethnic, and religious intolerance that American Muslims, and those perceived to be Muslim, have faced.
This legislation powerfully articulates the harm that bigotry and hatred commit not only to the individual victim, but to the psyche and wellbeing of larger communities.
To advocate for the passage of this resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives, we are hosting a briefing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 1pm ET. At this event, we will hear impact statements from survivors and family members of the victims who lost their lives in the weeks following September 11, 2001.
Our Hill Briefing will include remarks from Rais Bhuiyan, founder of World Without Hate, who gained international prominence following his efforts to prevent the execution of a white-supremacist who shot Bhuiyan in a spree of vengeance just ten days after the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
Keeping our nation safe includes ensuring that we all feel safe walking down the street in our neighborhoods, regardless of race or religion. We will keep fighting to advocate on behalf of our community and all others who feel under attack, whether it is speaking out against the recent wave of Anti-Semetism, supporting our brothers and sisters in the Sikh community or working with members of the Black community to ensure systemic racism is something we only read about in history books.
Please join us by attending the event virtually, and thank you for your continued support.
In service,
Muhammad Baqir Muhyedeen
MPAC Senior Policy and Strategy Manager
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