But Hussain of Bloomingdale, New Jersey will not be deterred by the hate. She said Muslims are just as affected by the issues that plague this country as any other American. 

“We live in this country where the economy affects us, big decisions made by our government  affect us, just like it would affect any other American person or family,” Hussain said.

With the elections looming, Muslim and Arab American voters across the United States are just as caught up in the stress and drama of the 2020 Presidential Election.

Hussain, like most Americans, is worried about COVID-19.

“There is misinformation on the national level that’s definitely making all our communities less safe, especially communities of color,”said  Hussain.

Hussain, is part of the 71% of  the Muslim American community that back Biden according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The poll showed only 18% percent of Muslim voters support Trump.

Despite the support, Hussain holds some reservations about the Democratic Party. 

“If the Republican Party is completely fine with being extreme in the other direction, the Democratic Party should be comfortable being bold in their efforts to improve and progress the United States,” she  said,

Pollsters say back in the 1990s, Muslim voters were split almost evenly in their support for Republicans and Democrats. But that gap began to widen post 9/11, when the Republican Party was perceived as more hostile to Islam.

And Trump’s presidency began with a Muslim ban.

Executive Order 13769 banned travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries – Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. 

Trump again went after, the Muslim and Arab community  just a few days ago when he tweeted that his administration has suspended, “the entry of refugees from terror-compromised nations like Syria, Somalia and Yemen.”

My Administration has suspended the entry of refugees from terror-compromised nations such as Syria, Somalia and Yemen. Biden’s plan surges refugees 700% into Minnesota, Michigan & Pennsylvania—burdening schools & hospitals while opening the floodgates to Radical Islamic Terror.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2020

“I know many Muslims in the community don’t agree that it is a Muslim ban and they call it a refugee ban, but we know that the countries that are on the list are Muslim majority countries,” Basma Alawee, a former refugge and first time voter said.

She hopes that Muslims and Arabs see how much they have in common with other targeted communities. 

 “I think it’s important for our Muslim and Arab Americans to understand that we are a part of a bigger community and we need to show up and stand in solidarity with others, including the Black community, so they can be there for us when we need them,” Alawee said.

Even though some Muslim Americans may not be thrilled by the candidates they need to choose between, they are serious about change, said Nihad Awad, the National Executive Director at CAIR.

“American Muslims want to get rid of policies and attitudes that harm them and they believe in the alternative,” Awad said. “The alternative is just to be normal. We live in  abnormal times and they want it to end.” 

In Greenville, South Carolina, Robyn Sadoon, an Irish and French Muslim American voter ,is disturbed by how the United States is viewed by the world under this administration. She said their policies have lost a lot of credibility especially when it comes to Syria, Israel-Palestine, NATO and the refugee crisis.

“I don’t think that any of us would have ever imagined that the president of this nation would be laughed at on the world stage by other world leaders,” Sadoon said. “ Much less be given such a negative and critical welcome as we have seen with massive protests against the arrival of this President in so many of the countries that he visited pre-covid.” 

A Palestinian Muslim American of Newark, New Jersey, Wajeeh Abushawish, took a different turn on the presidential election. He said he will be voting for Green Party candidate, Howie Hawkins because his overall point is less money on wars and more money put into American lives. 

“I am a believer in voting for the person whose ideals match yours the most,” Abushawish said. “He is not afraid to support Palestine either, which is taboo for some reason in the United States.” 

Arab Americans share similar concerns.

“Arab Americans have problems with Biden,” Susan Muaddi Darraj, an Arab American novelist from Maryland said. “But our energy right now needs to go in making sure that Trump doesn’t get reelected. My hope is that after the election, we can return to a respect for facts and data. I also hope we find a way to heal the different communities that have been pitted against each other under this administration.”

According to a poll by the Arab American Institute, 59% of Arab voters say they are casting their ballots for Biden compared to 35% voting to reelect Trump.

Biden wasn’t Alana Bannourah’s, a Palestinian Christian American of California, first choice but she said she will be casting her vote for him since the Democratic Party’s values align with hers. 

“I am a registered Democrat and I am definitely voting for Biden, besides the fact that I abhor Trump,” Bannourah said. “I feel like the Democratic Party’s values that match mine are the economy, healthcare, the environment lately and especially  immigration.”

Machhadie Assi putting her ballot into the ballot box in Michigan on October 30, 2020. Photo courtesy of Machhadie Assi

If there is one major issue on the minds of all American voters entering November 3, it is post-election violence. Machhadie Assi, a  Lebanese Muslim American and a Victim Advocate for Michigan’s Attorney General Office, is frightened at the prospect of how Biden and Trump voters will react because people are emotional going into this election.  

“I am actually more concerned about the reaction of people if Biden wins than if Trump wins” Assi said. “Our  country has gone through a lot of hate and it’s in a sensitive stage right now. The result of the election will either escalate the division or not and I worry it will.” 

But Assi is trying to remain  hopeful of what is to come in the next four years.

“I hope we can gain back the respect the world has had for the United States of America under the new administration,” said Assi.

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“Out out China out.” “Shame on Xi Jinping.” “Tibet belongs to Tibetans.”

These were just some of the chants repeated by protesters gathered outside the United Nations yesterday to protest the Chinese government.

Protesters objected to the alleged persecution of Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang Region of China. Others called for the independence of Tibet from Chinese rule.

Despite heavy rain showers, approximately 100 protesters participated. The protesters included members of the Uyghur, Mongol, Kazakh, Uzbek and Turkish communities.

Ibrahim Osmanjan, 22, of Jersey City, New Jersey, is a member of the Uzbek community who participated in the protest.

“This protest is to peacefully demonstrate our viewpoints on the inhumane acts committed by the Chinese Communist Party,” said Osmanjan.

The protesters claim that the Chinese government is arbitrarily detaining members of these communities in political detention centers in Xinjiang — a province in China’s North West region which includes the area identified by some as East Turkestan.

It is alleged that those in detention are forcibly subjected to political re-education intended to align their views with those of the Chinese government.

Like many of the protesters, Osmanjan said that his family was personally affected by the activities in Xinjiang.

“I have family members being sent to re-education camps,” said Osmanjan.“And some family members which I have no idea of their whereabouts, whether they are alive, serving unlawful prison time, or being forced to abide by the Chinese practices imposed on Uyghurs”.

Salih Hudayar, an East Turkistani man now living in DC, said that he too had been personally impacted by the political detention centers in Xinjiang.

“I personally have over 86 relatives incarcerated in China’s concentration camps in East Turkistan,” said Hudayar.

Hudayar is the International and Political Officer of the East Turkistan National Awakening Movement. Hudayar said that his organization collaborated with Students For a Free Tibet and the Turkish American Federation in organizing the protest.

He said that this was one of many protests that his organization has been involved in.

“Our organization has actually been demonstrating in front of the White House for the past three  months,” said Hudayar.

Last month, the Commissioners of the Congressional Executive Commission on China (CECC) asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin to impose sanctions against various senior Chinese officials.

The CECC, chaired by Senator Marco Rubio, said that sanctions were warranted because the Chinese government is subjecting Muslim ethnic minorities to ‘arbitrary detention, torture and egregious restrictions on religious practice and culture’.

Despite this positive response from Congress, Hudayar said that his organization’s activities have also garnered some negative responses.

“We have been constantly harassed by anonymous individuals online for our activities,” said Hudayar.

The Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in New York could not be reached for comment. The Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the UN did not respond to a request for comment.

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New York City’s yellow cabs are a classic signature of this city, weaved seamlessly into our image of it. Much of their workforce, born throughout the world, transport New Yorkers all sorts of places in exchange for a shot at the American dream they immigrated here for. They, along with the rest of NYC’s trades workers, are the unsung backbone of the five boroughs – a fact that is quintessentially American.

But today, NYC’s yellow cabs symbolize a contradiction. As a group that now consists predominantly of Muslim immigrants, many have received Donald Trump’s seven majority-Muslim nation immigration ban – issued Friday – as a message they do not belong, are a threat, and that life as they know it here will get worse. In defiance of this message, many cab drivers showed solidarity to those detained at airports and the protestors of this detainment by striking for an hour at John F. Kennedy International Airport in NYC on Saturday.

Listen to an an NYC yellow cab driver who is a Muslim immigrant grapple with his developing view of what life in America is becoming for him and his family.

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“Let them In! Let them In!” roared thousands of New Yorkers outside of Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International airport.

Rez Iriqui, 36, from Long Island, watched nearby and listened intently as he held his young son over his shoulders.

“I am an immigrant,” he said. “I am not a protester. I work on Wall Street, but I am here because I am worried about the future of my children. Within the last five days we have seen things that I thought would never have happened in America.”

Iriqui and his family joined thousands of New Yorkers yesterday who gathered outside of Terminal 4 to express outrage over President Trump’s executive order banning travel into the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Early Saturday morning word spread that due to the new executive order issued by the Trump administration on Friday evening, travelers had been detained inside airports across the country and were not permitted entry into the country. Through posts and calls to action on social media a mass protest began to form at Terminal 4. Among the protesters were many immigrants who said they knew what was at stake for the refugees seeking shelter in America.

“I come from an immigrant background and an immigrant family,” said Farhan Hossain, 25, who came from Manhattan’s Flatiron district to join the demonstration. “I am here to stand in solidarity with refugees that are being detained. I am against a Trump regime that implements fascist measures that detain people indefinitely.”

The order barred entry into the United States to Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and Somalia, seven majority Muslim countries that have been categorized as “countries of particular concern.” The order also suspended the United States refugee program for the next four months, outlines increased screenings and will prioritize Christian refugees. The seven countries listed are not responsible for any terrorist attacks in America. Opponents argue that the list can be construed as arbitrary and a conflict of interest since the list does not include Muslim-majority countries where the Trump Organization does business, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

By late afternoon protesters at JFK held signs that read “Let Them In,” and chanted “Resist, Fight Back, This is Our New York!” People remained outside the terminal late into the evening in spite of the cold temperatures. As the crowds grew the mood was tense but also filled with solidarity. Some protesters arrived with coffee, donuts, and hand warmers to show support for all those that had been protesting under cold weather conditions since noon.

“I am tremendously upset by what President Trump has done,” said Jessica Valentino, 28, who came out from Greenpoint, Brooklyn. “I am an adoptee, I came into the country when I was 3 months old…to think of all the families and other people trying to come here that no longer have that opportunity is absolutely heartbreaking.”

At 6:30 p.m. protesters kneeled and listened to updates concerning the state of those being detained. Across the street near the entrance to Terminal 4, which had been closed and was guarded by police in riot gear, Azi Amari, 37, from Brooklyn, held a sign up toward them.

“I am Iranian, I was going to travel in two weeks to visit my family in Iran.They all live there. Even though I am a green card holder. I cannot come back if I go,” she said “My family is so shocked. We are trying to figure what will happen next. Based on this new ban they are not allowed to come visit me. I think this is unfair. It is totally discrimination.”

At about 7:30 p.m. protesters received word that Judge Ann M. Donnelly had issued an emergency stay that halted deportations of those being detained. This ruling was based on a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of two individuals who had been detained at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The ruling addressed those being barred entry at airports in the United States, but does not address those who are trapped abroad.

As protesters marched around Terminal 4, some were heading to the courthouse to join others who wanted to be briefed following the ruling, including Mazeba Uddin, 50, Jamaica Hills, Queens and an immigrant from Bangladesh.

“We are strong together,” she said. “Our country, Our community is strong – Trump is not strong. Our millions of votes count, he needs to understand that.”

Protests at airports throughout the country are set to continue until those being detained are released.

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A young girl with dark hair and glasses, of Egyptian and Puerto Rican descent, looked around proudly as teary-eyed guests gave her a standing ovation. Amani Aboelnour, 9, of Brooklyn, had just given a moving speech at the Children Museum of Manhattan in honor of Mayor Bill de Blasio officially closing down New York City public schools for the first time in honor of Eid al-Adha.

“I came to celebrate and cheer for the people that are looking forward to this day,” Aboelnour said at the event yesterday. “Today kids don’t have to school on Eid al-Adha, and can celebrate with their family and friends.”

Eid al Adha is a Muslim holiday that celebrates the final Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. It is a public holiday for Muslim countries, and now it is a public holiday for New York as well. Many parents who celebrate Eid al-Adha were so happy to see that the Muslim holiday was finally being recognized.

“When I saw Eid al-Adha on my daughter’s calendar when she was doing homework, I cried,” Souad Kirama, 49, from Queens said. “To see Eid al-Adha next to Christmas and Yom Kippur and all the federal holidays, and to be in inclusion was a dream come true.”

Kirama, is a community activist and member of the serving committee that campaigned for Muslim holidays in schools. She said she was a victim of hate crimes post 9/11, and decided to step up and become a community organizer to speak up for Muslim mothers that were victims of hate crimes and attacks.

Andy Ackerman, 61, the Executive Director of the Children’s Museum of Manhattan smiled and mingled with guests that came to witness the event. Ackerman was thrilled to host the event at the museum, which was also celebrating September’s Muslim Arts Festival.

“The Children’s Museum of Manhattan is hosting this event because we worked with the Coali-tion for Muslim School Holidays to present an exhibit that will open about Muslim culture.”-Ackerman said. “Because we celebrate all different artistic and religious traditions for all families, so because this is a holiday for school kids, it made so much sense to do it at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan.”

The Coalition for Muslim School Holidays rallied and petitioned for years for Muslim holiday inclusion in New York. Many Muslims rallied behind Mayor de Blasio, who promised a more inclusive New York during his campaign.

“We endorsed de Blasio for his progressive views, and we didn’t regret it,” said Kirama. “We mobilized the Muslim community to vote for him, and unity was our key to victory.”

Children with “Eid NYC” shirts ran around and played as parents and reporters tried to get pic-tures of them with city officials. As the event ended, the feeling of the holiday still lingered on as people left to enjoy the rest of the holiday.

“One word to describe today is proud,” Aboelnour said. “To actually stand up in front of everyone and say through my heart and mind what I really felt about this day made me proud.”

The historical inclusion of Eid al-Adha as a holiday in New York proved to many Muslims they were finally being accepted as New Yorkers.

“Things have changed”, said Kirama. “We fought hard, we have become another fabric of New York City, and now we are a part of the melting pot.”

“What do you call a girl that is Egyptian and Puerto Rican?” Ackerman asked the crowd after Aboelnour’s speech. “A New Yorker.”

The crowd that was predominately made up of New Yorkers of Muslim faith, proudly cheered.

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As the sun began to set over the Manhattan skyline yesterday, and the day began to turn to night, the action off 42^nd and Broadway was just getting started. The sounds of car horns, peddlers selling goods and advertisements on the jumbo screens were met with a different sound. It was the sound of a group of people, united by a single cause that filled the nearby street corners with observers, listeners and chanters.

It was a demonstration over the conflict at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, between Israel and Palestinians. A crowd gathered on the nearby streets to listen to the words, chants and thoughts of those in support of the Palestinians The mosque has been at the heart of a lot of unrest because it is an 8^th century holy site, revered by both Jews and Muslims. For Jews it is known as the Temple Mount, where Abraham offered his son as a sacrifice and the location of two revered Jewish temples. But Jews have not been allowed to pray there. The mosque is considered the third holiest site in Islam and now there is fear that the rules will soon change because conservatives have been pushing for more access to the site. Recently Israeli police raided the mosque in what they called a security operation.

Diab Mustafa, 47, President of the Palestinian American Community Center, said Israeli forces entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque and attacked Palestinians using a wide array of tactics including, bombs, bullets and even tear gas canisters. In the process of these attacks, damage was done to the mosque itself.

Diab Mustafa, President of the Palestinian American Community Center, stands at the back of the demonstration, wearing a Palestinian flag. Photo by Wyatt Salsbury

“The Palestinians and the Muslims and all freedom loving people are here to demonstrate against what Israel is doing to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine,” said Mustafa. “Basically, we as Muslims, as Palestinians, are protesting today for the message of Aqsa, for the safety of the message of Aqsa, and for keeping the Israeli settlers and Israeli army from entering and desecrating the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

But the pull to the site is strong for the Jewish people.

“This is a holy site,” said Eli Akbar, 78, a Muslim originally from Guyana, South America, who attended the demonstration. “This is where Christ was crucified… and the prophet of Islam ascended in air to the heavens to receive God’s final commandments to mankind.”

Palestinians and Muslims can’t demonstrate in Jerusualam, Akabar said,

“They lock up the Muslims,” he said. “They find an excuse to use brute force and for a small demonstration…they shoot to kill.”

About 200 people attended the Times Square demonstration, which was part of a two day effort.

“Free Free Palestine. Long Live Palestine,” they chanted

For many, the demonstrators was a human rights issue.

“It’s all about human rights,” said protestor Denise Rickels. “And we (the U.S.) talk about human rights, and then we support governments that abuse human rights.”

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As bombs of bigotry erupt in the Middle East, some fear that tolerance will never be restored.

But imagine a school where Muslim first grade boys sit at their desks coloring in pictures of a Rabbi, a Muslim man and woman, and a Christian boy below the words: “In Islam, everyone is equal.”

“The students learn the difference between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity and that everyone is your neighbor no matter what religion they are,” said Denise Frazier, 40, a parent of a first grade girl at the Razi School in Woodside, Queens. “They teach them that they can have friends that are Christians and Jews, that they are all the same, and all equal.”

The Razi School, a Muslim pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade private school, encourages its students to learn the different religions of the world.

Recently, the students participated in International Day, where they celebrated cultural diversity and the many nationalities that are represented at the school.

“International Day is a celebration of people from all walks of life to teach equality and tolerance for one another no matter where they come from or what religion they are, “ said Frazier. “It amazed me that there were 32 different countries represented in a school with 300 students.”

According to Frazier, the students were able to experience the different cultures through food. With their sense of smell and taste, they could immerse themselves onto the streets in Egypt, the food markets in Tanzania, and the sidewalk cafes in the United States. The aroma of koushari lentils and rice, chapatti flat bread, and apple pie cobbler brought the students closer together.

But International Day is not the only way the Razi School addresses tolerance. The students are also required to take religion class.

“You are going to be good guys,” said Sheileh Wessam, the first grade religion teacher at the Razi School, to his 15 students. “Look guys, you have to respect your friends and help other people.”

Wessam’s first grade students read out loud their lesson of the day, a story about Prophet Musa (or Moses in the Hebrew Bible). At the end of the lesson, the students were instructed to color images that represented different religions.

But not all schools are this dedicated to cultivating an environment that teaches tolerance.

According to Teaching Tolerance magazine, religion class is not a requirement in most schools.

“We have a crap structure in teaching religion in this country,” said Adrienne van der Valk, managing editor of Teaching Tolerance magazine. “When students have the opportunity to interact with other students who practice religious beliefs that are different from their own, their fear goes down and their understanding goes up. But it’s not mandatory.”

Van der Valk encourages teachers to allow their students to see themselves and others who are not like them in their work.

“It is much more difficult to label a stereotype if you have regular contact with that group,” said van der Valk. “This can occur by watching movies or reading books about that group. We encourage teachers to do this.”

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the future of achieving equality and justice lies in the hands of educators.

When schools do not require a curriculum that fosters tolerance, students are more vulnerable to social injustice and religious prejudice.

Jordana Loft, a masters student in elementary inclusive education at Columbia University, experienced the effects of this vulnerability while substitute teaching at a charter school in the South Bronx.

“I was wearing a red kabbalah bracelet and one of the girls, who was wearing a hijab asked me if I was Jewish,” said Loft. “I said ‘yes, why do you ask?’ She responded asking me that if she’s Muslim and I’m Jewish, does that mean we can’t be friends?”

Loft explained to her student that she grew up in a community where they embrace different cultures, attend difference schools and go to different places of prayer.

“Those differences make people unique and special,” said Loft to her student. “They enhance my life. I get to learn things I didn’t know before.”

Loft told her that when she was away at school her best friend was Muslim. They used to speak about the different places they would pray.

“She immediately got excited,” said Loft. “She was able to see herself in my story. We could now be friends.”

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To view Zahra Ahmed’s multimedia package on Muslim fashion designer, Nailah Lymus, click here

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A Silent Genocide from Pavement Pieces on Vimeo.

Ali Jafri last saw his uncle, Dr. Mohammad Jafri, in 1993. One year later Dr. Jafri was murdered at gunpoint by two men riding by on motorcycles, according to family members.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” Ali Jafri of Long Island, N.Y. said, “I mean he’s so young. He’s so loving. It’s just not possible and he has four children.”

Ali Jafri’s uncle was targeted because he was a Shia Muslim living in Pakistan. A small minority, Shias make up only 20 percent of Pakistan’s population. They have been targeted by extremist terrorist groups such as the Taliban, Siphah-e-Sahaba, and Lashkar-e-Jangvi, who have been persecuting the Shia for their beliefs.  While this is not a new a problem in Pakistan, the number of killings have increased over the last two years.

According to Human Rights Watch, more than 800 Shias have been killed since 2012. In January and February of this year, a series of deadly bombings in the Northwestern city of Quetta killed over 150. In another bombing in March in the southern city of Karachi, over 40 people were killed, as reported by Pakistani media. Several more people were killed in a more recent bomb blast in Karachi in November.

Dr. Zaheer Jafri (no relation) is a cardiologist who resides in Monroe, N.Y. His older brother and cousin were killed in Quetta and another one of his cousins was killed last November in a bombing in Rawalpindi, a city located nine miles from the capital.

“It was really shocking news for me because I just met (my brother) six months ago and that was the happiest time for us,” he said.  “Within two months, I lost three family members very close to me.”

Dr. Zaheer Jafri’s brother and cousins left behind their wives and several children. When he went to Pakistan to attend his brother and cousin’s funeral, he met many devastated families in Quetta who had also lost family members.

“The people of that city were very sorrowful,” he said. He saw families sitting outside for three days with the dead bodies of their loved ones, refusing to bury them in an effort to pressure the government to address the situation.

The persecution of Shias in Pakistan has ignited a cry of outrage in the Pakistani-American Shia community. Rallies and protests were held earlier this year in many cities including New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas.

Many blame the Pakistani government for not providing enough security and protection for Shias and also for failing to bring the terrorists responsible to justice.

“They should be dealt as criminals and they should be prosecuted as well as put in jail, so further incidents should not happen,” Dr. Zaheer Jafri said.

The Al-Khoei Foundation is one of the largest non-profit Shia Muslim organizations in the world. The branch located in Jamaica, Queens has been active in raising awareness about the Shia genocide as well as raising money for victims of anti-Shia violence.

“It’s an ideological war against not just the Shia, but against everyone who loves freedom, who believes in freedom of speech and being able to express and profess your faith the way you want to,” said Meesam Razvi, a United Nations representative for the foundation.

Razvi has brought up the issue during meetings at the U.N., but said there is very little that they can do in terms of putting a stop to the genocide. The U.N. can pass resolutions, but they do not have much power to enforce them.

“I think it really comes down to individual countries as to how they enforce their obligation of protecting the fundamental human rights of minorities living among themselves,” he said.

Razvi has also met with Pakistani ambassadors in Washington D.C. to discuss the issue, but said their attitude has been “unresponsive”.

“We’ve found them to be very complacent,” Razvi said. “They’ve hardly ever done anything about it.”

Ali Jafri, a Canadian who relocated to Long Island several years ago has had a different response to the genocide. Instead of participating in rallies and protests, he practices yoga and writes poetry, which help him deal with his feelings about the issue.

“I feel like yoga is a release for me and it also reminds me that those people who killed my uncle and those people who kill anybody, they’ve just forgotten who they are,” he said.

Ali Jafri believes that if people practiced yoga, they would not be prone to violence.

“Because if they were really tapped in to who they really are, they would never want to harm anything or anybody regardless of religion, belief, race, gender, sexual orientation – anything, so yoga has been a huge therapy for me and poetry allows me to express any anger or frustration that I have.”

Dr. Zaheer Jafri makes donations to the families of victims. He said that many of the people who have been affected especially those residing in Quetta are quite poor and have lost the main bread winner of their family, leaving many widows and orphans to fend for themselves.

Dr. Zaheer Jafri is also a member of Imamia Medics International (IMI), an organization of doctors based in Princeton, N.J. IMI has helped pay for school fees, books, and clothing for the children of victims.  IMI members have also traveled to Pakistan after some of the bombings took place to help the wounded.

Even as the violence against Shias in Pakistan continues everyday, both Ali Jafri and Dr. Zaheer Jafri remain hopeful that a day will come when this oppressed minority group can live more peacefully.

“Hope is always there,” Dr. Zaheer Jafri said. “Whether it will change or not is yet to be seen.”

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NYU students protest the surveillance of Muslim students by the NYPD. Photo by Dominique Z. Scott

Dressed in blue T-shirts with bold, white writing that read “NYUnited,” and armed with homemade signs that boasted, “Big Brother is Watching” and “NYU is Against Profiling,” more than 100 students sat for a peaceful student address on the grand stairs at New York University’s Kimmel Hall this afternoon.

“Every time I go outside or I go to use to send a text message, I feel that I am being watched,” said Tabbassum Rahman, 21, a soft-spoken senior and Islamic Student Association board member. “No student should have to feel like this.”

NYU’s Islamic Student Association (ISA) organized the town hall event, which invited students and the NYU administration to unite and publicly respond to the recent AP report that unveiled details of NYPD surveillance of Muslim groups on college campuses throughout the Northeast. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has defended the surveillance as legal.

Ahmad Raza, 22, ISA undergraduate chapter president, speaks to the crowd. Photo by Dominique Z. Scott

“We want a public apology from the NYPD to NYU students,” said Ahmad Raza, 22, the undergraduate chapter ISA president. “We have done nothing wrong.”

Moderated by student leaders Raza and Saaniya Contractor, 22, the event aimed to unify the campus body, bring awareness of NYPD surveillance on NYU campus, and address concerns regarding the impact of student life on campus.

The 12 guest speakers at the ISA unity event included staff and students from NYU School of Law, the College of Arts Sciences, as well as Imam Khalid Latif, executive director of the Islamic Center and a University/NYPD Chaplain, and Dr. Gabrielle Starr, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

“I speak on behalf of the university and President Sexton,” Dr. Starr said. “We stand in fellowship – shoulder to shoulder with our Muslim students.”

Also in attendance were campus clubs including Queer Union, Bridges Muslim-Jewish Interfaith Dialogue, Hindu Students Council, and Latinos Unidos Con Honor Y Amistad.

Several Muslim students who attended the event said that they now feel scared and uncomfortable when on campus.

“Some people, my friends, stopped coming to (ISA) meetings,” said Raza. “They said their parents don’t want them to come now that police are watching them.”

NYU’s President John Sexton sent a letter to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly on Thursday and expressed “dismay” over the police monitoring. He also addressed the universal feeling of unease on campus within the university’s Muslim community.

“Parents and students now wonder whether continued participation in the University’s Islamic community of worship is a risk; whether an opinion expressed at a student group meeting will end up in a government report; whether testing an argument or challenging conventional wisdom will cause one to become a suspect of some sort,” he wrote.

Immediately following the student address at Kimmel Hall, President Sexton held a town hall meeting to hear the ISA and students concerns.

“The letter was a great first step, but we need the NYPD to discontinue its surveillance and know that we aren’t just going to remain silent,” said Raza.

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