CAIR Says Donald Trump's 'Hibi-Jabis' Reply Endangers Muslim Women

WASHINGTON, July 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump's apparent support for an Islamophobic town hall question will endanger American Muslim women.

During a question-and-answer session yesterday at a town hall event in Manchester, N.H., an audience member asked, "Why aren't we putting our military retirees on that border or in TSA? Get rid of all these hibi-jabis they wear at TSA?"

[NOTE: The questioner was referring to the "hijab," or Islamic head scarf worn by Muslim women. Women who wear Islamic attire are often the targets of bigotry or physical attacks.]

Trump seemed to support the questioner's bigoted views when he responded, "I understand". . ."You know, and we are looking at that," "And we are looking at that. We're looking at a lot of things."

Video: Trump 'Looking at' Replacing Hijab-Wearing TSA Staff with Vets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5R5QguA3S4

"By appearing to endorse the bigoted views of one of his supporters, Donald Trump is placing all American Muslim women who wear Islamic attire in danger," said CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw. "American Muslims, and particularly Muslim women, are facing an unprecedented spike in discrimination and hate attacks, due in no small part to Donald Trump's Islamophobic rhetoric and policy proposals."

McCaw added that the proposed removal of Muslim TSA staffers devalues the crucial work they do on a daily basis to protect the nation.

He noted that just yesterday, CAIR's Minnesota chapter held a news conference to call on the Minneapolis Police Department and the FBI to investigate a possible bias motive for a Wednesday shooting in which the attacker allegedly made disparaging remarks about Muslims before opening fire.

Video: CAIR-MN Calls for Hate Crime Probe of Shooting Attack on Muslim Youth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhIbxSYxFCA

Also today, CAIR is investigating an incident in which a Muslim was hospitalized following an interaction with police in Ohio resulting from a false claim that the man was on his phone "pledging his allegiance to ISIS."

SEE: Ohio Hotel Clerk's 911 Call About ISIS Causes Intense Police Response, Muslim Patron's Collapse
http://www.newsnet5.com/news/local-news/oh-lorain/avon-hotel-clerks-911-call-about-isis-causes-intense-police-response-patrons-collapse

CAIR recently demanded that Trump "stop the bigotry" after he falsely claimed on Fox News that assimilation of American Muslims is "pretty close" to nonexistent and that a "percentage" of American Muslims "want to do what this maniac did in Orlando." Trump also repeated his call for surveillance of American mosque.

Earlier this year, CAIR said Donald Trump's continued use of a debunked myth about U.S. Gen. John Pershing executing Muslim prisoners in the Philippines using bullets dipped in pig's blood was endangering ordinary American Muslims who were already facing a surge in hate.

SEE: CAIR Tells Donald Trump: 'Stop the Bigotry'
http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/13610-cair-tells-donald-trump-stop-the-bigotry.html  

CAIR has previously stated that Trump's pig's blood claim and other instances of his Islamophobic rhetoric, including his calling for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States, his false claim that "Islam hates us," his refusal to rule out special IDs for American Muslims, and his willingness to consider closing down American mosques place millions of innocent, law-abiding citizens in the American Muslim community at risk.

CAIR has reported an unprecedented spike in anti-Muslim incidents nationwide since the Paris terror attacks, the San Bernardino shootings and Trump's bigoted call for a complete ban on Muslims entering the United States.

The Washington-based Muslim civil rights group is asking Muslim community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: http://www.cair.com/civil-rights/report-an-incident/view/form.html     

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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To request legal assistance from CAIR's Civil Rights Department, fill out the intake form at: https://www.cair.com/civil-rights/report-an-incident/view/form.html  

CONTACT: CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR Communications Coordinator Nabeelah Naeem, 202-341-4171, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

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