Eid al-Fitr in U.S., 2002

December 7, 2002

Source: Mercury News

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/4687890.htm

On December 7, 2002 the Mercury News reported that "marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, thousands of Muslims from around the Bay Area gathered Friday at the Santa Clara Convention Center for prayer and celebration... Dressed in their best traditional garb from Pakistan, Egypt and Jordan, parents took the day off from work and plucked their children out of school to reunite with old friends and relatives and attend the daylong festivities organized by the South Bay Islamic Association... 'We are heading toward a time of uncertainty,' said Athar Siddiqee, an organizer of the event. 'There were a lot of misunderstanding and stereotypes about Muslims after Sept. 11, and we hope by inviting non-Muslims to events like this, we can help dispel myths about Muslims.'"