Source: Council on American-Islamic Relations
On October 14, 2002 the Council on American-Islamic Relations reported that "a coalition of American Muslim civil rights and advocacy groups said today that only a clear statement from President Bush can stem the 'rising tide' of anti-Islamic rhetoric in this country. Leaders of the groups say the ongoing demonization of Islam and Muslims by right-wing commentators and evangelical leaders is being encouraged by the president's silence on the issue of Islamophobia. Earlier this week, the ad hoc coalition sent a letter to President Bush citing recent anti-Islamic remarks by Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and Franklin Graham, who all attacked Islam as intrinsically evil or smeared the moral character of the Prophet Muhammad. No response has yet been received to the issues raised in the letter."