MPAC Asks LA Board of Supervisors to Support Award for Muslim American Leader

September 5, 2006

Source: Muslim Public Affairs Council Press Release

http://www.mpac.org/article.php?id=412

On September 5, 2006 a Muslim Public Affairs Council Press Release reported, "The Muslim Public Affairs Council today sent a letter to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, on behalf of Dr. Maher Hathout, urging them to support the L.A. Commission on Human Relations decision to honor the renowned Muslim American leader with its prestigious John Buggs Award for excellence in human relations.

Last week, self-proclaimed terrorism analyst Steve Emerson published an article in the New Republic Online and appeared on several Fox News Channel programs falsely accusing Hathout of being a 'Hezbollah apologist' and calling for the Commission to rescind the award... MPAC calls on all people who believe in the importance of free speech to contact the L.A. Board of Supervisors and L.A. Human Relations Commission to urge them not to yield to the pressure of hatemongers intent on discrediting mainstream Muslim leaders a vicious campaign of character assassination... 'Los Angeles has a rich history of inclusion and diversity, a tradition which Dr. Hathout has spent decades to advance,' said Salam Al-Marayati, Executive Director of MPAC. 'It is imperative that all Angelenos work to uphold that tradition by not bowing to this intimidation and distortions on the public record of a man who has worked tirelessly to advance the cause of peace, justice and mutual co-existence.'"