Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/6511294.htm

On August 11, 2003 the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Philadelphia "Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson yesterday changed the department's decades-old clean-shaven rule, allowing the force's more than 7,000 officers to sport facial hair under limited conditions... From now on, officers may sport full beards - for religious or medical reasons - as long as the beards are short and neatly...

Source: News 8 (Austin, TX)

http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=80312

On August 10, 2003 News 8 (Austin, TX) reported that "members of the Catholic and Muslim faith, two of the world's largest religions, combined Sunday services in Austin. This was the second time since Sept. 11 that Catholics and Muslims have held a joint prayer service. Inside St. Mary's Cathedral in Downtown Austin, two religions shared the same pew,...

Source: Muslim Journal

On August 8, 2003 the Muslim Journal reported that "at a meeting held in Chicago on June 29, 2003, the American Muslim Council (AMC) and the American Muslim Alliance (AMA) completed essential details for creating a new unified organization called the Muslim American Congress. A 12-member board of directors unanimously adopted the new bylaws, budget and elected a four-member Executive Council to run the day to day affairs of the Muslim American Congress (MAC)."

Source: Muslim Journal

On August 8, 2003 the Muslim Journal reported that "Mujahid El-Amin, a 16-year old swimming 'wunderkind' for the City of Atlanta's Dolphins Swim team qualified in early July, 2003, at the Georgia State Swimming Championships for the 2004 Olympic Trials... Mujahid joins fellow team member and fellow Muslim, Sabir Muhammad II, who already qualified for the Trials in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle at the Janet Evan Invitation Meet held in Los Angeles, Calif., two weeks earlier. Sabir, the first African American to hold an American...

Source: Muslim Journal

On August 8, 2003 the Muslim Journal reported that "on Thurs., June 26, 2003, Imam Yusuf Saleem, Resident Imam of Masjid Muhammad in Washington, D.C. was sworn in as the first Chaplain of the Islamic Faith in the Washington, D.C. Police Department... As a Police Chaplain, Imam Saleem will be called to respond to critical incidents that happen in Washington, D.C., such as loss of life or property. Other responsibilities, of this volunteer only position, include leading the prayer to open and close major events, visiting hospitalized...

Source: Muslim Journal

On August 8, 2003 the Muslim Journal reported that Imam W. Deen Mohammed spoke on June 21, 2003 at the Apollo theater in Harlem, N.Y. to over 3,000 people. Imam Mohammed addressed the topic "'New Africa: A New Mind, A New Life, A New Beginning for Black People in America.'"

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/08/07/DD297141.DTL

On August 7, 2003 columnist Annie Nakao of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote about the solidarity found between Japanese Americans and Muslims in America after Sept. 11: "The catalyst for this friendship was Sept. 11, 2001, the day terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center and changed America forever. In a single stroke, they also laid bare the...

Source: Union-Tribune

Source: Gazette

http://www.gazette.net/200332/princegeorgescty/county/171755-1.html

On August 7, 2003 the Gazette reported that "Islamic community members said they would like to see the two juveniles charged in connection with the cross burning outside of a Muslim school and mosque rehabilitated... Public Safety officials announced Friday that fire investigators had arrested two teenagers the previous night. Prince George's County Fire Chief Ronald...

Source: CAIR

On August 5, 2003 CAIR issued a press release stating that "the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today condemned an attack on a Sikh family in New York that was apparently motivated by religious or ethnic bias. The Washington-based Islamic civil rights and advocacy group said preventing bias-motivated attacks must be a 'top priority' for American political and religious leaders... According to media reports, three men attacked the family - a married couple and a relative - when they were returning to their Queens, N.Y., home...

Source: Christian Science Monitor

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0804/p09s01-coop.html

On August 4, 2003 the Christian Science Monitor printed an editorial by Ahmed Nassef stating that a "gulf between the highly conservative nature of most Muslim American institutions and the liberal views of many Muslims born and raised in America is reflected in issues such as the role of women and literalist readings of religious texts. It has sown the seeds for a progressive Muslim...

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/6453310.htm

On August 4, 2003 The Associated Press reported that "inmates at the [Ohio] state prison here say calm has replaced rampant drugs and violence since the arrival of a new warden seven years ago... As well as starting more education and job training programs at Marion Correctional Institution, Warden Christine Money has drawn national attention for programs that allow inmates greater freedom to exercise...

Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A15588-2003Aug2?language=printer

On August 3, 2003 The Washington Post reported that "many non-Christian immigrants are keeping their religions alive in America by looking to an unlikely place: church. In some cases, such as the Chinmaya Mission, stories and songs might be infused with Christian teachings and concepts. In other examples from Buddhist temples to Sikh gurdwaras,...

Source: Middle East Times

http://metimes.com/2K3/issue2003-31/opin/time_to_preach.htm

On August 3, 2003 Middle East Times reported that "flaming cross shoved into the ground and set alight frightened students and teachers of Al Huda, a small Muslim school in College Park, Maryland, USA last week. Also in July, two Pakistani students were shot dead in the same county in an apparent hate crime... Worried at the larger implications of such attacks, Christian,...

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2003/08/02teenschargedin

On August 2, 2003 The Associated Press reported that "two 17-year-olds face hate crime charges for allegedly lighting a 3 1/2 -foot-tall cross on fire in front of a College Park mosque and Islamic school last week... The teens - one from College Park, the other from Edgewater - were arrested late Thursday after being questioned by Prince George's...