ASSOCIATION FOCUS 44
IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE A MORE IMPORTANT TIME FOR AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THE MUSLIM BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK (MuBANY). As we approach the 10th anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001, anti-Muslim sentiment remains strong, and Muslim-American attorneys, as well as the Muslim community at large, continue to face signifi cant obstacles. Although a relatively new organization—it just celebrated its fi fth anniversary—MuBANY has taken on the formidable task of educating the legal community and the general public on diversity issues while simultaneously support- ing the professional, educational, and social needs of Muslim legal professionals and law students in the New York metro- politan area. “We’re members of
a community that cur- rently is coming under a lot of fi re in the public arena,” explains Asim Rehman,
dent of MuBANY and a
commercial
vice presi- litiga-
BY KARA MAYER ROBINSON
MUSLIM BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK (MuBANY)
religious obligation of donating to charity.” Rehman sees this as an opportunity for his organization. “We’re in a unique position to provide counseling to law fi rms and community organizations about this.” T ere’s no shortage of situations that call for attention. In
“ IT’S BECOME SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE TO VOICE ANTI-MUSLIM SENTI- MENTS. AND THIS RAISES A RANGE OF
tion attorney practic- ing since 2001. “It’s become socially acceptable to voice anti-Muslim
CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES.” — ASIM REHMAN
sentiments. And this raises a range of civil rights issues. Unfortunately, the more people that voice anti-Muslim sentiments, the more people are inclined to act out on them. T is has resulted in a nationwide wave of actions against the construction of mosques, which inhibits Muslims freedom to practice their religion. Sadly, it has encouraged acts of van- dalism, hate speech, bullying, and physical violence against Muslim Americans, which is both a security issue and causes a chill on how Muslims identify with their faith. Further, as rec- ognized by commentators and the judiciary, anti-Shariah laws can violate the First Amendment rights of Muslim Americans. Lastly, the intense scrutiny of Muslim organizations and mosques has impacted how Muslims in America observe their
DIVERSITY & THE BAR® SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011
2007, the New York Police Department (NYPD) published a controversial report on Islamic radicalization. “It included rhetoric that made people think they should be suspicious of any Muslim,” explains Rehman. When the report was published, MuBANY immediately took action by teaming up with the Muslim American Civil Coalition to urge the NYPD to retract the report and restate its position in a way that would not promote what the groups describe as Islamophobia. T e NYPD changed the report in response to these actions but, Rehman says, cooperation with such organiza- tions ebbs and fl ows. He believes that while the
NYPD has taken steps to reduce such sentiment, MuBANY must continue to put pressure on law enforcement offi cials to ensure they act responsibly.
AWARENESS WITHIN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY Advancing public awareness within the legal community is also an important priority. For instance, last month was Ramadan, a religious holy month that aff ects the daily lives of many Muslims, including lawyers and law students. During the month of Ramadan, many Muslim attorneys observe the tradition of fasting from dawn until dusk and perform prayers at fi ve prescribed times during the day. While such observances can typically be accommodated without much interruption in their workdays, many Muslim attorneys are
MCCA.COM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52