Elaine Pasquini Muslim American Activism Posted On May 8, 2018
More than 600 students and others from across California descended on Sacramento April 23 for the seventh annual “Muslim Day at the Capitol” hosted by the California chapter of the Council on American- Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA).
In a noon press conference on the Capitol steps, California state Assembly members, CAIR officials and community members addressed important legislative agenda issues.
“When it comes to the Muslim community, communities of diversity and our immigrant communities, these are dark times,” said California state Assembly member David Chiu (D-17th Assembly District), author of the anti-bullying bill which CAIR-CA co-sponsored. “When we have a so-called president who has suggested that he wants to deport our immigrant communities, kick out our Muslim communities, I’m here to say on behalf of so many California leaders, we stand with you; we will fight with you; we are all Muslim with you together.” Recounting the days when the U.S. government incarcerated Japanese Americans in detention camps in this country during World War II, and the 1950s, when Chinese Americans were surveilled by the FBI for suspicions of being Communist terrorists, he said, “We stand with you today because we cannot allow history to repeat itself. If Donald Trump wants to come after any of us, for many of us—at least on the Democratic side—he’s going to have to come through all of us.”
Dr. Hatem Bazian, provost, professor and co-founder of Berkeley-based Zaytuna College, began his keynote address by reminding the audience that their Assembly representatives worked for them. “If they don’t do their work, you have the right to fire them,” the professor averred. Noting there are some people who said Muslims shouldn’t be in this country, he pointed out, “They are the same people who said African Americans and Latinos don’t belong in this country. The story of America belongs to everyone. Muslims will write their own narrative in this country, whether Trump likes it or not,” Bazian said. He praised California for being inclusive and welcoming. “We will write the new agenda for the future from California, because what happens here will change the country,” Bazian told his audience. “I’m happy to see CAIR is shaping the agenda of the future.”
State controller Betty Yee, a longtime CAIR supporter, emphasized the importance of the upcoming federal census, noting that Basim Elkarra, executive director of CAIR’s Sacramento Valley chapter, has been appointed to California’s Complete Count Census Committee by Gov. Jerry Brown.
Other speakers included Shirley Weber (D-79th Assembly District), CAIR-SFBA executive director Zahra Billoo,Yasmine Nayabkhil, a victim of school bullying, and Raj Manni, father-in-law of Stephon Clark, the unarmed 22-year-old African-American man fatally shot multiple times by Sacramento police officers on March 18.
During the day, attendees met with legislators and staffers in their Capitol offices to urge passage of the following bills:
Policy Accountability and Community Protection Act (AB931), which would authorize police officers to use deadly force only when necessary to prevent imminent and serious bodily injury or death. The bill would also establish that a homicide by an officer is not justified if the officer’s gross negligence contributed to the decision to use force.
Business Licenses (AB2184), which would require cities and counties that license businesses within their respective jurisdictions to accept a California driver’s license or identification number, individual taxpayer identification number or municipal identification number.
School Safety: Bullying (AB2291), which would require the Department of Education to make available online training modules developed by the department addressing bullying or bullying prevention and provide an annually updated list of other training modules related to bullying.
—Elaine Pasquini
Students at “Muslim Day at the Capitol” call for support of anti-bullying legislation. [Staff Photo Phil Pasquini]
Attendees at “Muslim Day at the Capitol” discuss legislation with Marian Gonzales of the office of Assembly member Rob Bonta (D-18th Assembly District). [Staff Photo Phil Pasquini]
Dr. Hatem Bazian speaks at “Muslim Day at the Capitol” in Sacramento. [Staff Photo Phil Pasquini]
California state Assembly member David Chiu (D-17th Assembly District) speaks on human rights legislation outside Sacramento’s Capitol. [Staff Photo Phil Pasquini]
Attendees at “Muslim Day at the Capitol” listen to speakers at a press conference outside Sacramento’s Capitol. [Staff Photo Phil Pasquini]
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