Events

September 10, 2007 - The Daily Texan

Muslim march for peace

Local Muslims hold peace rally at Capitol

By Stephen Keller

Local Muslims and their supporters held a peace march Saturday to clear up misconceptions about Islam and to pay tribute to the victims of Sept. 11.

"It seems like these days the only representation Islam has is that of terrorists. That is not what Islam is about, Islam is about peace," said Sharida McKenzie, event organizer for the march, which took place on the southern steps of the Texas Capitol.

The event was not a political or anti-war rally, McKenzie said.

"I'm hoping to start off a slew of peace marches across the nation and that the word will spread and that people will know Islam as the peaceful religion that it really is," she added.

The North Austin Muslim Community Center backed McKenzie to help improve public understanding of their religion and to denounce terrorism.

"One thing that I do enjoy pointing out is that Muslims, Christians and Jews, we all pray to the same God," McKenzie said. "Muslims believe in Abraham, Moses, Jesus and the Virgin Mary and we have more in common than people realize. I just want to encourage people to look into something before they pass judgement on it."

McKenzie said she has not experienced or witnessed any tension between Muslims and other Americans in the days leading up to the sixth anniversary of the attacks.

"We did purposely choose to do this in September to pay tribute to the victims of Sept. 11," Mckenzie said.

Many members of UT's Muslim Student Association attended the march.

"We want to say that Islam stands for peace," said math junior Adil Siddiqui. "Terrorists go against all the tenants of Islam."

Siddiqui, a member of the Muslim Student Association, said his house was vandalized shortly after Sept. 11, but he has since forgiven the aggressors.

Pre-pharmacy junior Javeed Bora said, "My biggest goal is hopefully to change at least one person's point of view. If I can do that, then today would be a success."

Bora held a sign that said "as-salaam-u-alaikum," the universal Islamic greeting. It translates to "peace be upon you," he said.

Austin Police Academy cadets also attended the event. As part of their training, all cadets must go through a cultural emergence program designed to teach them about the various underrepresented groups who live in Austin through interaction.

Islam's nonviolent teachings inspire march

They say peace is at the heart of Islam.

By Steven Kreytak AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
AMERICAN STATESMAN STAFF
Monday, September 10, 2007

Sharida McKenzie recently heard someone on a cable news show say that Muslims in the United States rarely stand to denounce terrorism.

Then McKenzie, who is Muslim, heard her non-Muslim in-laws say something similar.

The 29-year-old Round Rock accountant soon came to agree and began to recruit Austin-area Muslims to join her in what she called a Muslim Peace March.

On Sunday, about 130 people rallied at the Capitol to declare themselves peaceful and denounce acts of violence committed by extremists in the name of Islam.

"We as Muslims are responsible for making it known that Islam does not condone terrorism," McKenzie told the crowd. "This is about Muslims taking a stand for peace."

Lined up two-by-two behind a large white banner that said "Islam Is Peace," the demonstrators walked solemnly in a circular route that ran several blocks along 11th Street. They carried signs with phrases like "Embrace Peace, Reject Terror" and "Love Thy Neighbor."

Riaz Jafri, a medical researcher who lives in Northwest Austin, said that even six years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, it is still important to counteract the image of Muslims as terrorists.

"Our religion does not teach to kill innocent persons," said Jafri, 47.

Addressing the crowd after the march, Sheik Mohammed-Umer Esmail of the North Austin Muslim Community Center quoted the Quran: "Whoever kills a person unjustly, it is as though he has killed all mankind."

He later said: "All acts of terrorism are prohibited by the Quran."

University of Texas student Javeed Bora, 21, said he joined the march to counteract the poor image of his religion.

"If we change one person's understanding of Islam," he said, "then this is worth it."

skreytak@statesman.com; 912-2946

Muslim Peace March in Austin, Texas, September 10, 2007

Sheila Musaji

On Sunday, September 9th, about 200 people turned out in Austin, Texas for a Muslim Peace March. They have taken seriously the following verse from the Qur’an:

Let there arise out of you a community [of people] who invite unto all that is good, and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong: and it is they, they who shall attain felicity! Qur’an 3:104

The organizers said that their goal is to hold these types of marches in every state and eventually on a global level. The same sentiments expressed by the organizers of the Muslims Denounce Terrorism Rally held in Saint Louis on August 26, 2007.

Marchers carried signs and banners with slogans such as: “Reject Terror, Embrace Peace”, “Peace Is the Way”, “Muslims Reject Terror”.

Sharida McKenzie, one of the organizers said: “We as Muslims are responsible for making it known that Islam does not condone terrorism,” McKenzie told the crowd. “This is about Muslims taking a stand for peace.”

The Texas State Capitol looks South down Congress Avenue. 11th Street runs East-West past the front gates. Colorado and San Jacinto Streets border it to the West and East.

From Interstate 35 South:

Take EXIT 234C toward 6^th-12^th Streets

Turn left onto East 11^th Street

End at Texas State Capitol (Corner of Congress Avenue & 11^th Street)

From Interstate 35 North:

Take EXIT 234C toward 12^th-11^th Streets/State Capitol

Turn right onto East 11^th Street

End at Texas State Capitol (Corner of Congress Avenue & 11^th Street)

Contact
Texas State Capitol
Austin, Texas
512-305-8400 (Visitors Center)
512-463-0063 (Tour Guide Office)

Parking:

Parking is permitted around the perimeter of the Capitol. Metered spaces are available free of charge on weekends. A parking lot across the street from the Capitol and Governor’s Mansion is also available free of charge on weekends.

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News Releases
Friday, August 17, 2007
CAIR-St. Louis Co-Sponsors Rally Against Terror

(ST. LOUIS, MO, 8/17/07) - On August 26, the St. Louis chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-St. Louis) will co-sponsor a "Muslim Visibility Campaign" rally in an effort to promote a positive and accurate image of Islam and American Muslims, and to give voice to the Muslim community's strong stance against terrorism committed in the name of religion.

WHAT: 'Muslim Visibility Campaign' Rally
WHERE: Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis, 517 Weidman Road, Ballwin, MO
WHEN: Sunday, August 26, 4:30-6 p.m.
CONTACT: CAIR-St. Louis Executive Director Melissa Matos, Tel: 636-207-8882; E-Mail: mmatos@cair.com; CAIR-St. Louis Board Member, Khaled Hamid, Tel: 314-398-4064

CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 33 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.