September Eleventh Families, Religious Leaders, Civic Groups, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Groups Announce Coalition to Support Religious Freedom - New York Neighbors for American Values Speaks Out in Support of Park51

NEW YORK, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, August 25, more than 40 prominent organizations, civic groups, leaders and religious and interfaith groups will join together to announce the creation of a coalition in support of religious freedom and diversity and to rebuff the increasingly strident opposition to a proposed Islamic center near Ground Zero.

New York Neighbors for American Values embraces the American constitutional values of religious freedom, diversity and equality. We stand together today to reject the crude stereotypes meant to frighten and divide us.

WHAT: Press Conference to Announce New Coalition Supporting Religious Freedom

WHERE: Municipal Building (One Centre Street)

WHEN: 12 p.m.

PRESS CONTACTS:

* Faiza Ali, Council on American-Islamic Relations-NY, 212.870.2002, (C) 718.724.3041

* Deanna Bitetti, Common Cause/NY, (C) 917.751.2342

* Jennifer Carnig, New York Civil Liberties Union, 212.607.3363, (C) 845.553.0349

* Shonna Carter, Riptide, 212.260.5000, (C) 917.453.8286

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:  

* September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows

* Faiza Ali, Community Affairs Director Council on American-Islamic Relations –NY

* Ro Scheffe, Community Board 1

* Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper, President, New Sanctuary Movement and the Judson Memorial Church

* Donna Lieberman, Executive Director, New York Civil Liberties Union

* Susan Lerner, Executive Director, Common Cause/NY

WHO: The Coalition of NY Neighbors for American Values: Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), Auburn Theological Seminary, Brooklyn for Peace, Citizen Action of New York, Common Cause/New York, Community Voices Heard, Convergence of Cultures/NY, Council on American-Islamic Relations-NY, Demos, Downtown Independent Democrats, Good Jobs New York, Greater NYC for Change, Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition, Interfaith Center of New York, Islamic Mission of America inc., Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ), Judson Memorial Church, Lower Manhattan Democrats (LMD), Manhattan Young Democrats, Middle East Crisis Response (MECR), Muslim Consultative Network, Muslim Public Affairs Council -NYC

New York Civil Liberties Union, New York Theological Seminary, New York City New Sanctuary Movement, Pax Christi Metro New York, The Dialogue Project, The New York City Chapter of Humanist Party, The Shalom Center, Woodstock International and Talat Hamdani

Mother of Mohammad Salman Hamdani NYPD Cadet, EMT< WTC II, Hester Eisenstein, Sociology, Queens College and the Graduate Center *, Jennifer Baumgardner, Co-Owner, Soapbox Inc.*, Serene Jones, President, Union Theological Seminary* , Rev. Charles H. Straut, Jr., DMin, Consultant in Ministry, New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church*, Dr. Diane Steinman, Co-Chair, New York State Interfaith Network for Immigration Reform*, Luis Barrios, Ph.D., BCFE, St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice- Department of Latin American & Latina/o Studies*, Peter Marcuse, Professor emeritus of Urban Planning, Columbia University*, Rev. Freeman Palmer, Metro Association Minister, United Church of Christ, New York Conference*, Rev Dr Rita M Root, Interim Conference Minister, New York Conference, United Church of Christ*, Rev. Dr. Robert L. Brashear, Pastor, West-Park Presbyterian Church*, Tarak Kauff, Veterans For Peace, MECR, Editor Woodstock International newspaper*

*Organization listed for identification purposes only

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

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