Left: Ali Awad’s original Post. Right: Canary Mission’s false altered post.
(ATLANTA, GA – 2/15/2024)-On Wednesday February 14th, 2024, the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, held a press conference to condemn the use of an altered social media post to launch “dishonest and defamatory” attacks on prominent Georgia attorney Mr. Ali Awad.
SEE: GSU Alumni Assoc. under fire for planning to honor attorney criticized for online comments – WSB-TV
SEE: GSU urged to rescind lawyer’s honor over social media posts (ajc.com)
A group that objected to Mr. Awad’s criticism of the Israeli government and the Gaza genocide is exerting pressure on Georgia State University to rescind its recognition of Mr. Awad, a Georgia State University (GSU) graduate, as one of their remarkable 40 Under 40 alumni. Mr. Awad, who is also known popularly as The CEO Lawyer online, where he has over 1.5 million social media followers, presented evidence that the key allegation against him is the result of an altered social media post that was reposted by Canary Mission, an anti-Palestinian hate group, to create a false meaning.
In the press conference, Attorney Ali Awad stated, “I made a post on December 2nd, 2023, and I used the words “Palestine and Israel interchangeably. All the words I used in this post had been made about Palestinians, and simply by making the analogy of these same words being used by Israelis, there has been a smear campaign against me that was taken out of context.”
He continued, “I have never made a negative statement about Jewish people, I have never said anything bad directed towards the Jewish community, and I will never say anything negative about the Jewish people because I love them, just like I love my Christian brothers and sisters, my Muslim and agnostic brothers and sisters. I am not an antisemite, I am pro-semite because I am an actual Arab of Palestinian descent.”
CAIR-Georgia Executive Director Azka Mahmood, in a statement said, “CAIR-Georgia strongly condemns false allegations of antisemitism leveled against Mr. Ali Awad and denounce the smear campaign being undertaken against him. Mr. Awad’s words are being taken out of context to create a false narrative around his pro-Palestine advocacy. We cannot allow frivolous accusations to distract us from the atrocities taking place in Gaza and the West Bank at the hands of the Israeli military and calling for a lasting ceasefire. Such nonsensical noise only serves to create more harm and division precisely at the time when we should be coming together to draw attention to the man-made humanitarian crisis in Palestine.”
Sasha Friedman, Jewish Voice for Peace Atlanta leader stated, “I find it not only troubling, but entirely counter to everything that I know about what it means to be Jewish, when so many people who share my faith use it that as a weapon to silence and demonize Mr. Awad. Each day I open my phone and I see the face of a Palestinian child whose body is covered in blood who is screaming out to parents who will not respond, and who is searching desperately for something to eat. I’m watching this as a human. Mr. Awad is watching it as his family, as his community”.
“To take Mr. Awad’s pain and anger and frustration and wrap it into a tool to silence him, moves the story away from what’s actually happening. Over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in four months, 1.5 million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes to never return again… and we are focused on a twitter post.”
SEE: Lawyer denounces calls to rescind GSU award over social media posts
CAIR-Georgia urges Georgia State University and their alumni to stand upon the truth, revisit their valid reasons for selecting Mr. Awad for his 40 Under 40 award and not cave to falsely created political pressure.
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CONTACT: Azka Mahmood, CAIR-Georgia Executive Director, [email protected], 678 653 5822; Nazia Khanzada, CAIR-Georgia Communications Manager, [email protected], Javeria Jamil, CAIR-Georgia Legal and Policy Director, [email protected]
CAIR-Georgia’s mission is to protect civil rights, promote justice, empower American Muslims, and enhance the understanding of Islam.