ATLANTA, GA – 8/28/17) The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations today thanked Atlanta’s mayoral candidates for meeting with Atlanta Muslim leaders to discuss issues of importance to the community. CAIR Georgia has also delivered an issue-based questionnaire to each candidate, as well as an invitation to visit the city’s largest Muslim houses of worship.
“Atlanta is home to dozens of mosques, as well as thousands of Georgia Muslims who care deeply about the future of the city,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, executive director of CAIR Georgia. “We encourage every candidate to engage in further and direct dialogue with Atlanta Muslim voters, who could easily swing the results of a close election.”
The Georgia Muslim Voter Project, IMAN Atlanta, and the Council of Mosques of Metropolitan Atlanta, including Masjid Al-Muminun, Al-Farooq Masjid, and Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam have joined the dialogue with the candidates, which began in June.
Since then, Mitchell and CAIR Georgia Outreach Director Asma Elhuni have met with state senator Vincent Fort, attorney Michael Sterling, former Fulton County Commission chairman John Eaves, former councilmember Cathy Woolard, activist Al Bartell, councilmember Kwanza Hall, businessman Peter Aman, councilmember Mary Norwood, and council president Ceasar Mitchell. The campaign of councilmember Keisha Lance Bottoms says it is making arrangments for a meeting.
“As civil rights organizations, houses of worship, and civic groups, we cannot and will not endorse any candidate,” Mitchell said. “Instead, we hope to educate every candidate about the goals and concerns of Atlanta Muslims, just as we hope to educate Atlanta Muslims about the goals and positions of every candidate.”
CAIR Georgia has discussed a variety of issues with the candidates, including criminal justice reform, affordable housing, gentrification, and anti-Muslim bigotry.
