American-Muslims

http://www.cair.com 

The CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) is an organisation in the United States whose vision is to be a leading advocate for justice and mutual understanding. The organisations mission is to “enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.” 

CAIR is Americas largest Islamic civil liberties group, working to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America since 1994. The organisation states that “Through media relations, government relations, education and advocacy, CAIR puts forth an Islamic perspective to ensure the Muslim voice is represented. In offering this perspective, CAIR seeks to empower the American Muslim community and encourage their participation in political and social activism.”

With regards to the American-Islamic identity, it is evident that they wish to be recognised as not simply ‘American’, but also have their faith acknowledged too, however it is the way in which their identity is being perceived that they wish to change. CAIR states that their vision “looks toward the time when being Muslim carries a positive connotation and Islam has an equal place among many faiths in America’s pluralistic society.” Thus, similarly to the evolution of the American-Catholics and American-Jews, the American-Muslim wants people to identify them and accept them as a Muslim, yet also wants to be identified as equally being an American.