After nationwide surge in attacks on Muslims, U.S. leaders seek federal action in advance of Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr, 9/11 anniversary, Qur’an burning

September 7, 2010

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(WASHINGTON, DC)—A broad coalition of national faith leaders and advocacy groups from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian communities—led by Muslim Advocates , the Interfaith Alliance , the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism — met on Tuesday afternoon with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss steps the Department of Justice and the Attorney General can take against rising anti-Muslim hate and acts of violence and intimidation against American Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim.

The September 7 meeting is the result of a meeting on August 30 with Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Tom Perez , Muslim Advocates, the Interfaith Alliance, the Baptist Joint Committee and the Religious Action Center.  Following that meeting, the Department invited these four groups to return to meet with the Attorney General directly.  They will be joined by an expanded group of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith leaders and Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian community organizations.

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Concerns raised in meeting with Justice Department officials after alarming surge in anti-Muslim protests, hate crimes nationwide

In the midst of a national increase in violence and intimidation toward American Muslims, a coalition of faith groups and advocacy organizations met Monday, Aug. 30, with U.S. Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez and senior advisors to the Attorney General and Deputy General to ask that specific measures be taken as soon as possible to protect millions of American Muslims and the right to religious freedom of all Americans.  

The groups included the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, the Interfaith Alliance , the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and Muslim Advocates .

The groups requested that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Attorney General’s office take specific actions as soon as possible to protect and preserve religious freedoms and the rights of all Americans, including millions of Muslims, to live and practice their faith freely, without fear of violence or intimidation.

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Visit the BJC's Flickr page to see more photos from the press conference after the meeting.

BJC joins brief in Supreme Court case

August 11, 2010

WASHINGTON – Prisoners have a right to the free exercise of religion and may seek damages against the state under federal law when their rights are violated, according to a brief filed in the U.S. Supreme Court and joined by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

The friend-of-the-court brief (pdf) filed in Sossamon v. Texas involves the claim of a prisoner, Harvey Leroy Sossamon, who was denied participation in worship services and access to a room with symbols and furnishings that have a special significance to his Christian religion.  Sossamon challenged the prison’s restrictions under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) of 2000. That federal law was designed to protect the religious freedom of prisoners and other persons in government custody, as well as protect religious freedom in the context of zoning and landmark laws. The Baptist Joint Committee championed RLUIPA, leading a coalition that worked for its passage.

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Click here to download a pdf of the brief filed in Sossamon v. Texas.