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Wednesday 03 Feb 2016 - 13:33 Makkah mean time-24-4-1437
U.S. Senator Ben Cardin. Image from stopiranrally
Rosedale, Maryland. (IINA) - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), ranking member of the senate foreign relations committee, yesterday joined members of the Maryland Muslim community at Bait-us-Samad mosque for a conversation about strategies for overcoming challenges to building cultural awareness and community unity, Southern Maryland news reported.
"Our communities thrive when residents have respect and empathy for everyone around them, and those qualities are built through ongoing conversations," said Senator Cardin. "Lately, there has been far too much inflammatory and inappropriate rhetoric about our Muslim neighbors emanating from the presidential campaign trail, which is why I feel that now is an important time to join together with leaders from across Maryland's Muslim community to discuss shared concerns."
"It is energizing to sit down with our political leaders to discuss the important issues surrounding the religion of Islam," said Sean Stinnett, President of the Maryland Muslim Council. "It is the hopes of the Maryland Muslim Council that we will continue these type of dialogues, while educating non-Muslims on the contributions the Muslim community have made towards our society."
In the wide-ranging forum with Muslim leaders from throughout the state, Senator Cardin discussed numerous domestic and international issues, ranging from ways to reduce radicalization and hate in the U.S. to the promotion of stability abroad, specifically in the Middle East.
"To me, ensuring our national security starts with protecting core American values of democracy, inclusion and tolerance," said Senator Cardin.
Several participants asked Senator Cardin to offer his thoughts on ways to overcome stereotypes and fear of Muslims in America. “Muslim Americans contribute a great deal to the strength and well-being of communities across this country. It's vitally important that we do a better job of showcasing the wealth of positive stories of individual Muslims in our communities," said Senator Cardin. "We need to see more stories about the Muslims who do things like serve in our military, notch significant medical advances and teach our children. They are out there and they are making this country a better place every single day. We need to ensure that the true contributions of America's Muslim community are fully understood by as large a number of people as is possible."
SM/IINA
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