On Thursday, November 10, 2022, the Cities Association of Santa Clara County adopted the below landmark resolution Denouncing Islamophobia that the team at Islamic Networks Group (ING) helped to draft. You can access the original resolution submitted by ING here. We encourage other cities to adopt the same resolution for all of the reasons we state in the resolution.
Resolution of The Cities Association of Santa Clara County
Denouncing Islamophobia—Resolution No. 2022-002
Whereas, Islam is a major world religion based on peace, charity, and community, with 2 billion adherents worldwide and approximately 3.5 to 6 million Muslims in the United States, comprising 1-2% of the total United States population; and
Whereas, approximately 250,000 Muslims live in the San Francisco Bay Area and make up at least 3.5% of the population and are represented in all aspects of the community, professions, and businesses; and
Whereas, Islamophobia is anti-Muslim racism in various societal institutions that continues to promote negative images of Islam and Muslims; it is connected to other racisms, including anti-Black racism, antisemitism, and other forms of bigotry; and
Whereas, historic and recent events and attitudes expressed in the United States have spotlighted a critical misunderstanding of Islam and its teachings, and highlighted the erroneous conflation of a particular country’s civil and human rights abuses with the teachings of Islam; and
Whereas, discriminatory government policies such as the 2017 travel ban have singled out Muslims based on a view of them as all being a security threat; and
Whereas, misrepresentations of Muslims have portrayed Muslims as sexist, oppressive and violent in Hollywood, video games, literature, and education resources; and
Whereas, organized hate groups against Muslims and other targeted groups have increased in recent years due to structural racism; and
Whereas, Muslims are an invaluable part of Silicon Valley due to their contributions to the area including a substantial number of Muslim computer engineers and numerous Muslim-owned businesses and start-ups which contribute to the Bay Area economy; and
Whereas, Muslims continue to be the victims of Islamophobia with 68% of Muslim Americans saying they have experienced Islamophobia and of these, 76% experienced it recently:
- Muslim women report higher rates (77%);
- 94% report that Islamophobia affects their emotional and mental well-being;
- 88% censor speech or actions out of fear of how people might react to them, with Muslim women reporting a higher rate (92%);
- 51% of Muslim families nationally say that their child was bullied for their faith; and
Whereas, Muslims experience higher levels of religious discrimination than any other group, with 62% of Muslim Americans reporting religious discrimination; and
Whereas, Islamophobic campaigns across the country have opposed the building of new mosques in recent years and mosques nationwide have been vandalized, including in California; and
Whereas, hate crimes against all marginalized groups increased in 2020 to the highest level since 2008; and
Whereas, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects freedom of religion, and it is the responsibility of the government to protect citizens and uphold their civil rights; and
Whereas, diversity, inclusivity and equity are values shared by the cities of Santa Clara County.
Now Therefore, Be It Resolved that the Cities Association of Santa Clara County stands in solidarity with its Muslim communities, upholding their safety and rights, and condemns any bigotry, bias, or acts of violence against them, especially acts that are predicated on religious intolerance. We are committed to fighting ignorance with education, to meeting inaction with action, creating safe spaces for fostering understanding, and implementing policies promoting cultural competency, awareness and appreciation of Islam and our Muslim communities.
