(WASHINGTON, DC – 8/2/2024) CAIR Action, one of the nation’s leading Muslim political organizations, today called Gov. Josh Shapiro’s recently unearthed racist, anti-Palestinian remarks “deeply disturbing and disqualifying.”
CAIR Action called on Vice President Harris to consider other potential vice presidential nominees who do not have a recent or long-standing history of expressing hostility towards Palestinian-Americans, American Muslims or racism against any other community.
In a statement, CAIR Action Executive Director Basim Elkarra said:
“The racist, anti-Palestinian views Governor Shapiro clearly expressed are deeply disturbing and should disqualify him from further consideration as the 2024 Democratic president nominee.
“Given the clear connections between the anti-Palestinian hostility he expressed in college and the anti-Palestinian positions he has taken in recent months, such as equating pro-Palestinian college students with KKK members and using the power of the state to punish and silence students and state employees critical of the Israeli government, his editorial cannot be dismissed as the writings of an immature young man. Governor Shapiro himself has held college students of today to the highest standards for words far less problematic than the explicitly racist views he expressed as a college student.
Elkarra added, “Vice President Harris must now unite the country with a vice presidential pick who does not have a history of expressing racism or bigotry against any community. As anti-Palestinian racism spins out of control in America and the genocide continues in Gaza, Governor Shapiro would be the wrong choice at the wrong time to serve on a presidential ticket. He must focus his time and attention on rebuilding trust with the people of Pennsylvania.”
Recent polling published by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) shows the war in Gaza remains the most top issue of concern for Muslim voters in swing states this election.
SEE: Winning Muslim Votes: A Policy Priority Analysis in Swing States
CAIR Action is a 501(c)4 organization. Our mission is to engage, educate, and mobilize Muslim voters, train emerging leaders, and champion policy priorities that enhance the well-being and representation of Muslim communities. Through our work, we aim to foster a more equitable and inclusive democratic society where the rights and voices of Muslims are acknowledged and respected.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Basim Elkarra, Executive Director, CAIR Action [email protected]
CAIR Action Communications, [email protected]
