MPAC and the
Mapping Program
By Salam Al Marayati
Executive Director,
Muslim Public Affairs Council
Last week, the Los Angeles Times published several
articles regarding the Los Angeles Policy Department's
recent announcement that they will be initiating
a project which will essentially "map"
Muslims in the Southern California area.
I would like to take this opportunity to clarify
our position to you directly:
• MPAC does not support, nor has agreed
to work with the LAPD on a "mapping"
program. Deputy Chief Mike Downing misrepresented
MPAC's position in his comments to the Los Angeles
Times on Nov. 9 which stated that MPAC "embraced
the program 'in concept'." This is simply
not true. We have at no point embraced, supported
or otherwise signed onto this vaguely defined
proposed program.
• MPAC strongly opposes, and will work against
any "mapping," profiling, or singling
out of Muslims or any other community that could
essentially be used by the LAPD's counter-terrorism
division to violate our privacy, civil liberties,
and human rights.
• MPAC is committed to working with decision
makers directly to get better decisions made --
be they in government, Congress, the media, interfaith,
or Muslim community circles. We stand in defense
of the Constitution and our core values as Muslim
Americans.
• I, along with other Southern California
Muslim leaders, will attend a meeting with LAPD
officials on Thursday, November 15 to see complete
information and to critically review the proposal
before making any assessments or recommendations.
Thank you to all those who have contacted us with
your comments, your feedback, and your concerns.
We are seriously reviewing the known aspects of
this so-called "mapping" plan and will
issue our full assessment publicly after Thursday's
meeting.
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