Shura Listens to Community's Concerns
On March 31st the Shura Council held a Town Hall meeting to focus on the concerns of the community after the Mosque attacks in New Zealand and a possible arson attempt at a Mosque in Escondido.
A panel discussion was held on the occasion. The panelists and speakers included: NohaAlshugairi, M.S., Deana Helmy, M.A., MarwaRifahie, Esq., CAIR-LA, Edina Lekovic, consultant, Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC, Sgt. Luqman Watkins, LAPD, Maher Darwish, Kabir Mohmand, and Nino Abboushi.
Shura Council chair Dr Ahmed Soboh welcomed the attendees and moderated the event.
Law Enforcement: Sgt. Watkins was the first speaker and spoke about the need to keep each other safe and to use the cell phone camera to record anything that looks suspicious. There were also two other police officers, one from Irvine and the other from LA in the audience, who offered their help. The second speaker, MarwaRifahie, recommended that all Mosques have an attorney on retainer to deal with any legal issues that come up. She also mentioned that CAIR will have resources in the near future for Mosque security and grants.
Mental Health: Ms. Al-Shugairi spoke on the individual and family level of mental health following a great tragedy. She went over the four layers of mental health that lead to behavior and thought. Next, MsHelmy spoke on how our belief system about the world changes after a tragedy and to be aware of our own limits. We need to create a place for people to feel safe and anything can be traumatic.
Civic Engagement: Salam Al-Marayati spoke on the problem of white nationalism and ideological supremacism. He suggested building coalitions so that we are not signaled out. Security can be built in the larger society by Mosques inviting the community-at-large into the Mosques.
Crisis Management: Edina Lekovic spoke next on crisis management. She talked about proactive relationship building so that the community members know who to contact in case of any crisis. Compile government, law enforcement, and media lists, she advised. Assemble a communications committee for your Mosque and if they are going to speak to the media, have 2-3 talking points. Keep it simple.
Security: Kabir Mohmand spoke on relationships with the neighborhood around your Mosque as they can notice things when the Mosque is vacant. He talked about how security guards are on site to be visible, observe and report. Many do not have even a baton or pepper spray to defend themselves or anyone else. He suggested that Mosques have evacuation drills at least twice a year.
Insurance: Nino Abboushi, Superior Malpractice Insurance, spoke on the importance of insurance for the Mosques. He suggested to review the policy every year to make sure it still covers your needs.
A question-and-answer session followed the presentations.
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