Statements

May 30, 2020 — “Let my building burn,” he said. “Justice needs to be served.” On Friday afternoon, after the fire stopped smoldering and the family came together, he repeated his support for the protests that had closed his restaurant. “We can rebuild a building, but we cannot rebuild a human,” said Mr. Ruhel Islam, 42. “The community is still here, and we can work together to rebuild.”

We issue this statement in solidarity with the national protests against police brutality. Law enforcement in the United States of America has a long and vicious history of systemic abuse and discrimination.

Women and men and children in our communities have been targeted, profiled, brutalized, raped, assaulted, and murdered by members of law enforcement. We know some of their names, like Shukri Ali Said and Ahmaud Arbery. Many more of the names never made it to our news cycles and social media feeds. Rarely have the police answered for these heinous acts. 

We grieve for all victims of police brutality and work so that their suffering is not in vain. 

The Georgia Muslim Voter Project is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that boosts civic engagement among American Muslims. Equity and justice are fundamental tenets of Islam and the U.S. Constitution. Registering to vote and voting in local, state, and national elections (Georgia is currently voting in the General Primary) is one way to achieve comprehensive criminal justice reform and to ensure accountability, transparency, and humanistic community policing practices. 

In particular, we bring attention to the local leaders whom are elected every few years that have immense power to address these issues. This year, all 159 Georgia counties will elect their local sheriffs, many localities will elect prosecutors/district attorneys, and many counties will vote on key county commission seats. We urge all voters to learn about and engage with the candidates in these vital races. As our nation continues to struggle with the legacy of racism, we will continue to work with our local and national partners until every voice is heard and represented.