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Los Angeles Open Forum in Face of the Tragedies
By Sahar Kassaimah
LOS ANGELES, Sept 23 (IslamOnline) - On Saturday, September 22, the Muslim Public
Affairs Council (MPAC), the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim youth group of the Islamic Society in Orange County, held an Islamic workshop at the Garden Grove Amphitheater.
Over 250 people, including 50 non-Muslims from centers such as the Evangelic Church, Episcopal Church and Temporal Judial, attended the event, which lasted from 11:00am to 4:30pm.
Many officials attending the workshop, including Cal Reitzer, director of the community service department of Garden Grove, and Harry Krebbs, the city manager. Both spoke at the workshop.
In addition, Rusty Kennedy, from the Orange County Human Relations Commission and Jessie Graig, vice president of student services at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa attended the event.
Ossama Kahf, vice president of the Muslim youth group; Nadia Chohan, the president of the young group board; Ameir Obeid; Muzzamil Daddabhoy and Fawad Yacoob organized the workshop.
The meeting was held in order to bring the community together. "Our purpose was to gather the community together and to discuss the lessons we should learn from this tragedy," said Kahf to IslamOnline.
"The only way we could avoid such thing[s] in the future is that from this point on we all become one and forget the 'them and us' mentality. We all should follow the golden rule which is 'do [unto] others what you like them to do [unto] you," added Kahf who was in charge of setting up the program and contacting the speakers.
Among the guest speakers attending the event were Sadulla Khan; Reverend Connie Ranger, from the Evangelical church; Father Wilfred Wilfredo, from the Episcopal Church; Cantor Sherry Preston, from the Temporal Judial; and Sayed Mustafa al-Quaswini, director of the Islamic Educational Center of Orange County.
The meeting was divided into two workshops. The first, which started before noon, addressed topics such as the need for tolerance and understanding, dealing with emotions at times of crisis and coping with backlash, anger and hate.
There were also other discussions the responsibilities of the media at times of tragedy, and how the tragedy is affecting college campuses in Orange County.
The second session concentrated on interfaith thoughts, the Golden Rule facing reality world wide, and how the tragedy unites communities and nations across all faiths.
"The purpose of the meeting was satisfied," said Kahf. "The people left with the sense of unity and satisfaction.
"They left as if we are all in this together. In addition, they were reassured that the community towards a better understanding community.
"You could see the love in the air."."
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