(CHICAGO, IL, 2/6/2024) - The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) today condemned comments made by Orland Park’s mayor, Keith Pekau, suggesting that Arab-Americans who were supporting a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza can “go to another country” if they disagree with US policy. 

WATCH THE MAYOR’S REMARKS

SEE: Arab Americans can ‘go to another country’ if they oppose US policy: Chicago suburb mayor

In a statement, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab said:

“CAIR-Chicago condemns in the strongest terms the ignorant and dangerous remarks made by Orland Park’s mayor. The notion that Americans who disagree with an official should pack up and leave to another country is more befitting of the 1960’s Soviet Union, rather than of the United States where freedom of expression and conscience is a founding principle of this country and its constitution.

“The mayor would do well on brushing up on our own history before he mischaracterizes the history of other regions. His words and actions have shamed the office he holds and an apology is warranted. Moreover, the mayor is probably blissfully unaware that 61% of Americans support a ceasefire. So he is asking for most of the country to pack up and leave.

“Palestinian and American Muslims constitute a significant portion of the Orland Park community, socially, culturally, and economically. They deserve better than to have their genuine angst in the face of civilian massacres committed by the Israeli government be dismissed with racist ugly rants from a tone-deaf local official who fails to do basic homework on both contemporary and historical facts, here and abroad.”

He noted the rise in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab incidents tracked by CAIR, and the role that irresponsible remarks from elected officials plays in feeding them. Only a few weeks ago, an anti-Palestinian hate crime shook Orland Park.

SEE: CAIR-Chicago Welcomes Hate Crime Charge for Anti-Palestinian Attack

Last month, CAIR announced that it received 3,578 complaints during the last three months of 2023 amid an ongoing wave of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate

SEE: CAIR: New Data Shows the End of 2023 was a ‘Relentless’ Wave of Bias, Community Resilience is ‘Impressive’

So far, Israel has killed approximately 27,585 people in Gaza, 11,500 of whom are children and 8,000 of whom are women.

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CONTACT: Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of CAIR Chicago, 202-870-0166,arehab@cair.com; Maggie Slavin, Operations Manager of CAIR-Chicago, 815-590-3991, mslavin@cair.com; Erin P.R. Davis, MCM, Communications Coordinator of CAIR-Chicago, 773-802-8786, epdavis@cair.com