BRIDGES meeting

By: Duifaf Waely

Wednesday May 4, 2011

The Iraqi Human Rights Network attended the BRIDGES meeting held at Star International Academy in Dearborn Heights on May 4, 2011. The event was hosted by Mrs. Nawal Hamadeh, president of Hamadeh Educational Services. The IHRN participated along with special guest speakers included various well-known organizations such as the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The meeting also included U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade from the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, representatives from the Dearborn Police Department, U.S. Senator Carl Levin’s Office, Congressman John Conyer’s Office, Congressman John Dingell’s Office, Congressman Hansen Clarke’s Office, and the Mayor of Dearborn Heights Dan Paletko as well as community leaders, parents, members and educators. During the meeting, important issues of interest and concern were discussed such as the FBI informant issues and CBP port of entry issues along with an update on Reverend Terry Jones from the Dearborn Police Department. The CBP discussed issues of handcuffing and questioning Muslim individuals at land borders such as the Canadian and US Border. Also, many commented about the public safety of the Dearborn residents with respect to Terry Jones’s revisiting plans.