Join CAIR-Chicago as Keith Uchima produces and directs a staged reading of excerpts from their historic trial of Japanese Americans vs. The United States.

As a proponent of the American democratic system, CAIR-Chicago is grateful to Helen Thomas for her 70 years of service to the American public.

There is actually some truth to the claim that Fox News is “Fair and Balanced.” The catch though, is that such treatment only is given to those who subscribe to the network’s right-wing ideology. Anyone else is going to find themselves out of luck.

In recent memory, the West, led by the U.S., has intervened in several cases to rid a country of an authoritarian government and put in its place a more democratic system. However, there is also a long track record of propping up regimes, for strategic and economic reasons, that embody everything the West claims to stand against.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder recently passed laws to restrict the voter process and to dissolve elected government; essentially holding democracy under siege.

In a controversial legal step taken by the Dutch Parliament, the Cabinet has proposed to pass legislation that bans the traditional Muslim garments, the niqab and burqa, by 2013.

CAIR-Chicago's Executive Director, Ahmed Rehab, was one of the key speakers at this year's prestigious Independent Sector Annual Conference held at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago from October 30th to November 1st.

"We're relieved at the end of an era. Muslims don't rejoice at the death of an individual. However, we are rejoicing at the death of dictatorship and tyranny, and the murderous period that Gadhafi was going after his own people," said CAIR's Ahmed Rehab. The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago says, now that the war against Gadhafi's regime is over, Libya will face a new challenge.

"We're relieved at the end of an era. Muslims don't rejoice at the death of an individual. However, we are rejoicing at the death of dictatorship and tyranny, and the murderous period that Gadhafi was going after his own people," said CAIR's Ahmed Rehab. The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago says, now that the war against Gadhafi's regime is over, Libya will face a new challenge.

Joshua Hoyt from the Illinois Coalition for Immigration and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), discusses the organization of the Egyptian Spring. According to Hoyt, physical courage in the face of police brutality is what led to the overthrow of the dictator, Hosni Mubarak.

The main focus of the conference was Islam and democracy. CAIR-Chicago’s Executive Director, Ahmed Rehab, moderated a panel entitled “Winds of Change in the Muslim World: Implications for Democracy” and gave a speech about the issue.

On September 17th, AIC and OIC is will host it's 2nd annual conference, entitled "Islam, Democracy, and American Muslims". The day will be filled with many panels, addressing topics such as foreign policy and the democratic movement in the Muslim World.

"Since the beginning of the peaceful demonstrations in Syria on March 15 this year, 1350 civilians have been killed. An estimated 15000 civilians have been detained, tortured or have disappeared and more than 12000 refugees have fled the country," Christina Abraham, Civil Rights director at CAIR-Chicago, told the media in Johannesburg today.

“We’re living in a world now where there is no room for totalitarianism, dictatorships and oppression,” said Christina Abraham, civil rights director for the Council of American-Islamic Relations in Chicago. “When we see these movements happening, we need to support them. We don’t give leeway to governments that violate human rights, like the Assad government is doing right now.”

“We’re living in a world now where there is no room for totalitarianism, dictatorships and oppression,” said Christina Abraham, civil rights director for the Council of American-Islamic Relations in Chicago. “When we see these movements happening, we need to support them. We don’t give leeway to governments that violate human rights, like the Assad government is doing right now.”

This Sunday join thousands in downtown Chicago to rally in support of the Syrian people’s struggle for democracy and freedom. Since demonstrations in Syria began in March, it is estimated that nearly 1,500 people have been killed, 2,000 wounded, 20,000 imprisoned, and close to 1,000 forced disappearances.

Join CAIR-Chicago's Executive Director Ahmed Rehab at a luncheon as he gives a first hand recollection of his experience in Egypt

“The relevance of bin Laden should be overshadowed by the wave of pro-democracy movements in the Middle East,” said Yaser Tabbara, a Chicago attorney and member of the board of directors of the Council on American Islamic Relations. “Bin Laden was already marginalized, I’m someone who goes to the Middle East quite a bit and I haven’t heard his name in a very long time.”