Community News (V11-I16)

Funeral service held for Muslim victims of Binghampton slayings

Funeral services were held Sunday for the two Muslim victims of Binghampton’s American Civic Center. A gunman had killed 13 people and himself last Friday.

Parveen Ali, 26, a Pakistani native had arrived to the US eight years ago. Layla Khalil, 57, had been in the country for just eight months.  Ali was taking English classes at the center so she could earn her GED.

Local politicians and religious leaders spoke inside the Islamic Organization of the Southern Tier mosque paying tributes to the victims.

“The younger girl (Ali) was holding her whole family together,” said Ehtishm Siddiqui president of the Islamic center.  “She was getting her GED so she could go to college and become a teacher. She was taking care of her mother and brothers.”

Khalil is survived by her husband, a daughter who just received a master’s degree and a son who is a senior at Binghamton High School.

Shamsul Khan named Physician of the Year

RICHMOND COUNTY, NC– Dr. Shamsul Khan was named as Physician of the Year by staff members of the FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital at a Doctor’s Day luncheon last week. A Bangladesh born physician Dr. Khan is well known among the community.

“Dr. Khan’s devotion to his patients and the Richmond County community is unparalleled,” said John Jackson, president of FHRMH. “He is a kind and caring physician who is loved by the hospital staff and his patients. We are indeed fortunate to have Dr. Kahn as part of our community. He is extremely deserving of the Richmond Memorial Hospital Physician of the Year award.”

According to Dr. Masoud Ahdieh, vice chief of staff at FHRMH, Khan’s receipt of the award was a unique occurrence.

“This is the first year that a pediatrician became Physician of the Year,” said Ahdieh, “Every year we send out applications to all the doctors; when we get them back, we review them and decide who has the qualities for the award.

“It was hard work to decide which one was going to be the best one.”

Support withdrawn to congressional candidate over offensive comments

York Township Trustee Moin Moon Khan has withdrawn his endorsement of 5th Congressional District GOP candidate Rosanna Pulido for her inflammatory and offensive comments against Muslims, Mexicans, immigrants, and other communities.

Under the name of “Chicagolady” Pulido had been posting comments on the right-wing website the Free Republic. In one posting she wrote that praying Muslims reminded her of dogs “smelling buts [sic].” In another posting she wrote that she thinks stealing is part of Mexican culture.

Her comments have generated outrage from a host of community leaders. Pulido has since apologized.

Moin Khan, who is also the Asian American Liaison of Dupage County Republican Party, is withdrawing his endorsement in spite of the apology. In a letter to Pulido Moin Khan wrote:

“In the tradition of Islamic forgiveness, while I still believe in pardoning you for pronouncing some hateful remarks against Muslims, assuming it might have happened in a moment of rage and ignorance, the continuous revelations of plethora of your provocative statements, which were completely unknown to me until a few days ago, delineate a disturbing mindset.

Several community organizations that include Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Council of American-Islamic Relations, Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, Jewish Council of Urban Affairs, Priests for Justice for Immigrants, and other civic organizations and friends of mine, whose judgments I highly respect, have been referring to clippings of your quotes, published on blogs under the pseudonym of Chicagolady, demonstrate that while advocating your viewpoints you frequently transgressed the boundary of robust discussion and veered off to demonize and dehumanize the groups you wanted to oppose.

Considering this transgression, which is antithetical to one of the core values and attributes of a leader, I experience deep anguish in continuing my endorsement, which I extended to you earlier without the knowledge of the newly revealed testimonials of yours.

As such, I withdraw my endorsement for you for the Illinois’ 5th Congressional District seat and request you to remove the endorsement text and my picture off your website.”

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