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Times Staff WriterFaith organizations are partnering for the two groups to talk about post-Sept. 11 freedoms.
The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Florida Council of Churches announced a statewide partnership Thursday to encourage dialogue between Christians and Muslims.
CAIR-FL, which is part of a national advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., has about 5,000 members. The FCC is an ecumenical organization that represents about 30 denominations and regional church groups. The organizations recently decided to partner to "address problems in our society, specifically the liberties that are being taken away," CAIR-FL spokesman Ahmed Bedier said. Laws intended to offset terrorist attacks after the Sept. 11 attacks have disproportionately affected Muslims and people from Arab countries, Bedier said. Soon, he said, those laws will encroach on liberties for all Americans.
The FCC and CAIR-FL will host public dialogues around the state beginning Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 304 Druid Hills Road, Tampa. A panel of speakers from different faiths will share their perspectives and answer questions. The sessions are intended to educate people about federal laws and their impact on Americans and foreigners in the United States. Highlighting religious tolerance and some beliefs that Christians, Muslims and Jews share are also goals for the partnership.
"What I expect to happen out of this is already beginning to happen," said the Rev. Russell Meyer, an FCC board member from Lakeland. "That is for the Christian community and the Muslim community to have face-to-face conversations, to hear information firsthand."