Resolution SR0178 called on the U.S. Departments of Treasury, Justice and Homeland Security to develop a list of charitable organizations, including Muslim charitable organizations, which are safe to donate to without fear of personal prosecution with the added assurance that their contributions are used for the intended purpose.

The resolution, called "Charity without Fear," was the culmination of three years of grassroots activism, following September 11 and the closure of many Islamic charities without due process. The Council led the campaign with the help of its civic partners in the Illinois Coalition for Immigrants and Refugees Rights, United Power for Action and Justice, Jewish Council of Urban Affairs and National Catholic Church.

The Council's first Muslim advocacy day was born during the campaign. On May 11, 2006, about 80 Muslim leaders and school students spent a day in Springfield, meeting with their representatives, interacting with legislatures and pushing for the adoption of the resolution. Senator Jacqueline Collins, the chief sponsor of the resolution, recognized both the Council and the Aqsa School's AP U.S. History class on the Senate floor. The day was a success. The State of Illinois was, and still is, the only state of the union, that passed such affirmation of its Muslim citizen's rights to contribute to their charities without fear.

Since then the Council has participated in other advocacy efforts for issues regarding the common good like immigration reform, affordable housing and expanding social services. Other resolutions and legislations resulting from the lobbying effort of Council members include the IMAN-sponsored "SMART Act," which addressed recidivism and public safety in the community and the UMMA-Sponsored Halal Food Act.

Once again, on May 21, the Council will lead an advocacy day in Springfield to address several important issues to our communities. On May 21, as part of the Council's Muslim ACTION! Day, more than 500 Muslim leaders, activists and students will flock to Springfield to meet their state representatives to advocate for the introduction of Arabic language in public schools, public education funding reforms, against online gambling and in support of state "cap & trade" environmental legislation.

Among others, Arabic is designated as a critical language as part of the National Security Language Initiative. The National Security Language Initiative is a joint effort of the Secretaries of State, Education, and Defense and the Director of National Intelligence to increase the number of Americans learning, speaking and teaching critical need foreign languages. The Initiative has determined that increasing speakers in these languages is a matter of national security and global competitiveness.

Several major grants back this Initiative and Illinois is startlingly under-represented.. Learning Arabic will provide a competitive advantage to all Illinois students and it will open many doors for employment.

Many Illinois high schools offer foreign languages like Spanish, French, German and Latin but efforts to to introduce Arabic to public schools in the Oak Lawn and Orland Park Consolidated School Districts 229 and 230 have stalled. These districts currently teach French, Spanish, German and Latin. To date, only six Chicago Public Schools teach Arabic. We need our General Assembly to back this Initiative so we can equip our children with more tools and more opportunities.

In District 230, more than 150 high school students of different backgrounds have signed petitions declaring interest in enrolling in Arabic language classes. The idea of Arabic classes has fizzled out in this district after a year, despite several meetings with the principals and the Superintendent. Local newspapers reported that school officials explained that if they introduced Arabic, it would appear that they prefer Arabic over Polish or Lithuanian and that it "would open a Pandora's box."

However, the school official's explanation is untenable because among the languages designated as a "critical need" by the federal government, Polish and Lithuanian are not among them. Illinois can be the leading state in term of providing extra tools in languages to its students. This initiative also will boost our competitiveness in the global economy and even enhance our chances in getting the Olympics to Chicago in 2016.

Every person can help by calling their schools to support the initiative, getting involved in PTAs, asking school administrators to introduce Arabic, attending schools board meetings and raising the issue, running for school boards in the next elections, and joining the May 21 Muslim ACTION! Day. Students can also help by being engaged within their schools and vocal about the issue. After all the whole purpose of the campaign is a brighter future for our students.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. By joining the campaign, we can open more doors of opportunities for our students and position Illinois to be the leading state in embracing the realities of global world. Since its inception, the Council has organized and mobilized the larger Muslim community in Illinois around issues of civil liberties, social justice, immigration reforms, education and housing. The Council has been able to affect statewide legislation through its organizing efforts and through its coalition building with other religious and civic organizations who are also working for the common good.

On May 21, we want to continue our advocacy for the Muslim community and for the welfare of the community at large. This is a wonderful opportunity to make our united voices heard at our State capitol to influence public policy.

Join your Council in Springfield on May 21. I look forward to seeing you there.