USA: Young Ahmadi Muslims Come To Capitol Hill, Lobby Against Bullying | Video

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"We are trying to do this because some people can commit suicide for it, or their grades go down. there's a lot of [inaudible] for doing this."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: VOA / Ahmadiyya Times
By Staff Report | October 23, 2015

The nation's oldest Muslim youth organization gathered more than 150 young Muslims from all around the United States for a trip to Washington, D.C. and to lobby Congress for an anti-bullying bill.

Young men -- who came thoroughly prepared with background information on the anti-bullying bill they were advocating for -- visited over 70 Congressional offices, the organization has reported.

"During the meetings," the organization says, "the Congressmen and their staffers commented how wonderful it was to have young boys come and discuss such an important issue."

Absar Alam, a young member of the organization, Majlis Atfalul Ahmadiyya, which represents Ahmadi Muslim youths ages 7-15 years, told Voice of America they were visiting congressional representatives and senators for the passage of bill H.R. 2902, the Safe School Improvement Act of 2015, which combats bullying.

Many boys expressed themselves explaining why bullying is personal for them and why they came to visit the lawmakers.

"We are trying to do this because some people can commit suicide for it, [or] their grades go down; there's a lot of defects for doing this," said 11 year old Sobaan Iqbal, one of the young member of the organization while speaking to VOA News.

"[Bullying] can effect their later life," Iqbal added

Another young man, Fahimud Din,who was at the National Mall for the event said bullying impacts "specially Muslims, because we always get called terrorists."

"Because society has depicted Muslims as terrorists, which is wrong," Din added.

At a press conference, held in the Capitol Building, Congressman Mike Honda of California spoke about his own experiences of being bullied and spoke highly of the young boys who had come from long distances to stand up against bullying.

The group held a prayer service Friday on the National Mall and talked about how bullying has affected their own lives.

Compiled from VOA News report by Katherine Gypson.

  -- Young Muslims Lobby Against Bullying


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