SR0706 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0706 LRB097 21054 GRL 68384 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois welcomes all religious beliefs, traditions, and heritages, and has full confidence that the United States Constitution and the laws of Illinois protect all citizens from discrimination; and

WHEREAS, Many immigrants have come to our nation to escape government-sanctioned persecution of their faith; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has a history of embracing individuals' right to practice the faith tradition of their choice within the boundaries of the law and free of government interference; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly finds all forms of discrimination, including those forms of discrimination targeting religion or belief, to be abhorrent; and

WHEREAS, The religion of Islam is practiced by over 1.6 billion Muslims around the world; and

WHEREAS, In Illinois alone, there are more than 400,000 Muslims and 300 mosques, representing various racial and ethnic sects of Islam; and

WHEREAS, The Muslim community in Illinois has reported increased incidences of discrimination involving violations of civil rights; and

WHEREAS, Targeted discrimination of individuals in our communities, schools, and workplaces on the basis of religion, heritage, and beliefs cannot be tolerated and should not be accepted as a fundamental element of our society; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we reject all forms of discrimination; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge tolerance and acceptance of religious beliefs, traditions, and heritages in our communities to ensure all individuals residing in Illinois are protected from discrimination as enumerated in the United States Constitution and by the laws of Illinois.