PR RELEASE -- New Documentary on anti-Mosque battle in Chicago

NEW DOCUMENTARY EXPLORES ANTI-ARAB HATE IN CHICAGO SUBURBS
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 29, 2004

CHICAGO -- Eyes of the Beholder (Fahrenheit 60462) is a new documentary by award-winning journalist Ray Hanania that explores the rise of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab animosity in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago.

The 90 minute documentary which puts viewers front-and-center in the recent Orland Park mosque battle, explores the history of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim hatred in School District 230, Stagg High school, voter opposition to Arab and Muslim candidates in five separate school board elections in the 1990s, incidents of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim discrimination against businesses, and the May 2000 vote to block a similar drive to build a mosque in Palos Heights.

During the June 21, 2004 Orland Park village board hearings on the planned mosque there, protesters cited Sept. 11th, fear of terrorism, defamed the Bridgeview Mosque, criticized Bridgeview Mosque Imam Sheik Jamal Said, member Mohamad Salah and several Muslim organizations, and accused the Bridgeview mosque of creating security problems for the Southwest suburbs.

The documentary explores the true history of the Bridgeview mosque, noting that anti-Israeli activism is not the same as events related to the "War on Terrorism" nor are Palestinian critics of Israel supporters of al-Qaeda, the organization responsible for Set. 11th.

The documentary has been submitted to the Sundance Film Festival set for January 2005, but is being screened for Muslim and Arab audiences.

As Writer, producer and director, Hanania said screening previews can be arranged by contacting him at 312-933-9855.

More information on the documentary is available at www.hanania.com

About the producer: Ray Hanania is an award-winning Chicago based journalist and author of several books, and thehost of the Cable TV Program "30 Minutes" which is broadcast in Chicago on CAN TV, Comcast Cable TV and also on Bridges TV nationwide. Hanania is also a stand-up comedian performing nationally. His columns analyzing Middle East issues are distributed by Creators Syndicate.

END