Muneer Awad
Muneer Awad is an American political activist and attorney. He is the former executive director of the Oklahoma and New York City chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Early life and education
Awad was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan{{cite news|title=CAIR picks new executive director in OKC|publisher=Tulsa World|date=October 29, 2010|author=Bill Sherman|page=A8|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:TLWB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=133311F39C905508&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D663DC0A81A15EA}} and raised in Marietta, Georgia.{{cite news|title=Athens mosque open house shares faith - In person: Presenting the message of Islam|work=Athens Banner-Herald|date=October 12, 2003|author=Beth Hatcher|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:ABHB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=12EFD31DCE73EF98&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D663DC0A81A15EA}} He matriculated at Georgia Southern University, but transferred to the University of Georgia (UGA) after his first year.{{cite news|title=UGA students get back to their roots - College environment encourages young people to explore, share their heritage|work=Athens Banner-Herald|date=March 6, 2006|author=Rebecca K. Quigley|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:ABHB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=12EFE27DE08D9A58&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D663DC0A81A15EA}} He earned a Juris Doctor degree from UGA in 2009.
Career
In October 2010 Awad was named executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) branch in Oklahoma. Immediately after his appointment, 70% of Oklahoma voters cast ballots in favor of a ban on sharia law known as "State Question 755", which was to be added to the Constitution of Oklahoma.{{cite news|title=Suit filed against ban on Islamic law in Oklahoma|work=The Augusta Chronicle|date=November 5, 2010|page=A10|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:AGCB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=133737C07097A6C8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D663DC0A81A15EA}} Awad and CAIR filed suit against the Oklahoma State Election Board, then chaired by Paul Ziriax, on November 4, 2010 with Awad as plaintiff,{{cite news|title=Court order blocks Okla. amendment on Islamic law|publisher=Associated Press|author=Tim Talley|date=November 8, 2010|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:APAB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=133AF0651FA0A630&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D663DC0A81A15EA}} aiming to block the amendment on the grounds that it would make Oklahoma's constitution a vehicle for "an enduring condemnation" of Islam.
Awad won an initial victory in "Awad v. Ziriax"{{cite journal|title=Shari'ah Law as National Security Threat|journal=Akron Law Review|author=Cyra Akila Choudhury|volume=46|date=2013|url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/lnacui2api/api/version1/getDocCui?lni=58F8-4BS0-00CT-V0D9&csi=156180&hl=t&hv=t&hnsd=f&hns=t&hgn=t&oc=00240&perma=true}} note 33 {{subscription required}} when federal judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma issued a restraining order barring the amendment from taking effect. Two days after Miles-LaGrange's order, Awad appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show to discuss his suit, stating that "we already have an amendment that makes sure Sharia law will never take over our courts. It also makes sure that no law will take over - no religious law will take over our courts and it's called the First Amendment."{{cite news|title=The Rachel Maddow Show for November 10 2010|publisher=MSNBC|work=The Rachel Maddow Show|date=November 10, 2010|author=Rachel Maddow|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:SNBB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=1336F7F884A12A58&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D663DC0A81A15EA}}
Miles-LaGrange extended her stay on November 22, 2010 to allow herself time to consider Awad's suit{{cite news|title=Stay extended on Oklahoma anti-Sharia measure: court|work=Agence France-Presse|date=November 22, 2010|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:WAFP&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=133AE47DCDDD6870&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D663DC0A81A15EA}} and a week later stayed the amendment indefinitely pending her final decision.{{cite news|title=Judge blocks anti-Sharia measure in Oklahoma|work=Agence France-Presse|date=November 29, 2010|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:WAFP&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=133D331CD43B69B0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D663DC0A81A15EA}} Awad won his suit when Miles-LaGrange left her injunction in place, although the state of Oklahoma appealed her decision in December 2010.{{cite news|title=Federal judges hear appeal of decision halting enforcement of Oklahoma law banning consideration of Sharia law by state courts|work=Journal Record Legislative Report|date=September 12, 2011|author=Marie Price|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:OBNB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=139DB3A1AA52C338&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D663DC0A81A15EA}} Miles-LaGrange's decision was upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in January 2012{{cite news|title=Oklahoma: Court Upholds Blocking of Amendment Against Shariah Law|author=Erik Eckholm|date=January 10, 2012|work=New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/11/us/oklahoma-court-upholds-blocking-of-amendment-against-shariah-law.html|accessdate=March 1, 2014}} and she issued an order permanently enjoining the amendment in August 2013.{{cite news|title=Court: Law so clearly targeted at Muslim Sharia law it cannot survive legal challenge in Okla.|work=Journal Record Legislative Report|date=August 16, 2013|author=Marie Price|url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/lnacui2api/api/version1/getDocCui?lni=5963-J2B1-JCP2-501J&csi=258806&hl=t&hv=t&hnsd=f&hns=t&hgn=t&oc=00240&perma=true}}{{subscription required}}
In 2012 Awad was named a fellow of the American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California. In July 2012 he resigned as executive director of the Oklahoma chapter of CAIR,{{cite news|title=CAIR's Oklahoma chapter expands staff to 4|date=July 28, 2012|author=Bill Sherman|url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/lnacui2api/api/version1/getDocCui?lni=5670-J3X1-JBSM-806Y&csi=152788&hl=t&hv=t&hnsd=f&hns=t&hgn=t&oc=00240&perma=true|work=Tulsa World}}{{subscription required}} and later that year he was named executive director of the New York City chapter.{{cite news|title=Cameron to observe Constitution Day Monday|date=September 12, 2012|work=The Lawton Constitution|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:LCOB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=141444BB383C4938&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D663DC0A81A15EA}} As NYC director of CAIR, Awad worked actively to counter Pamela Geller's New York City anti-Islamist organization Stop Islamization of America's various subway ad campaigns, calling on the New York City government to "take on a leadership role in denouncing hate speech."{{cite news|title=Anti jihad ads going up in NY City subway|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=September 21, 2012|url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/lnacui2api/api/version1/getDocCui?lni=56MG-J261-DYTJ-60TT&csi=257912&hl=t&hv=t&hnsd=f&hns=t&hgn=t&oc=00240&perma=true}}{{subscription required}} In 2014 Awad was recognized with the Hugh Hefner First Amendment Award at a ceremony in Washington D.C.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2014/05/21/glenn-greenwald-accepts-hugh-hefner-award-for-journalism|title=Greenwald Accepts Hugh Hefner Award|website=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=2016-05-06}}