December 10, 2003
Price of Admission to Bush fundraiser in Baltimore: $2,000
Money Raised at Bush fundraiser in Baltimore: $1,000,000
Cost to an American citizen and seven year hotel employee scheduled to work at the Bush fundraiser, but sent home because his name was “Mohamad”:
Humiliation, Discrimination and Prejudice
Dear Colleague:
I urge you to read the following story from Saturday’s Washington Post. During the President’s fundraiser at the Hyatt Regency in Baltimore on Friday, seven-year employee Mohamad I. Pharoan was asked to leave work simply because his name was “Mohamad”. He was later escorted to his locker, where hotel employees watched him while he changed clothes. A few minutes later, he was out on the street.
This monstrous form of discrimination is appalling. Mr. Pharoan was held in high-regard by his coworkers and management, where he was considered a model employee. His treatment on Friday is a gross violation of his civil liberties and he deserves an apology from the President.
We cannot close our eyes to the blatant forms of discrimination that engulf the United States. We are better than this. At a minimum, we should expect our President to be as well.
Sincerely,
________________ ________________
Betty McCollum John Conyers
Member of Congress Member of Congress
________________ ________________
John Dingell John Lewis
Member of Congress Member of Congress