This charge reiterates a previous legal complaint that Banzhaf filed against the university several months ago for moving to single-sex dormitories for freshman students. That complaint is currently pending before the Office of Human Rights.
“Banzhaf has created the perception that it is our Muslim students themselves who are offended by the symbols of Catholicism on our campus, and that they object to the absence of worship space set aside specifically for them,” university president John Garvey said.
“The fact is that no Muslim student at Catholic University has registered a complaint with the University about the exercise of their religion on campus.”
Garvey also noted that an Oct. 28 Washington Post article revealed that Banzhaf himself had not received any complaints from Muslim students at Catholic University but had instead based his complaint on a Washington Post article from Dec. 2010.
“Contrary to the impression Mr. Banzhaf would like to create, the December 2010 Post article spoke in overwhelmingly positive terms about the experience of Muslim students at Catholic University, and explained why they are attracted to us,” said Garvey.
“A considerable part of the attraction stems from the fact that our community, because of its own outward expressions of Catholic faith, makes them feel comfortable living their faith among us.”
“The evidence bears this out,” he said. “Since 2007 our Muslim enrollment has more than doubled, from 56 to 122.”
Ibrahim Hooper, communications director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, called the crucifix complaint “a non-issue.”
“Muslims pray all the time in various locations,” Hooper told CNA. “A Muslim can pray anywhere, practically, from a bus station to a classroom to a cubicle at work.”
Hooper acknowledged that distracting images are present in many locations, but said that they should not prevent Muslims from focusing on their prayers.
“These kinds of things occur every day,” he said.
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“Particularly at a Catholic institution, you would assume that there would be Catholic symbols in locations throughout the university.”
Hooper does believe that Muslim students at Catholic University should be permitted to have an organization on campus if other religious groups are allowed to. But he believes that the issue can be dealt with through dialogue rather than legal action.
“American Muslims have very good relations with the Catholic community,” he noted.
Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, also defended Catholic University.
“There is no requirement in the Constitution that can compel a Catholic university, or any institution for that matter with a faith-based connection, to change its doctrines, its practices or its procedures and beliefs to accommodate a student of another faith,” Sekulow told Sean Hannity in an Oct. 27 Fox News interview.
In his Oct. 28 statement, Garvey reassured Muslim students that they are “welcome” at Catholic University.