Muslims Urged to Work on Improving Image

American Muslims must put forth more women and young people who speak accentless American English to articulate their community’s message, a prominent professor of Islamic studies said Saturday evening.

“Unless you tap the next generation, you are not going to make it through the next few months,” said John Esposito, expert on Islam and professor at Georgetown University. And by using representatives who speak English as Americans do, he said, Muslims will avoid appearing as though they are a predominantly foreign group.

Esposito spoke at the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ annual fund-raising banquet, which focused on responses to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Also at the event, Fouad Kahtib, president of the council’s California chapter, said the organization will work on training young people to be activists and to build relationships with other minorities.

The banquet and conference drew more than 1,000 people to the Sequoia Conference Center in Buena Park.