Q: A recent AJC article quoted local Muslims on Donald Trump’s statement about not allowing Muslims in the United States. Have any Muslim groups publicly condemned the terrorist attack in California?
—David Davis, Newnan
A: The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Islamic Society of Orange County are among the groups that have spoken out against last week's mass shooting in San Bernardino, Calif.
“The Muslim community stands shoulder to shoulder with our fellow Americans in repudiating any twisted mindset that would claim to justify such sickening acts of violence,” CAIR-LA executive director Hussam Ayloush said in a statement.
Other groups, including the Islamic Networks Group and the Southern California chapter of Muslims Establishing Communities in America, have helped raise more than $175,000 for the victims as of Thursday.
Police say Syed Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people and injured 21 others in the attack on Dec. 2. They were later killed in a shootout with police.
Q: UGA athletic director Greg McGarity has said he will pay former coach Mark Richt over $4 million, thus honoring Richt’s unsigned contract. Does McGarity have the authority to give away several million dollars of UGA money?
—David Chastain, Gainesville
A: The decision to honor the terms of Richt's unsigned contract was approved by the Georgia Athletic Association's board of directors.
“To me a handshake is an agreement and the board approved it. Everybody approved it,” McGarity said in November.
Richt received a two-year contract extension and a $800,000 a year raise last January.
Andy Johnston with Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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