Posted on 06/02/2006 6:20:47 PM PDT by nypokerface
WASHINGTON - At midday on Fridays, Muslims gather to pray in a basement room of the U.S. Capitol. Kneeling on sheets they've spread over the floor and facing east toward Mecca, they are members of the Congressional Muslim Staffers Association, about two dozen congressional aides who are part of a small but growing minority in America and in the halls of government.
At first just a prayer group, later a Muslim support group, the association is now looking outward to change what many see as woeful ignorance about Islam on Capitol Hill and beyond, said Jameel Aalim-Johnson, a black Muslim and chief of staff for Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York.
Some 100 non-Muslim congressional colleagues attended an association luncheon and the showing of part of a documentary on Islam in America. Visiting Imams from the Middle East recently met with association members.
The congressional chaplain's office consulted them about offering classes on Islam on Capitol Hill, said association member Nayyera Haq, daughter of Pakistani immigrants and spokeswoman for Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo.
"We're excited and hopeful," Haq said of the group's new mission. "It's nice to be Muslim and feel hopeful about the future."
That's not always easy to do.
Though there's no official count, the association says the number of congressional staffers who identify themselves as Muslim is little more than 20 out of some 10,000 employees at the Capitol complex.
There also is a smattering of Muslims at other Washington agencies, and some departments have consulted American Muslims for help with the counterterror war. Muslims have served as state legislators, but there is no member of Congress who identifies himself as a Muslim, said Corey Saylor, government affairs director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Understanding of Islam — and acceptance of American Muslims — has sometimes seemed as lacking among national leaders as it has elsewhere in the land.
One lawmaker suggested bombing Muslim holy sites. Another equated an Arab country with the devil. Others have been given to lumping Muslims and Arabs together as terrorists.
Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado suggested in a radio interview last summer that the U.S. "could take out" Islamic holy sites such as Mecca as retribution if there ever is a terrorist nuclear attack on America. He later said his comments were taken out of context, but refused to apologize.
And New Jersey Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg opposed the controversial deal that would have allowed Dubai Ports World to buy commercial port operations in several American cities. "Don't let them tell you that it's just a transfer of title," Lautenberg told a rally in his state. "We wouldn't transfer the title to the devil and we're not going to transfer it to Dubai."
At times like that, says Haq, "You wonder: What am I doing here, working for an institution that insists on viewing me as an outsider?"
In fact, getting Americans to think of Islam as a U.S. rather than foreign religion is a big part of the challenge, said John Voll, a Georgetown University professor of Islamic history and expert on Muslim-Christian relations.
The number of American Muslims is usually estimated at 6 million to 7 million, some 2 percent of the population.
It's believed roughly 40 percent are black, mostly descendants of slaves, and 60 percent immigrants and offspring from dozens of nations, said Voll.
Aalim-Johnson said the majority of the congressional group is Indo-Pakistani, with others whose backgrounds are Turkish, Iranian and African American.
"For a lot of Muslims who are first generation such as myself, when our parents immigrated here, they were working hard at trying to make a better life for their kids," not focused on politics, said Amina Masood, of Pakistani descent and legislative assistant to Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y.
"Now our generation is grown and realizing we are American ... part of this community and we need to be more active," she said. "I'm a staffer, but I'm also a Muslim and I care about Muslim issues ... things that affect us and that we have to take notice of and be a part of it."
Gaining political foothold "doesn't happen overnight," said Assad R. Akhter, legislative assistant to Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J.
In that, Muslims aren't so different from other groups "who suffered discrimination, isolation and difficulties moving into American politics," said Voll. "You have to be here and pay your dues."
Of a dozen congressional staff organizations, the Muslim group is the only one at the moment that centers on religion. But other religious groups use Capitol meeting space with sponsorship of a member of Congress.
I think all they're really thinking about when praying is whether or not the guy in front of them is going to break wind!
I'm not sure the Congressional Muslim Staffers Association is religious or just aother Democrat organization. It sseems they only interviewed people who worked for Dems.
Hey, maybe they're onto something. I should convert to Islam. That way I can chop off these looney idiot's heads off without guilt and make Allah happy--all in the same "whack"! Then I can beat and slap all these wenches back into the kitchen to fix my lunch!
I was curious if other religious groups had activities in the Capitol since that was raised. Seems quites a few do
http://chaplain.house.gov/events.html
06/02/2006 Senate Bible Study Led by the Senate Chaplain, Dr. Barry Black. Open to Congressional Members and Staff. Lunch is provided. SD-124 Dirksen Senate Building (unless otherwise noted) 12:00 PM
06/06/2006 Politics and Principles Luncheon Cong. Todd Akin will share his Christian faith story. Sponsored by the Center for Christian Statesmanship. Lunch, provided by Chik-fil-A will be served. RSVP to 547-3052 by Monday, June 5th or email mailto:letters@ statesman.org. Cannon Caucus Room 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
06/07/2006 Rosary Open to Congressional Members and Staff H-234 The Capitol 11:00 AM
06/08/2006 Prayer Breakfast Open to Congressional Members H-120 The Capitol 8:00 AM
06/09/2006 An interfaith celebration of Shavuot and Pentecost Sponsored by the House and Senate Chaplain's Offices. Featuring lunch, music and remarks by Chaplain Coughlin, Chaplain Black and Rabbi Robinson. S-207, The Mansfield room 12 Noon
We've seen the face of political Islam, both in the Middle East and in Europe.
Assimilate or leave. The host culture has no intention of adapting to you.
Now what issues might those be? Destruction of Israel, conquest of Christianity, halal in the schools, mandatory prayer time in the workplace, free speech provided it in no way offends our prophet, and burkhas for everyone.
Islam and liberty are incompatible.
I believe muzlim women are forbidden to marry non muzlims, punishable by death...
Studying Islam on Capitol Hill?????Man oh man, just try a CHRISTIAN doing that...he would be run out of town!!
Does anyone have the Congressional members' names so we can shed more daylight upon them?
LOL! Yeah, what a way to pray. 'Splains a lot.
"The number of American Muslims is usually estimated at 6 million to 7 million, some 2 percent of the population."
If even a small percentage of them are radical muslims that is a heck of a lot of potential threats in our midst.
"I can't understand why anyone, much less women, convert to this Satan religion."
The world is filled with idiots. Hence how John Kerry can get 49% of the vote in a presidential election and people like Pelosi win elected office.
Wow. I bet that was a GREAT one too. Sorry I missed it!
Yep, my bandwidth runneth over, looks like I got slap-happy with the posting from that site!
It is one man over a short period of time rather than an officially set aside place for the duration.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.