Posted on 11/13/2006 3:26:06 PM PST by Esther Ruth
November 11, 2006 16:07 PM
First American Muslim Congressman Crashes The Thick Glass Ceiling
By Salmy Hashim
WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- American Muslims have a lot to celebrate after the Nov 7 mid-term elections that swept Democrats back to the corridors of power. One of their own, Congressman-elect Keith Ellison from Minneapolis, Minnesota, will be bringing the lone Muslim voice to Washington, 217 years after the first US Congress met in Federal Hall, New York.
Back in March 4 1789, with the first president, George Washington, in office, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives were all white Christian anglo-saxon males.
Blacks were still slaves at that time, although the US Constitution, drawn by the founding fathers, who themselves owned slaves, states that "all men are created equal..." Women of any colour were not allowed to run for office nor allowed to vote.
The 110th Congress which will meet in January 2007 will be made up of mostly White males, African Americans, some women -- mostly Christians and some Jews.
For the first time too, the Speaker of the House of Representative will be a woman, Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, a glamorous no-nonsense grandmother from San Francisco, California. And for the first time, a Muslim voice will be heard in the stately Capitol Building.
Americans prefer a secular government, but when it comes time to be sworn in, newly-elected or newly-appointed officials normally place their right hands on the holy Bible, the Torah for Jewish officials.
Ellison, an African American, will likely choose the holy Quran when he is sworn into office.
Ellison's triumph is surprising at a time when anti-Islamic sentiment abounds following the Sept 11 attacks on US soil by Muslim extremists five years ago.
The media seldom portray a flattering picture of Islam and Muslims on American TV. This is further compounded by videos of Americans kidnapped and slaughtered by terrorists in front of TV cameras somewhere in the Middle East -- creating suspicion and disomfort towards anyone who calls himself a Muslim.
Like many Democratic candidates, Ellison condemned the war on Iraq and called for the immediate withdrawal of US troops.
In his campaign message, he said: "Right now, nearly everyone from liberal to conservative, agrees that the US policy in Iraq is a catastrophic failure.
It is clearly the biggest blunder in US foreign policy since Vietnam...the fact of the matter is that the only responsible and sound Iraq policy is the immediate withdrawal of all US troops. Like my daddy used to say, 'The first rule of holes is, when you're in one, stop digging'.
"Once we disengage militarily we will then be able to re-engage diplomatically. Our friends and allies across the globe who turned away from our unilateral militarism can be brought back into the diplomatic fold, " he said in a hopeful message to his liberal-leaning, mostly White constituents in Minneapolis.
Voters' disgust with the war and the government's phone surveillance on private citizens, among others, drew many to Democratic candidates.
President George Bush, who insisted on "staying the course" in Iraq and hanging on to his chief architect of the war on Iraq, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, finally saw the American voters' views with the loss of both houses to the Democrats after 12 years in power. Rumsfeld was forced to step down the morning after the elections.
Ellison, 42, a criminal defence lawyer and state legislator who converted to Islam as a college student, is very liberal in his views, and openly supports gay rights and legal abortion.
He is married to a school teacher and they have four young children ranging in age from 9 to 17.
Corey Saylor, National Legislative Director of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), told Bernama here that anyone running for office had to appeal to a broad constituent to win -- for now, "he'll be a Muslim voice in Congress -- his victory is a milestone for Muslims. But it is not the end of the process."
Saylor said a CAIR study showed that 42 per cent of Muslims consider themselves Democrats, 17 per cent Republicans and 28 percent are not affiliated to any party.
Muslims were in line with Republicans on social issues, but after 9/11 there was a huge shift towards the Democratic party, said Saylor.
There are an estimated seven million American Muslims today, according to CAIR.
-- BERNAMA
Ellison, an African American, will likely choose the holy Quran when he is sworn into office.
excerpt...
The media seldom portray a flattering picture of Islam and Muslims on American TV. This is further compounded by videos of Americans kidnapped and slaughtered by terrorists in front of TV cameras somewhere in the Middle East -- creating suspicion and disomfort towards anyone who calls himself a Muslim.
***
suspicion and discomfort???
Lost me there.
The begining of the end.....
But does the Koran contain any absolute requirements for telling truth to infidels?
Glamorous?
ROTFLMAO!
they have four young children ranging in age from 9 to 17.
Most Americans don't consider 9 to 17 year olds to be young children. (maybe a 9 year old, if grouped with younger children. Young children might be up to age 8 or 9. 9-12 are "pre teens". 13-19 are teenagers, not "young children. 18 and 19 can, on their own initiatvie, join the military and fight *for* their country, or I guess they can vote Democrat and work *against* their country.
Hey,Abdul (or whatever your name is)...are you gonna take the oath of office with your hand on the very same piece of trash that states that "infidels" must either convert to I Slam or be savagely murdered?
Excellent point, when he swears to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, will he be lying.
Never mind, he's a liberal, socialist, "end justifies the means" Democrat.
I believe so ...
and I'm not being dramatic or over the top.
Nancy Pelosi... glamorous
Lost me there.
Meant to add "since the Koran actively encourages lying to Infidels to advance the cause of Islam.
I believe it believes that lying to infidels is okay. So thank you Minnesota and the Democrats. I hope you are the first to go. Apparently Minnesota has forgotten they are Americans first. No offense to Minnesota voters who didn't put this guy in office. Obviously you are few and far between.
Shouldn't he behead a Christian for his oath of office?
I know it is really a gag me article from an odd news source but hey.... the NY Slimes one got moved out of news.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1738007/posts
There's some crazy conservative notion that being blown to smithereens is suspiciously discomfortable.
Well, duh. Play-acting Islam seems to be a pasttime on college campuses.
is very liberal in his views, and openly supports gay rights and legal abortion.
What was that about play-acting Islam?
A fart in a gale of wind.
Two years from now he will be scrambling like cockroach to get reelected, no one will remember the Koran.
I wonder if there are any pigskin bound Korans he could use.
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