U.S. Muslims regret support for Bush, won’t repeat it in ’04

Wilmington Star ^ | 9-1-03 | Staff

[veronica]

Even before the Sept. 11 attacks and the crackdown that followed, American Muslim leaders generally had come to believe they had made a mistake.

In 2000, they made their first unified endorsement in a presidential race, backing George W. Bush. Many thought he would take a harder line against Israel, and, based on statements he made while campaigning, would protect the rights of immigrants facing deportation.

Muslims say they were disappointed on both counts. Now, feeling the additional sting of being scrutinized in the domestic hunt for terrorists, they are mobilizing to express their anger at the polls in 2004.

At their largest convention of the year, which ends today, national Muslim leaders announced plans to register 1 million Muslim voters and make civil rights a top issue in any endorsement of a presidential candidate.

"A defining moment of Islam in America is approaching," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights group based in Washington. "We cannot surrender our future and our destiny to hate in this country."

Agha Saeed, head of the Muslim American Congress, led the crowd in a chant. "I am an American, I am a Muslim and I vote," he said, joined by thousands gathered for the Islamic Society of North America meeting.

After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Mr. Bush won points with American Muslims by visiting a mosque and declaring Islam a peaceful religion.

But since then, the federal government has detained hundreds of immigrants, shut down U.S. Muslim charities suspected of terrorist ties and gained broad new powers to monitor citizens under the USA Patriot Act.

The Bush administration said these moves have been crucial for U.S. security. American Muslims say they are being scapegoated.

A White House spokesman referred questions about the presidential race to the Bush campaign, whose spokeswoman did not immediately reply to a request for comment Sunday.

It is unclear what effect Muslims can have in the 2004 elections.

Estimates of the number of U.S. Muslims vary dramatically from 2 million to 6 million. But immigrant Muslims generally are highly educated professionals with the means to make significant campaign donations.

Also, their community has matured dramatically in the past four years.

The assault on Islam that followed the suicide hijackings that killed thousands in New York and Washington compelled Muslims around the country to defend their faith.

National Muslim organizations, including Mr. Awad’s, reported a dramatic increase in donations and membership.

[Clintonfatigued]

I hate to say this, but I believe that most Muslims in the world are dangerous people. I admit that I am not an expert on Islam, as I have never read the Koran. But I know what I see and hear. The survival of the United States is at stake and we have to protect ourselves. Keeping a VERY close eye on people who fit the description of terrorists is the only way we can do it. There is no other way. I don't doubt that there are peaceful Muslims in America who are patriotic and productive citizens, wishing to take part in the American Dream. And it's unfair to them that we have to take the security measures that we've taken. But it's not our fault--we HAVE to protect ourselves. Loyal Muslim-Americans should be angry at the terrorists who use their religion as a political slogan, not the Bush administration.

[Porterville]

Well, we will just kick all 3 of them out of the country then.

[Kenny Bunk]

Muslims marry cousins, and a lot of them. Their parents were cousins. This is a tight clan-tribe connection

Sink, I'll take a schooling from you any day. But this little item happens to the absolute truth in most Muslim countries. It is especially true of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, and Iran. It is not at all uncommon for a young Muslim fellow to marry a first cousin, and then her sister(s). You do not have to look much further than the bloodline of the bin Ladins to catch my drift.

I shall of course, be open to debate the rest of my views on Islam. Meet me in the church hall of Our Lady Of Riyadh, right after services next Sunday. I would have to agree that at this time, I am very intolerant of Islam, but there's a lot about which I have an open mind, such as whether or not there should be any Muslim immigration allowed into the United States right now.

I am most anxious to know what it is "moderate" members of the creed have done, exactly, to suppress their more jihadist brothers, who may number no more than a mere 100 Million or so?

[Psycho_Runner]

Muslims lie. To your face they say what they think they need to or what you want to hear.

This is my experience. And for all those who want to give peace a chance, please read the Koran. It is here where you will find the root of the evil, giving permission to Muslims to lie to infidels, even killing the infidels. If you don't know what a infidel is, look in the mirror.

[rintense]

I thought the same thing when reading this. Bush already has my vote, but I hope some of those here on FR who won't support him read this article thorougly.

[sinkspur]

I am most anxious to know what it is "moderate" members of the creed have done, exactly, to suppress their more jihadist brothers,

What have you done to rid the country of the Aryan Nation?

[rintense]

I, too, have Muslim friends who are average folks. They love this country because they have been allowed to excel, especially considering they were originally from Pakistan. They condemned the terrorists as not Muslims, and yes, feared a backlash against them. The lady is a member of a group consisting of a Muslim (her), Jew, and a Christian- and they travel around to various places of worship- all religions- and speak about their faith. They preach peace, not hate. The only problem I have with them is that they are flaming liberals. ;)

[Kenny Bunk]

Sink, when a member of the Aryan Nation commits a crime, he is invariably caught and punished. When a jihadist coomits a crime, providing it is not a suicide, he can take refuge in any number of Muslim countries. Indeed, if one takes the suras of Q'uran even semi-literally, according to certain interpretations of Sharia, he has committed no crime.

And do not discount the difference in numbers between the two groups. If there are 50,000 Aryan Nationalists, I should be very surprised. But all of these are excellent debating points. Why not debate me at the First Methodist Church of Mecca, where the crowd would be thrilled to hear you defend the faith.

[Persia]

I don't believe since the 50's -Iranians have married first-cousins, while true tribal areas of Iran-may still do the practice, so do the farm areas of the USA.

Iran has a 84% literacy rate and a population highly favorable towards democracy, and freedom.

taking the 10 percent in control and giving them such credibility is ignorant in the least--

[tubavil]

I have two families in my upper-middle class neighborhood who are Muslim. The family that was living here in September of 2001 (the other had yet to move in) flew TWO American flags on their property after 9/11.

Apparently you missed news photos of US-based islamic charity storefronts flying the American flag. It means nothing except as cheap insurance.

I work with, know, and have even dated muslims. To a one, NONE of them outright condemn 9/11 or have done anything to combat terrorism.

There's a reason for that, and I hope you become aware of it.

[stylin19a]

Might be time to trot this out again:

In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by:

(a) Olga Corbutt
(b) Sitting Bull
(c) Arnold Schwartzeneger
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


In 1979 the U.S. Embassy in Iran was taken over by:

(a) Lost Norwegians
(b) Elvis
(c) A tour bus full of 80 year old women
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


During the 1980's, a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by:

(a) John Dillinger
(b) The King of Sweden
(c) The Boy Scouts
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


In 1983 the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:

(a) A pizza delivery boy
(b) Pee Wee Herman
(c) Geraldo Rivera making up for a slow news day
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard by:

(a) The Smurfs
(b) Davy Jones
(c) The Little Mermaid
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens and a U.S. Navy diver was murdered by:

(a) Captain Kid
(b) Charles Lindberg
(c) Mother Teresa
(d) Muslim make extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


In 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:

(a) Scooby Doo
(b) The tooth Fairy
(c) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid who had a few sticks of dynamite left over from the train job
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by:

(a) Richard Simmons
(b) Grandma Moses
(c) Michael Jordan
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


In 1998 the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:

(a) Mr. Rogers
(b) Hillary, to distract attention from Wild Bill's women problems
(c) The World Wrestling Federation to promote its next villain, "Mustafa the Merciless"
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


On Thursday, October 12, 2000, 17 young lives were taken in a terrorist attack on the USS Cole, docked in the port of Yemen to take on fuel. The terrorists were:

(a) Popeye The Sailor Man
(b) Orcha the Killer Whale
(c) Marlin Perkins
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


In 2001 and 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against:

(a) Enron
(b) The Lutheran Church
(c) The NFL
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40


In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by:

(a) Bonny and Clyde
(b) Captain Kangaroo
(c) Billy Graham
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

[tubavil]

Apparently you missed news photos of US-based islamic charity storefronts flying the American flag

The ones that were busted as hamas fronts.

[nosofar]

"We cannot surrender our future and our destiny to hate in this country."

So CAIR has a destiny to hate?

[Trailerpark Badass]

So typical of the hate promoters -- accuse the other person of that which you are so obviously guilty. It's call projection and it is the ugly side of almost all neoconazi, pod people and bot postings.

Is this all you do? I mean, aside from the doom and gloom economic posts (which you've been posting for how many years now?)?

[nosofar]

Now we have their names all avaliable on public access registration lists.

The great deportation coming up.

Mmm. Don't you have to be a citizen to vote? I'm not sure it's a terribly good idea to deport citizens, even if you don't like their politics.

[arete]

Is this all you do? I mean, aside from the doom and gloom economic posts (which you've been posting for how many years now?)?

You want to prove that I have been posting doom and gloom economic posts for many years?

Richard W.

[.cnI redruM]

Michigan Dems are to the PLO what Sein Finn was to the IRA.

[SandRat]

So what if CAIR and the rest of the "MODERATES" and the rest of the ISLAMOFASCISTS hate Bush. Let the Green Banner or better yet the Black Banner of the Dervishes become the new emblem of the Dum-O-Wit Party. The results at the polls will not be pretty.

Before they so readily accept these new supporters to the Dum-O-Wit fold a little history and comparison would be good for them to contemplate their fates should they chose wrong.

They would do well to look at what happened to the first Mahdi and the British Government under Queen Victoria that had so eviscerated the military and British prowess around the world to let it happen and bloody results to both sides for such leftist "compassion" to the radicals and the pain and suffering dealt justifiably to those who slaughtered the innocent at Khartoum.

The same can be visited again elsewhere as it is only mildly now being done in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[PayrollOffice]

The Bush administration said these moves have been crucial for U.S. security. American Muslims say they are being scapegoated.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

[PayrollOffice]

There are productive, but not patriotic muslims in this country. Perhaps in other countries...