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.

[EGPWS]

All Muslims are bad, violent people, and they should be rounded up on trains, shipped off to a remote location, and euthanized. Whatever.

Now if American Muslims would just come out and verbally chastize the actions of 9/11, I can guarantee that the general statement you made would not be a valid one. Why don't they do so?

[PayrollOffice]

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

Yeah, Aryan Nation is what you fear. Must be a terminal case.

[Kenny Bunk]

Persia, you need to do the tour of the US before you speak. It is generally illegal within western countries to marry one's first cousin. In fact, by church law in the most sects, you can't even marry a second cousin. A catholic would need a rather difficult-to-get dispensation, for example. Does it happen? Sure. Is it common? Not very.

This genetically pernicious custom may be thankfully on the wane in your ancient and honorable land, but as you say, it still exists. In Saudi Arabia and Irag, it is still the rule. These peoples are seriously inbred. It's simply a demographic and medical fact. Saddam Hussein, for example is married to a cousin, and his parents were related. This custom is designed to strengthen tribal and clan ties, and is ancient indeed.

The Saudi government, in fact, at one point encouraged marriage outside the country, and Turkish, Lebanese, and Egyptian brides are now more common as they try to open up the gene pool.

As in many other things, Christendom and Islam are fundamentally at opposites in this matter.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I don't even know what to say.

When I left the thread, I was going somewhere. I went out today to go see one of the Dunlap Broadsides (an original printing of the Declaration of Independence, even older than the calligraphy copy we all know), and I came home to this thread, full of comments that seem to be urging me to have a more bigoted, distrustful, fearful view of a Muslim family (a handsome young man who works at Microsoft, his beautiful wife, and their adorable little girl) that lives in my neighborhood - a family that has shown me kindness, that I have laughed with, eaten pizza with, had a garage sale with, and that has never once given me any reason to believe they are anything but regular people.

Kind of sad.

To those who defended me in my absence, thank you.

To those who refuse to judge their fellow Americans on an individual basis, I can only respond this way:

May you encounter more grace, fairness, and benefit of the doubt in your life than you have granted my neighbors. I honestly hope you get it. If people that look like you or share some significant common denominator with you ever do something horrible, may you not be judged by their actions - but only by your own.

You can count on me not to be bigoted against you.

I promise you that.

[Senator Pardek]

Muslims marry cousins, and a lot of them.

Good - we've been trying to marry off my cousin for ages, but unfortunately she's short and ugly like me.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Don't put yourself down. You're very beautiful. ; )

[Senator Pardek]

Oh please - unlike my cousin, I'm not one - so I'm always the last picked to go to the prom.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

You're still in high school?

[BigAndy]

I was reading this thread with mounting disappointment at the lack of humanity and respect expressed by so many people towards good decent honest individuals in our communities.

I could not begin to express my feelings as eloquently as DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet, so I am grateful that she was able to speak for me by doing so.

The kind of hate-invective we saw here today has no place in American Conservatism. It cheapens its authors and it cheapens our common cause. The rest of us need to stand up and be counted and make it clear that these people do not speak for us, they do not speak for the Republican Party, and that the Conservative movement in America believes in respect for others, goodness and decency.

[Scenic Sounds]

May you encounter more grace, fairness, and benefit of the doubt in your life than you have granted my neighbors. I honestly hope you get it. If people that look like you or share some significant common denominator with you ever do something horrible, may you not be judged by their actions - but only by your own.

You can count on me not to be bigoted against you.

I promise you that.

And please allow me to second those sentiments.

Hatred and bigotry stem from fear. As can be seen from some of the posts on this and other threads, there are a lot of folks out there who are very uncomfortable, very frightened these days. I'd like to be able to promise them a future world that will seem safer and more predictable than the one that we know, but I suspect that plenty of chaos lies ahead.

Maybe some folks should just stop reading the paper and listening to the news until things settle down a little more. ;-)

[null and void]

Good - we've been trying to marry off my cousin for ages, but unfortunately she's short and ugly like me.

Does she have a flat head???

[Senator Pardek]

Some would say.

[LurkerNoMore!]

they be talkin' 'bout you

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Thank you, Andy. (And for the record, I thought you were very eloquent.)

[rintense]

Excellent post from all of you. Seems as though some here would continue to perpetuate the stereotype that conservatives/Republicans are bigoted, racist, Bible-thumping, holier-than-thou Christians. It makes me smile to know that there are some who are not only fighting that stereotype, but living life free of ignorance.

If we judged people by individuals who represent a specific religion, race, etc., NO ONE would be above reproach. Besides, I prefer to the the Man Himself judge.

[Alouette]

has anyone ever seen a møøselimb getting frisked at the airport? I don't fly much, I've never seen it happen. Granny and 3 year olds yes, 20 something islamists, never.

Last time I flew (out of Detroit no less) I got pulled out of line for "special attention" as was an elderly Chinese gentleman whose cane (for walking) caught the attention of the security folks.

Meanwhile, two møøselimbs, in full "battle dress" one with a cane and the other with a bulging backpack full of some kinda stuff, just waltzed on through.

But a red-headed ultra-Orthodox Jew and elderly Chinese gent were "profiled." That makes me feel really secure and in good hands. NOT!!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

You're right - it's fear. And fear is understandable, to a degree. It's just that it has crossed a line and become irrational with some people.

Maybe I bristle at the broad brush thing 'cause I'm a professional musician, and you know what people think of us. ; )

[wimpycat]

It is generally illegal within western countries to marry one's first cousin.

It's legal in North Carolina.

[null and void]

Please say you're not a drummer...

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

You don't see any drool, do you? ; )