Muslim Voters in America

[Morning Sunshine 0]

MUSLIMS IN AMERICA

Powell's remarks solace for many

By LINDSAY WISE Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Oct. 25, 2008, 10:24PMShariq Abdul Ghani was watching Meet the Press at his Richmond home Sunday morning when he suddenly froze with a cup of Nescafe halfway to his lips.On the TV screen, former Secretary of State Colin Powell was telling host Tom Brokaw he was disturbed that some Republicans have been spreading rumors that Barack Obama is a Muslim."Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim," Powell said. "He's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no. That's not America."Ghani couldn't believe his ears."I was like, 'Wow. Did he say that?' " The 27-year-old owner of a small creative design firm watched the episode again on YouTube to be sure. "I went from shock and disbelief to happiness," he said.To Ghani and other Muslim Americans, Powell's remarks seemed like a tonic for a presidential campaign that has often made them feel marginalized and vilified.A humiliating feeling

From e-mail campaigns spreading false rumors that Obama is a secret Muslim to Republicans invoking Obama's middle name, Hussein, at rallies to cast doubt on his faith and background, Muslims resent the implication that their faith makes them unpatriotic or even dangerous.Obama has clarified repeatedly that he is not a Muslim, but he has not denounced the prejudice behind the rumors, as Powell did last week.Neither campaign has visited a single mosque on the campaign trail."It's a humiliating feeling," said Ghani, who runs a Muslim nonprofit, Crescent Youth. "I feel I've contributed to my community, I'm an elected official — I serve on my (Municipal Utility District) board — but for my presidential nominees to not even want to be associated with Islam, it's degrading."Recent studies by the Pew Research Center found that 35 percent of Americans have a negative view of Muslims and about half think that Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence.The reality is that Muslim Americans are diverse, middle class, and mostly mainstream in their outlook, values and attitudes, according to a national survey published by Pew last year. In fact, Muslims tend to be much more conservative than the rest of the American public on hot-button social issues, such as prayer in schools, gay marriage and abortion, the survey reported."Those who equate Muslims and Islam with terrorism and violence, I think they do it out of either ignorance of what the vast majority of Muslims really are and believe in or perhaps out of bigotry or selfish political motives," said Alejandro Hamed, a 48-year-old physicist from west Houston.Just like other Americans

Millions of Americans who happen to be Muslim love their country and want the best for their children, Hamed said. "We pay our taxes, we obey the law, and we're working hard like everybody else to make a positive contribution to our neighborhoods and our society," he said.That's why the election's negative rhetoric hurts so much, he said.And that's why Powell's remarks came as such a pleasant surprise."What we keep hearing is that if you're Muslim you're anti-American, " said Jen'nan Ghazal Read, associate professor of sociology and global health at Duke University. "Finally (Muslim Americans) feel like they've had a moderate voice come out and say this isn't OK, that it's un-American to be so discriminatory against another group of Americans just because of their religion."As Obama shot ahead of McCain in the polls over the past few weeks, the media started buzzing about a possible "Bradley effect" — coined for 1982 California gubernatorial candidate Tom Bradley, who is black, and led in the polls until election day but lost. Analysts theorized that voters weren't honest with pollsters about their support for a black candidate.This year Read thinks that an "Osama effect" might be more likely."There's a national consciousness about the fact that it's not OK to be racist or sexist," Read said. "It's not socially acceptable to say I'm not going to vote for him because he's black or I'm not going to vote for her because she's a woman, but somehow it's OK for people to say they're not going to vote a candidate because they think he's a Muslim."The irony, she said, is that devout Muslim views — particularly on social issues — tend to line up with the Christian right.In the 2000 presidential election, Muslims supported Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore, 42 percent to 31 percent, according to a Zogby International poll.Three years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, however, Muslim support shifted decisively toward the Democratic Party. Only 7 percent of Muslims said they planned to vote for Bush for president in 2004, compared to 68 percent who backed Democrat John Kerry, Zogby reported.This year, in Texas, the Muslim American Republican Caucus decided not to endorse the Republican nominee for president for the first time since the organization was formed in 2000. The caucus will still support Republicans in all local and congressional contests.Board Member Farha Ahmed said the decision not to endorse McCain was based on several conferences with his national campaign in which the caucus asked officials to address Muslim voters' concerns about the war on terror, civil rights and anti-Muslim rhetoric attributed to McCain, his campaign and other GOP supporters."There seemed to be no statement from the campaign or McCain himself that they would even address these issues," Ahmed said.She's not bitter, though, and expects that most Muslims will vote based not on their religion, but on the major issues important to millions of other Americans, such as the economy and foreign policy.Changing sides

Longtime Republican Tarek Hussein, 48, said he will be voting for Obama this year because of the Democrat's positions on the economy, health care, energy and the war in Iraq."It is very sad situation to see the country divided this way based on ethnicity and religion, because what makes America unique and a great country is that based on constitutional rights we are all equal," said Hussein, who serves as president of the Houston chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations.As a nonprofit, CAIR will not endorse any candidates, but the organization has encouraged Muslim Americans to become politically informed and exercise the right to vote, he said."If you connect all these dots it will bring you to one conclusion and that's that there's a strong voice in America these days against anything related to Islam or Muslims," Hussein said. "It's going to take a strong effort from Muslims to educate the community about who we are."In time, the idea of a Muslim becoming president of the United States might no longer seem so outrageous, said Ruth Nasrullah, the 47-year-old manager of an Islamic bookstore in Willis."I don't think logically today, but maybe in the future," said Nasrullah, who blogs on the Chronicle's HoustonBelief. com Web site. "That's a dream and this is the land of dreams, so we are in the right position." (Please send a note of thanks to lindsay.wise@ chron.com for this coverage)

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I'm Muslim and I will never vote 4 a party with a pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, lack of personal responsiblity platform. I don't need pols 2 kiss my Muslim butt, even if they did, I wouldn't vote 4 a party that promotes dependency and victimization, like the Dims do. My vote won't sell my soul.

Edited October 26, 2008 by Virtual wife

[dalegg 143]

I'm Muslim and I will never vote 4 a party with a pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, lack of personal responsiblity platform. I don't need pols 2 kiss my Muslim butt, even if they did, I wouldn't vote 4 a party that promotes dependency and victimization, like the Dims do. My vote won't sell my soul.

I am always confused by this part myself. Muslims from what little I know are even more against these things that Christians. Seems like they'd all be fundamentalist Republicans.

[msu17 0]

The whole anti-muslim thing has really bothered me. It shouldnt matter what religion a candidate is, but rather their standing on the issues. I don't want a president that's too tightly affiliated with ANY religion. They need to have the best interests of all citizens at hand.

And sorry VW, but I don't see how having the government determine who we can marry and what is best for our family to be endorsing personal responsibility. Why does it matter to you if 2 men or women marry? Its not going to hurt you. We are judged on our own actions, not those of others.

[NickD 202]

I'm Muslim and I will never vote 4 a party with a pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, lack of personal responsiblity platform. I don't need pols 2 kiss my Muslim butt, even if they did, I wouldn't vote 4 a party that promotes dependency and victimization, like the Dims do. My vote won't sell my soul.

I am always confused by this part myself. Muslims from what little I know are even more against these things that Christians. Seems like they'd all be fundamentalist Republicans.

Roe versus Wade is 36 years, another infamous 5-4 decision by a republican appointed justice of the supreme court and a very racist republican president. Richard Millhouse Nixon are the initials of this presidents. Also had the CIA passed drugs to the Black Panthers and many black communities, this president did not like blacks, used to be colored back then. 24 out of 36 years of republican control against abortion did nothing to reverse the Roe versus Wade infamous, while they all claimed they were against it, kind of hints, they are complete hypocrites on this subject. Abortion is not even an issue in this coming election.

Then the republicans claim less federal government, would just as soon leave this issue to the individual states that very widely on this subject, most are strictly a women thing, where not even her husband has a say in the subject or even the parent of a minor subject. And a women thing it is, they are the ones pushing for what they call pro choice in this matter. Religions of the world vary highly when life begins that adds more complications to the subject as does science, not necessarily when the egg is fertilized, but when a deity injects a soul into that fertilized egg, if there is even a soul, cannot be legally proved one way or the other. Then is it a political or a religious matter, and politicians claim separation of religious from state.

I love your Muslim rule where a husband and a couple of his buddies can claim you committed adultery, bury you up to your neck, and pitch rocks at your face. In many of your Muslim states, a women does not even have the right to go to court to defend herself, not even permitted to enter the court. Least in this country, women do have somewhat of a say, it's the women that are pushing for pro-choice, as a man, I should stay out of this. Almost impossible to find a man working in Planned Parenthood.

Divorce is also a religious issue, some religions permit it, others don't, even if a civil divorce is permitted, some religions still consider that marriage valid, although in most countries, the religions can perform a marriage, but cannot perform a divorce. Candidates that had a divorce for the longest time weren't even considered, Reagan changed that, think he was a republican, and McCain dumped his crippled wife for a doll with bread, is this your religious choice? And only a month after the divorce? USCIS doesn't even permit that for the rest of us.

Marriage is a legal contract where the parties accept full financial liability for each other, while I don't even want to think what goes on in the bedroom of same sex marriages, the fact that they are willing to accept liability for each other would save me taxes, so I am all for it.

I hold our current president personally liable for the deaths of 3/4 of a million people with hundreds of thousands more severely wounded, wounded doesn't seem to count, but know of many where death would have been a blessing with the terrible suffering. And his follower wants to continue with this madness not to mention the cost, but would vote for him anyway if he drops that nitwit for a vice-president and puts in Ron Paul, a real logical president. McCain is going to kick the bucket anyway, and sure don't want that nitwit anywhere near that red button. That is positively insane.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

It's not a merely a matter of how a policy affects me; I'm not so narcissistic to approach matters that way.I am judged by my values and gay marriage doesn't fit there.

The whole anti-muslim thing has really bothered me. It shouldnt matter what religion a candidate is, but rather their standing on the issues. I don't want a president that's too tightly affiliated with ANY religion. They need to have the best interests of all citizens at hand.

And sorry VW, but I don't see how having the government determine who we can marry and what is best for our family to be endorsing personal responsibility. Why does it matter to you if 2 men or women marry? Its not going to hurt you. We are judged on our own actions, not those of others.

[almaty 19]

I'm Muslim and I will never vote 4 a party with a pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, lack of personal responsiblity platform. I don't need pols 2 kiss my Muslim butt, even if they did, I wouldn't vote 4 a party that promotes dependency and victimization, like the Dims do. My vote won't sell my soul.

I am a muslim..i never voe for a party that anti-abortion, against-gay marriage, serves the rich and corporate America without making them responsible..

I wouldn't vote for a party that promotes victimization..on the middle class

[dalegg 143]

I'm Muslim and I will never vote 4 a party with a pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, lack of personal responsiblity platform. I don't need pols 2 kiss my Muslim butt, even if they did, I wouldn't vote 4 a party that promotes dependency and victimization, like the Dims do. My vote won't sell my soul.

I am always confused by this part myself. Muslims from what little I know are even more against these things that Christians. Seems like they'd all be fundamentalist Republicans.

Roe versus Wade is 36 years, another infamous 5-4 decision by a republican appointed justice of the supreme court and a very racist republican president. Richard Millhouse Nixon are the initials of this presidents. ..... 24 out of 36 years of republican control against abortion did nothing to reverse the Roe versus Wade infamous, while they all claimed they were against it, kind of hints, they are complete hypocrites on this subject. Abortion is not even an issue in this coming election.

whoa.. a lot of opinions in there, but on this one I actually think you have a point, and the suspicious part of me kind of agrees. Roe v Wade may be an ideological opposition to the general Republican platform, but politically it is a goldmine. If, as they (we) get what they say they support- for this to be given to the states to make their own rules, then it no longer becomes a national platform for Presidential candidates. This is the last thing the Republican party wants because a very large percentage of voters decide who they are voting for based on where they stand on the issue. If the issue is off he table, then southern voters might start thinking about other more important issues...like what color skin the candidate has and what his religion is.

[IAMX 3,055]

Unlike some others, I don't need someone who's overbearing on the issue of gay marriage. Since there's nothing wrong with gays getting married, I tend to vote for people who stick to important issues, rather than personal and trivial ones that don't affect me anyways. That and if a man and woman can get married, then two loving gays can get married. We've had them in CA and MA and the world isn't going under, there's no legal animal marriages, no legal pedophilia, no legal polygamy. No slippery slopes here.

[sara..... 371]

i am muslim and i dont believe that a persons religious preference should be a reason to vote for them or not vote for them...it is what is better for me and the people of the USA that get my vote sure there are things that i dont believe in and will not caste a vote for someone that does believe in it but that is about personal choice ......there are more than muslim that do not believe in abortion or gay marraige.......how ever these same people refuse to vote for a person they preserve a person to be of muslim faith ........and would rather cast a vote for someone that goes against their personal choices just to keep someone they see as muslim out of the white house because God forbid they would ruin our country ........we have had 8 years of a c average pres we are in a mess he is not muslim but it is not the reason our country is in such a mess it is because he didnt have the intelligence it requires to deal with the problems of the world and only wanted to be leader of the world........i normally dont put anything on the political threads because it leads to a fight but thats my opinion of the mess and prejudiced ####### that has been ground into the brains of normally intelligent people there is so much muslim phobia out there that some people would rather have a pres that would take us into a further depression and world mess than we are already in

sara

[dalegg 143]

Unlike some others, I don't need someone who's overbearing on the issue of gay marriage. Since there's nothing wrong with gays getting married, I tend to vote for people who stick to important issues, rather than personal and trivial ones that don't affect me anyways. That and if a man and woman can get married, then two loving gays can get married. We've had them in CA and MA and the world isn't going under, there's no legal animal marriages, no legal pedophilia, no legal polygamy. No slippery slopes here.

You sure about that?

[IAMX 3,055]

Unlike some others, I don't need someone who's overbearing on the issue of gay marriage. Since there's nothing wrong with gays getting married, I tend to vote for people who stick to important issues, rather than personal and trivial ones that don't affect me anyways. That and if a man and woman can get married, then two loving gays can get married. We've had them in CA and MA and the world isn't going under, there's no legal animal marriages, no legal pedophilia, no legal polygamy. No slippery slopes here.

You sure about that?

100% sure. The media would be all over it if it was. Excellent ratings.

[dalegg 143]

Unlike some others, I don't need someone who's overbearing on the issue of gay marriage. Since there's nothing wrong with gays getting married, I tend to vote for people who stick to important issues, rather than personal and trivial ones that don't affect me anyways. That and if a man and woman can get married, then two loving gays can get married. We've had them in CA and MA and the world isn't going under, there's no legal animal marriages, no legal pedophilia, no legal polygamy. No slippery slopes here.

You sure about that?

100% sure. The media would be all over it if it was. Excellent ratings.

What news are you (not) watching?

[NickD 202]

Unlike some others, I don't need someone who's overbearing on the issue of gay marriage. Since there's nothing wrong with gays getting married, I tend to vote for people who stick to important issues, rather than personal and trivial ones that don't affect me anyways. That and if a man and woman can get married, then two loving gays can get married. We've had them in CA and MA and the world isn't going under, there's no legal animal marriages, no legal pedophilia, no legal polygamy. No slippery slopes here.

If some had a memory recall over a couple of seconds long, would strongly recall that Bush made a huge issue about gay marriages when the war in Iraq was going bad, hell, it's not even a war, it's a police action. Also when his ratings were low in the the 2004 election, not saying his oath bonded blood brother Kerry is any better, suddenly Bush gets very interested in what your kids are watching on TV, then starts talking about family values, like he gives a damn.

If he does give a damn, would be a lot more concerned about my 30 year old female neighbor with a seven year old daughter. She serves in the National Guard and is slated to go to Iraq this summer. She had to go down to New Orleans for a couple of months with Katrina, that's part of being in the National Guard, besides making a couple of bucks more a month for support with the high inflation and jobs being shipped overseas, but that was only for a couple of months, Audrey, her daughter, a precious little girl stayed with her grandmother. But we are talking about 18 months here, to me, that is criminal, especially from a draft dodger president. And McCain follows this line, and win what? The death of more of our young men and women?

You can vote for McCain based on distractions, do you really think McCain will stop abortions and gay marriages, like he gives a #######? More lies. A guy that dumps his own wife and kids for a hot blond and money, is not my kind of guy.

[IAMX 3,055]

Unlike some others, I don't need someone who's overbearing on the issue of gay marriage. Since there's nothing wrong with gays getting married, I tend to vote for people who stick to important issues, rather than personal and trivial ones that don't affect me anyways. That and if a man and woman can get married, then two loving gays can get married. We've had them in CA and MA and the world isn't going under, there's no legal animal marriages, no legal pedophilia, no legal polygamy. No slippery slopes here.

You sure about that?

100% sure. The media would be all over it if it was. Excellent ratings.

What news are you (not) watching?

Well, given I'm in the state where gays are legally marrying, if things were going under, I doubt I'd be left out of the loop. This is on top of the fact that there's no way the media wouldn't cover something as extraordinary as this. They'd need to hate ratings. The chances of this are the same chances all the bigfoot and aliens-visiting us claims are true.

Edited October 27, 2008 by SRVT