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Muslim
Support For Candidate Forum In Chicago
By
Ayub Khan, IOL Washington correspondant
CHICAGO,
March 4, (IslamOnline) - Several candidates for local political offices and
their representatives running in the March 19 Illinois primary election spoke
and asked Muslims to support a Candidates Forum at the Chicago Muslim Community
Center on Sunday.
The
forum was organized by United Muslim Americans Association (UMAA), a grassroots
organization that has been mobilizing Illinois' 450,000 Muslims in political
activism.
Amir
Ali of the Institute of Islamic Information and Education said that in a
democracy those who do not take part in the electoral process account for
nothing. All Muslims must vote and make their voices heard, he said.
Sabri
Samirah, of the UMAA, said that it was vital for Muslims to become involved in
political activism, especially after the tragic events of Sept.11.
He
said that Muslims voters could play a decisive role in many constituencies by
voting in a bloc. He said it was because of Muslim votes that George W. Bush won
the last presidential election. Muslims must vote and vote for the right
candidates if they want their rights protected, he added.
Peter
Dagher, an Arab-American running for the fifth congressional district, said that
now more than ever, we need an Arab-American in Congress. He said that Muslims
could only blame themselves for not being politically active while seeing their
rights violated. "I want to stand up for and be the voice of the
community," he said.
Dagher
said that as a congressman he would support the creation of a sovereign
Palestinian state and advocate to end sanctions on Iraq. He urged Muslims to
help him in every way they could. He has already received a UMAA endorsement.
Another
candidate who received UMAA's endorsement is Paul Wallace, who is running in the
Illinois governor's office.
Rehan
Khan, a representative from Wallace’s campaign, said that Wallace is the only
candidate in the gubernatorial race who has a proven track record with Muslims.
As the CEO (chief economic officer) within the Chicago Public Schools, Wallace
has made provisions for Arabic as the second language in many schools, provided
prayer rooms, offered alternative food options for Muslim students. He has
established a teacher exchange program with Palestine.
Khan
said that Wallace would not abandon Muslims and would stand up for their rights,
making sure that whatever is happening to Muslims around the world does not
happen here.
Frank
Avila, running for the much coveted office of the Commissioner of Water
Reclamation District of Chicago, said that he had a long record of association
with Muslims, stating that fifty percent of employees in his engineering firm
are Muslims, and that he would continue to support them in getting jobs.
Judge
Moira Susan Johnson, Nancy A.Donahoe, Domenica Ann Stephenson, Judge Lewis
Nixon, and Judge Jack Cutrone, are all running for several vacancies in the
Circuit Court of Cook County, and Joyce Washington, running for Lieutenant
Governor, also spoke at the event and asked for the UMAA's endorsement.
Samirah
announced that the UMAA would issue a full list of its endorsed candidates
shortly after the Candidate’s Night evening event.
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