Muslims
in America:
The Challenges of Political Activism
Main
Issues
Of
course there are many unique circumstances within the Muslim
community in the United States that do not challenge other ethnic or
religious communities. These include efforts and opinions of women
in the community. Traditionally in America women have manned the
first layer of local politics, and they are known to have savvy
political opinions and sufficient first hand knowledge of the issues
to participate in local campaigns and to organize both men and women
on the issues. (For more information on the Islamic stance regarding
this read the Fatwa on Women
Holding Public Positions). Because of an existing
exaggerated 'parochialism' in the Muslim world, we fear that once we
lower the gates and let Muslim women out of the kitchen, Muslim
communities will be faced with something akin to a mass liberation
movement. This prevents us from utilizing a huge and important
resource. Woman power is the energy that has kept American politics
relevant to American community life. When you look around, you
recognize that mothers are the primary energy of communities. While
husbands are working, wives are at the neighborhood PTA (Parents
Teacher's Association) and party meetings discussing schools, taxes,
lunch meals, health care, transportation, and other important
issues.
The
Muslim world is suffering from the absence of women from the political
sphere, and hence the lack of a well-developed civil society |
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Because
of the existing traditionalism in the Muslim world-which deep rooted
in the cultural milieu-the Muslim world is suffering from the
absence of women from the political sphere, and hence the lack of a
well-developed civil society. This is not to imply that women are
not capable of much, they certainly are, but we are here addressing
the more traditional approach.
Politics
in America have both spoken and unspoken rules. Jumping into the
fray without knowing the rules can prove disastrous--even if your
candidate wins. Communities are routinely rewarded and punished, and
often ignored by elected officials and their cronies, regardless of
whether they supported and voted for the winning candidate. Take,
for example, the African American community. African Americans are
known to traditionally vote as Democrats, yet Democrats very visibly
cater to Jews, a minority, over African Americans and women. When
contracts for road and other repairs and improvements that increase
property values never find their way into certain businesses or
neighborhoods, this means that the leaders of these communities have
little influence. It could also mean that they backed the wrong
candidate and are paying the political price.
If
we think that every functioning organization is in unity we are wrong
and if we wait for unity to build machinery it is a good chance that
we will be waiting a very long time. |
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Other
religious and ethnic minority communities in the United States were
long in training before they ventured out into partisan politics,
even on the local level. Prior to such involvement, communities
would spend considerable time building their "machinery."
This machinery is the mechanism through which the community's
political activism is organized and operates. It is what Muslims
like to call unity, even though it has nothing at all to do with
unity, and everything to do with organization. If we think that
every functioning organization is in unity we are wrong and if we
wait for unity to build machinery it is a good chance that we will
be waiting a very long time.
