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by Louise Daly for AFP and contributions by Neveen Salem of AMC CHICAGO (AFP) - American Muslim community leaders were planning on how to maximize their impact at the ballot box this November as the race for the White House moved into full swing over the Labor day weekend. Addressing a gathering of some 35,000 Muslims in a Chicago suburb, Muslim leaders called for a strong turnout on November 7th, urging the older generation especially to break out of their self-imposed veil. "We must vote. We must vote in high percentages, and we must vote for a specific agenda," said Professor Agha Saeed, professor of political science at California State University at Hayward. The various Islamic interest groups need to pull together to advance a common agenda and encourage about 80% of the six million strong U.S. communities to vote, preferably as a bloc, Saeed said. "Unity of purpose, division of labor," said Saeed, summing up the philosophy. "Some of us are still living in islands of insecurity ... shying away from the mainstream," said Mir Ali, professor of public policy at American University in Washington DC. Muslims must learn to flex their political muscle at the ballot box if they want to be heard, Ali warned. "Numbers by themselves do not constitute a weight, a value," he said. Muslim voter participation is a hot issue in this U.S. election year, with mosques and community centers spreading the word among the grass roots. "Vote, vote, vote, is the message in my mosque," acknowledged Sanna Padela, a Pakistani-born 21-year-old from Rochester, New York. The irony is that in the year the Muslim community mobilizes for its strongest showing yet at the polls, the Democratic Party (the one most favored by Muslims) is fielding an Orthodox Jew as its vice presidential nominee. Academics and figureheads of the Muslim community finessed the importance of Senator Joe Lieberman's faith, and the dilemma it represents for some in their ranks, at this weekend's Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) conference in Rosemont. Lieberman's religion was secondary, said Saeed. Muslims should look at his conduct and his accessibility - "evaluate his record," he said. Others put an even more positive spin on it. "This is a good omen for Muslims," said Professor Ali, adding it augured well for Muslim future chances in the White House, with Islam the fastest-growing religion in the United States, he noted. At least one conference-goer saw Lieberman's selection as proof positive of American democracy living up to its ideals, with plurality and meritocracy foremost. "I'm glad. This is the beauty of America. A non-Christian could become vice-president," said Bashir Moghur, a 49-year-old real estate agent from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Others balked at the advice, reluctant to endorse a candidate they feel is unlikely to support an independent Palestinian state. "I haven't voted in the past, but I'm going to make it a point to vote for (Republican presidential nominee George W.) Bush in November ... because of Lieberman," said Sanna Padela, a student doctor who has worked in Lebanese refugee camps. The ISNA conference leaders carefully avoided expressing partisanship. However, some 46% of American Muslims backed the Democrats against 16% for the Republicans in a recent Zogby poll. The emphasis, though, was on carving out a public role, raising the Muslim profile in the public sphere and becoming more sophisticated political operators. And the religious group's hopes and ambitions lie increasingly with the younger generation, speakers acknowledged. "We must educate our children to take public speaking classes so our children can establish a meaningful presence in the public domain," said Saeed. "The ones born here have integrated very well. Sometimes they vote against the wishes of their parents ... at the end everybody is going to benefit," said Bashir Moghur, a Pakistani who immigrated here 25 years ago. Both Vice President Al Gore and Republican candidate George W. Bush declined to attend the conference, which ran Friday, September 1 through Monday, September 4, because of campaign obligations. However, Hadassah Lieberman and Tipper Gore attended a closed-door meeting with a handful of leaders from the ISNA umbrella organization of more than 100 Muslim groups and some Chicago community leaders late Sunday. Mrs. Gore thanked the delegation for taking the time to meet with her and said that she would take the concerns of the community to Vice-President and Presidential Candidate Al Gore and Senator and Vice-Presidential Candidate Joe Lieberman (D-CT). "We must stand for inclusion and against intolerance. My husband wishes to continue the dialogue with the American Muslim community and sow the seeds of peace." Mrs. Lieberman drew parallels between herself and the American Muslim community saying that she is a daughter of immigrants and understands the perils of intolerance and discrimination. She was, however, reminded that the American Muslim community contains various races and ethnicities, constituting over 6 million American Muslims. A delegation of mainly Kashmiri Americans made comments to Mrs. Gore and Mrs. Lieberman on the current situation in Kashmir. Other issues raised were: secret evidence and profiling of American Muslims, education, violence, the use of sanctions as a weapon of foreign policy, the imperative need for the inclusion of American Muslims in the political process, and the need to take strong stances against bigotry and discrimination. The issues of Palestine and the final status of Jerusalem were also addressed. Congressman David Bonior (D-MI), moderated the meeting after he and his wife Judy, spent 3 days at the 37th Annual Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Convention. Congressman Bonior commented on his respect for the American Muslim community's sense of family values, tolerance, and inclusion. Dr. Yahya Basha of the American Muslim Council (AMC) commenting on the meeting said, "Mrs. Gore and Mrs. Lieberman have shown their willingness to listen to the concerns of our community. Dialogue is the backbone of inclusion in our political process and we must all remember that we have an obligation to work together to ensure that our concerns are addressed." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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