In light of the fact that Republicans now appear to be firmly entrenched in power, are we likely to see any new PATRIOT Act style legislation passed that will further restrict civil liberties or perhaps target Muslims?
Answer
Possibly. It all depends on what Bush thinks he can do now, and how Muslims and others react. The thing that bothers me about the posture of our community's organizations is the lack of positive engagement with a president we oppose.
We are treating him like we are democratic party members, waiting to point his flaws and working to defeat his party in future elections.
Kerry refused to meet with Muslims. This leaves us with the only option of defining an agenda that can have a chance of success in American public life. Until now, we are fighting to be seen as equal citizens.
We should move beyond that and begin studying American interest groups, identify what we hold in common with any of them and engage these groups. We haven't done this in any systematic way. This now must change.
Name
Tarek Ata
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Profession
Question
After supporting Kerry.. What will Bush's situations towards the muslims in US?
Answer
It may not be very friendly. But he didn't care about them supporting him in 2000. His first scheduled meeting with Muslims was supposed to take place on September 11, 2001, which was interupted by the terrorist attacks.
This is not new in American politics, espeically with constituencies that lack political leverage beyond votes. Politicians usually court them and sweet talk them about some issues, but after the election the communities find themselves fighting to gain the attention of the politician.
After 2004, Bush doesn't owe Muslim voters who didn't vote for him any political favor. So the the real question is what are they going to do to get his attention?
One American saying is "If you can't beat them, join them." Unfortunately, in the current atmosphere I doubt there is great room in the Repulican Party for Muslim grassroots.
This leaves Muslims to think about another option: If a majority of American voters believed Bush's rhetoric about spreading freedom in the Muslim world, shouldn't we take them seriously?
My advice is that Muslims should. Muslims can create coalitions in America composed of moderate conservatives, liberals, academics and minority groups to talk about how to measure success in doing peace in the Middle East, in turning Iraq and Afghanistan to genuinely representative form of government that can enjoy credibility in those countries. These are objectives all people agree on.
Name
Bakker
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Profession
Question
How do u think we can overcome the feeling of frustration & worries after this election? I really feel very uncertain about what's going to happen to muslims here in the states especially if they r islamically active..
May allah guide us all..
Answer
the best thing is more engagement. We have to find moderate conservatives to talk to about common values. We have to find liberals and minorities to build strong alliances with.
We have to stress our American Muslim identity more than any thing else. Our organizations have to meet to come to common understading as to what American Muslim means in their own work.
Americans have to hear us on these things. The problem is that more often, we are reactive. Most of the time, when we are in coalitions, they are founded and led by others; our presence is usually of marginal importance. This has to change. We must take the initiative.
Name
Muslimah
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Profession
Question
Who will be the next leader for palestine? There is a hadith that states, a conflict will arise upon the death of a muslim caliph and then soon after Imam mehdi will come. Is arafat the caliph mentioned in the hadith?
Answer
Please address this question to a Hadith specialist. I am not specialized in Hadith and haven't heard of this one.
Name
Tariq
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Profession
Question
Away from all the talk about Islamophobia, do not you think Muslims contributed somehow for the spread of the distorted image about themselves? What do you think, as a product of self-criticism, should Muslims in America do to help themselves?
Answer
This is an excellent question. I've written a book, The North American Muslim Resource Guide: Muslim Community Life in the US and Canada, published in 2002. It deals with the challenges facing Muslim institutions in America. My main point is that today Muslims look for a future in which they can contribute to American and human civilization. Ordinary Muslims judge Muslim organizations by their services, or what they contribute to public good.
Muslim leaders who understand this and build true institutions that respond to the long term needs of their communities will succeed. Muslims are still going through separating the historical baggage of hostile encounters between the Muslim world adn the West from their own development as communities in the West.
Wars between Islam and the West complicates the challenge. But Muslims in the West have no choice but to develop a hybrid worldview, a culture that brings out the best of Islamic values and American culture.
As a scholar, I cannot pass a grade yet on how Muslims in America are doing. This is a historical process and most of our organizations are less than 20 years old. They continue to struggle to define themselves. God help us through this.
Name
Jonaz..
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Profession
Question
WHAT DO U THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ISLAMOPHOBIA IN THE NEXT 4 YEARS? IS IT GOING 2 INCREASE OR DECREASE? WHAT IS UR VIEW?
Answer
Islamaphobia is a complex issue that preceded the reelection of George Bush. It peaked after 9/11, but was there before then. For the larger American public, the lack of understanding Islam is the main reason, which is fueled by turmoil in Muslim countries.
Name
Noha..
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Profession
Question
Through your experience with the Muslim community in America, what has their reaction been so far? Have you seen plans perhaps to immigrate, or are things not as bad as they would seem to an outsider?
Answer
Muslims feel very sad Bush won. But they think of this election from a long term perspective. I haven't heard any suggestions about leaving america.This is not an option for many Muslims who have no place to go anyway.
The fact is Muslims congratualted themselves for having engaged more intensely in this election. their plan is to better next time: organize early and more effectively to grab the attention of candidates early on in the process.
Name
Catalina
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Profession
Question
Don't you think Bush's reelection says something about the average American, in the sense that at least 60 million people actively voted to renew the mandate of a man who unleashed war on two Muslim countries and enacted laws that made Muslims the targets of harassment and Orwellian security measures? It seems to me that the majority of Americans have spoken as to what they think about Muslims and their grievances, either through apathy or through direct voting.
Answer
I am not sure I agree with you on this. Remember that Bush won a majority of Hispanic voters. This actually helped his popular vote. I don't think these voters are motivated by anti-Muslim bias.
Jews voted overwhelmingly for Kerry, although they support anti-Muslim, anti-Arab Israeli policies.
Most Americans don't even know what the Patriot Act is; most Congressmen who voted to pass the act haven't even read it.
Indeed, Bush should feel jubilant after this election. What helped him is that the country is in war. Never have Americans voted out a president in war time. Bush is the first president whose wars and lies have almost cost him the election. Remember he won the electoral college by 136,000 votes. The agenda of conservative zeolts divided America rather than sway it to its vision. Nixon, the president to run for reeleciton in time of war won by a landslide and in 49 states. This happened during the much hated war in Vietnam.
He still won a majority and he is the president now. Muslims have to think smartly how they're going to go through the next four years.
Name
Faisal
- Egypt
Profession
Question
Does a second Bush term mean we will see more "apologist Islam" in the form of Muslim community leaders in the US apologizing on behalf of the Ummah for any act of violence perpetrated by Muslims that the Bush administration finds objectionable anywhere in the world? Will he hear more sweeping statements from CAIR that Islam "rejects all violence" and the like? Will CAIR next renounce Jihad even in self-defense, capital punishment, and the execution of adulterers to curry favor with the Americans?
Answer
You need to address these questions to CAIR the organization. I am not an activist. I am a researcher. I wrote about CAIR and can tell you the following:
CAIR denounced terrorism from all sources, governments, groups and individuals.
CAIR is very public in saying that Islam doesn't permit the targeting of non-combatants.
CAIR did not deny the right to self defense by Muslims, or any other group for that matter.
CAIR criticized American bombing in Afghanistan and Iraq when the conduct of warfare contradicted Islamic values and International human rights agreements that the U.S. has signed.
Name
Edwin
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Do you believe Bush and his clique are really as hostile to Islam as they seem to be? Appointing Daniel Pipes seems to have been a calculated insult.
Answer
There are a lot of legitimate reservations about members of the Bush team. This not limited to Pipes. Consider the Boykin affair, the general in charge of capturing OBL and Saddam. After much hesitation and lengthy investigation, Boykin received an unknown but what was offically decribed as marginal administrative action. This contrasts to the Bush talk about "Islam is peace." Even this he does not repeat often any more.
Name
Usama
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Profession
Question
If the war against Islam weren't exist, I think that Bush's political would be correct, because is against homosexuals, abort... and so many things haram. What do you think?
Answer
Well, there are Muslims who think this way. There are Muslims who think these two questions are not urgent problems in the daily life of the vast majority of Muslims. Although they have views on this closer to mainstream American conservatives, Muslims judge those conservatives on the pressing issues in Muslim life.
Such issues range from civil rights and relations between America and the Muslim world. There are Muslims who also think that jobs, health insurance, and immigration are very important to them and will vote to candidates based on their positions on these issues. Thank you all for your interest.
Name
Stephanie
- United States
Profession
Question
Asalaamu alaikum..
After the results of the last 2 elections, is it realistic to believe there is room for the Muslim viewpoint in the existing 2 party system?
Answer
Very good question. There is no one Muslim viewpoint. The problem is Muslims in America have not developed forums, approaches, articulation of how to engage the two parties. Nor have they developed agendas or momentum beyond party politics. This is something we need to talk more about. No body is guilty here. We are new in this and we must begin to think in meaningful, long term ways about this.
