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Muslim Affairs Team
Answer
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Name
ali
-
Profession
student
Question
Why was there so much reaction to the Rev. Wright's comments? I don't understand. I mean his view are quite prevalent throughout the world and there are real controversial figures that are supporting people like McCain.
Answer
The American people are generally "out of touch with reality" with respect to how we are perceived abroad. It has been my experience that the people who live in what was called in my youth the "underdeveloped world" like the American people but abhor U.S. Foreign Policy. They like the Americans because of our professions about "All men are created equal" and that our government is structured to promote the "General." They despise American Policy abroad because we "talk east and walk west" on the principles of democracy that we enshrine in our vaunted Constitution of the United States.
Dr. Jeremiah Wright is under fire because he tells us the truth in love and attempts to get us to face reality with the courage to change our ways.
Name
Isma'il
- Sudan
Profession
Question
Hello Mr.Fauntroy. I have two questions:
1) Both race and gender have appeared as elements that may influence this 2008 election. Historically, can you comment on how both issues may have "competed" in US politics? i.e, do you think Americans will vote-in first a "white female" or a "black male" and why?
2)While the possibility of a first black president resonates well with many, in the US and outside, esp one who has a clear "international dimension to his identity", when it comes down to it, many don't think Obama will be able to produce a discourse of politics that is much different than former US presidents,domestically or internationally, as many would hope. Your comments?
Answer
Martin Luther King, Jr. told us that the day is coming when black people in the U.S. will be judged not on the basis the color of our skin but on basis of the content of our character. That day has arrive in the United States. White young people in South Carolina were carry signs saying "Race doesn't matter!" What matters is whether we are going to see our jobs out-sourced to cheaper labor markets abroad or going to be running around the Middle East generally and Iraq in particular for another 100 years ducking bombs and bullets.
That's why more people have voted for Obama in the primaries this year than for any other candidate for the presidency, democrat or Republican. They see that with him as president, we will have substantive "change" from our misguided foreign and domestic policies.
As to your second question, Obama's success at the polls thus far is evidence that he is, indeed, able to produce a discourse of politics that is much different than former US presidents,domestically or internationally, as many would hope.
Name
Abdallah Black
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Profession
Question
I would like to thank you Mr. Walter for your presence on IOL page,
We recently noticed the media fuss about Obama's speech on race, i acknowledge that his speech was good; yet in what way are his words new?
For me for not being an American, what Obama said is pretty obvious and old words, why did his speech look interesting and refreshing in the US?
Thank you,
Answer
Obama's speech on race interesting and refreshing in the US because he told us the truth in love and encouraged us to face the reality of the error of our ways with courage. It resonates with the desire of the vast majority of the people on this planet that we simply must find a way to end the barbarism of war, the decadence of racism and scourge of poverty or the very fabric of civil society on this planet will dissolve and we will be consumed by the fires of hatred and self-destruction that are becoming more and more the rule among us than the exception.
Name
AIR
- Egypt
Profession
Question
Why do you think the issue or race has been not directly discussed in the US for long time although there is an apparent discrimination?
Answer
It is the greed and opportunism of the wealthy few that leads them to export the condition of the unmoneyed many. All human beings any and everywhere on this planet require five things to enjoy a decent quality of life:
1. Access to income;
2. access to education to earn money;
3. access to healthcare to be able to enjoy life;
4. access to housing or shelter from the elements; and
5. access to justice so that if one has some income, education, healthcare and housing, no one can take them from them with impunity. That is the goal of our democracy. It is not the goal of the wealthy few who dominate politics in our country. Their goal is to use any thing - race, religion, ethnicity - anything available to them to take those five things from others for their own perceived need to maintain dominance of the world's resources in these five areas.
That's what they fear will change if Obama becomes president of the United States and that is why they are playing the race and religion, divide and conquer card as hard as they can today.
Name
Omar
- Egypt
Profession
Question
The on-going elections has proved that race is still an issue in the US. My first question is when and how can America go beyond the issue of race?
My second question; there is another type of racism that is on the raise in America; a one that is against Muslims. This was evident in accusing Obama of being a Muslim and his vehement denial of the issue, as if the American Muslim is a second degree citizen who has no right to run of the presidential office. What do you think about this issue?
Answer
I was martin Luther King, Jr.'s personal representative to the presidents of the Unite States and the leadership of the U.S. House and Senate before his tragic assassination 40 years ago this year. Like him, I am a member of the what we called the "Abraham Federation." All Muslims, all Jews, and all Christians maintain that Abraham is the Father of our faiths, that Moses was the Law Giver and that he didn't give ten "suggestions"; he gave Ten "Commandments":Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not lie, thou shalt not covet; not suggestions but commandment because there are consequences to killing and lying and stealing and coveting for oneself what another has."
The trouble in the world today is that we have too many "so called" Muslims, Christians and Jews who talk east and walk west on what they know are the basic tenets of our common Abrahamic faith.
That is why as a professional minister for 50 years and a professional politician for 20 years as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, I champion the cause of my Muslim brothers and sisters in America who are being treated the way black people have been treated throughout our 300 year sojourn in this country: like second class citizens.
Thanks;
Walter E. Fauntroy
Name
Editor - Abdelrahman Rashdan
-
Profession
Question
The session has ended. We would like to thank Mr. Walter Fauntroy for taking the time to answer your questions, and all those who participated in the dialogue.
We apologize for not being able to answer all the questions due to time limitation.
