Further Evidence that Obama is Deliberately Avoiding Muslims
Today, the New York Times posted an article that reveals that the Obama campaign has fairly systematically avoided associating itself with the American Muslim community. Here are some interesting tidbits of information:
- Last December, the first American Muslim congressman, Representative Keith Ellison, offered to assist Obama in Iowa last year December. The Iowa caucuses are important state because it hosts the country’s first primary elections and sets the tone for the entire nomination process. Specifically, Representative Ellison offered to speak on the Senator’s behalf at one of the country’s oldest masjid in Cedar Rapids, but Obama declined in order to avoid “controversy.”
- When Representative Ellison tried to campaign for Obama in North Carolina, he was declined again.
- In spite of Muslim leaders, organizations, and political action committees from all over the country requesting appearances from the campaign by either the Senator or from his representatives, most have remained unfulfilled and those appearances that were made involved representatives, not the Senator himself.
- Obama has visited many churches and synagogues, but has never appeared at a single masjid.
- The apology to the two Muslim women who weren’t allowed to sit behind him during a really in Detroit seems to have been done at the behest of Representative Ellison who confronted Obama over the issue. (Fox News)
The fear of association with Islam is not a good enough reason for Obama to snub the entire community. The American Muslim population is concentrated in states such as California, Northern Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, New York, Texas, and Ohio. Half of these states (Virginia, Michigan, Florida, and Ohio) are battle ground states where the Muslim vote could be pivotal in winning the election. Of course, if neither candidate is associating with Muslims at all, then this advantage will have little effect.
Perhaps the community should instead focus on other aspects of the elections then, such as Senate seats and governships.
Sphere: Related ContentPublished June 24, 2008 . Filed under: American Islam and Muslims
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Because most Muslims are definitely not voting for McCain, Obama and his campaign are less interested in appeasing the Muslim community. They’re not really a battleground demographic in the traditional sense.
June 24, 2008 @ 1:36 pm
Actually, I know a lot of Muslims that are voting for McCain, for a variety of reasons (being traditional republicans or Pakistani [they’re afraid that Obama is gonna attack the country]). Regardless, in the states that are being strongly contested by the candidates, Muslims can theoretically affect the outcome of the vote in those states. Our problem is that we haven’t maximized our voter registration, dissemination of information regarding the candidates, etc.
June 24, 2008 @ 2:06 pm
No doubt about the potential impact of a cohesive and informed Muslim body, but outside of a few fastidious Pakistani uncles lobbying for McCain at the weekend parties, I fear too much of the Muslim community is eating the banter on this one.
And much of it has to do with distrust. The last time I saw a stab at “Uniting the Ummah” in an election season was when a slew of Muslim organizations felt fit to back our present Commander-in-Chief because his opponent had a Jew for a running mate. Eight years later and here we are. Which of course raises the all important question: who’s producing the information we’re all supposed to digest, and on what basis are they making their conclusions?
June 25, 2008 @ 1:27 am
If we don’t have good political analysts, we’ll continue to make these short sighted decisions.
We really do no need a think tank.
June 25, 2008 @ 11:37 am
ameen to that bro
June 25, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
Very interesting discussion indeed. Looking at the US elections from the otherside of the Atlantic, it just looks like another kumbh mela and muslims getting dragged into it like clockwork.
You guys really do need to sort your brothers and sisters out who every 4/5 years get droned into voting the person who is less evil then the other candiate!
June 30, 2008 @ 3:36 pm