I Am A Muslim And I Can Vote

With all the attention there has been on the voting behavior of different religious and ethnic segments of the population, it is plainly clear that the Muslim vote has been overlooked. There are only a few hours left until the outcome of the most important election of our time, when I, along with more than two million American Muslims will cast our votes, and I'm starting to feel neglected. However, being a Muslim and neglected under the Bush Regime is good...really good. A day without wiretapping, profiling, and harassment...is a good thing.

For the past eight years, Muslims have endured bigotry, Islamophobia, and racism from the Republicans. That's why they are very enthusiastic about this election and will be voting en masse for Barack Obama. According to a Pew Poll, American Muslims will vote 70 to 80 percent Democrat, whereas according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), 78 percent of Muslims voted Republican in 2000.

Why are Muslims leaning towards Obama?

The answer is simple. There is a sense of urgency in the Muslim community because so many issues are affecting them; with the Iraq war and the war on terrorism, they have been victims of anti-Muslim policies of the Bush administration, such as the Patriot Act, secret detentions, and the "secret evidence" laws used against them. Muslims are genuinely optimistic that a sweeping change promised by Obama will restore the civil rights that have been usurped by the Bush administration and end the Islamophobia that has swept the country and been exploited by John McCain during the election.

There are 6-7 Million Muslims living in the United States, with around 2.3 million of them eligible to vote according to some estimates. Several Muslim organizations have been working diligently to "Get Out the Muslim Vote" by helping Muslims to register and urging them to vote on November 4. Leading the pack is CAIR, a non-partisan organization with an overall goal of enhancing American Muslim political and civic engagement, according to one of their representatives. Their volunteers have been spearheading a nationwide strategy to register voters, distribute voter guides, and get out the Muslim vote for the 2008 elections.

Six to seven million might not sound like a lot, but Muslims are concentrated in several swing states like Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Virginia, which just might make the difference. As for those Muslims who still cling to the concept that they share the same social values with the Republicans and therefore ought to vote for John McCain--well, they ought to get their heads examined. This Muslim will not be only voting for Barack Obama but will also be voting against Prop 8 in California. After eight years of divisive politics, it is time for us as a nation to move beyond all forms of bigotry.

Jamal Dajani produces the Mosaic Intelligence Report on Link TV

Follow Jamal Dajani on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jamaldajani

Comments

[newsjunkie5]

I'm amazed that you, shukris, feel that you can speak on behalf of the MAJORITY of Muslims. You know what they say about "ass-u-ming" and making broad generalizations? I am a practicing Muslim and a Californian and I voted AGAINST Prop 8. As a matter of fact, I am very involved in my local Muslim community and there is a large number of Muslim voters who also opposed Prop 8 and voted "NO" yesterday.

Just a bit of advice...it is dangerous to make broad sweeping generalizations based only on your own opinions and personal beliefs, rather than the facts. Also, you should not speak on behalf of Muslims in California, in the US, or abroad, as you are only one Muslim with your own opinions. Whether you realize it or not, Muslims are extremely diverse and the way they vote and what issues are important to them, reflects this diversity.

[shukris]

The majority of Muslims support Prop 8 and support families along with their fellow Californians. In 2000, Californians voted 61% vs 38% against gay marriage. It's incredible that gays and their supporters continue to try to force us to adopt their whims.

[jad114]

Where did you get your figure that most Muslims support Prop 8? Do you speak for all Muslim?

[justice2008]

Perhaps now with the election of Obama as President of the United States racists in this country will get a reality check that WHITE is not the predominant color in this country!

[Savojah]

Cudos to a great piece. But I would add something. You can't put all the blame on the Bush Administration, because we are all at fault for the Arab and Muslim bigotry in this country. After 9/11, many americans stupidly blamed these terrible acts on other American citzens of arab decent or Muslim faith. And also the terrible act committed by Islamic extrmemist tapped into our fears. The Bush administration did act on thoses fears, but to say it was just the Bush Administration is naive. There is alot of factors that tap in to the rise of Islamaphobia, to go along with the failed policies of the Bush Administration. And we are all to blame.

[jad114]

Aramos...the US is great because the framers of our constitution believed in the church-state separation and not because it is a Christian country. Nazi Germany was a Christian country, many South American countries are Christian but are run by dictators and most be who were part of the USSR were Christians.

[steamboat]

If we have complete church-state separation, then how come clergy and religious properties get tax-exemptions?

[Durango]

The power to tax is the power to destroy.

Separation of Church and State is designed to protect the Church!

[aramos]

I'm all for the separation church and state, don't be scared to admit that the founding Father's faith didn't play a part in the framing of the Constitution, to do so makes you sound ignoroant.

[Durango]

Yeah, they were mostly Deists.

Or Unitarians.

[aramos]

Luckily you live in the USA where you have a voice. I know a few Islamic countries where that wouldn't happen.

isn't it amazing how a CHristian country created a society where those that have differeing believes can vote as opposed to being put to death for practicing another religion. Isn't the USA great! You wouldn't know it if you'd listen to CAIR.

[krompessor]

Aramos......Not all Christian countries are like that of the United States. What are you implying? Do you have an opinion?

P.S. There are a few Islamic countries that have elections. Lebanon for an example?
There's no need to try and stereo type Islam.
There's already too much of that. Open your mind, learn something.

[Durango]

Iran is a democratic republic.

Flawed perhaps. But democratic non the less.

[Durango]

Excuse me.

The United Sates is not now, nor has it ever been a "Christian" country.

I know that because President Adams (you know, the second President. The one after Washington,) said so. In a Treaty with Tripoli.

You don't know much about the world do you?

It shows.

[hortonhearsawho]

Your a racist plain and simple...

[aramos]

Ditto!

[IndyReader]

Margaret "Toot" Dunham has died.

[CamJam]

Right on Jamal!

[Antifascist-08]

Cheers Jamal! Thanks for speaking out.

These last 8 years have been hard on all of us- and embarrassing too. The United States is supposed to be for everyone. I have some Muslim friends here in CA who run a pizza place where I go for lunch a lot. At first i didn't want to bring up politics, but the more I got to know them, the more we ended up talking about all the issues that they face here. I had to admit that our country was in the hands of our own kind of terrorists. They are big Obama supporters and we have a lot of fun- along with the pizza!

[justice2008]

Way to go Jamal! I'm personally appalled with the way the Bush administration has been vilifying Muslims and fanning the flames of hatred and bigotry. I'm equally appalled by those who are now trying to define for us who can or cannot get married. Thank you for speaking out against Prop 8.

[newsjunkie5]

This is OUTSTANDING Jamal! I'm impressed and encouraged that you had the guts to not only announce that you are voting for Obama, but also supporting EVERYONE's right to marriage in California.

WAY TO GO!

I too hope that everyone, not just Muslims in America, will go out and vote for Obama on election day as a statement that no one's race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, and/or sexual orientation should be a determining factor for their qualification to be our next President.

Great atricle!

Al Hamdulillah, Toda Lael, Thank God Brother!

[jad114]

I agree, there have been a lot of bigotery and racism by the neocons especially against Arab Americans and Muslim Americans during the past several years; however, the fact that Obama is hours from being elected the first African American president of the United Statesgives me hope and faith that this nation will rise above racism and hatred.

[Durango]

Good luck.

Personally I would prefer if Obama WAS a Muslim. And a Socialist.

He is neither of course.

But we can hope that he will have a good understanding of the world. And even more important: the ability to LEARN about the world. Something that has been absent these past 8 years.

And the knowledge that Muslims are not our enemy. Arabs are not our enemy. Even Iran, given the opportunity could become our friend.

That the people who attacked the USA were a minority of a minority of a minority. And have no support from any Government of the world.

And few Muslims.

[ESerafina42]

I hope you're right. I remember hearing the same thing four years ago, along with how all those young and first-time voters, as well as the ones who only had cell phones and weren't being contacted by pollsters, were going to sweep Kerry into the White House.

I'm glad that you are able to differentiate between those who discriminate against Muslims and the whole country, and work to change that. Obama's rallies look like America in their diversity, while the R's attract a bunch of mean-spirited old white people like their standard-bearer. Maybe if we Muslims and Jews (Christians, whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, GBLT people, straights, and any other grouop I've forgotten) can work together to get Obama elected, there is some hope for peace in the Middle East.

[leonardox1]

It is different this time around. Obama will be elected because he managed to unite the democrats and mobilise the youth. I have a 20 year old son an an 18 year old daughter and the've already voted for Obama on their own by an absentee ballot!

[AntsyAmerican]

Rock on, fellow American. Not that this alone is the decisive voting issue, but it's going to feel VERY American to this white woman, when the world's microphones pick up the phrase "I, Barack Hussein Obama Jr. do solemnly swear to faitfully execute the office of President of the United States..."
If I'm buying racial reconciliation on the cheap, so be it. It's still going to make me less of an antsy American.