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August 12, 2004
There may not be a Muslim
bloc vote this time but….
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
More than 40 Muslim delegates represented 20 states at the Democratic National Convention in Boston in July 2004, up from 25 Muslims at the Democratic convention four years ago. This reflects not only an increased support for the Democratic Party but also Muslim political activism that has attracted attention of the mainstream media.
At present, intensive discussion continues in the Muslim community about their preference of the presidential race. Muslim political groups have not yet formally announced their choice of either George Bush or John Kerry. However, recent polls indicate that majority of the Muslims and Arabs favor the Democratic candidate John Kerry.
In June a Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) survey reported that 54 percent of eligible Muslim voters said they would vote for Kerry, while 26 percent favored Nader. A sizable 14 percent of Muslim voters said they are still undecided. (Fifty-five percent of the respondents said they voted for President Bush in the 2000 election.) According to CAIR's survey, 34 percent of respondents said the Democratic Party best represents American Muslim interests, closely followed by the Green Party at 24 percent.
A July 15 survey of Arab-Americans in key swing states conducted by the Zogby International found the Bush-Cheney ticket winning only 26.5 percent support, with Kerry-Edwards at 51, Nader-Camejo at 11 percent, and 13 percent undecided. Only 9 percent of Arab-Americans say Bush's policies concerning Israel and Palestine are good or excellent.
American Muslim voters overwhelmingly support Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry over Republican George W. Bush, according to a new American Muslim Poll conducted by Zogby International for Georgetown University's Muslims in the American Public Square (Project MAPS). By a margin of 76% to 7%, Muslims back the Kerry/Edwards ticket over the incumbent Bush/Cheney ticket. This poll was released on September 22, 2004. When the question is expanded to include minor party candidates, Kerry's lead is cut to 68% versus Bush's 7%, with independent candidate Ralph Nader picking up 11%, similar to the 12% he garnered from Muslim voters in 2000.
Muslim political and religious organizations rallied strongly behind Bush in 2000, buoyed by his stance against detaining Muslims without informing them of evidence against them. But many have become incensed by the USA Patriot Act, the controversial anti-terrorism law, and racial profiling.
While many Muslims and Arabs are disenchanted with Bush policies, Kerry has been getting a lot of their attention as on civil liberties they can see a clear difference. (On foreign policy they expect Kerry to do better.) Kerry and Edward sent a joint letter to the Muslim community entitled: Building bridges to the Muslim American community. The letter in part said: “John Kerry and John Edwards recognize the many contributions that Muslim Americans have made to our nation and will work to protect and defend the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans, including Muslim Americans. They support rigorous enforcement of our nation’s civil rights laws so that all Americans, including Muslims, can live, work, learn, worship, and gather without fear or discrimination. A Kerry-Edwards administration will not tolerate the targeting of Muslim Americans for threats, violence or discrimination based on their religion.”
New California Media and Amnesty International in August conducted a joint poll of Americans of Arab, Iranian and Pakistani descent, who number 1.8 million and are concentrated in the ``swing vote'' states. The poll indicates that 73 percent of Arab-Americans and 78 percent of Muslim Americans oppose President Bush on Iraq. On possible voting patterns in November, it was found that 49% of Arab-Americans favor John Kerry, 16% will vote for George W. Bush and 14% favor Ralph Nader. Muslim Americans as a whole indicate a favor for Kerry at 49%, Nader at 10% and have Bush trailing at 9%. However 32% were still undecided.
In the current political developments, a formal endorsement of Muslim leaders for Bush or Kerry is not likely to make any difference during this year’s elections because all indications are that majority of Muslims see Bush administration policies as against the Muslim community. These policies include racial profiling, FBI interviews of Muslims (fresh interviews are launched this month) and detention of Muslims without due process and closing down of Muslim charities. The community is now living in a state of constant fear. Muslims and Arabs are coping with the reality of racial profiling at airports, discrimination at places of work, verbal abuse in public and hate crimes at places of worship. A recent poll showed nearly 88 percent of Muslims saying that they knew of at least one person who suffered anti-Muslim bias or discrimination.
In September last year, an American Muslim Task Force on Civil Rights and Elections was established to study and recommend endorsement for a presidential candidate. But so far it has failed to do so. In 2000 elections, the Muslim leaders’ endorsement came only two weeks before the election. On Oct. 23, 2000, The American Muslim Political Coordinating Council Political Action Committee - comprising American Muslim Alliance, American Muslim Council, Council on American-Islamic Relations, and Muslim Public Affairs Council - announced its endorsement of George W. Bush for president, citing his outreach to the Muslim community and his stand on the issue of secret evidence. AMPCC’s message was conveyed to the community through hundreds of Islamic centers throughout the country. The endorsement resulted in an apparent bloc vote for Bush. But this year, even without an endorsement by the Muslim leaders, there is likely to be a virtual bloc vote or massive vote for Kerry. It will not be because all those who will vote for Kerry like his platform but many will vote for him because they don’t like Bush policies. Moreover, as the nation has a virtual two party system, many Muslims believe that there is no option but to vote either to Bush or Kerry in order to make their vote effective while voting for independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader will dilute their vote.
In the final analysis, at present the Muslims and Arabs are more active and motivated politically. They realize that they have to become involved in the national political process to make their voice heard. At the same time, mainstream media has extensively covered Muslim registration campaigns and highlighted the concerns of the Muslim and Arab communities. “Muslims & Arabs now eager to vote” – a recent headline in New York Daily News best reflected the political activism of the American Arabs and Muslims.
August 12, 2004
Updated on Oct. 1, 2004
Readers’ Comments
This is a very frank analysis about the Muslim vote and the role of American Muslim organizations. This article has also drawn the attention of the Muslim Community toward the crucial issue of forthcoming presidential election. There are over 100 Muslim Organizations in U.S. and they should also take greater interest in educating and guiding the Muslims about the importance of their vote in coming presidential election.
Albany, the capital of the New York State, is a small town with a tiny Muslim population but the wise, sincere and active leadership there has started preparing Muslim voters lists and plans for free transport are in hand to take the Muslim voters to the polling stations and make sure they cast their vote to the right candidate.
All major American Muslim Organizations with huge funds at their disposal may also come forward, prepare the Muslim voters lists, educate them and guide them about the significance of their vote and make sure they go to the polling stations and cast their votes. This is high time for the Muslim Organizations to show and prove that they do care for the welfare of the Muslim Community as a whole.
Unlike the past, the American Muslim Organizations should educate the Muslim voters to take greater interest in the American politics and utilize their right of vote to bring about a change in the political atmosphere of the country. Every vote counts and the Muslim community should be advised to go to the polling stations in large numbers and cast their votes.
It is also important to educate the Muslim voters about the “Ralf Nader Factor” and guide them not to spoil their votes.
Extremism is a menace that has caused great damage to the Muslim community and it is the duty of the Muslim Organizations to educate the Muslims to stay away from the handful of self-serving radical and fanatic groups who have caused more damage to the Muslims themselves than any other community in the United States.
Mufti A. Hassan
August 15, 2004
I appreciate your efforts to draw the attention of the American Muslim Community toward the upcoming U.S. presidential election and emphasize the importance of Muslim bloc vote to help bring about a change in the U.S. political atmosphere.
I urge through your website all Muslim Organizations to mobilize peace loving Muslims, educate them and encourage them to take greater interest in the politics of this country and help choose the right and deserving candidate for the White House.
It has been observed in the past that Muslim voters took little interest in the U.S. elections and thus their voice remained unheard and their existence unnoticed. The Muslim Organizations can play a greater role in activating the Muslim community, arrange free transport through the courtesy of Muslim Taxi Drivers and take the Muslim voters to the polling stations to make sure they cast their vote and bring about the desired change in the U.S. administration.
Sami Siddiqui, Virginia
August 19, 2004
Your editorial about the Muslim bloc vote is a timely wake up call for the Muslim community in the United States. There are more than 100 Muslim Organizations in this country but so far they have not been able to unite and organize effectively the Muslim community in this country. The reason is that most of these
organizations operate through the network of Mosques and Islamic centers where they give undue and greater importance to the rituals and ignore the political lessons of Islam. Islam is not a religion of rituals only; its principles cover every aspect of life including social affairs, politics and spiritual matters. It does not require a person to be ignorant of what is going on around him and engage himself fully and all the time in rituals.
Is there one single Muslim organization in this country, despite having huge funds at their disposal, which has offered a scholarship to a deserving Muslim candidate to pursue his or her higher education and be able to serve the Muslim community as well as this country as a whole in a befitting manner.
If we are sincere to the Muslim cause, we should first bring about a change in our Islamic centers, make them modern to meet the challenges of the 21st century and stop pulling the Muslim youth backwards to follow the life that was 15 centuries ago.
Islam is a progressive religion. It teaches us to look forward and move on to make the life better and better. Those who make people believe in rituals only are the ones who also make them believe in stupidities and commit atrocities.
Khalid Siddiqui , Virginia
August 22, 2004
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