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Muslim Voters Detect a Snub From Obama
Posted under american muslim, current events by rahmaFrom the NYT, sent to me by Christine. A lot from Br. Keith:
As Senator Barack Obama courted voters in Iowa last December, Representative Keith Ellison, the country’s first Muslim congressman, stepped forward eagerly to help.
Mr. Ellison believed that Mr. Obama’s message of unity resonated deeply with American Muslims. He volunteered to speak on Mr. Obama’s behalf at a mosque in Cedar Rapids, one of the nation’s oldest Muslim enclaves. But before the rally could take place, aides to Mr. Obama asked Mr. Ellison to cancel the trip because it might stir controversy. Another aide appeared at Mr. Ellison’s Washington office to explain.
“I will never forget the quote,” Mr. Ellison said, leaning forward in his chair as he recalled the aide’s words. “He said, ‘We have a very tightly wrapped message.’ ”
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“This is the ‘hope campaign,’ this is the ‘change campaign,’ ” said Mr. Ellison, Democrat of Minnesota. Muslims are frustrated, he added, that “they have not been fully engaged in it.”
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“A lot of us are waiting for him to say that there’s nothing wrong with being a Muslim, by the way,” Mr. Ellison said.
Mr. Ellison, a first-term congressman, remains arguably the senator’s most important Muslim supporter. He has attended Obama rallies in Minnesota and appears on the campaign’s Web site. But Mr. Ellison said he was also forced to cancel plans to campaign for Mr. Obama in North Carolina after an emissary for the senator told him the state was “too conservative.” Mr. Ellison said he blamed Mr. Obama’s aides — not the candidate himself — for his campaign’s standoffishness.
I think Obama is aware he needs to be cautious in how he behaves thanks to a media who thrives on sensationalism. I have seen him blamed for so many things by a press who chooses to stir up a ruckus over anything if it means it will get an audience.
He’s been blamed for wearing a turban (initially this was how he was “outed” by many as a Muslim though he was wearing a Sikh turban and none of it even had to do with Muslims). He’s also been blamed for the words of the minister of his former church when they weren’t even his words!
For him to be cautious is probably thanks to a media that loves chaos even if it’s based completely on false reports!
also, i have noticed he seems to try to stay silent on topics that are based on ludicrous ideas. From the beginning, he’s tried hard not to “play dirty” politics. he finally ended up not having a choice when others attacked him in ways that needed self-defense. i think obama refuses to get pulled down to the level of some of the players on the political field. a lot of people would love for him to take the bite so they can tear into him about a president who defends Islam.
I trust that, insha’Allah, he wins the election, he will have a lot he wants to do for the rights of all Americans including Muslims.
I have no doubt that if he wins, he’ll be the better of the 2 candidates for muslims. But, it does appear that he’s dissed Keith, and you don’t diss Keith and stay on my good side >:( <— that’s an evil frowny face, in case one can’t tell, lol.
I guess it’s a situation of he’s damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t. I’d just rather he’d be damned if he does.
I think it is do the right thing and face political fallout, or do the wrong thing and save your own skin, and he has opted for the latter. Who knows, maybe his behavior isn’t caving to politicians but representative of how he really feels. After all, he wants to give all of Jerusalem to Israel, and that is more than the original partition plan and more than international courts.
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