HOW TO EMPOWER MUSLIMS WITH A VOICE IN AMERICA
by Moin Ansari
courtesy: Center for Understanding of Islam (CUII), New Jersey

Here are some mind-boggling statistics.

       22% of eligible American Muslims vote*
       48% of eligible Americans vote*
       74% of Jewish Americans vote*

There is superiority in numbers. The USA is a democracy, but as new immigrants to the West, Muslims have yet to learn the tools of democracy and become involve themselves in the political systems of our new host countries.
According to Maslow, people struggle with food, shelter and clothing and then work towards self actualization. Muslims in America have to learn to use the tools of democratic institutions. Our voting record is pathetic

Muslims in the USA feel despondent as if they do not have a voice. There are 7 million Muslims in the USA. Only about 150,000 vote. That low voting record and lack of voter registration is the reason that the US Congress ignores the Muslim population. Muslims sit and complain and constantly discuss the conspiracy theories and why the media is stacked against the Muslims. If
there was a concerted effort to get 4 million Muslim voters registered, one would see a visible difference in our depiction in the media and Muslim rights would not be ignored in the USA

EMULATING THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT
The Christian Right in the USA in the 80s felt betrayed and powerless. The Christian right felt that the USA media was controlled by the Liberal Left and the Christian agenda was being ignored and  the USA was ruled by Godless secularist. the Christian Right agenda included a ban on abortions, prayer in public schools and the election of and appointment of people in high power. they felt betrayed by Reagan, so they worked hard at the grass root-level to galvanize
themselves into a voter block that could not be ignored by the current Bush. He appointed Ashcroft, Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld and Cheney to appointed positions and this coterie has been responsible for the anti-Muslim agenda in the USA the reverberations of which have be felt around the world.

MUSLIMS MUST LEARN FROM OTHER IMMIGRANTS: 

Muslims Americans must remember that we live in a democracy and must learn from other voter registration drives and voter banks that have been used to get their agendas approved. We have an unparalleled advantages over the other immigrants. We have our home countries to help and support our cause. Our home country already have media outlets.
We need to streamline them so that our voice is heard

Jews: The Jews came to American after world war two. They did not have any say in US politics and were marginalized in the ghettos of New York they worked hard, educated themselves, became an economic power and then voted in block The Jewish vote is legendary They have dramatically changed their perception in the USA and in the world. We must learn form them and how they attained the power and prestige in America. they have their own media channels.

Blacks: Jesse Jackson and his run for the president gave an unprecedented boost to the Black registration and no politician in America can ignore the African American vote of the African American agenda. Falwell dare not speak against any Black figure. The Martin Luther birthday was declared a national holiday

Hispanics: The newest power in American is the Hispanics.  After a few anti-immigration propositions in California the Hispanics mobilized.
Hispanics leaders have recently mounted a campaigns to assert their economic power. Today
they have created their own media outlets and buy from other Hispanics.

MOSQUES, ISNA, ICNA, EMBASSY
Muslim Mosques should be spearheading the voter registration drives from the pulpit. ICNA and ISNA should be handing out registration forms in EVERY FUNCTION and each speaker on every event should mention this registration. APNA and PESA and other USA organization should be assisting the individuals and organizations to register the Muslims. Of course we could mention the Pakistan Embassy to help Pakistani-Americans but of course that would be a useless exercise because the Pakistan Embassy will do what it feels best

UNIMAGINABLE & UNPRECEDENTED IMPACT OF US MUSLIM VOTE BANK:
The rewards are mind boggling. The efforts must be made. If we register a few million Muslim voters, the impact would create an unprecedented impact on the USA elections which would of course impact the Middle East, South Asia and the world. We have two years to register about 4 million voters. Each Muslim has to strive to get this done. If we can accomplish this before the next elections in 2004, we will be a force to the reckoned with in the USA and the world.

If 4 million Muslim voters registered before the next elections, we could foresee the following:

       1) An unprecedented pandering by US politicians to Muslim interests
       2) Total control of the Senators because Muslims would be able to sway the Senate to a Democratic or Republican candidate
       3) The Ability of Muslims to support a pro-Muslim independent Presidential candidate. I vote for Dr. Edward Said
       4) Sway in many/most local and Congressional seats specially in California, New York, Pennsylvania
       5) Acceptance of the Muslim Agenda which would include the acceptance of the Muslim Family Ordinance for marriage and divorce and Muslim National holidays
       6) Acknowledgment of the USA as a Judeo-Christian-Muslim country
       7) Falwell, Robertson, and Graham would dare not spew venom against Muslims  or Muslims icons

Source: Washington Post, September 2002 and US Elections Commission

Best Regards,

Moin Ansari

973-463-1260 work
973-568-9330 cell
973-984-5428 home

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