WASHINGTON, 30 September 2006 — National Muslim-American civic leaders are urging the country’s estimated 2 to 3 million Muslim potential voters to register and vote. At a briefing yesterday at the National Press Club, the leaders unveiled a ‘VIP’ — “Voting is Power” website, urging the nation’s Muslims to register and vote.
The Muslim leaders say the November mid-term elections will be one of the “most important in American history.” The campaign is organized by the Washington-based Muslim American Society, MAS, and is a continuation of an effort that began following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks to increase Muslim Americans involvement in the political process.
“Since 9/11, when seven million Muslim-Americans were identified automatically with terrorism, it sent a very strong message in the community. And that message was that if we do not empower ourselves politically, then we will always be subject to issues and problems,” said Mikit Hossain, a political consultant with the Muslim American Society.
“The message came across very loudly when we realized that, in the Senate, only one senator voted against the US Patriot Act in 2001, and subsequently we have congressmen and highly-positioned government officials who make disparaging remarks about Muslims, and introduce extremely dangerous bills, and yet none of these ever have had any kind of repercussions,” said Hossain, also president of the Muslim American Political Action Committee, MAPAC, and a professional in telecommunications.
“Islam mandates every Muslim to be unequivocally committed to social justice. Civic engagement may be the most powerful way to fulfill that mandate in a democracy. Our collective involvement with the electoral process allows us as a community to express our views, and influence the laws and policies which govern America,” said Hossain.
The American Muslim leaders announced they are also creating a new center for “electoral empowerment.” The center’s main feature is a website that offers details on issues that the political action committee says are the most important to Muslim voters. “Last year we held a survey that identified the major issues that seem to trouble Muslims across America,” said Hossain. “The crucial five issues were: The erosion of civil liberties, unfair immigration laws, unfair foreign policy — especially pertaining to the Middle East, education, and health care.”
The site, www.masvip.org, highlights 30 races in 11 states where there are significant Muslim populations.
