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CAIR Bulletin - November 03, 2004
CAIR-Houston launches Blockvote.US Project
- "Never doubt that a small group of committed people can make a difference. Indeed it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
- "All Politics is local." Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr.
- 2004 has witnessed thousands of Texas Muslims mobilize for the very first time to vote. Many citizens saw this as a method to protect their civil liberties in this post 9/11 era.
All the major Presidential campaigns such as Bush, Kerry, Edwards, Clark, Dean, and Kucinich either sent representatives or called in themselves to Texas Muslim Forums all across the Lone Star State.
Texas Muslims in Houston organized a nationally recognized grassroots Get Out The Vote (GOTV) effort and North Texas Muslims organized and ran a GOTV effort of Florida Muslim voters.
Some upcoming challenges in 2005 affecting the Muslim community:
Beginning in January through at least June the Texas Legislature will reconvene for the 79th Regular Session. More than 5,000 laws will be proposed, many of them directly affecting the Texas Muslim community in all matters of life. During the 78th Session we passed the TX Halal Law, what will we accomplish this time around?
The USA Patriot Act of 2001 will have some provisions sun-setting in December of 2005, so the Texas Congressional Delegation (32 Congressmen) will need to be lobbied effectively on which provisions need to be amended. With the latest Congressional developments in Texas, a strong coalition building effort amongst Conservatives is vital.
Most cities in Texas will hold Mayoral, City Council and School Board election in 2005 in either May or November. School Social Studies Textbook reform is an issue very important to Muslim parents and this multi-year statewide reform lobbying effort will have to begin in 2005.
Now the time has come to build upon 2004's accomplishments and not surrender.
We encourage every Texas Muslim to sign-up for the 'RAN' & keep us moving forward.
What is the Relationship Action Network (RAN)?
The RAN is a Blockvote.US Project from F&J being launched in cooperation with our endorsing partner, CAIR-Houston. The Blockvote.US Project is a GOTV-Constituent Lobbying effort aimed at not only identifying and delivering every Muslim vote on election day, educating those voters on the candidates' record and positions taken on issues of importance to the community, but also developing a network of constituents in each elected official's district to lobby him/her on legislative/policy matters.
What is the Purpose of the RAN?
The purpose of the RAN is to identify Muslims residing in every Congressional, State Senatorial, State House, County Commissioner's, Mayoral, and City Council district. We will work in a non-partisan manner with all persons identified in each of these districts to develop and strengthen the relationship between them and their elected official.
Why should I join the RAN?
There are 32 US Congressional Districts in Texas, 31 State Senate Districts, 150 State House of Representative Districts, 254 counties and thousands of municipalities. Asking the average citizen to know their elected official from Constable to Congressman is difficult, but asking them to network their relationship on a communitywide effort is unreasonable without the RAN.
Will the RAN burden my already busy life?
The RAN will not burden you with more obligations to your already busy life, but will streamline those relationships for you with targeted and directed solicitations (Action Alerts) for you to call or email your elected official to advise them of your view on a particular public policy matter.
Can I join the RAN if I reside outside of Texas?
Of Course. While F&J is currently only developing its state public policy platform in Texas; our federal public policy agenda is nationwide and affects all Americans not just Texans. There are 435 Congressional districts across America, and with RAN members in all of them our federal public policy agenda networked with coalition partners will God willing deliver the desired success rate we all seek.
Action Requested:
To visit the Blockvote.US Project's Website to learn more and sign-up for the Relationship Action Network (RAN) today. Remember to help us build the most powerful network by passing this on to your family and friends, encouraging them to also join.
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