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CAIR Bulletin - November, 5, 2004
CAIR open letter to Muslims on
the Nov. 2, 2004 elections
Assalamu alaikum,
In light of Tuesday's election results and the months of preparation that preceded the general election, we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Muslim community on its success. American Muslims have a lot to celebrate. You proved yet again by your record turnout at the polls that Muslims are an important part of our society's rich religious and ethnic heritage.
We extend our sincerest thanks to each and every American Muslim who worked hard to mobilize and empower their community. American Muslims obtained state voter lists, with particular emphasis on Florida and Ohio, and organized volunteers in "get out the vote" efforts nationwide. These volunteers also contacted tens of thousands of voters, asking for their pledge to go to the polls on November 2nd. CAIR, along with the indispensable assistance of individual Muslim activists, responded to the need for more proactive initiatives in the 2004 elections by:
* Registering thousands of people to vote, both in-person and online
* Organizing town hall meetings with candidates nationwide
* Getting out the vote by calling potential voters and transporting them to polling stations
* Issuing candidate scorecards and voter guides
* Conducting research on and surveys of American Muslim voters
* Distributing exit polls and analyzing the results
* Communicating newsworthy information about the elections to the Muslim community
* Publicizing the American Muslim political endorsement
All of this is an indication of an ongoing process of political maturation.
As we look forward, we should reflect on lessons learned. In order to sustain and advance on the successes of this year's mobilization efforts, there are a few steps American Muslims can begin to take today to further empower our community in the years to come. Among the necessary steps, a few are to:
* Train our community to become more politically active, specifically in the areas of voter registration, get out the vote efforts and election officer certification.
* Issue a report that will analyze the voting trends of Americans and American Muslims and determine strategies to maximize the power of our vote.
* Build coalitions with groups that share common ground on issues of importance to the Muslim community.
* Compile an exhaustive list of registered voters nationwide and other data on our community to take advantage of demographic strengths.
* Use the example of other Muslims who have run for public office, and become more active at the local level, advocating our issues in district, city and regional elections.
Be sure to keep informed by visiting our website: www.cair-net.org. Rest assured that CAIR will, insha'Allah, continue its mission of enhancing understanding of Islam, encouraging dialogue, protecting civil liberties, empowering American Muslims, and building coalitions in support of justice and mutual understanding.
We remain devoted to the cause of advocating for the American Muslim community's issues in the corridors of power--regardless of which political party holds a majority.
We are dedicated to reaching out to the re-elected President and his administration, advancing the twin causes of pluralism and diversity in American society.
The values we uphold know neither party affiliation nor sectarian creed. Their universality is what inspires us to continue our crucial work. We ask that you help us in that regard by implementing the above steps and by continuing to reach out to others in an attempt to make the next four years a propitious time in the history of American Muslims.
Congratulations on a job well done. We look forward to improving on our past successes in the months and years to come.
CNN – Nov. 5, 2004
Powell: Bush to aggressively pursue
issues important to Muslims
WASHINGTON (CNN) Nov. 5, 2004 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell told assembled Muslim guests Thursday that in its second term, the Bush administration will "strike a balance" between security and openness. Powell made his remarks at a State Department dinner celebrating the end of the daily Ramadan fast.
Powell acknowledged that heightened security since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the war on terrorism have "caused inconvenience" to many Muslims. But he said, "I want to assure you we are doing everything we can to strike a balance" between security and openness. And the Bush administration will deal aggressively with issues important to Muslims, he said.
"President Bush in his four years in office will be aggressively moving forward to deal with the concerns that are in your hearts and on your minds with the respect to the Middle East peace process, with respect to reform and modernization, with respect to solidifying democracy in places that never known democracy before and with respect fighting terrorism," Powell said.
The secretary hosted nearly 200 people, including young Muslims and women from a variety of countries in the Arab world and Asia.
Before the meal of lamb and chicken, an imam led the group in the call to prayer in the adjacent John Quincy Adams room, where prayer mats were laid out….
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