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AMP Research – December 2004

Democrats woo Muslim and Arab voters

Democratic convention

The number of Muslim and Arab delegates to the July 2004 Democratic National Convention had grown by 60 percent. Forty three Muslim and Arab delegates were representing 20 states at the 2004 convention, up from 25 Muslims at the Democratic convention four years ago.

The American Muslim Task Force, formed by a number of Muslim organizations in February 2004, held a hospitality suite during the Democratic convention in Boston. More than 200 delegates attended the AMT Hospitality Suite. It was great opportunity to secure their support in urging the Democratic Party to improve its position on civil rights and inclusion.

The AMT-initiated petition urging the DNC to insert the following language in the party platform as an addendum was signed by more than 200 delegate including the entire Hawaii delegation and most of the Texas delegation. The key part of the petition read:

“The Democratic Party reaffirms its commitment to due process, equal justice, freedom of religion, speech, assembly and privacy, protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, the presumption of innocence, access to counsel in judicial proceedings, and fair, speedy and public trial. We oppose ex post facto laws, secret proceeding and use of secret evidence, and we also seek repeal of those sections of the USA PARTIOT ACT deemed manifestly unconstitutional and un-American. Media reports

Democrats hold conference call with AMT leaders: On Oct. 14, 2004, representatives of the American Muslim Task force held a conference call with Senator Ted Kennedy, Steve Elmendorf, Kerry - Edwards Deputy Campaign Manager, and Mona Pasquil, Director of Communities. Dr. Maher Hathout, Senior Advisor to the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and Dr. Agha Saeed, Executive Director of the American Muslim Alliance, shared the issues that could determine the Muslim vote. A statement issued by the Kerry campaign said: ”As Senator Kennedy stated, civil liberties and inclusion of American Muslims exist in the heart and soul of John Kerry and are issues that they both have fought for in the Senate. In response to Dr. Hathout's question Senator Kennedy mentioned that expanding the Cultural Bridges Program was one step or example of inclusion of talented and brilliant Muslims.  Steve Elmendorf, Deputy Campaign Manager reiterated that a Kerry - Edwards administration will engage and involve Muslim Americans. Lastly, in response to Mr. Kareem, Sen. Kennedy stressed that we are in an ongoing dialogue to build trust within a community that has been trampled on for the past three years.” George Kivork National Director of Ethnic Outreach

The American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections included: American Muslim Alliance (AMA), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Muslim Alliance of North America (MANA), Muslim American Society (MAS), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), Muslim Student Association - National (MSA-N), Project Islamic Hope (PIH) and United Muslims of America (UMA).

Letter to Arab Americans

In Oct. 2004, in a letter to Arab Americans, senior Kerry adviser Rand Beers committed that a Kerry administration would do as much. Beers wrote:

John Kerry and John Edwards believe that bringing security and stability to the Middle East is vital to American national security, to the security of Israel and other countries in the region, and to the aspirations of the Palestinian people for a viable Palestinian state. In a Kerry-Edwards administration, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will not be an afterthought. . . .[Kerry and Edwards] will work tirelessly to achieve a stable, lasting peace with security in the Middle East and ensure that American leadership is a source of hope in the region. Beers went on to say that a Kerry administration would take steps to end and prevent racial profiling. The Ashcroft Justice Department has unfairly targeted Muslim and Arab-Americans and has selectively enforced the immigration laws against these communities. John Kerry and John Edwards will uphold constitutional rights and protections, and civil rights laws.

MPAC hosts American Muslim Activists and Kerry-Edwards Campaign meeting

In response to a request from the Kerry-Edwards campaign, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), on Sept. 16, 2004, hosted a meeting between former Governor Jean Shaheen (D-CT), Chairperson of the Kerry Campaign, and American Muslim activists throughout the country. Participants represented Muslims in the key battleground states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Iowa, and Florida as well as New York, California, Michigan, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

Dr. Maher Hathout, Senior Advisor to MPAC, articulated the following most urgent concerns of American Muslims on behalf of the attending leaders to campaign officials, according to a MPAC press release.

1. American Muslims expect of a future Kerry-Edwards administration to examine the Patriot Act in light of the Constitution and the general tenor of law enforcement in the past 50 years. We should maintain only those provisions of the Act which enhance our government's ability to defend the country, while strictly respecting the Constitution and freedoms available through other laws. Many elected officials allege that the Patriot Act was not fully debated. In a Kerry-Edwards administration, there must be such debate and America Muslims should be participants. American Muslims have the requisite expertise and willingness to offer intelligent insight on the course of our nation in this post-9/11 era.

2. American Muslims expect to be included in a future Kerry-Edwards Administration. Visits that lack substance and group pictures are insufficient. American Muslims expect to be offered policy-making positions dealing with issues in which they can offer expertise, with regard to Counterterrorism policy, Health, and Education in such agencies as the Department of Justice, the State Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and others. American Muslims are not asking for preferential treatment, we are only asking to be represented in positions that offer opportunities to make positive change.

3. A Kerry Administration must be determined to ensure the First Amendment rights of American Muslims to freely practice their religion. Exercise of the fifth pillar of Islam, Charity, is a Constitutional right of all Americans. American Muslims should have the right to offer money to any group of people around the world and within the US who use that money for a charitable purpose within the bounds of the law. Access to transparently legitimate institutions which can disperse such funds is the responsibility of the government, whether through a certification process or otherwise. Any certification process should not be burdensome or impossible to comply with.

According to MPAC, this meeting demonstrated a desire on the part of the Kerry-Edwards campaign to understand the needs of American Muslim communities, and clarify their position on issues critical to the voters. “MPAC encourage the Bush-Cheney campaign to extend similar opportunities for Muslims to voice their opinions and offer an expert, authentic voice on issues affecting America” the MPAC press release concluded. MPAC press release Sept. 16, 2004

Pelosi, Democratic leaders hold roundtable discussion with Muslim American leaders

On July 14, 2004, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI), Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY), and other Congressional Democrats were joined by national leaders of the Muslim American community in a roundtable discussion on issues of mutual concern to Democrats and Muslim Americans. The discussion centered on working together to defend civil rights and to restore civil liberties, a press release from Pelosi’s office said.

"This discussion is only the first in an ongoing dialogue between Congressional Democrats and Muslim Americans," Pelosi said. "We share a fundamental principle - the belief that diversity is the backbone of our communities. Generations of Muslims have made positive contributions in every aspect of American life. We must now work even more closely to navigate through the challenges we face as a nation."

"Since September 11th, many Muslim Americans have been subjected to searches at airports and other locations based upon their religion and national origin, without any credible information linking individuals to criminal conduct," Pelosi continued. "Racial and religious profiling is fundamentally un-American and we must make it illegal.

"When the Patriot Act was enacted, it was intended to be accompanied by strong Congressional oversight to prevent abuses of our civil liberties. That oversight has not occurred, particularly with the mass detention campaign ordered by Attorney General Ashcroft, which to date has led to more than 5,000 foreign nationals being detained since September 11th. Moreover, individuals' assets have been frozen on the basis of secret evidence that they have no opportunity to confront or rebut, and such processes are a fundamental denial of due process. We must correct the Patriot Act to prevent abuses of our civil liberties."

Working with Conyers, the Ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Democrats have introduced legislation to end racial profiling, limit the reach of the Patriot Act, and make immigration safe and accessible. Leader Pelosi is a proud cosponsor of the End Racial Profiling Act, the Security and Freedom Ensured Act (SAFE), and the Safe, Orderly, and Legal Visas Enforcement Act (SOLVE).

"These measures are long overdue, and we call on the Republican leadership in Congress to bring them to a vote now," Pelosi said. "As we protect and defend the American people, we must protect and defend the Constitution and the civil rights that define our democracy. Ours is a country of great diversity and we must stand together as one America."

The following Democrats also participated in the discussion: former Democratic Whip David Bonior (D-MI), Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), and Congressman Nick Joe Rahall (D-WV).

The American Muslim groups represented at the meeting included the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Islamic Society of North America, Indian Muslim Council, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim American Society, Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America, Muslim Bar Association, National Association of Muslim Lawyers, and the Universal Muslim Association of America.  Press Release from Pelosi’s office, July 14, 2004.

MPAC Convention

During the two day ( Dec. 20-21, 2003) convention of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) presidential hopefuls provided representatives, sent video presentations and called, by special phone connection, into plenary sessions to speak to Muslim attendees and their issues. In addition, a White House representative participated in a packed plenary session entitled “Iraq Beyond Saddam Hussein.”

Candidates Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinich, and John Kerry all made special efforts to speak to American Muslims during plenary sessions from their campaign travels in the mid-west. “The efforts on behalf of the White House and Democrat presidential candidates to court the Muslim vote is a clear sign that they recognize and understand our issues and that they are taking us seriously,” stated Salam Al-Marayati, executive director of MPAC.

During their phone calls candidates shared their perspectives on a range of American Muslim issues including the injustices of the Patriot Act, the Administration’s unilateral decision-making regarding Iraq, the misguided immigration registration program, and their plans to advance a peaceful solution to the war in Iraq and the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.

“I think that this November will see American Muslims coming to the polls in unsurpassed numbers to cast their vote. American Muslims feel empowered and more then ever included and engaged in the political process of our nation,” commented Al-Marayati. “This is due,” he continued, “to actions our elected leaders took in response to 9-11 as well as the dramatic increase in voter registration drives and the large number of American Muslim youth who have become eligible to vote since the last presidential election.” Media reports

Muslims launch website supporting Kerry

On August 10, 2004, a private group officially launched a new website encouraging Muslim Americans to vote for John Kerry in the November presidential election. The site http://www.muslimsforkerry.com featured news, articles, testimonials, forums, voter registration links and a blog. "Muslims voters in this election are a crucial demographic for the campaigns, because of their concentration in battleground states like Michigan and Ohio," said Shahed Amanullah, one of the founders of MuslimsForKerry.com. "In this election Muslim voters will come out in large numbers and vote for the candidate that offers this country the brightest future. That candidate is clearly John Kerry, and we believe that as Muslims weigh the various options in the months ahead, they will come to the conclusion that Kerry