Video: CAIR 'Muslim Day' at Calif. Capitol Promotes Civic Engagement

Members of the California Muslim community are taking part in the 1st annual "Muslim Day at the Capitol" in Sacramento. This first-of-its-kind event seeks to promote community engagement in local politics and to discuss issues of interest to the Muslim community with legislators.

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Press TV, May 8, 2012
Muslims have gathered from across the state to take part in the first-ever Muslim Day at the Capitol.

The day is meant to engage Muslim voters on a state and federal level.

A report released by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding shows that Muslim voters could play a decisive role in swing states in the presidential election this November.

It follows the launch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations 2012 "Muslims Vote" campaign, which encourages American Muslims to increase their presence in politics and elections.

Zahra Billoo Is the executive director for CAIR San Francisco.

Billoo says the day at the capitol is modeled after the work of a number of other minority communities

The day gives Muslims the chance to make a personal connection to their legislators.

CAIR officials say this connection is important because some people are attempting to diminish the role that Muslims play in American politics.

Hussam Ayloush is the executive director for CAIR Los Angeles.

Ayloush says the day will give Muslims the tools they need to have their say in the political process.

CAIR offices are holding similar events in state capitols across America.

They're hopeful that the outreach efforts will result in a more involved and influential voting population.

Wadah Khanfar: Those who support democracy must welcome the rise of political Islam

guardian.co.uk,
Sunday 27 November 2011
Read Full Article

Ennahda, the Islamic party in Tunisia, won 41% of the seats of the Tunisian constitutional assembly last month, causing consternation in the west. But Ennahda will not be an exception on the Arab scene. Last Friday the Islamic Justice and Development Party took the biggest share of the vote in Morocco and will lead the new coalition government for the first time in history. And tomorrow Egypt's elections begin, with the Muslim Brotherhood predicted to become the largest party. There may be more to come. Should free and fair elections be held in Yemen, once the regime of Ali Abdullah Saleh falls, the Yemeni Congregation for Reform, also Islamic, will win by a significant majority. This pattern will repeat itself whenever the democratic process takes its course.

In the west, this phenomenon has led to a debate about the "problem" of the rise of political Islam. In the Arab world, too, there has been mounting tension between Islamists and secularists, who feel anxious about Islamic groups. Many voices warn that the Arab spring will lead to an Islamic winter, and that the Islamists, though claiming to support democracy, will soon turn against it. In the west, stereotypical images that took root in the aftermath of 9/11 have come to the fore again. In the Arab world, a secular anti-democracy camp has emerged in both Tunisia and Egypt whose pretext for opposing democratisation is that the Islamists are likely to be the victors.

But the uproar that has accompanied the Islamists' gains is unhelpful; a calm and well-informed debate about the rise of political Islam is long overdue.

First, we must define our terms. "Islamist" is used in the Muslim world to describe Muslims who participate in the public sphere, using Islam as a basis. It is understood that this participation is not at odds with democracy. In the west, however, the term routinely describes those who use violence as a means and an end – thus Jihadist Salafism, exemplified by al-Qaida, is called "Islamist" in the west, despite the fact that it rejects democratic political participation (Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaida, criticised Hamas when it decided to take part in the elections for the Palestinian legislative council, and has repeatedly criticised the Muslim Brotherhood for opposing the use of violence).

This disconnect in the understanding of the term in the west and in the Muslim world was often exploited by despotic Arab regimes to suppress Islamic movements with democratic political programmes. It is time we were clear...

Second, we must understand the history of the region. In western discourse Islamists are seen as newcomers to politics, gullible zealots who are motivated by a radical ideology and lack experience. In fact, they have played a major role in the Arab political scene since the 1920s. Islamic movements have often been in opposition, but since the 1940s they have participated in parliamentary elections, entered alliances with secular, nationalist and socialist groups, and participated in several governments – in Sudan, Jordan, Yemen and Algeria. They have also forged alliances with non-Islamic regimes, like the Nimeiri regime in Sudan in 1977...

Perhaps one of the most influential experiences has been that of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey, which won the elections in 2002. It has been a source of inspiration for many Islamic movements. Although the AKP does not describe itself as Islamic, its 10 years of political experience have led to a model that many Islamists regard as successful. The model has three important characteristics: a general Islamic frame of reference; a multi-party democracy; and significant economic growth...

The Islamic movement's approach to the west has also been balanced, despite the fact that western countries supported despotic Arab regimes. Islamists know the importance of international communication in an economically and politically interconnected world.

Now there is a unique opportunity for the west: to demonstrate that it will no longer support despotic regimes by supporting instead the democratic process in the Arab world, by refusing to intervene in favour of one party against another and by accepting the results of the democratic process, even when it is not the result they would have chosen. Democracy is the only option for bringing stability, security and tolerance to the region, and it is the dearest thing to the hearts of Arabs, who will not forgive any attempts to derail it...

The region has suffered a lot as a result of attempts to exclude Islamists and deny them a role in the public sphere. Undoubtedly, Islamists' participation in governance will give rise to a number of challenges, both within the Islamic ranks and with regard to relations with other local and international forces. Islamists should be careful not to fall into the trap of feeling overconfident: they must accommodate other trends, even if it means making painful concessions. Our societies need political consensus, and the participation of all political groups, regardless of their electoral weight. It is this interplay between Islamists and others that will both guarantee the maturation of the Arab democratic transition and lead to an Arab political consensus and stability that has been missing for decades.

Ayloush Khutba/sermon at ISOC: Change and action require ability and will

A khutba that i gave on 10/30/2009 at the Islamic Society of Orange County.  It just got posted by ISOC.

A video message from the future: Vote (funny video by MoveOn)

Even though most folks intend to vote, lots never get around to it. So share this video with your friends—Olivia's message will be customized just for them—to remind them exactly what's at stake.

Obama Approval High Among Muslims, Jews, and Catholics

by Lydia Saad
Gallup
May 1, 2009

PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup Poll Daily tracking during President Obama's first 100 days in office finds broad support for him among Americans affiliated with most major U.S. religions. U.S. Muslims and Jews give Obama his highest job approval ratings, at 85% and 79%, respectively. He also receives solid majority support from Roman Catholics (67%) and Protestants (58%), and more approval than disapproval from Mormons.

Click here to head full article

Video: Lessons from the African American Civil Rights Struggle - Khutba/Sermon

Friday Khutba (Sermon) by Hussam Ayloush at the Islamic Institute of Orange County - Masjid Omar AlFarouk on October 17, 2008.

The Khutba pointed to the lessons American Muslims can learn from the African American civil rights struggle. The Khutba also stressed the importance of civic engagement and political participation.

In the video, you can see Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN), the country's first elected Muslim member of Congress, who was visiting the area on that day. He later addressed the congregation and spoke on how critical it is for every citizen to vote and advance one's values and issues through political activism.

The Anti-Muslim Smear Machine Strikes Again?

By: Isabel Macdonald
Posted on: The Huffington Post

Excerpts from this good article:

In the midst of remarkably cynical election-time mud-slinging, the Obsession campaign is truly in a class of its own...

For the groups behind the film's distribution, the goal seems pretty clear: Scare the holy hell out of millions of voters in swing states about a possible Muslim takeover of the U.S. It's hard to see the targeting of electoral battlegrounds as anything other than an attempt to help John McCain get elected -- perhaps by capitalizing on the widespread whispering campaign that Obama is a "secret Muslim."

And one has to admit that the Obsession campaign's marketing plan has been quite slick...

There has really just been one small glitch in the plan: The public doesn't seem to be buying it. Newspapers that carried the DVD have faced floods of complaints from readers, and the past week has seen protests and press conferences denouncing the film.

The problem, it would appear, is that many readers simply do not accept the notion their newspaper should provide a cover for hate propaganda...

The public, it turns out, is a much a tougher sell than the corporate media. Major corporate media outlets have for years been citing the anti-Muslim pundits featured in Obsession as "experts."

For example: Steve Emerson has been invited regularly on NBC and described as an "anti-terror expert," despite the fact his research has been repudiated many times over. This is an "expert" who initially blamed the Oklahoma City bombing on Middle Eastern terrorists, and who is now going around claiming that the Bush State Department is collaborating with extremists.

And then there's Daniel Pipes. While he's repeatedly been cited by the media as an "expert" on Islam and the Middle East, he has warned that "the presence, and increased stature, and affluence, and enfranchisement of American Muslims" entail "true dangers" for American Jews...

Just a month before a critical election, there are no signs that the anti-Muslim mud-slinging campaign is going away. In fact, the secretive nonprofit called the Clarion Fund behind the Obsession campaign just came out with a brand new DVD, The Third Jihad, featuring Mark Steyn -- who, as FAIR's new report documents, has warned of the "demographic decline" posed by Europe's emerging Muslim population, and suggests there are lessons for Europeans in the Balkan example of ethnic cleansing.

You can read all about Emerson, Pipes and Steyn in a new report that's just been released called "Smearcasting: How Islamophobes Spread Fear, Bigotry and Misinformation" . The report profiles 12 top anti-Muslim pundits, including prominent talk show hosts Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck.

The media's long record of failing to challenge (and often enabling) anti-Muslim smears should leave us quite worried about how this final leg of election '08 will play out: Will the media continue to provide a platform to the anti-Muslim smear machine, or will they uphold standards of responsible journalism?

Irvine Muslim Candidate Receives Death Threat

Threat follows Islamophobic 'smear' by political opponent, Steven Choi

(ANAHEIM, CA, 10/10/08) The Greater Los Angeles Area chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) said today that a Muslim candidate for Irvine City Council reported receiving a phoned death threat after being “smeared” by a council member’s Islamophobic remarks.

This week, Irvine City Council candidate Todd Gallinger received an anonymous threat in which the caller reportedly said that he "read the article...about Todd being a born-again Muslim.” The Los Angeles Times reported that the caller said, "I want to cut off your head just like all the other Muslims deserve."
Gallinger is a Muslim attorney based in Irvine. The Irvine Police Department is investigating the alleged threat.

SEE: Muslim Candidate for Irvine City Council Gets Death Threat (Los Angeles Times)


The death threat came on the heels of an Islamophobic comment made by Irvine Council Member Stephen Choi, who allegedly attacked Gallinger's Muslim faith after an Irvine Chamber of Commerce candidate forum on September 19.

Those attending the forum reported that Choi called Gallinger "a born-again Muslim” and questioned if such a person is fit to represent the residents of Irvine. Choi also allegedly attacked Gallinger for his previous work with CAIR-LA. Gallinger represented CAIR-LA in two class action lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FBI relating to delayed background checks for naturalization applicants.

Following those remarks, CAIR-LA sent Choi a letter that read in part:

"...the safety of our staff, supporters, and any American Muslim may be endangered by those who take your words at face value. Had you contacted us, or any one of our 35 offices, we would have been more than happy to clarify our work and our mission."

Also today, CAIR’s Chicago chapter called on the FBI to investigate a recent incident of vandalism targeting a local mosque as a possible hate crime. CAIR is concerned that the level of anti-Muslim bias has been increased by the distribution of the anti-Muslim film “Obsession” to 28 million households in presidential election swing states nationwide.

SEE: Fox '24' Producer Pulls Endorsement of Anti-Muslim Film


The Muslim civil rights and advocacy group is urging Muslims nationwide to review security procedures using advice in CAIR’s "Muslim Community Safety Kit."

In September, CAIR released its annual report on the status of American Muslim civil rights. That report, called “Without Fear of Discrimination,” outlined 2,652 incidents and experiences of anti-Muslim violence, discrimination and harassment in 2007.

To view the entire report, click here.

Irvine Councilman Steven Choi resorts to anti-Muslim bigotry to defame opponent

Irvine council candidate ties opponent to 'dangerous' Islamic group
Muslim leaders decry Steven Choi's comments as 'insulting and false.'

By SEAN EMERY

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Full article: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cair-choi-organization-2175141-political-islamic

IRVINE - An Irvine councilman has questioned his political opponent's work with what he called a "dangerous" Islamic advocacy group with alleged terrorist ties, drawing the ire of many in the local Muslim community who described the comments as divisive and false.

The comments by Councilman Steven Choi came at the close of a recent Chamber of Commerce election forum attended by the dozen candidates for Irvine office. Choi cautioned the audience of business and community leaders not to vote for a candidate who works for the Council on American-Islamic Relations – commonly known as CAIR – which he described as a "dangerous and Islamic organization."

[my notes: Such typical defamatory comments are driven by Choi's shameful Islamophobia or desperate desire to win the election at any cost. Accusing CAIR of being a dangerous organization is ridiculous. CAIR is highly praised by various government officials for the work it does in defending our country's national security. CAIR offices across the country are involved in offering cultural diversity training to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure a stronger partnership with the American Muslim community. Read: What they say aboutCAIR ]

Supporters say the high-profile Muslim advocacy group helps spread understanding of Islam and protection of civil liberties. But critics of the group question its funding and political agenda, claiming that it is linked to terrorist groups.

While Choi did not identify the candidate by name, the barb was clearly directed at Todd Gallinger, a lawyer and born-again Muslim who has represented CAIR in several class-action lawsuits. Gallinger is a member of the Keep Irvine Safe political slate with Councilman Sukhee Kang, Mayor Beth Krom and Councilman Larry Agran.

"Obviously it's just slimy political tactics," Gallinger said. "It's an attempt to play on xenophobia and fear."

Choi said his comments were directed specifically at CAIR, not at the Muslim community.

"I just don't want to make a big deal out of it. It went out of proportion," Choi said. "I did not even mention the candidate's name, but I wanted to bring up the fact there is a candidate who works at CAIR. Looking back I should have stopped there."

CAIR leaders have demanded an apology from Choi, describing his comments as "not only insulting and false, but also tantamount to public defamation." In a letter to the councilman, Hussam Ayloush, executive director CAIR's greater Los Angeles area chapter, described the group as the "largest American Muslim advocacy organization," claiming it has "unequivocally condemned all acts of terrorism."

"CAIR is a huge organization with literally thousands of members and volunteers. An organization is not judged by the wrong behavior of a person (that) goes against the policies of the organization," Ayloush said. "We don't practice guilt by association here."

CAIR detractors have risen to Choi's defense, accusing the organization of backing an extreme Islamic political agenda, pointing out that several individuals with ties to the group have been convicted or deported for their connections to terrorist groups.

[my notes: Another smear and create fear tactic usually thrown against every Muslim organization that dares to criticize this administration's neo-con policies or Israel's brutal occupation and practices. CAIR's unequivocal condemnation of all acts of terror, regardless of the perpetrators' religious affiliation, is a well documented fact. Such a principled stance derives from our Islamic teachings which promote justice and respect for human dignity and sanctity of life. Read: CAIR and Muslim response to terrorism ]

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore of Irvine in a blog entry last week wrote that while he had "no doubt that the local chapter of CAIR is filled with many caring people and diligent citizens," he also had "no doubt that CAIR has had its share of members who have supported terrorism and have raised money for terror."

[my notes: Total nonsense and nothing short of bigotry. But again, Chuck DeVore will always be Chuck DeVore. One has to consider the source.
So if one of CAIR's hundreds of thousands of members and supporters is guilty of a crime, the whole organization should be held responsible? By Chuck DeVore's logic (or lack of it), every Republican including DeVore himself must be immoral and guilty since they all belong to the same Republican Party of Randy "Duke" Cunningham (guilty of taking bribes), Jack Abramoff (corrupt lobbyist guilty of corruption and who is associated with most local Republican members of Congress), and of course Senator Larry Craig among many others). This is total nonsense that aims to stoke anti-Muslim paranoia in order to gain a few right-wing votes]

Islamic Center of Irvine President Issa Edah-Tally said he is willing to mediate a meeting between Choi and CAIR. The Islamic Center works with CAIR often, Edah-Tally said, which he described as "in no way a dangerous organization."

"I was shocked to hear that a council candidate made those comments," Edah-Tally said. "I can see how this can create waves of division in the community,"

Choi said he does not plan to meet with CAIR, and does not believe an apology is warranted.

"If anyone has to apologize, it is them for publicly defaming my name," Choi said.

Pat Rodgers, Choi's political ally who is also running for council, defended his criticism of CAIR, who he claimed had taken a non-issue and "thrown gasoline on the fire."

"This thing is not about being a Muslim," Rodgers said. "If you align yourself with an organization like that, you need to prepare yourself for a backlash."

The local political squabbling mirrors the national debate that has unfolded over the past few years between CAIR supporters and critics.

The controversy surrounding CAIR forced Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) in 2006 to revoke a certificate of appreciation to a CAIR representative after being targeted by online critics.

[my notes: Read the full details of this story: Boxer gives in to Islamophobia ]

That same year, former state Republican Party chairman Shawn Steel accused Anaheim City Council candidate Bill Daleti of holding "extremist" views, partly due to his support of CAIR. Dalati, who responded by switching from the Republican to Democratic Party, was unsuccessful in his bid for Anaheim City Council.

[my notes: No matter where their political views might be or which political party they belong to, I am confident that the residents of Irvine will continue to refuse the politics of fear mongering and bigotry. Irvine has been a model city in promoting harmony, respect, and tolerance. It will continue to be so.]

Helping with national voter registration drive

Inland Muslims sign on to nationwide voter registration push
By DAVID OLSON
The Press-Enterprise

Hanna Shafik has been a U.S. citizen for 13 years. The Egyptian-born woman always meant to register to vote but didn't do so until Wednesday, when she spotted a voter-registration table at the Ontario Convention Center after leaving prayers for Eid ul-Fitr, which celebrates the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

"People need to know that we have rights too, that they can't ignore us," Shafik, 38, said after filling out a registration form.

Voter-registration tables were set up across the country outside Eid prayers as part of a Council on American-Islamic Relations effort to increase Muslim voter turnout.

At the table in Ontario on Wednesday, a CAIR poster had a list of concerns for many Muslims, such as: "Why do they link Islam with Fascism?" "How can I protect the rights of immigrants?" and "Why do they harass us at the airport?"

"If you don't vote, don't complain," the poster concludes.

Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR's southern California office, said he believes Muslims are upset at being used as political punching bags in campaigns, especially by Republicans.

"Muslims are saying enough is enough," he said. "We demand to not be treated as second-class citizens anymore. They're going to respond to the rhetoric with their votes. They understand that's how it works in this country."

At Ayloush's mosque, the Islamic Society of Corona-Norco, voter-registration tables have been set up outside Friday prayer services for the past several weeks.

In Ontario on Wednesday morning, Roya Eshanzada, of Fontana, was filling out a registration form because she had recently moved. Eshanzada said most issues that Muslims care about are the same ones that any voter considers, such as the economy and the Iraq war.

Eshanzada said she is planning to vote for Sen. Barack Obama for president, despite concerns by some Muslims that he has not stood up forcefully enough to defend Islam amid false rumors that he is a Muslim. "I can't blame him" for not more strongly and frequently defending Muslims, she said. "I think he's afraid to cross that line because he'd be attacked. Muslims are seen so negatively in the media."

Obama is a Christian but his stepfather and paternal grandfather were Muslims, and he spent part of his childhood in the world's largest Muslim country, Indonesia.

A Pew Research Center poll released last week found that 13 percent of voters believe that Obama is a Muslim, and that those who believed the rumors were less likely to vote for the Illinois Democrat. A 2007 Pew poll revealed that 45 percent of Americans were less likely to vote for a Muslim presidential candidate.

Shamel Shafik, the husband of Hanna Shafik, blames some supporters of Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain for spreading the rumors and, in his opinion, defaming Islam. He also blames Obama for not talking about his Muslim ancestors and more strongly speaking out against anti-Muslim prejudice.

"Neither has reached out to Muslims," the Claremont resident said.

Shafik, 49, has not decided who to vote for, but he said that if either candidate were to visit a mosque or a Muslim event, that would swing his vote. It would show that the candidate recognizes Muslims as an important part of U.S. society, he said.

"As citizens, we are loyal to this country," Shafik said. "We have our kids in the schools, we have our businesses, we are part of the community here. We are not visitors here. This is our land, and this is the future for our kids. We need to express our voices."

Reach David Olson at 951-368-9462 or dolson@PE.com