Muslim WakeUp! MWU!: US Elections 2004

November 28, 2004

The Rise of Political Christianity
My recommendations to Muslims is to dump ideology, specially the Islamist ideology which is the mirror image of political Christianity, and adopt a pragmatic approach designed to protect the American Muslim community and work towards integrating it with the American mainstream.

In Defense of AMT
The alarming level of factual inaccuracies has finally compelled me to set the record straight once and for all.

November 10, 2004

On Surviving 4 More Years
Draft Reinstatement: Die in piece. I�m beyond draft age. Die though, in the knowledge that your death did not buy me safety from terrorist nor did it get me cheaper gas. (points: 0)

November 8, 2004

The Fun of Watching Bush Get Elected in a Foreign Country
I walked into the taxi, consumed by a sense of both excitement and anxiety. �Do you know what today is,� I asked the driver. He looked at me with a confused look. So, I repeated the question, annunciating my words more carefully. �It�s Tuesday,� he said.

'America�s Tragedy Has Become Ours As Well': The Bush Victory As Seen by the World
The fact that both George Bush and Hamid Karzai announced their electoral victories on practically the same day is ironic � as both elections have been bogged by charges of irregularities.

November 4, 2004

What a Difference a Day Makes
Do not be depressed. There is work to do. There is light to make.

November 3, 2004

America Is the Greatest... Schizophrenic Mind
Americans love to talk about how great America is. I heard someone on TV last night saying how "The people were talking and they showed up to vote. That's what makes America so great." Is it just me, or has America actually gone a bit loopy?

A Possible Solution to US Electoral Problems

November 2, 2004

Today Is the Day, Yalla Vote Now!
This short message is intended rather for those who are not planning to vote or those who are planning to vote for our fellow Arab American, independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader.

Holbrooke and East Timor: Key Kerry Advisor's Disturbing History
What the mainstream media and others have failed to disclose this election season is that one of Senator Kerry�s key policy advisors, Richard Holbrooke, happened to play a significant role in perhaps the largest US backed genocide of the twentieth-century.

November 1, 2004

The Lord Cromer and President Bush Connection: Touting Freedom Abroad While Suppressing Them at Home
Lord Cromer viewed Britain's control of its various possessions with an almost missionary zeal: yes trade was important and the supply of raw material for British factories had to be secured, but it was also his duty to "civilize" the natives, lift them from their centuries of social decay and laziness, and liberate their women.

My Mother Wants to Vote
"I want to vote this year," my mother said. This came as a bit of a surprise to me as she has never wanted to vote before. Trust me, my mother has a keen interest in politics.

A Principled Vote for Nader Will Prove Muslims� Real Voting Power
Bush and Kerry take almost the same position on civil rights. Both support the Patriot Act, the nation's anti-terrorism law, which many believe has resulted in the mistreatment of Muslim citizens and immigrants.

October 28, 2004

Instead of Responding to Community Criticism, AMT Opts for Self-Congratulation & Misinformation
Unfortunately, AMT's response [to criticism of its endorsement decision] is indicative of the highhanded manner with which these bodies seek to run Muslim affairs even as they claim that they are representative and consultative in their approach.

October 25, 2004

A MULE-PAC Endorses Kerry; 'We don't like him, but we still want cushy appointments,' Group Says
Look, we know we screwed up in 2000 when we endorsed George W. Bush... But, despite any misgivings you might have about our strategies or perceived incompetence, we want you to listen to us anyway in 2004 and vote for Sen. John Kerry for President.

Anticipation
This November I will vote to have my opinion counted

October 22, 2004

American Muslim Leaders Insult John Kerry and Alienate George W. Bush
The American Muslim Task Force has decided to insult both of the presidential candidates as a strategy to improve the civil rights environment in the United States.

October 21, 2004

AMT Does About Turn on Endorsement, Excludes MPAC from Deliberations
After AMT�s member groups and affiliates voted this past Sunday to not issue a presidential endorsement, the American Muslim Taskforce (AMT) announced today in a Washington, DC press conference that it is issuing a �qualified endorsement� for Sen. John Kerry...

October 20, 2004

Non-Endorsement and Irrelevance
Update--10/21: The American Muslim Taskforce has just announced a "qualified endorsement" of Senator Kerry. The statement calls for a "protest vote against the oppressive order of the Bush Administration." Our exclusive report on the Muslim organizations' expected non-endorsement of a...

October 18, 2004

Muslim Groups Likely to Not Issue Endorsement for President
Barring any last minute initiatives from the Kerry campaign, the American Muslim Taskforce (AMT), a coalition of major Muslim organizations, is preparing to announce later this week that they are not issuing an endorsement for a presidential candidate in the upcoming elections.

October 17, 2004

An Open Letter to American Muslims
Kerry may not be any different. But the candidates for the Presidency of the United States must be made aware that in democratic America, Muslim citizens have a voice and can influence the selection of the rulers of the country.

September 1, 2004

Even with a Kerry Victory, Progressives Need to Look Past November
No matter the outcome of the elections, there will be much work to be done�on that, all of us should agree.

August 30, 2004

This Is What Democracy Looks Like: Joining a Quarter of a Million Marchers in New York to Welcome the Republicans
I was among the quarter of a million people marching in New York City on the eve of the Republican Convention, the largest demonstration at a political convention in the history of the United States.

August 29, 2004

WakeUp America: The UFPJ March in Pictures
By Ahmed Nassef Today's United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) March in New York City stretched for dozens of city blocks and joined hundreds of thousands of Americans who came together to protest the Bush Administration's policies. Browse through...

August 24, 2004

Is Ralph Nader Anti-Semitic? The ADL Wants You to Think So
On Thursday August 20th the Washington Post reported that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has branded Ralph Nader a "bigot", which is a furtive way of saying they think the independent candidate for president is a vile anti-Semite.

August 5, 2004

Muslim Organizations to Endorse Bush After Debates, New Group Predicts
I think there is a very good chance that Muslim groups will endorse President Bush. Remember, four years ago, it wasn�t until the debate that the Muslim groups endorsed Bush. You�ll see the same thing happen again. Just wait for the debates.

August 2, 2004

How George W. Bush Changed America
Really what has September 11th changed? To my mind nothing much has changed except America.

July 29, 2004

Managing Anger and Democracy at the Democratic Convention
Razor wire adorns the skyline in liberal Massachusetts. Gee I can hardly wait for the other convention in Ashcroft land.

June 26, 2004

Betrayal-2000 and the 2004 Elections: US Muslims Leaders Still Haven�t Learned Their Lesson
Traditional US Muslim leaders still seem to be asleep at the wheel, denying any change in direction and ignoring trends among their rank and file.

Canadian Muslim Leaders Are Misusing Mosques for Partisan Political Agendas
Although this election�the first after 9/11�provides us an opportunity to assert our strength, and send a message of solidarity with people who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us in our darkest days, the traditional Canadian Muslim leadership has unwisely chosen to use the country�s mosques to serve short-term partisan ends.

May 19, 2004

Homes Destroyed, Death Toll Mounts; Where�s Kerry?
Democratic Senator John Kerry has been virtually silent regarding the rising violence in the West Bank, where the United Nations Relief and Works Agency has estimated over 1,100 Palestinians have been left homeless due to Israel�s latest armored rampage.

April 20, 2004

Scary, Scary John Kerry, and Ralph?
It is true that Ralph Nader may not be the answer to all that ails us, but he is at this moment the only Presidential candidate willing to challenge the status quo we call American politics. A vote for John Kerry may amount to a vote against a vile Bush administration, but it is also a vote cast in support of a degraded structure that continues to ignore the majority of the American people.

April 18, 2004

Leading into Darkness: The Unveiling of the Bush Reelection Strategy
A string of disturbing events over the past week may point to the Bush campaign�s real reelection strategy.

March 29, 2004

American Muslims and the Politics of Block Voting
In the coming Presidential elections, the stakes are very high for American Muslims. If George Bush can be defeated, there is hope that many of the unconstitutional practices instituted by the USA Patriot Act will be revoked by his successor, Muslim organizations will be spared undue hardship, and America may be less likely to invade Muslim countries under dubious circumstances.

February 18, 2004

Muslims for Bush! Muslim Organizations Officially Undecided, But Muslim Americans Pour Thousands into 2004 Bush Campaign
It is no wonder that these groups are suddenly so timid about their endorsement plans. They don't even seem to agree on whether AMPCC still exists.

February 12, 2004

Howard�s End: Dean's Fading Is No Big Loss
�I�m a fiscal conservative,� Dean said in early in the primaries. �I�m most proud of our fiscal stability�I left the state in better shape than I found it � Capitalism is a great system.�

January 6, 2004

The Case for Dennis Kucinich
The candidate at the Islamic Center in Tampa Bay, Florida By Al-Muhajabah There's a lot of debate among Muslims over who to vote for in the 2004 presidential primaries. The two candidates with the most support among Muslims are...

December 18, 2003

The Disheveled Democrats: Pro-War Candidates Show Their True Colors, Attack Dean on Iraq
Howard Dean's latest comments regarding the US capture of the bearded Saddam have been right on the mark. The spiteful reaction from his dreary opponents hardly comes as a shock.

December 17, 2003

Dr. Dean Is Calling, but Are Muslim Voters Answering?
The lack of Muslim participation is bizarre (but not entirely surprising) and remains one of the few compelling mysteries of the early campaign season. After all, it would seem that American Muslims have a double imperative for getting involved. As concerned Americans, we have a responsibility to participate in our country�s political process and to be active citizens. As Muslims, we have the responsibility � if not the outright duty � to help our country become more just and equitable in its dealings with its own citizens and with the Muslim world at-large.

November 25, 2003

Let the Democrats Drown: Why Nader Is Still a Better Choice
But why would Nader not endorse the Democrats as they attempt to dethrone Bush? Because he knows the Democrats, even if successful, will not radically challenge the policies of the imperial ruling class they are patrons of. Nader will point out that prior to 2002, when the Democrats ruled the Senate, they supported some of the most egregious bills team Bush muscled through Congress.

November 11, 2003

Will One of You Please Woo Me: A Not So in Depth Analysis of Why I�m Not Backing Any of the Candidates for the US Presidency Yet
The next Presidential election is a little over a year away, so it seems like it�s time to start paying attention to the list of candidates, perhaps getting behind one of them. But not a single one is wooing me. Is it wrong for me to want my candidate�s words to move me, to make me feel like there is hope or to even, as far fetched as this may be, make me proud of my government?

October 10, 2003

Israel May Be Our Demise: Why Democrats Are So Far to the Right on Israel
So what Middle-East direction shall the US take if progressives decide to unite and dump Bush? It�s becoming more and more apparent that Democrats won�t endorse any populist platform like that of Dennis Kucinich or Al Sharpton. If Democratic constituents won�t endorse real progressive candidates, then their party is certainly doomed. Unfortunately, it may signal the demise of our peace and security as well. The largest threats to our security stem from fundamentalism bred in the Middle East; with a direct link to the US backing of Israel.

September 11, 2003

Wesley Clark�s Unanswered Questions: Will His War Record Hurt His Chances with Liberals and Progressives?
But the Kosovo war also raises some of the biggest questions regarding Clark�s own judgment and character, questions that he will need to address if he hopes to drive liberal and progressive Democratic Primary voters away from Howard Dean and, to a lesser extent, Dennis Kucinich.

August 9, 2003

Presidency for the Taking: Latest Pew Poll Shows Weakness of Bush and Democrats
Today, more Americans (37%) disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing as President than at any time since he took office, according to a study released this week by the Pew Research Center. In fact, all the signs point to a potential political disaster for Bush. So should the President be worried enough to hasten the discovery of that dusty biological weapons canister in the back of a Tikrit warehouse?

July 7, 2003

Hug Joan Sekler

During the whole controversy, the media was concentrating on the hanging chads and butterfly ballots. But that was never part of the Republican plan in Florida. The real story is how they systematically suppressed the African American vote.

June 22, 2003

Howard Dean: Sharon's Man?
Although often portrayed as progressive, former Vermont governor and Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean falls short on several issues important to progressives, with the Middle East being one of the more glaring.