[Originally posted 11/4/06] If I were a senior advisor to President Bush, here’s a memo I might present to him on successfully navigating his relationship with American Muslims.
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Memorandum
To: The President of the United States of America
From: Senior Policy Advisor to the President
Subject: Successfully Navigating Your Relationship with American Muslims
Date: November 4, 2006
THE ISSUE
Our allies in Europe are in the midst of an emotional conflagration regarding the meaning of Muslim integration into European society. Several weeks ago Mr. Blair of the United Kingdom called the Muslim veil a “mark of separation” that hinders positive integration of minority groups into society. Mr. Jack Straw, the UK’s leader of the House of Commons, admitted that he requires Muslim women visiting his office to take off the veil. France has a standing ban on head scarves among Muslim women. Moreover, we are currently one year removed from the civil unrest in the Muslim saturated ghettos of France.
Muslims around the world are wondering if peaceful integration, rather than continued stigmatization, is possible for Muslim minorities living in the West. Muslims in the United States are similarly asking questions about the feasibility of peaceful integration of their community into mainstream society. Public perception of Muslims is relatively low and ignorance about Islam is high: according to a November 2005 survey sponsored by the influential Council on American-Islamic Relations, only 2% of survey respondents indicated that they are “very knowledgeable” about Islam while 25% of Americans believe that Islam is a religion of hatred and violence.[i] Moreover, the survey indicated that only 41% of Americans believe that American Muslims cooperate in the War on Terror.[ii]
BACKGROUND
There are approximately 5 to 6 million Muslims in the United States. Islam in America is on the rise: 60% of those born outside the USA migrated here in the last two decades.[iii] Additionally, 74% of adult Muslim Americans are less than 50 years old.[iv] A negative perception of the United States is prevalent on the streets of the Muslim world. While the causes of this negative perception are complex, at the core are grievances towards the USA for its lavish support of Israel in the 20th century and the almost ubiquitous, collective skepticism in the Muslim world as to whether the War on Terror is a modern day manifestation of the Crusades.
The past two years have shown to be very volatile in Muslim/non-Muslim relations: in the last quarter of 2005 the world’s eyes were opened to the volatility of the global Muslim community in response to the Danish newspaper cartoons. Also in 2005, there were the Muslim ghetto riots in France. The Vatican found itself in a debacle in September 2006 over the Pope’s controversial comments regarding Islam and violence. As the midterm elections are upon us, it is time to rethink how to successfully navigate your relationship with the American Muslim community. The central question that America faces is, “How can America successfully fight Islamist terrorists in the War on Terror and keep a strong and positive reputation among Muslim communities in America and abroad?” In response to this question, I have enumerated below on my recommended courses of action and analyzed their respective consequences.
RECOMMENDED COURSES OF ACTION
The objective before you is to successfully navigate your relationship with the American Muslim community. To that end, you should consider the following courses of action:
· Establish The President’s Council on Muslim Relations. This council would be comprised of a select group of American-Islamic scholars and exceptional Islamic lay leaders. They would serve as an advisory group to you regarding Islam and the Muslim world. This Council should be representative of the American-Muslim community. This council will also serve to validate what you have previously claimed to be the “true” Islam, namely, a peaceful Islam. In other words, let this Council convince the American public of the nature of Islam, as opposed to you personally validating Islam to the American public. This Council would also serve to increase the public’s awareness of Muslims that condemn terrorism at all levels. A recent survey indicated that only one-third of Americans are aware of Muslim leaders condemning terrorism and 70% of Americans would have a more favorable attitude towards Muslims if they knew that Muslims condemned terrorism more strongly.[v] All of your Administration’s official statements on Islam should be derived from the recommendations of this presidentially appointed Council, thus redirecting criticism of any misinterpretation of Islam or the Muslim world away from you and towards this Council. Establishing this Council would also be an official declaration to the Muslim world of your desire to listen to respected Muslim leaders and to ensure American Muslims the same freedoms that all Americans have the right to enjoy. For instance, this Council will safeguard you from the accusation that you will follow in the steps of France or Mr. Blair of the UK in their belief that certain Muslim cultural expressions hinder the advancement of society.
· Publicly recognize the multicolored nature of the American-Muslim community. American Muslims despise being categorized into any specific classification and, therefore, it is beneficial that you admit the futility of strictly classifying the Muslim world into black and white terms. This black and white mentality has the effect of reviving the negative collective memories of the Crusades among Muslim communities. Publicly recognizing the wide diversity of Muslims in America will help reduce upheavals caused by broad classifications and categorizing. For example, neologisms that you have used in the past, such as “Islamic fascists”, should be avoided. Your use of this term in an August 10, 2006 yielded negative response from the American-Muslim community; the Muslim community was unable to decipher what you meant by combining the term of their dearest affection, “Islam”, with the term “fascism”.[vi] As one scholar put it, “At this time, you need to get every single Muslim in your population that you possibly can on [your] side. They are your best source of intelligence. To start labeling large numbers of people as Islamo-fascists can have the effect of driving them into the opposite camp”.[vii]
· Call American Christians towards peacemaking and bridge building. I recommend that you call the evangelical Christian constituency among whom you have still have strong influence to build mutual bridges of respect, understanding, and compassion with the American-Muslim community. Emphasize that you are not calling the Christian community to total appeasement or theological pluralism; rather, you are calling them to seek peace, respect, and total freedom for all Americans, no matter what their religion or culture. You have exemplified this ethic well throughout your presidency; now it is time to call your Christian following to the same. This will undoubtedly be well received by both Christian and Muslim communities in America and abroad. Opportunities to make this official call abound; for instance, you may make this call at the President’s Annual Prayer Breakfast or at the President’s speeches to Christian denominational conventions. Additionally, I recommend that you publicly endorse creative efforts among American Christians and Muslims to build bridges of mutual respect, understanding, and compassion. These efforts might include adult education courses that teach multicultural communication and those that promote inter-religious dialogue.
NOTES
[i] American public opinion about Islam and Muslims. (2006). Washington, DC: Council of American-Islamic Relations. Retrieved October 20, 2006, from http://www.cair.com/cairsurveyanalysis.pdf. P. 5.
[ii] Ibid.. p. 5
[iii] Strum, P., & Tarantolo, D. (Eds.). (2003). Muslims in the United States; Demography, beliefs, institutions. In Conference sponsored by the Division of United States Studies (p. 9). Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Retrieved October 20, 2006, from http://wwics.si.edu/topics/pubs/DUSS_muslims.pdf. P. 9.
[iv] Ibid., p. 10.
[v] American public opinion about Islam and Muslims. P. 9.
[vi] Recknagel, C. (2006, August 11). World: U.S. President’s ‘Islamic fascists’ remark sparks controversy. Retrieved October 20, 2006, from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Web site: http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/08/ed7042f0-ccbd-4548-afce-173057211c6a.html
[vii] Ibid.
[viii] Open Letter to Pope Benedict XVI [Special section]. (n.d.). Islamica Magazine, (16). Retrieved October 20, 2006, from http://www.islamicamagazine.com/online-analysis/open-letter-to-his-holiness-pope-benedict-xvi.html
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Friday A La Carte « shawblog // June 30, 2007 at 8:26 am |
[...] the first ever envoy to the Organization of Islamic Conference — really not a bad idea. Read here my own list of recommendations to the President for better relations with Muslim [...]
Aladdin Elaasar // January 23, 2009 at 3:36 pm |
Obama’s Inauguration’s Speech: The Role of Arab and Muslim Americans
By Aladdin Elaasar
We are approaching a very historical event in the history of our nation, the United States of America. For the first time in our history, Americans voted for president –elect, Barrack Hussein Obama, as the first African-American president. We are so optimistic about the presidency of President Obama, not only for being the country’s first African American president, but for what he represents. Mr. Obama brings a new positive energy, deep global understanding of the intricacies of world affairs, and deep commitment for social justice and reform in our great country, the United States of America.
As a long time resident of Chicago, Illinois, myself, I had the honor and privilege of meeting Mr. Obama in person back in 2003 when he was running for the United States Senate. I met him while we were celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King’s Day in a church at the South Side of Chicago. You could see the enthusiasm, brightness and the great charisma and passion that Mr. Obama has. So I was not surprised to see him win the presidency.
As an African myself, I cannot tell how much proud and excited I am to see our nation having the first African-American president. This is a historical time for our nation. Arab and Muslim Americans are amongst those who overwhelmingly voted for Mr. Obama. As we know, there are about three million Arab Americans and about seven million Muslim Americans in this country. Not all Arab American are Muslims, and not all Muslim Americans are Arabs. These are very diverse communities. They come in all colors and backgrounds. They have been contributing to this nation for so long. Islam is not a foreign religion to this great nation of ours; Islam knew its way with the first sailors who came to America with Columbus after the fall of Granada in 1492. Islam was the religion of many Africans brought here to America. Muslim soldiers and chaplains contribute to the success of our military.
America has had long close friendly relations with the Arab and Muslim worlds. The first countries that recognised the United States after its independence are the Arab/Muslim North African nations of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, which stand up to this day as strong allies of the United States. The United States has many Arab and Muslim nations as allies. We would like to clarify that Arabs, Muslims and Islam are not the enemy and have not. In our war on terror, we are engaged in a war against extremist elements that have the audacity to commit horrendous acts of terror against innocent civilians that Islam does not approve nor condone. Those literalists and self-righteous extremist elements give a bad name to Islam and Muslims. Islam calls for mercy, forgiveness, coexistence and tolerance. In the last few decades, the world has been plagued by extremist militant fringe groups that live on the margin of society and call for bloodshed.
We should all join hands in subduing this phenomenon and exposing the fallacies behind these so called fundamentalist or Jihadist groups. They have been a threat to many Muslim and non-Muslim societies. They have targeted tens of thousands of innocent Muslims and non-Muslims everywhere. They have an aggressive malevolent agenda with extensive financial networks under many names.
In order for us to win the War on Terror, we need to fight ignorance, desperateness and give hope to the millions who live in extreme poverty and do not see a light by the end of the tunnel who become an easy victim of brainwashing and indoctrination. We need to promote the respect of human rights and dignity, and honor human life as God commanded us to do. Jihad is not blowing one self’s up amongst people. The biggest Jihad, as we were told by Prophet Muhammad-PBUH, is struggling with one’s self and making one’s self a better one. Violence breeds violence and complicates issues. Dialogue should be the option. Words, not bullets; Cultural understanding and tolerance.
Unfortunately, many Muslim societies are still living under the yoke of absolute rulers, authoritarian regimes and military dictatorships, for almost half a century. The result has been the absence of a real dialogue, lack of transparency, grave abuses of human rights, extreme poverty and corruption, the exploitation and politicization of religion in a way that enforces oppression and alienates the Muslim masses who get polarized by extremists calling for violence and abusing the concept of Jihad.
Absolute rulers in Arab and Muslim countries have contributed to the creation of a fertile soil for hopeless young people to be recruited by extremists, while the official state controlled media in these countries always promote intolerance and conspiracy theories, anti-Americanism and anti-semanticism, in order to tighten the grasp of these totalitarian regimes. In order to distract their population from real nagging domestic issues, these regimes are always playing on the fear factor and trying to find an external or an internal enemy to put the blame on.
Muslims should start by questioning themselves, fix their house from the inside, ask for their rights and domestic reform rather than putting the blame on outsiders. The Muslim world is in a bad shape and it needs help before the internal collapse of these societies and the impact that it can send throughout many parts of the world.
In the West, we should extend a helping hand to these societies and help them get back their freedom, rather than giving a handout. We should not shake hands with dictators and supporters of extremism. We should not allow them amongst us, and we should not let preachers of hatred to brainwash our impressionable youngsters.
Muslim Americans and Muslims everywhere else do not need foreign money that come to our communities under the pretext of building mosques or charities while they promote an extreme hidden political agenda and an intolerant version of Islam that has been behind many extreme movements. Muslim communities can be self-sufficient.
I extend my congratulations to president –elect, Barrack Hussein Obama, as the first African-American president and wish him success and guidance. I call upon all Muslim-Americans to support him and pray for him and our nation. Wa Aslam Aliakum wa Rahmatulah wa Barrakatuh
Aladdin Elaasar is a syndicated columnist, lecturer and an advocate for human rights and democracy. He wrote: “Silent Victims” and “The Last Pharaoh”.
Born, raised and educated in Egypt, Aladdin Elaasar is one of the foremost authorities on Egypt and the Arab World. In the United States, Aladdin Elaasar worked as a school teacher, counsellor for refugees, served with AmeriCorps at the Jane Addams Hull House Chicago, and as an ESL teacher. He is a former professor of Arabic language and Area Studies at the Defense Language Institute, and the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
Elaasar has been a frequent commentator on the Middle East on American TV and Radio networks and cofounder and former Vice President of NAAJA, the American Arab Journalists Association. He speaks English, Arabic, French and Spanish. omaraladin@aol.com
Aladdin Elaasar // January 23, 2009 at 3:37 pm |
Why should Arab and Muslim Americans vote for Obama?
By Aladdin Elaasar – Islam has come to the forefront of American presidential elections this year. With allegation that Barak Obama is a Muslim, or an Arab- which he is not- fear has been used by his opponents to tie him to some foreign scary thing. But it is not working. The more serious issues this year for the American voters are of course the economy, the Iraq war, health care, education and other serious nagging issues. Smear campaigns and digging for dirt proved not to work with savvy American voters.
Barak obama is as American and Christian as anybody in America, and he made his case clear that he really has a solid plan for America.
But, how about the three million Arab-Americans and seven million Muslim-Americans? Whom would they vote for this year, and could their votes make an impact on the outcome of this year’s election?
This bloc played a key role in Bush’s 2000 election victory. After surveying the community and making overtures to both Bush and his opponent, Vice President Al Gore, the American Muslim Political Coordinating Council Political Action Committee (AMPCC-PAC), comprising the four major American-Muslim organizations—the American Muslim Alliance (AMA), American Muslim Council (AMC), CAIR, and Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), recommended that its members vote for Bush.
That was then. But what did Arab and Muslim Americans get from eight years of George W. Bush and the Republicans? Arab and Muslim Americans have seen their civil rights deteriorate under this administration: the patriot Act that made them an easy target for government intrusion, Sneak and Peek that gives the power to government agents to snoop into their private lives, calls, records and even their homes. They have seen the Iraq War and Islamophobia more than ever in public discourse. They have seen being an Arab and a Muslim g used to scare people in an offensive way.
Last week, for example, a Republican Coalition released a document in which they use the term Pro-Arab as a pejorative accusation. For his part, Rush Limbaugh has joined in by declaring that Obama is in fact an Arab American! Then, last Friday, after a supporter called Senator Barack Obama “an Arab”, Senator John McCain came to the defense of his political opponent by saying, “No, ma’am. He’s a decent family man and citizen…” From this we are left to infer that an Arab man is less then a “decent family man.”
We are disturbed by the degree to which ‘Arab’ has become the metaphorical mud to sling against your opponent. Dr. James Zogby, President of the Arab American Institute, says, “Enough is enough! From the beginning of this campaign there have been those who have used ‘Muslim’ and ‘Arab’ in an effort to smear Barack Obama. This exploitation of bigotry and the stoking of racist fir es to forward an agenda is reprehensible. This is not only offensive to Arab Americans, but to all Americans. As any ethnic group who has ever been used to scare the electorate knows, this is a dangerous game that, tragically, can get innocent people hurt”.
“And while we are pleased to see that the senator is trying to dispel rumors about Senator Obama, we feel the need to point out that Arab-Americans are also decent men and women with full rights of citizenship as enumerated under the Constitution. Arab Americans are part of the great melting pot that is this country’s strength. We work towards peace in the Middle East. We raise our sons and daughters to be model citizens of this nation. We serve this country with honor. The suggestion that any ethnic group is treacherous and Anti-American is unacceptable, dangerous, and unbecoming of such a great nation”, says Zoghby
According to the figures of the Council on American Islamic relations, CAIR, that 78 percent of Muslims voted for George W. Bush in the year 2000. In Florida, the most crucial state in the last elections, exit polls showed that 91 percent of the 60,000 Muslim Americans who voted supported Bush.
How would the young Arab and Muslim Americans vote this year? Hamed Nasr, a young college student says: “How can anyone vote republican unless their own family is running? They have buried America in what is supposed to be their strengths- Oil, War and Big Business!! I mean really if my favorite actor, sports star was republican and a one legged dinosaur was democratic; I am voting democratic after the last 8 years of drudgery. Funny, no one wanted to give Clinton credit, but we had the best economy with a surplus and now Bush has us at the bottom of the ocean”.
As someone who studies their voting patterns, my guess is they’re now likely to support Senator Obama, says Jen’nan Ghazal Read, an associate professor of sociology and global health at Duke University, and is a Carnegie Scholar studying Muslim American political assimilation.
“Muslim Americans weren’t always so politically active. Before Sept. 11, 2001,=2 0the Muslim American community – largely made up of affluent, well-assimilated, residentially integrated people – was content to enjoy the benefits of living in a pluralistic, democratic society without getting too involved in politics. Who could blame them? Many originated from countries where religion and politics didn’t mix very well. Those who did get involved in politics tended to vote on issues of the day just like other Americans. In 2000, this translated into overwhelming support for George W. Bush, whose social conservative values resonated with Muslim Americans, which ironically put them on the same side as the Christian right that calls for intolerance towards Muslims. Read believes that Arab and Muslim-Americans could swing the election this year in favour of Obama”, says Jen’nan Ghazal Read.
About the Author
Aladdin Elaasar is a syndicated columnist and lecturer. Some of his writings are: “Iraq, the State and Terrorism”; where he predicted the downfall of former Dictator Saddam Hussein. Elaasar also wrote: Silent Victims: The plight of Arabs and Muslims in Post 9/11 America. And “The Last Pharaoh: Mubarak and the Uncertain Future of Egypt in the Volatile Mid East”and “Barracuda: The Unauthorized Biography of Sarah Palin: What You Do Not Know and Should Know about America’s Potential Vice President”. Elaasar has been a frequent commentator on Middle Eastern affairs on several local American TV and Radio networks and media and cultural consultant since 1992. Email him at: omaraladin@aol.com
Aladdin Elaasar // June 9, 2009 at 4:55 pm |
ARABS SPLIT ON OBAMA SPEECH
Aladdin Elaasar
Obama’ speech caused mixed feelings among Arabs and Muslims. It was well-received, but came short of expected strong messages. Critics objected to his choice of place, Egypt.
Optimists hope the speech will turn a new page. But not all Arabs and Muslims were happy. They appreciated the visit and good gestures. Not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabs. There are millions of Christian Arabs. Arabs are a small number of the Muslim population.
Arabs and Muslims expected Obama to talk about freedom, democracy, human rights, and failing economies. But Obama tried hard to give something to everybody. He said something to the Arabs about Palestinians.
Arabs used to hearing about the Palestinian cause to the extent that they became numb and cynical. Arab leaders exploited the Palestinian issue since 1948 to mobilize the masses behind a very emotional cause. For dictators, it is OK to let their people go out and burn American and Israeli flags, but it is not OK to demonstrate for freedom!
The Palestinian cause served Arab dictators to maintain emergency laws and military rule, while claiming to liberate the Palestinians. It justified arms race to entrench authoritarian regimes. It is convenient to let Arabs vent anger on an outside enemy, rather than talking about nagging domestic issues.
Critics of the visit see that American interest was not served well when a popular president shook hands with an old dictator such as Mubarak criticised for stifling democracy in Egypt since 1981. The visit benefited ailing Mubarak eager to get son Gamal as next president.
One thing is to shake hands with dictators; another is to please the Angry Arab Street. Arabs are waiting for a savior from their oppressors. The Mehdi or Messiah could be Barack Hussein Obama.
Aladdin Elaasar is author of “The Last Pharaoh: Mubarak and the Uncertain Future of Egypt in the Volatile Mid East” and Silent Victims: The Plight of Arabs and Muslims in Post 9/11 America. Elaasar has been a commentator on Middle Eastern affairs on American TV and Radio, and a media and cultural consultant. Email: omaraladin@aol.com