Muslim's win in Minn. seen as step for community
Posted 9/13/2006 10:00 PM ET

By Andrea Stone, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — The Minnesota Democrat who is likely to become the first Muslim elected to Congress says he wants to "promote the idea that America needs friends around the world, not more enemies."

Keith Ellison, an African-American state legislator from Minneapolis, won Tuesday's Democratic primary to replace Rep. Martin Olav Sabo. The son of Norwegian immigrants is retiring after 28 years in the House of Representatives. Ellison beat three other Democrats, including Sabo's former chief of staff and ex-party chairman, Mike Erlandson.

Although Ellison will face Republican business consultant Alan Fine in November, his election is all but guaranteed, says University of Minnesota political scientist Larry Jacobs. In 2004, 71% of the district's voters backed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Minnesota's most ethnically diverse district is home to veiled Somali women, Russian Jewish immigrants and Hmong refugees, belying the state's image as a homogeneous Scandinavian enclave.

Ellison's victory marks a turning point for American Muslims, according to community leaders such as Ali Khan of the American Muslim Council.

"It says, 'Look, you are part of America,' " says Khan, who notes that until recently the diverse community was "not very organized" or interested in electoral politics.

Estimates of the number of U.S. Muslims vary between 2 million and 6 million. The Council on American-Islamic Relations says about a third are black and another third are from South Asia. One in four are of Arab descent and the rest from Africa and elsewhere.

Ellison, 43, was raised Catholic in Detroit and converted to Islam as a 19-year-old student at Wayne State University before moving to Minnesota for law school.

Islam "makes a lot of sense to me. It works for me," Ellison said in a phone interview Wednesday.

A criminal defense lawyer, he called for an immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq, universal health care and the impeachment of President Bush. Such stands and his passionate oratory recall Paul Wellstone, the Minnesota senator killed in a plane crash in 2002, says Jacobs, although he calls Ellison "pragmatic and someone who can work with others. He won't be what people expect."

Ellison says he never brought up his religion or his race — he would be Minnesota's first black member of Congress — during the campaign. Voters did, however, ask about his position, as a Muslim, on Israel, the separation of church and state, abortion rights and gay rights. He says he supports them all.

Ellison had a tougher time explaining revelations about late campaign-finance reports, unpaid parking tickets and a suspended driver's license. More controversial were his ties to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Ellison worked with his group as an organizer of 1995's Million Man March.

Ellison is "a uniquely polarizing figure the likes of which we've never seen in this state," Minnesota GOP spokesman Mark Drake says.

Jacobs says the Democrat ran an effective grass-roots effort of direct mail and door-knocking but at times, "It had the smell of a campaign about to collapse."

Ellison, a married father of four, responded by visiting synagogues and apologizing for past statements. He said he never met Farrakhan and repudiated his own defense of the Muslim leader, who has been accused of anti-Semitism by the Anti-Defamation League.

"I take responsibility for the mistakes I made," Ellison says.

The Democrat's apology convinced a Minneapolis Jewish newspaper, which endorsed him.

Pollster John Zogby, a Lebanese-American, says Ellison's victory is a win for an eclectic group that ranges from Pakistani immigrants to native-born blacks.

"American Muslims are now a political constituency," he says, "not just simply a growing group."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-09-13-muslim-congress_x.htm

Muslim's win in Minn. seen as step for community


I like the ambiguous headline. Is it a step forward ... or a step backwards.

If he wants to help American Muslims he can use his position to explain what Islam is really supposed to be about, and denounce those who have hurt the reputation of his religion.

It's just the beginning folks.
We will sit on our asses and lose this country.
I am glad that I am old enough to be on the way out, instead of on the way in.

Muslim's win in Minn. seen as step for community...

The Minnesota Democrat (Keith Ellison)....

A criminal defense lawyer...

Called for an immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq, universal health care and the impeachment of President Bush....

Had a tough time explaining revelations about late campaign-finance reports, unpaid parking tickets and a suspended driver's license. (Who is this asshole???)

More controversial were his ties to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

He worked as an organizer of 1995's Million Man March.

He's a married father of four, and he responded by visiting synagogues and apologizing for past statements.
Yeah, he sounds like a real gem.
When asked about his position, as a Muslim, on Israel, the separation of church and state, abortion rights and gay rights. He said that he supports them all.
???

It's a good thing he felt the need to clarify his position.
Ellison is "a uniquely polarizing figure the likes of which we've never seen in this state," Minnesota GOP spokesman Mark Drake says.
It sure sounds that way to me. Minnesota’s last hope (if he wins in November, of course) is for this guy to meet with an accident. A big one.

It's just the beginning folks.
We will sit on our asses and lose this country.
I am glad that I am old enough to be on the way out, instead of on the way in.

Hell yeah! Everything went to hell when the Irish started getting elected. And the Eyetalians.

Hell yeah! Everything went to hell when the Irish started getting elected. And the Eyetalians.
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It is hard to compare apples and oranges.
First, we were not at war with these immigrants. Declared or undeclared.
Second, these immigrants gave up an old life for a fresh new opportunity. They did not come to the U.S. to change it into a new Ireland or Italy.

It is hard to compare apples and oranges.
First, we were not at war with these immigrants. Declared or undeclared.
Second, these immigrants gave up an old life for a fresh new opportunity. They did not come to the U.S. to change it into a new Ireland or Italy.

1. We're at war with terrorists who happen to be muslim, not all muslims. Is it that hard to make that distinction?

2. I wasn't aware there was some giant conspiracy to overthrow the government and turn it into a province of Saudi Arabia. Thanks for letting me know!

Keith Ellison, an African-American state legislator from Minneapolis, won Tuesday's Democratic primary to replace Rep. Martin Olav Sabo.

This is a very positive development.

The more people there are of different walks of life making up our government the better our government will be.

For 200 years you could only be a Washington political leader if you were white, male, Anglo-Saxon and Protestant ........it is pathetic that we have been so prejudiced in the past, and its a good sign when things start to change.

I see it as the opposite of ------"We're sittin' on our asses an losing this country!"

I'm a bit surprised that Michigan, with the largest population of Muslims in the U.S. has yet to send one to Washington.

1. We're at war with terrorists who happen to be muslim, not all muslims. Is it that hard to make that distinction?[Quote}
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I will admit that we do not have too much to fear from the converts living comfortably in the U.S. They have never faced the harsh reality of Islamic rule.





2. I wasn't aware there was some giant conspiracy to overthrow the government and turn it into a province of Saudi Arabia. Thanks for letting me know!
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The Saudis' are not in too good a standing in the Islamic world because of their relationship with us, the infidels.

I'm a bit surprised that Michigan, with the largest population of Muslims in the U.S. has yet to send one to Washington.
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They know them better than we do.

This is a very positive development.

The more people there are of different walks of life making up our government the better our government will be.

For 200 years you could only be a Washington political leader if you were white, male, Anglo-Saxon and Protestant ........it is pathetic that we have been so prejudiced in the past, and its a good sign when things start to change.

I see it as the opposite of ------"We're sittin' on our asses an losing this country!"
==============================================
Thanks Free, in disagreement you give my post a certain gravity.

First, we were not at war with these immigrants. Declared or undeclared.

We're not at war with any immigrants, we're at war with the kooks they left behind. Which might very well be why they left there and came here.

Second, these immigrants gave up an old life for a fresh new opportunity. They did not come to the U.S. to change it into a new Ireland or Italy.

Have you ever been to Boston? Honestly, of the different groups in this country, those of Irish decent seem to be the most strident about it (not saying it's wrong, just making a point). I haven't seen any evidence of a muslim takeover - they seem to be pretty much going about their business.

Why did the Arabs get oil & the Irish wiskey? The Irish had first choice.

Why did God invent wiskey? To keep the Irish from ruling the planet.

Why do the Irish only fight one another? Nobody else is up to the task.

Thanks Free, in disagreement you give my post a certain gravity.

Oh gosh....i don't see how ANYTHING anyone said could POSSIBLY enhance the sage wisdom and "gravity" of the post stating--

""It's just the beginning folks. We will sit on our asses and lose this country.""

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

:hahanot: :hahanot: :hahanot:

1. We're at war with terrorists who happen to be muslim, not all muslims. Is it that hard to make that distinction?

2. I wasn't aware there was some giant conspiracy to overthrow the government and turn it into a province of Saudi Arabia. Thanks for letting me know!

The problem is that Muslims are not going to blend. For that they have to give up their faith. This means that once they become the majority, they will not respect the human rights of others and will terminate all freedoms. The non Muslims in their own countries will be treated as second class citizens and even persecuted the way Hindus are persecuted in Afghanistan , Pakistan and Bangladesh and Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians and Baha’is are mistreated in Iran.


http://charlesmartel.blogspot.com/2006/06/islams-black-hole-of-hate.html

The problem is that Muslims are not going to blend. For that they have to give up their faith. This means that once they become the majority, they will not respect the human rights of others and will terminate all freedoms. The non Muslims in their own countries will be treated as second class citizens and even persecuted the way Hindus are persecuted in Afghanistan , Pakistan and Bangladesh and Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians and Baha’is are mistreated in Iran.



Every coountry has a history of treating its citizens with prejudice, discriminatory acts, and even violence. However, it doesn't make it right that countries like Afghanistan etc. are mistreating its citizens. Refer to Carbonbasedlife's quote.

We're at war with terrorists who happen to be muslim, not all muslims. Is it that hard to make that distinction?

Just because a certain group proclaims themselves as Muslim, it doesn't mean that all Muslims support that idealogy of the certain group. Seriously, I highly doubt that Muhammad Ali is part of Al-Qaeda.

The non Muslims in their own countries will be treated as second class citizens ....

I think you're right.

IOW, the same thing will happen there as currently happens here in the U.S. with non-Christians.

I think you're right.

IOW, the same thing will happen there as currently happens here in the U.S. with non-Christians.
Yeah, well show me one case where Christians have gathered together to murder "non-believers" while burning down their churches and denouncing their respective religions, and then we'll define what it is to be treated like a second-class citizen.

Just because a certain group proclaims themselves as Muslim, it doesn't mean that all Muslims support that idealogy of the certain group. Seriously, I highly doubt that Muhammad Ali is part of Al-Qaeda.
Muhammad Ali (Peace be upon him) may not be a member of Al-Qaeda, but by the same token, his ass is still getting searched at the airport.

Muhammad Ali (Peace be upon him) may not be a member of Al-Qaeda, but by the same token, his ass is still getting searched at the airport.

Muhammad Ali is a boxer. You do know that right? You only use the phrase peace be upon him for prophets. But nice try

googs, are converts treated equally to Arabs born into Islam?

Muhammad Ali is a boxer.
Really??? Was he famous?

That's funny, because I thought every Muhammad was a prophet, like Muhammad Atta, Muhammad Al-Yacoub, and Muhammad Atef...

googs, are converts treated equally to Arabs born into Islam?

Yes. If not better because they tend to be more Muslim than people born into Islam.

Really??? Was he famous?

God, I don't know if you being sarcastic or you really don't know who he is? Help me out a little.
That's funny, because I thought every Muhammad was a prophet, like Muhammad Atta, Muhammad Al-Yacoub, and Muhammad Atef...

No not every Muhammad is a prophet. :confused: Where did you get that from?

Muhammad Ali (Peace be upon him) may not be a member of Al-Qaeda, but by the same token, his ass is still getting searched at the airport.

Mohammad Ali, wouldn't know if he was getting searched or not. I have heard that in his last boxing years, he traveled around the world so local thugs could say they beat Mohammad Ali (Cashis Clay. His brains are scrammbled eggs.

The Muslims like to convert rich black folks like MIchael Jackson. Islam teaches that it is ok to have sex with little children.

googs, are converts treated equally to Arabs born into Islam?

It is like the roach motel, you can check in but you can't check out.

The Muslims like to convert rich black folks like MIchael Jackson.

Michael Jackson is black?

Islam teaches that it is ok to have sex with little children.

Whoa that came out of nowhere. But no it doesnt.

The problem is that Muslims are not going to blend.Keith Ellison seeks to represent people he sees as having little or no voice in the halls of Congress. Among his supporters are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Atheists, Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans. I can hardly think of a better way for a Muslim to 'blend' than to involve himself peacefully in the political process.

Islam teaches that it is ok to have sex with little children.

That's terrible.

The only thing I can think of that would be worse is a religion that teaches that there are times when children must be hacked to death with swords.

Along with their parents. And all their animals.

Islam teaches that it is ok to have sex with little children.
WOW!!1!!1! good thing we don't have to worry about that with Christian churches.....

You only use the phrase peace be upon him for prophets.


That's funny, because I thought every Muhammad was a prophet, like Muhammad Atta, Muhammad Al-Yacoub, and Muhammad Atef...

That's funny, because I thought every Muhammad had a terrific chance to MAKE a profit.

Well, IF they had the right C.I.A. connections, that is.

WOW!!1!!1! good thing we don't have to worry about that with Christian churches.....
Good one, 500. That actually made me laugh out loud. :)