Win could symbolize new tolerance Oct. 25, 2006. 06:12 AM TIM HARPER WASHINGTON BUREAU
MINNEAPOLIS—The candidate swaggers into the student centre at the University of Minnesota, greeting a visitor with a "Whazzup, brother" and a slap of the flesh. Then he turns and offers the same greeting in Arabic.
If the burden of history is wearing on Keith Ellison — lawyer, civil rights advocate and self-described idealist — he's keeping it hidden, even now, only days from breaking new ground in this country.
When Ellison is, as expected, elected to the U.S. Congress as the Democrat from Minnesota's fifth district on Nov. 7, he will become the first Muslim ever elected to national office in the United States, and a symbol of a newfound tolerance five years after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
It comes in a northern state often caricatured as home to white, rural denizens like those of fictional Lake Wobegon, but a state that was also the home of Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person charged in the United States for his role in the attacks.
A money transfer agency here was shut down by federal authorities who alleged ties to Al Qaeda. There were reported beatings of Muslims in Rochester, Minn., and fear and suspicion of the Muslim community were prevalent.
Now, the 43-year-old Ellison, who converted to Islam at the age of 19 and who mobilized a politically moribund Islamic community in his district, can bring a different message to Washington.
"My message to the rest of America is that Muslims are no one to fear, they are your neighbours, they are your friends and they are here to make a positive contribution to the country," he said in an interview.
He is expected to take the oath of office on the Qur'an.
Analysts believe Ellison's election would go much beyond another Democrat being sent to Washington from a rock solid Democratic district.
"This is quite significant for the country," says Lawrence Jacobs of the University of Minnesota's Centre for the Study of Politics and Governance.
"At a time when the U.S. government believes it is involved in a clash of civilizations, his election would send a powerful message.
"It would show that 9/11 is fading a bit and the fear of suspicion of Muslims you see in Europe is not as prevalent here."
Ellison holds a comfortable lead over Republican Alan Fine and Independent Tammy Lee, but his religion and his background have allowed both, aided and abetted by the blogosphere, to lob grenade after grenade in his direction.
He was not endorsed by the retiring Democrat, Martin Sabo, and has been pilloried for failing to file state campaign-finance reports on time, for late income tax filings, and for having his driver's licence suspended for non-payment of parking tickets.
He has had to obtain a restraining order against a woman who he says is blackmailing him over an affair he said did not happen, and he has gone by different names in the past, such as Keith Hakim, Keith X. Ellison or Keith Ellison Muhammad.
He has been criticized for his ties to Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam and has responded by agreeing Farrakhan is a racist.
Now, late in the campaign, another alarm bell has been sounded, a speech he made almost seven years ago, defending a woman named Sara Jane Olson of St. Paul, Minn.
Olson, also known as Kathleen Ann Soliah, is the former member of the Symbionese Liberation Army, the urban guerrillas of the 1970s who first kidnapped, and then were aided by, newspaper heiress Patty Hearst.
Soliah was involved in a bank robbery in California in which a customer was killed and another pregnant customer lost her child after she was allegedly kicked by Soliah.
She also pleaded guilty to placing a pipe bomb under a police cruiser; it did not detonate.
After returning to Minnesota and living as Olson for 23 years, Soliah was arrested in 1999 and ultimately found guilty of both crimes and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
In that highly charged political atmosphere, Ellison said Olson was persecuted because of her political views, by people who were upset that she did not fit the "June Cleaver" mould of docile, stay-at-home women.
"I'm not trying to say the SLA is — I don't even know enough about the SLA to tell you about the SLA, but I can tell you what they stated they were in favour of ... it had to do with fighting poverty and fighting racism and stuff like that," Ellison said in the speech."
Those who wanted to prosecute Olson "feel that the gains that we made have got to be beat back, and the very idea of, say for instance, black people having civil rights, has got to be obliterated with ... the criminal justice system and incarceration."
It is giving pause to some supporters.
"I'm wrestling with whether I can support him," said Gregor Pinney, who raised the speech at a town hall meeting. "I cannot stomach that speech. This guy is carrying a lot of baggage."
There are 400,000 Muslims registered to vote in these mid-terms according to CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations. There are an estimated three million to six million Muslims living in the U.S.
A CAIR survey of Muslim voters released yesterday showed most consider themselves Democrats (42 per cent), although 28 per cent said they belong to neither party. Seventeen per cent said they'd back Republicans.
Although CAIR says Minnesota has only the 12th largest concentration of Muslims among the 50 states — some 2.8 per cent of the nation's Muslims — the state is believed to be home to some 60,000 Somalis, the largest expatriate population in the country.
About 8,000 are concentrated in Ellison's fifth district, a middle-income district which is Democrat to the core, last electing a Republican in 1962 and held by Ellison's predecessor by 45 points in 2004.
It is fertile ground for a candidate calling for an immediate U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq and a Canadian-style health-care system in the U.S.
CAIR begins airing ads in Minnesota today to try to counter charges from the Republican here that they have links to terrorist organizations.
"Like every minority in American history, we need an icebreaker," said Nihad Awad, the CEO of CAIR. "Keith Ellison will be the one to break the ice for us. He will put a human face to the Muslim community in the Congress."
Ellison's expected election is drawing international attention, but four Muslims sit in Britain's House of Commons, and they were elected without much attention to their religion.
He knows he will be weighed down with expectations when he arrives in Washington, but he wants those expectations watered down with some reality.
"One person can do a lot, but one person can't do everything. I won't be going there by myself. I'll be going with an entire community ready to mobilize, organize and get things done."
I saw him on CNN last night, he's almost sure to be elected. It's a good thing, muslim-americans have a more lucid and grounded approach than in Europe. He'll usher in a wave of other candidates, that's a few million votes up for grabs if they play their cards right. Having a european approach, I don't favor ethnic or religious blocks in elections but America functions like that, if it worked for the Irish, the Jews, the truckers, why not Muslims ?
Who knows, maybe in a few years it'll bring some sense into the american foreign policy regarding the middle east. Right now, it looks like something being thought up by a team of monkeys.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2006 06:43 by chelhman.
Assalamo-Alikou; First he is Not Muslim No 1 from nations of islam is Muslim Only the ones who made true repentence and become True Muslims and left that Ganster Group Called nation of islam La3anahoum Allah, Bunch of Haters and corrupters they Have nothing in them from islam they Just Borrow the name islam and put it in their Group Name But they Are very Far Away From islam and so that dude who won a sit in the US, so Basiclly you People Stop Dreaming & Wake Up Have Some Coffee it's Good for your Brain Beter then Waist your time on Nation of islam retarded people, All the Best to you All,
Of course it is a big deal. In the fist time of the history of the US, a muslim is elected as a Congressman. This defeats all the Neo-con efforts that love to play on the "US" and "THEY" bushism way of thinking...
It is symbolic obviously, but in this country, symbolics are very important. They tend to break the stereotypes once and for all. So I am pretty sure that in the future, more muslims will lead in the legislative branch and why not in the government itself.
As you said it is only symbolic (even that may be for Muslim in US) since when 1 voice or even 10 can make difference on the US foreign policy (specially in middle east) until then I will not cheer up as you do now ,as i am fooling my self ,too pessimist for me .
FYI he was elected after he get the blessing from certain group which I don t understand why is that important .
He was elected for his ideas, regardless of his religious affiliation, that is certain. But that also means that his religious affiliation did not push voters to choose his opponent. The Jewish lobby is very active because they understood that to defend the cause of Israel, they need to be in the highest spheres of government in the US and thus affecting the US foreign policy. If tomorrow we have more Muslims in congress, that would constitute a balance when it comes to the Middle East conflict. This guy is showing the way, that is why I think it is a major event for the Muslim community in the US. You get there by adding 1+1+1... But that's just my opinion...
We All can Learn something from each other & Correct some of our information, this is the Beauty of Living another beautiful day like today, Masha-Allah, So Let's See what we can share at this moment insha-Allah,
Let's Sat some facts straight, which means show us a proof in the Noble Qur'aan & "Teaching of the Prophet" Mohamed PBUH or what is called "Sunnah"of course you don't have too if only sharing your thoughts/ideas/comments, not haram in Islam to do so unless arguing a mater dealt with by AL Moushari3 Allah Subhanaho-Wa-Ta3ala in His Own Words "Qur'aan" OR From Sayidina Mohamed PBUH as Allah Chosen Him, Commands, & Guide Him to do, Therefore Allah is Telling Us About Prophet Mohamed PBUH Message (Islam and teachings) or as Allah Said (some references): "Wama Yantiqo 3ani Al-Hawa in Houwwa illa Wahyoun Youhha,... from verse in Qur’aan.
Now we sat The Grounds, Let's emphasize some of those beautiful teachings as Our Beloved Messenger Thought Us, One example here only cause time won't permit more, The Oummah" Did you know that the Oummah of Prophet & Messenger Mohamed PBUH includes All the people we see today around us? How so? Yes all Christians, Jews, Muslims etc, well then why? Every Single Human Being is Born Since The First Day The Message Came to Rassuli-Allah & Until The End of This Life on This Planet Earth "Last-day, Judgment-day" Till The END All Are Called The Oummah of Prophet Mohamed & All of them will come & lineup behind the Messenger of their time in our case here it is Mohamed PBUH, Not Christians Behind Jesus Nor Jews Behind Moses etc,
This Tell Us Quiet allot about this Unique/Universal Message of Islam to Mankind "Wama Arssalnaka illa Rahmatan Lil-3alamin,..” Not Just to: Arabs people, Turquish people, OR Muslims in particular; which Many People from All Backgrounds Think it is. Now These People we see, work with, live with, study with, etc are not just extras but Allah Has Made them Part of the Oummah of Prophet Mohamed PBUH therefore they have many rights from Islam even if they are not Muslims, Amazing! Isn’t it, Subhana-Allah, Yes I was Surprised Just Like You First Time I Learned this & did some wondering and reflections about it until I swallow it properly & correctly,
Participate insha-Allah By Sharing with Us All:
Who is Our Oummah ? What is The Oummah Means? Why it Means That "Oummah" ? How it is This Word Oummah ? When Can We Call it Oummah ?
May Allah Rewards You All, Walahmdulillahi Rabbi Al-3alamine,..
,too pessimist for me . 
which I don t understand why is that important 
.
chargement...
