From Hamas-linked Hillary-backer to Bush endorsement, U.S. Muslims made impact
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, November 8, 2000
WASHINGTON — Meet Abdul Rahman Alamoudi. He is young, Islamic and
outspoken.
Alamoudi is also on the U.S. payroll.
These days, Alamoudi has toured the Gulf for the U.S. government and
condemned Israeli policy in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Audiences have
reported that Alamoudi — founder of the American Muslim Council — has also
praised the Hamas group, which has claimed numerous suicide bombings against
Israeli targets.
Pro-Israeli groups are angry but the criticism doesn't bother the
Clinton administration. "I'm not sure when the comments were reportedly
made, or if we were aware of them," State Department spokesman Richard
Boucher said. "But certainly that now we're aware of them, that will enter
into the evaluation of any future potential as a speaker."
For political analysts, the episode reflects the rising power of Islamic
groups in U.S. elections. From being on the fringe of American society,
Islamic groups aligned with Hamas and the Lebanese Hizbullah have become an
important Middle East lobby and a factor in the U.S. presidential elections,
scheduled for Tuesday. Arab Christians complain that Islamic activists have
taken over the Arab-American community.
"American Muslims are highly concentrated in the key electoral states in
the United States," Richard Curtiss, editor of the Washington Report on
Middle East Affairs, said. "There are huge numbers of registered Muslim
voters in California, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. It
may be impossible for any candidate to win those states without the support
of the Muslim community."
The American Muslim Council even obtained a fatwa, or religious ruling,
as part of its drive to register Muslims to vote for the presidential
elections. Some Muslims argued against voter registration, saying it was
useless and only
divide the community.
American Muslims have been active in protesting the Israeli mini-war
with the Palestinians. Last month, about 15,000 Muslims gathered in
Washington for a demonstration at the White House. Earlier, the Council on
American-Islamic Relations, an Islamic advocacy group, held a seminar in
Washington on political lobbying as many delegates were sponsored by mosques
around the country.
"Our government has the political and financial leverage necessary to
help stop the killing of Palestinian civilians," said Omar Ahmad, board
chairman of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "Now is the time to
use that leverage."
Islamic groups have made their biggest gains during the eight years of
the Clinton administration. More than any of its predecessors, the
administration has reached out to Islamic groups. Muslim holidays were noted
by the White House, administration spokespeople addressed Islamic groups in
Washington and Chicago and supporters were given plum jobs.
The Congress followed. In July, the Senate passed unanimously a
resolution that recognized the significant contributions of more than 6
million Muslims in the United States. Earlier, three U.S. senators and about
40 House members attended a dinner by the American Muslim Council.
Take Alamoudi. The State Department chose him as a speaker and sent him
abroad after Alamoudi donated money to the campaign of President Bill
Clinton. Critics said he was kept as a speaker even when he was found to
have been linked to Hamas, on the State Department list of terrorist
organizations. Alamoudi said he opposes all sorts of terrorism.
In the end, Alamoudi's contributions were returned as officials
scrambled for an explanation. "In evaluating this person or any person as a
potential speaker," Boucher said last week, "we would look at the views that
they had expressed and decide whether, in light of those views, we felt the
person could be an honest discussant of the situation in the United States
and, to the extent necessary, U.S. policy."
Still, Muslims appear to favor George W. Bush over Al Gore for
presidency. Last month, the American Muslim Political Coordinating Council
PAC announced its support for Bush and criticized what it termed was the
Clinton administration's support of the government's use of secret evidence
against Arab and Muslim immigrants.
On the other hand, Bush mentioned Arab Americans during a debate with
Gore.
"Bush appears to be doing better right now, not only in our polling of
Arab Americans but also in terms of discussions among Arab Americans,"
pollster John Zogby said.
Hillary Clinton's race for the U.S. Senate in New York has only brought
more Arab-Americans to Bush. Zogby points to Ms. Clinton's decision to
return more than $50,000 in donations by American Islamic organizations
after her opponent said the money came from Hamas.
Quietly, Arab-Americans are criticizing the Islamic dominance in the
elections. They refer to Alamoudi. After Ms. Clinton returned his campaign
contribution, Alamoudi attended a Washington rally and announced that he was
a supporter of Hamas and Hizbullah.
Then, Alamoudi said all Muslims support these organization. The largely
Muslim crowd cheered.
You don't do this," said Jim Zogby, responsible for the ethnic vote in
the Gore campaign. "I always learned one thing and the Jews taught us this
well. When you are the victim, play the victim; it is good to be the victim,
because then people sympathize with you."
Wednesday, November 8, 2000
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