Muslim Candidate For Congress In Minnesota

[MrsSpringsteen]

Keith Ellison-he may be the first Muslim ever elected to the US Congress, according to this article it is all but guaranteed.


http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/09/minneapolis_voters_make_elliso.html

"And Ellison had to recover his footing after some early stumbles. He was stung by news reports about a variety of personal problems, including allegations of unpaid parking tickets, late federal income tax payments and failure to file timely campaign finance reports in other elections. Perhaps most damaging were reports linking him to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan after his conversion to the religion as a young man.

But Ellison’s charm and progressive politics are what likely pulled him through, experts say. The 43-year-old state lawmaker has been likened to progressive political icon Paul Wellstone — a comparison that can go a long way in a state that is still mourning the late senator, who died in a plane crash late in his 2002 bid for re-election.

“The margin speaks to the strength of progressives and grass-roots in that district,” said Blois Olson, co-publisher of the newsletter Politics in Minnesota. “He’s been compared to Paul Wellstone . . . I think it was a factor, and I think the people could relate to that.”

Ellison also pushed hard in the final hours of his campaign, meeting with as many voters as possible to spread a message that included advocating withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, universal health care coverage and support for labor issues.

Throughout the race, Ellison focused on those subjects, eschewing a race-based campaign, and vigorously seeking face time with as many voters of all backgrounds as possible.

The tactic clearly worked: more voters showed up for this primary than any other primary in state history. “This is exactly how we planned it,” said Ellison campaign spokesman Dave Colling.

Colling contended the real reason Ellison is able to elicit so much enthusiasm is his willingness to stand up to authority, a trait he said President Bush will soon encounter. “I watched him do it in the state House, and I can’t wait to watch him do it in Congress,” Colling said."

 

[verte76]

I hope he wins.

 

[Justin24]

Do you hope he wins because he is muslim or because of how he want's to improve the lives and country.

 

[coemgen]

Interesting. If he's the better qualified guy, sign him up.

Plus, at the very least it'd improve our image among Muslim nations. (Not that he should be elected just for that, but you know what I mean.)

 

[AEON]

Since I am a Republican - I certainly hope he loses.

 

[BVS]

If the Republican party's personal attack machine can only find unpaid parking tickets, this guy must be pretty good.

 

[verte76]

Do you hope he wins because he is muslim or because of how he want's to improve the lives and country.

Both. He reminds me of Paul Wellstone, who was one of my favorite Senators of all time. And I think it will be cool if we can finally send a Muslim to Congress.

 

[Justin24]

As long as he helps the American people and country, city and state then I am all for it and that he keeps is religous beliefes to his self as I wish all politicians would do.


What BonVox said. LOL sorry bout that.

 

[BVS]

as I wish many politicians would do.

as I wish ALL politicians would do.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Here's some more info about him


By MARTIGA LOHN, Associated Press Writer 40 minutes ago

State lawmaker Keith Ellison didn't let questions about his past slow down his campaign to become the first Muslim in Congress. On Tuesday, voters responded to his liberal message calling for peace, withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and universal health care. He beat three contenders in the Democratic primary in a Minneapolis-area district long dominated by his party.

"You're not on your own," Ellison told supporters at an Egyptian restaurant in a speech that had the call-and-response of a revival meeting. "We are with you. We do these things together, y'all, and we don't let nobody break us apart."

Ellison, a 43-year-old criminal defense lawyer who converted to Islam as a college student, overcame questions about late parking tickets, overdue taxes and his past ties to the Nation of Islam. He has since denounced black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan and was endorsed by a Minneapolis Jewish newspaper. He has also pledged to improve his personal record-keeping.

Ellison courted the liberal wing of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party by comparing himself to the late Sen. Paul Wellstone — and many voters responded. Others clearly relished the chance to elect a minority to Congress from Minnesota for the first time; Ellison is black.

Somali voters — many voting for the first time — appeared energized by Ellison's candidacy. Election official Hashi Abdi said he had to tell several people to leave their Ellison signs outside the polling area.

"A lot of the Muslim community have a lot of sympathy for this guy," Abdi said.

Though Ellison was the party's endorsed candidate, the lure of the safely Democratic seat drew plenty of challengers willing to test him. In the end, though, he handily beat his closest rival, Mike Erlandson, by about 10 points. Erlandson is a former chief of staff to the incumbent, retiring U.S. Rep. Martin Sabo, and had Sabo's support.

Ellison will be a heavy favorite in the November election, when he will face Republican Alan Fine and the Independence Party's Tammy Lee. In the 2004 election, about seven in 10 voters backed Sabo and Democrat John Kerry for president.

 

[AcrobatMan]

i never trust converts!!

 

[Rono]

Since I am a Republican - I certainly hope he loses.

Why ?

 

[deep]

good start

maybe we can get them appointed as judges, too

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

i never trust converts!!

How open minded of you

 

[BVS]

How open minded of you

Don't you know, open minds are unpatriotic these days.

You don't trust anyone who's not like you and you blindly vote along party lines.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I just don't get any relevance of being a convert and why anyone wouldn't trust that, maybe he'll come back to explain...


His web site is www.keithellison.org

Here is an article posted on the site, pretty impressive.

Star Tribune
Published July 19, 2006

A great deal has been written about me in the press and on political blogs recently. I would like to take this opportunity to speak directly about who I am, rather than have others tell my story.

My passion for social justice comes from my family. My parents worked hard to instill a sense of purpose and pride in me. I grew up hearing the stories of my grandfather who worked with the NAACP in Louisiana, organizing for voting rights at a time when those who stood up could be lynched, and sometimes were.

Our family proudly tells of the time when a young attorney, Thurgood Marshall, stayed in their home, long before he became a Supreme Court Justice.

My grandfather's work helped to inspire my commitment to justice and equal rights. I have always tried to live up to his example as an attorney representing the poor and as a state legislator from north Minneapolis.

As a young man I was outraged and frustrated by the racism and injustice I saw in my community and the world around me. Those experiences propelled me to become a social activist, using my words and actions to draw attention to the very serious problems of inequality, racial injustice and poverty in our society.

As I matured, I had to confront my anger and face it down. I eventually realized that it is easy to be a critic pointing out problems and failings, but it is a far more difficult thing to be part of creating the solution.

As my father used to say, "Any jackass can kick a barn down; it takes a carpenter to build it back up."

Eventually I understood what my father had been telling me, and I committed to being one of the carpenters.

I began to help create a world where everybody counts and where there are no throwaway people.

I am still outraged by the direction of our country, but now I channel that outrage into renewing our democracy. I reject the value system that insists it is every man for himself.

Family is the center of my life. I have been married for 19 years to Kim, my high school sweetheart and closest friend. We have four children, the oldest in college, one at Blake, and two in the Minneapolis public schools. My mother and father live three blocks away from my wife's parents in Detroit. When we visit our hometown, our children are lucky enough to run back and forth between the houses of their grandparents.

People draw strength and moral courage from a variety of religious traditions. Mine have come from both Catholicism and Islam. I was raised Catholic and later became a Muslim while attending Wayne State University. I am inspired by the Qur'an's message of an encompassing divine love, and a deep faith guides my life every day.

I believe in a value system that invests in people and asks citizens to work for the common good. I decided to run for office because I believe our government has a positive role to play in creating a better future for all people.

We need leaders who are committed to peace, a clean and sustainable environment, strong public schools and a health care system that works for all people. I am that leader and will continue to be that leader as a congressman from Minnesota.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Human and Civil Rights

Keith is one of the Minnesota House's most effective legislators.

* Keith authored and passed a repeal of vagrancy laws which criminalize homelessness. He also secured a $400,000 appropriation for homeless outreach.
* Keith fought against measures intended to stigmatize members of GBLT community, including the anti-marriage bill.
* Keith authored a bill to restore voting rights to ex-offenders.
* Keith also authored a bill to expunge criminal records for certain non-violent offenders.


"As a member of the State House, Keith was proud to stand with Representative Frank Hornstein and others to oppose anti-Semitic statements and to forthrightly challenge then Representative Lindner's denial that gay and lesbian people were victimized during the Holocaust."

 

[A_Wanderer]

i never trust converts!!

Thats Islamophobic Racism

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Since I am a Republican - I certainly hope he loses.

even if 99.9% of the time your ideas agree with those of one party... even if you've never voted for a member of any other party in your life... if you discount all other candidates from any other party but your own and blindly pull the lever down the line then you put yourself in jeopardy of being led blindly down a path of no return...

best to listen to all sides without prejudice and then decide on your own... even if you still lean to the right or to the left.

 

[Justin24]

even if 99.9% of the time your ideas agree with those of one party... even if you've never voted for a member of any other party in your life... if you discount all other candidates from any other party but your own and blindly pull the lever down the line then you put yourself in jeopardy of being led blindly down a path of no return...

best to listen to all sides without prejudice and then decide on your own... even if you still lean to the right or to the left.

Don't you think that Democrats are sheep also and are like republicans and don't want to hear all sides of the story.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Don't you think that Democrats are sheep also and are like republicans and don't want to hear all sides of the story.

all you're doing is proving my point.

if ya dislike that certain democrats just stick right down the party line and never even consider what a republican says, by doing the same thing in reverse, aren't you only doing what you dislike?


and btw... i'm a registered republican, even though i lean towards the left on many issues (think giulliani, bloomberg, lieberman ). i've yet to vote right down the line once. i would if that's what i felt was best... that opportunity hasn't come up yet. i'd vote democrat right down the line if i thought all the best candidates were democrats.

 

[Justin24]

all you're doing is proving my point.

if ya dislike that certain democrats just stick right down the party line and never even consider what a republican says, by doing the same thing in reverse, aren't you only doing what you dislike?


and btw... i'm a registered republican, even though i lean towards the left on many issues (think giulliani, bloomberg, lieberman ). i've yet to vote right down the line once. i would if that's what i felt was best... that opportunity hasn't come up yet. i'd vote democrat right down the line if i thought all the best candidates were democrats.

I am a registered Democrat, I sometimes lean to the right. I would vote for McCain, Lieberman or Guillani if they ran for President.

 

[BVS]

Thats Islamophobic Racism

Aren't their Christian, Jewish and other religious converts?

 

[A_Wanderer]

That is the point, that is why Islamophobia as racism is a fallacy engineered to silence criticism of Islam by supposed civil rights groups that seem to have an over abundance of ties to fundamnentalists, Islam is a religion that deserves scrutiny and mockery as much if not more than Christianity and Judaism - the reactions to blasphemy I cite as evidence. Converts are generally more zealous and are overrepresented in terrorist cases compared to their numbers in the Islamic communities in the west and I see nothing wrong with somebody being distrustful.

 

[AcrobatMan]

- convert more or less are more fundamentalist than the normal ones

- not sure if I can generalise..but I have met one Christian convert - who just talks plain irrational, illogical, PLAIN RUBBISH...all the time.

- if you dont trust your own religion , how trusthworthy person he or she is ?

Having said that..I have no problem with anyone..( converts and non-converts)

But my views are mine !!

Do whatever u want, none of my business !!

AcrobatMan

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

not sure if I can generalise..but I have met one Christian convert - who just talks plain irrational, illogical, PLAIN RUBBISH...all the time.

So you're basing your opinion on one person you have met? And applying that to this man? Doesn't seem fair to me. And someone converting doesn't mean they don't trust their previous religion, or that therefore they aren't trustworthy.

Really has nothing much to do with this thread, so that's all I have to say. Yes your views are yours, but that doesn't mean they can't be questioned when you choose to interject them into a thread that really isn't about that - the fact that he is a convert is a minor point in a larger picture.

 

[AcrobatMan]

So you're basing your opinion on one person you have met? And applying that to this man?

I have met thousands of Christians across many many countries... only one of them was a convert...and only one of them was irritating!

well this conversion topic.. I have started couple of times in 2002-2003 here and my views are pretty biased there...( biased but not without reasons or experience)

 

[AcrobatMan]

may be I get irritated by GOD-TALK

 

[AcrobatMan]

let me put this across to you..

why did you start a topic like this

why do you differentiate a muslim candidate and a christian candidate or an atheist candidate

USA is a secular country...so whatever the faith, its only type of candidate and the political idealogy they represent matters...

I see this thread as pretty pointless - in bringing out the religion of the candidate...and saying he is the 1st Muslim...he is the 1st African American... or whatever.. He is an American ..and thats what matters !!

 

[BonosSaint]

Like anything else, we celebrate firsts--well, there were always white Christian men--we note first women, first blacks, first Hispanics, first Catholic President, first Jewish Vice -Presidential candidate, first any minority that has previously been excluded for whatever reason. This gentleman may be the first Muslim elected to Congress--every reason in the world to be delighted a representative of another group may break a barrier. We note progress.

And you're right. Maybe it should be "He/she's an American" and someday maybe there will be enough inclusion for us not to notice anymore. Until that time, it's newsworthy.