By Adelle M. Banks
Religion News Service
WASHINGTON (RNS) Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has appointed a Chicago lawyer as its national coordinator for Muslim affairs.
Mazen Asbahi represents Muslim and Arab American businesses in his corporate law practice, reported Politico.com.
A community blog on the Obama campaign’s Web site announced July 25 that Asbahi will serve as national coordinator of Arab American affairs and be based at the campaign’s Chicago headquarters.
The move was welcomed by the Muslim Public Affairs Council. “The inclusion of a Muslim American voice in the presidential campaign reinforces the principle of pluralism in the electoral process,” the council said, urging Sen. John McCain to take similar steps.
In the Obama campaign announcement of Asbahi’s new assignment, blogger Amanda Scott wrote: “The Obama campaign is working hard to connect with Americans of every faith and ethnicity in an unprecedented grass-roots movement to build an America rooted in compassion and a government that, in the senator’s words, `reconciles the beliefs of each with the good of all.”‘
Representatives of Obama’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.
Copyright 2008 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted August 1, 2008 at 6:42 pm
It would be better if candidates could and would ignore peoples’ religion and vice versa. But apparently we won’t be that mature for a long time so I’m glad he’s reaching out to the Muslims and I trust he will to pretty much every other religious and non-religious group.
posted August 2, 2008 at 9:53 am
Yes,nnmns, I agree that it would really be nice if candidates could and would ignore peoples’ religion and vice versa…but right now, as you mentioned, it doesn’t work that way. So in order to be all inclusive religion wise, I expect there will be a person to coordinate those types of things for at least the major religions in this country, as in this case. Need those votes…
posted August 4, 2008 at 9:20 am
I think if the campaign can afford to hire “ambassadors” of some sort to reach out to various cultural and religious groups it will bring more voters to the booths. It’s a smart move for everyone because it will educate both sides.
posted August 4, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Part of the larger problem we are having as a nation is that very few people have taken the time to reach out to the Muslim communtiy. Until we, as a nation, appreciate who they are, where they are in our midst, and ways that they share in our national identity, we will always be afraid and never understand. Muslims will always be the “T*H*E*M” who are our enemy because they are unknown and we are afraid.
This is more than Scarecrow/W has ever done – and I am fairly sure it would never occur to McCain. Sure, there is an element of political grandstanding to this position. But that is better than mere silence and hiding from the Boogey Monster in the dark.
posted August 4, 2008 at 7:05 pm
j I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there.