The source of his worry? The fact that he had served on a board of directors, for a few weeks, with an imam considered by some to be an extremist, as well as his being an officer of the Muslim Students Association while he was in college. Mazen himself was not accused of being an extremist, or even of supporting extremist groups and/or causes. Yet this was enough to ensure his quick departure from the campaign, after only a week of work.
Think about this for a moment. No reasonable person would link the reputation or activities of one board member to another, especially (as was the case with Mazen) when you had no say in the nomination or election of that other board member. And being an officer in a Muslim student group - nearly all of which operate independently of the national MSA - is only a liability if that particular student group is accused of wrongdoing, which Mazen's MSA wasn't.
Mazen is a loyal Democrat who has worked tirelessly to help mobilize millions of Muslim and Arab votes this coming November, and he has by all accounts a stellar professional reputation. But two very tenuous "links" - if you want to call them that - were enough to erase an entire adult lifetime of achievement and cast an unfair suspicion over him that will follow him through the rest of his life (thank you, Google).
When I spoke to him last week, he was excited about the possibility of bringing more Muslims and Arabs into the political system, to prove that our communities can be a net positive contributor to the societies in which we live. I cannot imagine another qualified Muslim daring to follow in his footsteps, only to be subjected to second/third/fourth-degree of separation accusations and (as we like to say in political circles) "be thrown under the bus".
The very people who fight to push Muslims out of the public square are also the ones clamoring for our communities to get out in the streets and prove our loyalty to the US. If only they could see the contradiction for themselves.
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Dear Michael P.
Your entry is a contradiction...
You have such an intelligent manner of writing but what you say reeks of ignorance.
May I suggest to you... find a Muslim friend or colleague and have an open, honest conversation. Before you have the conversation tell yourself: you'll leave the conversation knowing just a little bit more about this strange thing called Islam.
I'm sure you are a better person than your entry portrays.
But surely you must see how you're coming across to me.
Forgive me if I've hurt you. I tried to write this as inoffensively as possible.
Hello!! This is suppose to a "CHRISTIAN" web-sit!! As long as you believe in GOD, TRUST in GOD, and LOVE HIM above all else, it'll all work out!! I'm just lost my mother, been through a HURRICANE, my daughter has diagnosed with chrons diease!! MY son with BI-POLAR, and my husband!! Need I go ON!! BE THANKFUL for what you have and who, you have. The right man will get into office.... It's all in HIS hands!!!!!Isn't IT?????? Yes go vote ... then go home and PRAY!!!!you made the RIGHT choice!!! GOD LOVES all of us!! HE made US!! EVERY color,race,creed,nation,country, ect.. TRUST!!!!!
Good morning, I agree with Anika, I am catholic, and have friends from different beliefs, even Muslims. Not all Muslims are bad persons. Is like catholics, there are bad and good persons. WE ALL believe in one GOD, call him Yahveh or Allah, I was watching a TV program the other day re. Muslims, and did you know that they mention the Virgin Mary in the Koran more than Jesus??? They believe that Jesus is the prophet that will come at the end of the days.
this is really sad.stop the hate. what some of the people on this site are saying is crazy. peace and love
Please save lives in GAZA http://www.petitiononline.com/GAZA0109/petition.html
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