CAIR Open Letter to Muslims
on the November 2 Elections
Assalamu
alaikum,
In light of Tuesday’s
election results and the months of preparation
that preceded the general election, we would like
to take this opportunity to congratulate the Muslim
community on its success. American Muslims have
a lot to celebrate. You proved yet again by your
record turnout at the polls that Muslims are an
important part of our society’s rich religious
and ethnic heritage.
We extend our sincerest
thanks to each and every American Muslim who worked
hard to mobilize and empower the community. American
Muslims obtained state voter lists, with particular
emphasis on Florida and Ohio, and organized volunteers
in “get out the vote” efforts nationwide. These
volunteers also contacted tens of thousands of
voters, asking for their pledge to go to the polls
on November 2nd. CAIR, along with the indispensable
assistance of individual Muslim activists, responded
to the need for more proactive initiatives in
the 2004 elections…
All of this is an
indication of an ongoing process of political
maturation.
As we look forward,
we should reflect on lessons learned. In order
to sustain and advance on the successes of this
year’s mobilization efforts, there are a few steps
American Muslims can begin to take today to further
empower our community in the years to come. Among
the necessary steps, a few are to:
* Train our community
to become more politically active, specifically
in the areas of voter registration, get out the
vote efforts and election officer certification.
* Issue a report that
will analyze the voting trends of Americans and
American Muslims and determine strategies to maximize
the power of our vote.
* Build coalitions
with groups that share common ground on issues
of importance to the Muslim community.
* Compile an exhaustive
list of registered voters nationwide and other
data on our community to take advantage of demographic
strengths.
* Use the example
of other Muslims who have run for public office,
and become more active at the local level, advocating
our issues in district, city and regional elections.
Be sure to keep informed
by visiting our website: www.cair-net.org. Rest
assured that CAIR will, insha’Allah, continue
its mission of enhancing understanding of Islam,
encouraging dialogue, protecting civil liberties,
empowering American Muslims, and building coalitions
in support of justice and mutual understanding.
We remain devoted
to the cause of advocating for the American Muslim
community’s issues in the corridors of power--regardless
of which political party holds a majority.
We are dedicated to
reaching out to the re-elected President and his
administration, advancing the twin causes of pluralism
and diversity in American society.
The values we uphold
know neither party affiliation nor sectarian creed.
Their universality is what inspires us to continue
our crucial work. We ask that you help us in that
regard by implementing the above steps and by
continuing to reach out to others in an attempt
to make the next four years a propitious time
in the history of American Muslims.
Congratulations
on a job well done. We look forward to improving
on our past successes in the months and years
to come.
