What does the call for prayer have to do with electing Barack Obama for president? Some Arab-Americans are offended by the ad claiming that it is offensive to non-Islamic Arab-Americans.
According to an article earlier this year in The Arab-American News, more than half of the Arab-American community is Christian, “and the majority are of Lebanese origin.” The ad was put up by ArabAmericans4 Obama to show support for Barack Obama.
“We will do everything we can to aid Barack in becoming the next president of the United States of America. It is our goal to Unite Muslims, Christians, and Jews to work together to elect Barack Obama.”
Some question that an Islamic call to prayer in Arabic could unite English speaking Christians and Jews to elect Obama, but this is the claim made by ArabAmericans4 Obama.
The same article also cites statistics showing that Arab Americans (62%) will be voting Democratic this year due to the belief that Republicans support a “permanent presence” in Iraq and show support of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
That claim made in February seems be holding up because a Zobgy poll taken in September shows that Sen. Barack Obama holds a 21-point lead over Sen. John McCain.
Citing the same Zogby poll, an article in USA Today yesterday shows that Arab-Americans cite the economy, job loss, and a desire for change from the Bush administration Middle East policies as a reason they are turning away from Sen .John McCain.
The Zogby poll indicates that at least one-third of Arab-Americans live in the five battleground states and the majority will be voting for Obama. Some will vote for Obama because of the identity politics of his Arabic name.
“Be proud of America when Barack Hussein Obama is nominated to be president of the United States,” James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute (AAI) and a former deputy campaign manager of Jesse Jackson’s 1984 presidential run, told the crowd between acts at a comedy club event Aug. 25 at Bar Standard.
There is also a very interesting article this week in The Arab American news, “Why America should listen to Ahmadinejad" by Paul Craig Roberts which claims that America’s our Founding Fathers would have comprehended and endorsed Ahmadinejad's speech to the United Nations.
Trackposted to The Virtuous Republic, http://morewhat.com/wordpress/?p=3259, third world county, The World According to Carl, DragonLady's World, Shadowscope, The Pink Flamingo, Cao's Blog, Leaning Straight Up, Democrat=Socialist, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
