Zero Tolerance for Muslim Participation in US Politics: The Case of Mazen Asbahi

By Shahed Amanullah

blogbeliefnet.com, August 20, 2008

If you want to understand just how difficult it can be for Muslims to participate in public service, look no further than my friend Mazen Asbahi.  An accomplished attorney and long-time Democratic volunteer, he took on the position of Sen. Obama's national coordinator for Muslim and Arab affairs last week.  Unfortunately, he resigned yesterday out of fear that his appointment would be a distraction to the campaign. 

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.

Comments

The ugliness of this is no different from what happened to Jews during the McCarthy era. Having first hand experience of what that did to postmen, professors, the burgeoning radio, tv, film and comedic venues I have repeatedly taught that we must heed history's lessons or bear the terrible consequences of repeated sacrifices. Peoples lives have been ruined for just the hint of gossip. This is not racism. This is prejudice. The same way the KKK operated on fear. Hitler was able to exterminate millions while nations appeased rather than united to save the world because literally one tiny whisper in a politician's ear was believed when a "trusted" advisor said to leave him alone, don't say anything, it'll go away. I've paid huge prices my entire life for never heeding that hideous policy about anything my heart, soul, ethics or intuition told me wasn't quite kosher. Yes, it's been very, very hard. I've been fired, told to shut up but in the long run I hope to leave this world a better place for all especially my child who will hopefully inherit it and my legacy. I want her to feel pride not shame. I hope to be a role model that's loved, honored, respected, remembered not only because I earned it but because my path is worthy of following for future generations.

Posted by: fifthest | August 14, 2008 12:51 PM

Guilt by association is alive and well in America. However, we expect political leaders to be emotionally strong enough to weather false fire-storms like this. Anyone who strives to be a leader must be brave enough to stand up to false accusations. Sen. Obama has demonstrated that he is emotionally strong enough to face false accusations. His staff must also be strong enough. As, potentially, the leader of the free world, anything less is not good enough.

Posted by: Jim | August 14, 2008 2:44 PM

I think it is a shame of how the man was treated. Not all Muslems are terrorist. The last time I have read about the religion is that Islam means peace. I think Muslems as well as Blacks are the most hated people in this country. People think that if all Blacks and Muslems were eliminated or go away that they would be happy and the problems would go away. I know that it is not true. I think that I can learn from all religions. All that I have to do is to treat people with respect and not push my beliefs on anyone.

Posted by: Audrey Little | August 14, 2008 5:44 PM

To Jim:

Mr. Obama has not demonstrated strength but the spinelessness of a jellyfish for caving into Zionist pressures. In the meantime, he tries to shamelessly sweep his childhood ties to the Muslim world under the rug while he eliminates any associations and engagements with American Muslims in his campaign appearances. This is part of his vascillating, flaky behavior to play it safe and follow the latest trend to be "politically correct" with his ambitions.

Instead of having won a courageously fought campaign to victory, Mr. Obama will wake up disappointed come the morning of Wednesday, Novemnber 5th following Election Tuesday. He will discover that he and his advisors had badly miscalculated. He had placed his bet on pandering to the Jewish voters while dissing the Muslim and Arab voting blocks in key states that he depended upon for his victory. They will have either stayed at home or voted for Nader like myself out of protest to his nauseating pro-Zionism pandering.

Mr. Obama and the Democrats will only be able to blame themselves, not Nader, for their own weak and indefensible character. It is they who have followed like sheep the well-trodden path of corruption leading to Washington along the AIPAC-herded trail. Unfortunately there will be no true change in Washington as long as politicians like Obama allow AIPAC to call the shots for them. Obama is still following the same cowardly path that many cowards before him have taken. This is not leadership but acquiescence to the status quo of greed and power.

Posted by: MY Muslim | August 15, 2008 12:16 AM

Is this a christian web site with all these slanderous comments. True christians live under a theocracy in a democratic country. God should be our rule, and God is love. What I read here is nothing more than your hate covered under the garb of christianity. While we may have point of view, they must be substantive to show love and identify what is truth. It saddens me that we do more political damage than we do to win souls. Stop with these these political agenda's. They have no place in the christian warefare. You are so mislead that this mission is not heaven bound. Vote on the issues. It is obvious that most of you need more Jesus than Obama does. It is ashame, reckless and damaging to the cause of God with some of these comments. Well, when you go to hell and you see Obama, all you did made no difference, but if you don't Obama will not feel sorry for you. There ain't no tears in heaven, for sorry, only for joy.

Posted by: steve bland | August 15, 2008 1:28 PM

http://blog.beliefnet.com/progressiverevival/2008/08/zero-tolerance-for-muslim-part.html