Record number of Muslim and Arab-American delegates at the DNC this year

While the Republicans stand strong on the Christian deity, they also allegedly adopted an anti-Sharia platform targeting the religious practices of Muslims this year.  The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) asked them to remove it, but the Republicans refused.  Thus, the increase in Muslim and Arab-American delegates at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) this year is attributed to the Republicans anti-Muslim platform and according to the CAIR website and the Rightwing Watch site, the GOP said they will inspire laws targeting Islam.

Eight years ago, an estimated 25 Muslim and Arab-Americans attended the DNC and in 2008, 43 attended.  This year at least 100 Muslim and Arab-Americans attended the DNC and very few attended the Republican National Convention (RNC).

“The more than doubling of Muslim delegates at this year's Democratic National Convention is a direct result of their hard work and grassroots organizing within the Democratic Party,” said CAIR’s government affairs coordinator, Robert McCaw. “It is also a sign of the American Muslim community's growing civic engagement and acceptance in the Democratic Party."

This year, CAIR made efforts to encourage American Muslims to participate in the election and connect with candidates by volunteering, registering to vote, and mobilizing those in the community to vote.  McCaw stated that with a larger number of Muslim voters in swing states, such as Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, they could be potentially influential in deciding the next president.

Mriana

Mriana is a humanist and the author of "A Source of Misery". She has two grown sons and raises cats. She enjoys writing, reading, science, philosophy, psychology, and other subjects. Mriana is also an animal lover, who cares for their welfare as living beings, who are part of the earth. She is a huge Star Trek fan in a little body.

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  • Deborah_B

    In watching both conventions on the Internet livestreams, I was struck by the diversity of the DNC crowd and found it to be inspirational. Good article, Mriana!

    • http://www.houseofbetazed.com Mriana

      Thanks Deborah and I liked the diversity too.

  • http://www.facebook.com/yellowman.king.9 Yellowman King

    Just what we need more of the most exclusive intolerant people in the world? Who would not want that? Just look at Arabia to see the future our muslim pals have in store for us. Again, who would not want that?

    I see no value whatsoever in anything Islamic Muslim or otherwise and for the life of me cannot understand why anyone would encourage Muslim partisapation in anything which may effect others. They must be excluded, in fact Muslims should not be allowed to vote in my view or run for office because Islam is a anti-American at every turn. The rep. from MN took a trip to Mecca a place he darn well knows excluded those who are not Muslims which I my views disgraceful and insulting to all that America stands for yet he went like its no big deal most Americans can't go with him to this country which by law excludes people based on religion! And we should encourage its partisapation in our politics. Not in this life time and this rep. should be vote out and no more like Kim should ever be allowed.

    • http://www.houseofbetazed.com Mriana

      Paranoid much? I don't care much for Islam either, because I'm not religious, but the truth is, no matter how much either of us dislikes religion (or in your case only like Xianity and hate all others, I assume), most American Muslims, not all, dress similarly to us. The stricter sects, much like the Jewish Hasidics, don't. However, most American Muslims are U. S. citizens and do not want Sharia. They want separation of Church and State. The Muslims in Mecca are either 1. Not American or 2. There for a religious ritual. Also, to not allow Muslims who are U. S. citizens the right to vote is violating discrimination laws. To be honest, everything you just said is Anti-American, desiring to deny American citizens their Constitutional rights. I also love how you try to spell participation. Is "partisapation" a new word used by Xians who hate people because they aren't Xians? I don't hate people and I believe any U. S. citizen has the right to vote as per the Constitution of the United States. Also, even though I don't believe it, I actually don't hate religion, but I do hate what people do with religion.

      Lastly, Muslims have been in this country as U. S. citizens for decades. It's not a new phenomenon. In fact, we have had at least one Islamic organization since 1968. I know this because I picked up a new Twitter follower- the ICNA (Google them, you might learn something)- because of this article. Does this worry me? Not in the least. Just like any Xian, who wants to follow me, as long as they don't attempt to impose their religion on me or use it to discriminate against a group of people, we're fine and I'll treat them like anyone else. When anyone imposes their religion on me or use it as a form of hate, then we have issues. Most people who follow me on Twitter, do so because they like what I write, not because they expect to convert me. Some I follow back and some I don't, but my reasons for following or not following deals with interests, not discrimination.

      I was glad to see diversity at the DNC and not one Muslim there was screaming for a Jihad nor did they try to chop off anyone's head or throw stones at women who didn't wear a hijab or burka. They know they are in a country that allows for religious diversity and that no one religion, not even theirs, rules the country. Do you?

      • Bob

        isnt this article ABOUT imposing Islamic Sharia? not 'just' a point of view?

        • Peter

          Gee, I read this three times and where does it say anything about imposing Sharia law. Of course, if these good Republican Christians bothered reading their bibles they'd find the over 600 injunctions in Leviticus just as harsh as Muslim laws. Get real.

          • http://www.houseofbetazed.com Mriana

            Exactly Peter and you're right, the article says nothing about imposing Sharia. It does mention the Republicans' paranoia though and imposing their fears on others.

        • http://www.houseofbetazed.com Mriana

          No, it isn't about Sharia. Where did you get that from the article?

  • Bob

    big mistake if Islamic Sharia goes beyond the borders of civil laws.That i do not condone.Sharia IS corrupt if not policed properly!

    • http://www.houseofbetazed.com Mriana

      The article mentions nothing about Islamic Sharia. It does mention the Republicans' paranoia and enforcing their fear on others.

      • JeeJee

        Mriana- The amount of replies asserting that Sharia law is being imposed on America is SCARY. Why do people give in to such nonsense?

        • http://www.houseofbetazed.com Mriana

          Out of fear, mostly. I think if they actually read my article and the links that go with it, they would see that nothing was said about imposing Sharia on anyone. The only thing that was mentioned was the Republicans' platform that imposed paranoia. The article was about Muslims voting and participating in U. S. elections, which has nothing to do with religion.