Are Muslim Americans Going to Abandon Obama at the Polls?
- Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:01pm by
Billy Hallowell
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President Barack Obama may be facing an increasingly-challenging general election come November. Over the weekend, some of the progressives who assembled at Netroots Nation lamented his first term, telling reporters that they may refuse to vote for him in November. Jewish Americans, too, have decreased somewhat in their support for the president. And now there are even some questions surrounding Muslim Americans and their support for Obama.
Muslim Americans overwhelmingly backed the president’s first presidential candidacy. But 2008 is looking quite different from 2012, as this growing cohort seems increasingly disconnected and confused regarding where it stands on the Democratic incumbent. The Huffington Post has more:
Early in the Obama administration there was little reason for complaint. The president openly criticized the Bush administration’s policies of torture, signing of the Patriot Act and excessive surveillance of Muslims, and vowed to shut down Guantanamo Bay within a year. In a 2009 address in Cairo, Obama marked “a new beginning” for the United States, one in which the war on terror would no longer be synonymous with its marginalizing approach to Muslims.
But many of the promises have been left unmet. Nearly four years later, Guantanamo remains open, and just last year the president signed into law a four-year renewal of some of the Patriot Act’s most controversial provisions. And in some instances, administration policy has alienated the Muslim-American community. The continued drone strikes in Pakistan and revelations about Obama’s secret “kill list” of terrorist targets are among the list of policies that have caused some Muslims to re-think whether they will vote for Obama again this fall.
Some leaders and organizations are speaking out and voicing the caution that is present in Islamic communities. Take, for instance, the American Muslim Taskforce (AMT), a coalition of the U.S.’s 13 largest Muslim organizations. While the group endorsed Obama in 2008, so far no such official notation of support has been offered up.
“This year there are many issues that are of great concern, looking at the last four years of President Obama, especially concerning civil rights,” explained Naeem Baig, who chairs the AMT. ”A good number of people are asking, why should we support the president when he did not deliver on many of the promises he made?”
Now, many may contend that it’s not likely that this group would rush to support Republican Mitt Romney either. Even Baig claims that a third-party option in terms of support could be on the table. But the Muslim leader did make it a point to highlight some of the positives that Romney could bring to the Islamic community, while also distinguishing him from other GOP candidates.
“He took on a much lighter tone in the debates and made it clear that people of all faiths are welcome in this country,” Baig claims. “Coming from a religious minority himself, Romney could open up and meet with Muslims to try and undo some of his party’s damage in isolating, even shunning, the community.”
And Muslims do, indeed, have a history of supporting both parties. While many assume that the religious minority is monolithic in its support for political parties, the Huffington Post notes that political alignment within the community has fluctuated:
A significant number of the nation’s 2.75 million Muslims live in key swing states, such as Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Virginia. And while younger Muslims rallied around Obama in 2008 and mostly identify themselves as Democratic, the older generation represents a socially and fiscally conservative group that can be swayed in either direction. In 1992, they voted two to one for George H. W. Bush and, although they gave Bill Clinton the same margin in 1996, they were drawn back to the Republican party by George W. Bush in 2000.
You can read the rest of the analysis over on The Huffington Post. Considering September 11 and the events that followed, the Muslim-American community certainly has a fascinating perspective, particularly when it comes to civil rights and their treatment here in America. With that in mind — and with the notion that this group does, indeed, hold sway in key swing states — both the Republican and Democratic candidates may find themselves adjusting tone and policy to this reality.
“Although it is true that American Muslims constitute a small percentage of the national population, they are concentrated in key swing states such as Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Florida,” Farid Senzai wrote for The New York Times back in April. “Despite being very diverse and far from monolithic, this constituency is growing faster than any other religious community and has become increasingly visible and sophisticated in its political engagement.”
In the end, Obama will need to tread carefully — as will Romney — while taking the time to explain his policies as well as believable reasons why he didn’t make good on the promises he made to the Muslim community during the last election cycle.
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Comments (75)
TheLiberalsAreComing
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 9:04pmDon’t be fooled folks. Obama already forced Israel to stop legal building of their homes, and nearly forced them to withdraw to the suicidal borders of 1967. Arabs know full well, that a second term of Obama means greater – far greater – force applied to Israel.
Report Post »johnjamison
Posted on June 12, 2012 at 7:29amWell now a vote for Obama is a vote for gay rights and we know how islamist feel about gays.
Report Post »Hollywood
Posted on June 12, 2012 at 5:58pmYah,SURE. These orgs will disavow B Hussein O, one of THEIR own. Tell me another one!
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 8:50pmMuslims should have the rights revoked and be deported or incarceration for jihad related crimes.
Report Post »PROSECUTE_PUBLIC_SERVANTS__FOR_CONSTITUTIONAL_TREASON
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 10:21pmWho is alluh and his uneducated prophet mahammed?
If you follow a guy named Mahammed who could not even read or write, google the truth, and a moon god named alluh who does not exist except in satans teachings why would you not vote for a marxist fraud who lies constantly to the American people?
Report Post »Mahammed was loot hording wealthy fat killer who had 13 wives and one was a 9 year old girl.
So we have a thief, killer, pedophile, and blasphemer of the Lord of Lord’s and King of Kings, who advocates lying and stealing from non believers, gaining converts by threat of force, who worships the moon, sleeps with children, owns sex slaves, and buys and sells slaves for profit. This is one sick puppy folks. Do your own research.
Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ is to be killed according to the Qur’an. Jesus is to come back to earth and tell everyone He is a lie and we must all worship alluh. Jesus is to kill Christians if they fail to convert when He returns. This is sick lies of satan.
Chromo200
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 7:37pm1st good if the muslims abandon him. 2nd who care .. I don’t. They come to this country and most don’t assimilate and the one that do are killed or terrorized. They have no idea what America and the Constitution is about. They maintain their dual citizenship and when someone says something they don’t like, they either threaten you, or sick CAIR on you where the libs support them.
Report Post »affinity
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 7:31pmEveryone with any brains should abandon President Obama. I don’t like Arabs but I do know that they are very wealthy and shrewd businessmen who are very loyal to Islam. They aren’t going to support a guy that prides himself on personally ordering the death of faithful Muslims.
Report Post »Look4DBigPicture
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 7:57pmThey also abhor homosexuality.
As much as he panders to them, I’ll LMAO if they turn against him.
Report Post »USA-Ron
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 7:12pmIt would be BEST …………
if muslims abandon obama ——– Thank You
if muslims abandon USA ———- Thank You
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:47pmAbout the same chance black americans will. Nil to none.
Report Post »possom
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:19pmI wouldn‘t vote for anybody who’s only worth 10 camel’s, 10 goat’s maybe.
Report Post »BehindBlueEyes
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 2:51pmI’ve heard Obama has smoked a camel or two.
Report Post »Marsh626
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:15pmJust goes to further prove that muslims – especially muslim organizations – are a 5th column who are more loyal to the “ummah” than they are to the new countries they migrate to.
You wouldn’t see Christians in America getting upset about U.S. drones taking out Kony and crew. And you didn’t see Christians in America opposing taking on the Christian Nazis with full force (although the Nazis largely hated Christianity and planned to destroy it, but Germans were indeed still mostly Christians during the Nazi era). That‘s because Christians support taking out evil regardless if they’re fellow Christians or not.
Muslims on the other hand seem to naturally sympathize with other muslims and support them no matter how evil they are and oppose our efforts to take them out.
I’m sick of muslims and their politically correct non-muslim defenders getting outraged over the questioning of their patriotism. They simply aren’t doing anywhere near enough to cleanse their community of “extremists” and to support their new country in our battle against “islamists” at home and abroad.
Report Post »Joe Bonham
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:53pmI dunno… Rush supported Kony on his radio show. American Christians are strange creatures indeed. Terrorism is only bad when committed by non-christians.
Report Post »johnpaulkuchtajr
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 7:04pmWouldn’t this be a shame for Obama and jihadists, a lose/ lose situation?
Report Post »gretsch62
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:06pmMuslims are not Americans nor should they be allowed to vote. Wake up America, what in the hell is wrong with you people!
Report Post »LOJ
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:01pmObama’s policies have become a thorn in the side of Americans who want to be Free and love their country!
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:59pmAbandon Obama? Don’t make me laugh. Obama IS a Muslim terrorist.
Report Post »concho
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:07pmcouldn’t have said it better myself! what a load of crap.
Report Post »The Third Archon
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:59pmFrom a politically practical standpoint, who cares what American Muslims do regardless? They represent ~0.8% of the American population as a bloc.
Report Post »Joe Bonham
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:08pmConservatives think Muslims will be a majority in 30 years. I’m dead serious. People at the church I used to attend told me that nonsense all the time. American Christian fundamentalists cannot be reasoned with.
Report Post »Fubared
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:15pmBut the hard left is all ears. Sure Joe. Sure. Lalalalalala.
Report Post »Joe Bonham
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:22pmYou have my full attention. Do you have anything intelligent to say?
Report Post »Fubared
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 7:14pmSure Joe. We should protect any race of peeps that gives the left and hajis that kind of visceral reaction. Spaz man. Have a kiniption. Double down on some meds, have a few drinks dude. Think just how many vets you piss off with your douche ire. First problem being the Israeli’s spank really hard the friendly arabs every time they get spunky. Does it piss you off?
Report Post »Joe Bonham
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 7:25pmWell, being a vet myself, I know full well this kind of hate gets the human race absolutely nowhere.
You are no different than the radical Muslims you hate so much. Actually, I prefer the radical Muslims have the balls to fight and die for their beliefs, however weird and crazy those beliefs are.
You hold the same beliefs as them, but you’re too much of a coward to ever act on them.
Does that piss you off?
Report Post »welovetheUSA
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:50pmAll Americans are leaving Obama, period.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:47pmObama loves the Muslims and is in bed wih the Muslim Brotherhood. I do not believe for one moment that Muslims will not support him in the election……….whether they are citizens of this country or not.
Report Post »Joe Bonham
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:03pmAre you a moron? Obama has killed almost as many Muslims as Bush did.
momrules
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:15pmBonham………You are a moron if you think Obama isn’t in lockstep with the Muslim Brotherhood.
Report Post »Joe Bonham
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:21pmGeezus. There’s just no arguing with Christian lunatics, is there?
Obama continues the war in Afghanistan.
He’s escalated the war in Pakistan.
He’s escalated the war in Yemen.
He started the war in Libya.
He promised unlimited support for Israel.
Please tell me how he’s “pro-Muslim”. You have nothing. You’ve been brainwashed. This country will be destroyed by Christian idiocy.
aChameleon
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:29pmobama backed al-queda in libya, and the muslim brotherhood in e-jipped. obama is veeeeerrrrrryyy
Report Post »pro-muslim.
momrules
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:35pmBonham…..you call out insults, used the word *blowback*in another thread and apparently can’t see the forest for the trees…….your opinion does not matter to me in the slightest.
Report Post »inblack
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:39pm@JOE BONHAM
Obama has killed almost as many Muslims as Bush? Really?
Nonsense.
Report Post »Joe Bonham
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:47pmWhy is that “nonsense”? Obama is fighting the same wars Bush did.
The mind of a conservative is a strange thing indeed!
Report Post »Joe Bonham
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:47pmMOMRULES:
Do you even know what “blowback” is?
Report Post »inblack
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 7:17pm@JOE BONHAM
So that is you proof, they are fighting the same wars?
You have a pretty loose grasp on fact.
But why be accurate when you can just make up whatever facts support your premise.
Report Post »Joe Bonham
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 7:26pmUhm… they ARE fighting the same wars. What planet do you live on?
Report Post »deeberj
Posted on June 12, 2012 at 2:10pmBonham – I see in you we have a new anti-Christian liberal troll in our midst.
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:40pmThere is a hugh difference between being water boarded and having your butt blown off with a missle. This is how Obama deals with Muslims blow them up. With the news of drones flying over our air space these guys might be thinking they could be next . A non vote for Obama is like a vote for Romney. Watch American Muslim a predator drone is coming to your town. Death from above.
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:38pmAs far as I am concerned he has already delivered far to many promises.
Report Post »Hawaii_Conservative
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:29pmMuslims should abandon the US and take Obama with you… Just saying
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:37pmHell yes.
Report Post »LOJ
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:03pmBrilliant Suggestion….I wish we could deport all of them…I don’t care if they are not all terrorists…they cause too much trouble and want to control every country!
Report Post »progoyim
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:29pmThe catholic church abandoned the lay people in the 2008 election gave them scant guidance .they didn’t want to offend Obama .
Report Post »So this time they are presented with they same pro baby killing sodomite supporter that goes against mother church .what will they do ?
Rand Paul for VP.
DoctorRon
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:28pmObama has alienated Jews, Catholics, Protestants and Muslims but he is still strong in the Black and gay communities as well as with union leadership (but not membership).
Report Post »doomytram
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:28pmIt’s getting so bad for Disastrous O, the great divide and conquer (in his own mind), that I would spot him the Muslim and the LGBT vote. He the great Campaigner that he thinks he is has run off the White, Black, Yellow, Tan, Brown, and Blue vote already. He was run off every other religion and now he is running of his Muslim faithful. He may only get the ridiculous Leftist vote the Paul Krugman and Ed Schultz’s of the world.
Report Post »inblack
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:18pmHa! No, they might not vote, but they will not vote republican.
The only repub they might have voted for is Ron Paul and that is because he is not a full-time Israel butt-kisser.
Report Post »Mutiny
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:11pmLOL for Romney? No. Courting the Muslim, gay, or black votes is just a waste of time.
Report Post »Individualism
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:11pmum they won’t vote republican because of Bush and the rhetoric that comes out of establishment republicans mouth will scare them away forever. Muslims will no doubt see the democrats as lesser evil because there somewhat more tolerant towards them and not as eager to bomb middle eastern countries.
Report Post »tzion
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:22pmHave you seen Obama’s kill list?
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:25pmFine with me.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:40pmTZION, Really, is there a single non-Muslim name on that list.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:08pmPromise them they can dip their finger in purple ink when they vote and they’ll all show up Barry.
Report Post »majasdad
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:30pmAre you always such a dick?
Report Post »Fubared
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:17pmWow, you allude to having offspring-shocking. Does peta know about you majas dad? Is majas an actual name of your offspring? Planned parenthood has some pamphlets you may want to gander at.
Report Post »majasdad
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:51pm@FUBARED
Report Post »What rock did you crawl out from under? Same one as Gonzo?
LeadNotFollow
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 5:04pm…
Report Post »Muslims love Obama. Why would they abandon one of their own?
Joe Bonham
Posted on June 11, 2012 at 6:28pmHow many more Muslims does Obama have to murder with his drones before you admit he is not one of them?
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