Don't Let Anyone Stop You

The strategies being used to scare/intimidate voters are ridiculous.

In Atlanta, Georgia:
On October 10, Kyla received a disturbing letter from the Fulton County Department of Registration and Election. The letter stated that they had received notification that Kyla was not a US citizen. This letter, dated October 2, but postmarked October 9, stated Kyla would be removed from the rolls unless she produced proof of citizenship within a week of the letter’s issue date. Since Kyla received the letter on October 10 and its issue date was October 2, she thought it was too late to correct the mistake.

In Temple Hills, Maryland:
Adele had voted at the same precinct for the past 21 years and she went to her usual precinct to vote during this year’s primary. However, after waiting in a long line, Adele was informed that her voting location had been changed. Adele was frustrated as she had not been notified of this change prior to Election Day and that no one at the precinct could explain the reason behind the change. Instead, poll workers gave Adele the name of her new precinct. Adele was faced with the decision to drive to another precinct or go to work.

More stories and volunteer information: 866 Our Vote

Still On The Fence?

Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney and Bob Barr have been excluded from the Presidential Debate Schedule. However, if you'd like more information about the corporate, establishment, "different name, same game" candidates be sure to watch the upcoming debates:

All four debates will begin at 9pm ET, 6pm PT and last for 90 minutes. Both campaigns also agreed to accept the CPD’s participation rules for third-party candidate participation. Third-party candidates will be included if they poll 15% or above in at least 5 national polls.

Each debate will be broadcast on the major broadcast networks, including CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX. They will also be aired on cable news channels such as CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and C-SPAN.

Here is a break down of what each debate will consist of:

1. First Presidential Debate - Foreign Policy & National Security
Date: Friday, September 26 – Site: University of Mississippi – Topic: Foreign Policy & National Security – Moderator: Jim Lehrer – Staging: Podium debate – Answer Format: The debate will be broken into nine, 9-minute segments. The moderator will introduce a topic and allow each candidate 2 minutes to comment. After these initial answers, the moderator will facilitate an open discussion of the topic for the remaining 5 minutes, ensuring that both candidates receive an equal amount of time to comment

2. Vice Presidential Debate – Foreign & Domestic Issues
Date: Thursday, October 2nd – Site: Washington University (St. Louis) – Moderator: Gwen Ifill – Staging/Answer Format: Debate will consist of both foreign and domestic policy questions asked by the moderator. Format will be similar to the presidential debates.

3. Second Presidential Debate – Town Hall Meeting
Date: Tuesday, October 7 – Site: Belmont University – Moderator: Tom Brokaw – Staging: Town Hall debate – Format: The moderator will call on members of the audience (and draw questions from the internet). Each candidate will have 2 minutes to respond to each question. Following those initial answers, the moderator will invite the candidates to respond to the previous answers, for a total of 1 minute, ensuring that both candidates receive an equal amount of time to comment. In the spirit of the Town Hall, all questions will come from the audience (or internet), and not the moderator.

4. Third Presidential Debate - Domestic and Economic Issues
Date: Wednesday, October 15 – Site: Hofstra University – Topic: Domestic and Economic Issues – Moderator: Bob Schieffer – Staging: Candidates will be seated at a table – Answer Format: Same as First Presidential Debate – Closing Statements: At the end of this debate (only) each candidate shall have the opportunity for a 90 second closing statement.

Hijab Flutter/Additional Information: You Decide 2008

Muslims Barred From Picture at Obama Event

Obama wants to give Apartheid Israel more missiles. He wants Apartheid Israel to reign over an un-divided Jerusalem. Those however, are his policies abroad. He's so much better on the home front:

Two Muslim women at Barack Obama's rally in Detroit on Monday were barred from sitting behind the podium by campaign volunteers seeking to prevent the women's headscarves from appearing in photographs or on television with the candidate.

The campaign has apologized to the women, both Obama supporters who said they felt betrayed by their treatment at the rally.

"This is of course not the policy of the campaign. It is offensive and counter to Obama's commitment to bring Americans together and simply not the kind of campaign we run," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. "We sincerely apologize for the behavior of these volunteers."
...
In Detroit on Monday, the two different Obama volunteers — in separate incidents — made it clear that headscarves wouldn't be in the picture. The volunteers gave different explanations for excluding the hijabs, one bluntly political and the other less clear.
...
The men said the volunteer, a twenty-something African-American woman in a green shirt, asked if their friends looked and were dressed like the young men, who were all light-skinned and wearing suits. Miller said yes, but mentioned that one of their friends was wearing a headscarf with her suit.

The volunteer "explained to me that because of the political climate and what's going on in the world and what's going on with Muslim Americans, it's not good for [Aref] to be seen on TV or associated with Obama," said Koussan, who is a law student at Wayne State University.
...
When they said they were with Abdelfadeel, the volunteer told them their friend would have to take the headscarf off or stay out of the special section, Marino said. They declined the seats.

After recovering from the shock of the incident, Abdelfadeel went to look for the volunteer and confronted her minutes later, she said in an e-mail interview with Politico.

"We're not letting anyone with anything on their heads like baseball [caps] or scarves sit behind the stage," she paraphrased the volunteer as saying, an account Marino confirmed. "It has nothing to do with your religion!"

In most work and school settings, religious dress — such as Jewish yarmulkes, Sikh turbans, Muslim hijabs — is permitted where secular clothing like baseball caps is not.

"The scarf is not just something she can take off — it's part of her identity," said Marino.

Photographs of the event also show men with hats in the section behind Obama and former Vice President Al Gore, though not directly behind the candidate.

Source: Politico

OK. Alright. You say it was just a volunteer making a mistake? Rather, it was two volunteers. And doesn't the "oh my staffer/volunteer made a mistake" line sound familiar? Yes! That's the same cop out Barbara Boxer used last year to justify Islamophobic actions on her end.

I want to understand. I really do. Somebody please explain to me why we are even bothering with these particular politicians? For intelligent and informed activists, isn't this becoming an issue of self respect?

Update (06/19/2008): Obama Apologizes to Muslim Women for Treatment at Rally

Deadline Fast Approaching

Speaking of Palestine, the Bush Empire and Keith Ellison reminds me: Are you registered to vote yet?

I'm tired of people of conscience complaining (day in and day out) and yet NOT doing EVERYTHING in their power to bring about change. Really though, we do a lot of "talking" and not nearly enough "walking!" Going to a rally every so often and remembering to wear sweat shop free clothing is great, but it's NOT sufficient.

The are two things that will matter MOST in American politics this year 1) MONEY and 2) VOTES.

Have you seen what the organizations that stand for everything that outrages my moral compass spend on elections? Trust me, if you're reading this it's likely you don't have the money to compete with the likes of AIPAC and the pharmaceutical giants.

That leaves one other option: VOTES.

You have YOUR votes and the votes of your peers. You may not be able to raise money but you can organize votes. You can get people involved and excited about the issues. Yes, YOU!

But have you registered to vote? If not, you have until January 22nd to mail in your voter registration application. That is if you care to make your voice heard on SUPER TUESDAY (February 5th).

To register, visit:

California Secretary of State or Rock the Vote

(Also, remember: if you registered as an Independent (i.e., you declined to state an affiliation with a political party) you can vote in either the Democratic or American Independent Party Primary in CA. Simply ask for the ballot of the primary in which you want to participate at the polling station.)

Register ASAP to make sure your voice is heard on February 5th!

***AND If you're too busy to make it to the polls, you can request an absentee ballot and mail it in/drop it off!

The RESULTS are in and the 2008 Presidential nominee is....

The first track post guiding us toward the 2008 election has come and gone this weekend. Did you hear about it?

If you haven't this is how it stands- The reporting of all funds raised by presidential nominee's needed to be reported and were made public, and here is what it looks like:

1. Hillary Clinton some 26 million dollars
2. Barack Obama some 24 million dollars
3. Mit Romney some 21 million dollars
4. all the others running below the meager 15 million dollar mark.

Read more here to see what the figures are like and how significant this plays into the entire race.

But where are the American Muslims. While our community is still reeling from the 2000 election and the support of Bush and the falling out with the Republicans that followed, along with the apathy, and then also the militant anti-participation in American National politics here is just a fun way to gauge which way the American Community is putting their weight behind...well so far the winner seems to be the Obama juggernaut.

Vote at InFocus's poll by going here.

Also leave your comment, even if you find my stance on national elections to be obnoxious, do please leave a comment!