Muslims For Bernie Sanders

Muslims for Bernie Sanders 2016 - Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Muslims-for-Bernie-Sanders-2016-87171600...
Muslims for Bernie Sanders 2016. 6465 likes · 1404 talking about this. We're working to bring our sisters and brothers from the many diverse Muslim...

In the news
Muslim New Yorkers hit the streets to rally support for Bernie Sanders
New York's PIX11 / WPIX-TV‎ - 3 days agoNEW YORK — On the eve of New York's Primary Day, Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders camp released a powerful campaign ...

Pope Francis expands his global influence from Bernie Sanders to the Muslim world
Asia Times‎ - 3 days ago

Muslims for Bernie Sanders - Al Jazeera English
www.aljazeera.com/.../muslims-bernie-sanders-160417053002...
Al Jazeera3 days ago - Bernie Sanders is the closest candidate to the aspirations of millions of decent Americans dreaming of a better future.BOUT THE AUTHOR

Hamid Dabashi

Hamid Dabashi is the Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University.

@HamidDabashi

The dramatic debate between Senator Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton in Brooklyn on April 14, in anticipation of the New York primaries on April 19, notwithstanding, the national conversations about the US presidential campaign has become positively predictable, if not punishingly boring - except for the grassroots mobilisation it has triggered that may one day change the shape of politics in this country. 

Today, I think of the possibility of "democracy" in the US in exactly the way Gandhi is reported to have thought of "Western civilisation": It would be a great idea.

US elections 2016: Democrat Sanders visits the Vatican

On the Republican front, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump are clean-shaven prehistoric cave-dwellers in business suits, while Hillary Clinton on the Democratic front is the dictionary definition of a chameleon - like a corrupt politician changing colour depending on which way the political wind blows but consistently representing mega-donors, big banks, and Super PACs without any moral scruples, while feigning that she cares about the poor and the disenfranchised.

Aspirations of decent Americans

In this presidential campaign, Bernie Sanders is the closest candidate to the aspirations of millions of decent Americans dreaming of a better future for their children while refusing to lend their name to an imperial republic that systematically arms the rich tyrants around the world, supports Israel stealing Palestine and murdering Palestinians one settlement at a time, and helps to create monstrosities such as ISIL.

READ MORE: Donald Trump is the real deal

Come April 19 New York primary, like millions of other New Yorkers, I intend to exercise my very fragile rights as a US citizen and go and vote for Bernie Sanders, doing my share and hoping he will beat Clinton and win the Democratic nomination.

Many Muslims would have sided with and voted for Bernie Sanders even if he were not Jewish.

I do so without any illusion that Bernie Sanders can alter the imperial DNA of this country, or that I am particularly enamoured by this liberal Zionist beating on the dead horse of a "two-state" delusion. 

I intend to vote for Bernie Sanders conscious of a crucial development in the US Muslim community. This year is the first time that I will vote in a presidential election conscious of being a Muslim, and that consciousness is a significant event in the make-up of the US Muslim community at a time of intense Islamophobia.   

I will not be the first nor the only Muslim voting for Sanders in the US. The fact that US Muslims are significantly siding with Senator Sanders has already made major headlines in the US.

There is, in fact, an entire Facebook page dedicated to "Muslims for Bernie Sanders 2016". Leading Muslim scholars and intellectuals like Zareena Grewal and Donna Auston have also written eloquently as to "Why Muslim Americans should vote for Bernie Sanders". 

Reports indicate that "in less than three weeks, Bernie Sanders, being a friend of the Arab and Muslim American communities, has become legendary, and the support from this community of Sanders voters has been growing online since his March 8 victory in Michigan."

The significance of US Muslims rallying behind Sanders as "the only Jewish candidate" should neither be exaggerated nor misinterpreted. This is a crucial development, but we need to know why. 

Above all, this vote signifies the rise of Muslims as a self-conscious, engaged, and assertive community with pronounced political views. To be sure, this does not mean all Muslims are for Sanders. There are plenty of rich and powerful Muslims of all sorts, no doubt, rooting for Hillary Clinton or even voting Republican. The very idea of a "Muslim vote" is as flawed and misleading as that of "the Jewish vote", or "Christian vote". 

The making of a Muslim community

Many Muslims would have sided with and voted for Bernie Sanders even if he were not Jewish. That he is a proud and progressive Jew from a poor immigrant background links him to the deepest layers of Jewish prophetic voices throughout the ages as well as to the Jewish intellectuals and activists vastly involved with the Civil Rights Movement in the US as he, in fact, exemplifies a particularly proud moment for Jewish Americans that Muslims must learn and update.

READ MORE: Why I'd vote for Trump, but you shouldn't

The formation of this crucial political consciousness signals a historic formation that could and should bring Muslims into the forefront of a national awakening in active alliance with such crucial segments of US society as the budding Jewish liberation theology of a post-Zionist era, the Occupy Wall Street uprising, the Black Lives Matter movement, and even the nascent Democracy Spring rallies. 

Sanders is a significant catalyst in this historic moment, bringing significant layers of political consciousness in the US to the forefront of the US presidential election. His supporters are putting up a heroic effort to promote their preferred presidential candidate. These forces, however, must begin to think of the day after a dreadful Clinton nomination, and what would happen to the significant momentum that Sanders' campaign has generated. 

In the formation of that momentum, I believe, Muslims have a significant role to play, not just as Muslims, but more importantly as a momentous gathering integral to progressive fronts joining ranks with equally committed segments of society determined to change the landscape of US politics with wide-ranging global consequences.

Hamid Dabashi is Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York.


Sanders has no clear path to victory after his resounding defeat in New York.

That make Hillary public enemy number 1 now. Looks like President Trump is going to have to beat Hillary if America is to be great again.
ReplyShare00


The author is right, muslims must support Bernie!
After centuries of muslim failure and misery, only a Jewish leader can help muslims now!
ReplyShare10


Warren Raymond
Of course Muslims would vote for this lunatic, who promises massive redistribution and open borders. Only Shrillary would be more qualified to bring America to its knees.
ReplyShare10


Garron Garron
I will feel better about Bernie when he openly and publicly attacks AIPAC and the christian z1o0n1sts for supporting Israel.
ReplyShare1 reply21


geot2 t
I agree.  But one may take heart, and see clearly the difference between the two, Sanders and Clinton, by her remarks to AIPAC, where she withdrew the very last possible trace of American 'neutrality' in the affair, supporting Israel with the utmost weapons, and stated that Israel did not invite attacks, while Sanders declined to attend the AIPAC conference but rather made an appeal for Americans to recognize the Palestinian cause and rights-denied, in comments after.
ReplyShare01


2 days ago
Jaddy Baddy
There are any number of ways to collect 30 million
for a political campaign. You can get 30 mil from
one donor, or ten mil from three donors, or one
mil from 30 donors, or 100k from 300 donors,
or 10k from 3000 donors, or a single donor can
write you 300 checks for 100k, one from this
subsidiary, one from that subsidiary. Now, if you
get say 3000 doctors to write you a separate check,
each, is said political candidate any less beholden
to the medical profession than if the AMA gave
you one check for 30 mil? I mean, come on,
wake up, it's all just bookkeeping. Let's say
the Auto Workers didn't give Bernie Sanders 3,000
separate checks for 10k, does that really mean he
ain't on the hook to Nobody?

What about his last senate campaign, was there a
donation limit, then? Has Bernie Sanders really
refused donations from any and all special
interest groups, for his last senate campaign,
and the one before that, and the twelve
congressional campaigns before that? Teachers,
grocers, doctors, lawyers, police, firemen,
gun dealers, anybody, in a large enough group,
constitues a special interest. You mean Bernie
has run fifteen political campaigns and never
took any money from any special interest? Wellll.

Even if he did, I'm sure he settled up with them
before he ran for president. It's not like he
Still owes anybody, is it, IS IT? Politicians
never forget a deep pocket, not even Bernie
Sanders. I promise you, the deep pockets haven't
forgotten Bernie Sanders, and oh how they do come
a callin'.


As a born muslim and my family roots breaching back to the family of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and studying the Quran with depth and understanding the struggles our Prophet (pbuh) made during the time he was in Medina....it clearly states in Quran with examples of Musa, Esa, and many other prophets who were murdered by the people of jews followers. We have given warning signals in Quran about trusting Jews, and now we have the highest position in the world running for President...and our Muslim's are voting for Bernie ???  Although, I respect and credit his energy...but I will not give my vote to Bernie...simply because he over promises and will under deliver....the fantasy world in Capitalistic society which is U.S.A to provide free college education for all and free health care....its just fooling our muslims and especially youth....He has yet to provide a action plan on how he will pass this through the U.S. Congress and Legislation...what he perch's is something he will not live to see...and will likely not fully take place till another 50 years....My vote is for Hillary, because she is realistic and does not blow smoke off her ears like Senator Sanders...

Why Muslim Americans should vote for Bernie Sanders - Al ...
www.aljazeera.com/.../muslim-americans-vote-bernie-sanders-...
Al JazeeraFeb 29, 2016 - It is Sanders who represents the combination of superior values and the best hope for winning in the general election, write Grewal and Auston ...

Why Is Bernie Sanders So Silent On Hate Toward Muslims? | Alternet
www.alternet.org/.../why-bernie-sanders-so-silent-hate-toward-m...
AlterNetMaybe he is taking the love the Muslim, hate Islam approach. There are .... On the campaign trail and on social media, Bernie Sanders continues to speak VERY ...

Arabs, Muslims For Bernie Sanders Trend Still Going Strong ...
www.inquisitr.com/.../arabs-muslims-for-bernie-sanders-trend-still-going...
Mar 27, 2016 - The myth that Muslims and Arabs will have a problem voting for Bernie Sanders because he is Jewish is growing weaker everyday.

Bernie Sanders wins big with Michigan Muslims ... - CNN.com
www.cnn.com/2016/.../muslim-american-voters-bernie-sanders-irpt/
CNNMar 11, 2016 - A Michigan city with a large Muslim population overwhelmingly voted forBernie Sanders during Tuesday's primaries.

Yes, Muslims Voted For A Jewish Candidate. No, Pundits ...
www.huffingtonpost.com/.../dearborn-muslims-arab...
The Huffington PostMar 10, 2016 - Arab-Americans in Dearborn, Michigan, shut down uneducated commentary about their support for Bernie Sanders.

Report: Muslim Voters Fuel Bernie Sanders' Upset Victory in ...
www.breitbart.com/.../report-muslim-voters-fuel-...
Breitbart News NetworkMar 9, 2016 - Despite the fact that Sanders is Jewish—albeit not a religious Jew—Michigan's Muslim community overwhelmingly supported him over the ...

Sanders took Dearborn by a remarkable victory of 63 percent to Clinton’s 37 percent.

Still, many of the Arab immigrants and Arab-Americans in the city of almost 100,000 are not Muslims, but are Christian Arabs.

Sanders, who has been formally endorsed by Arab-American News, spoke to a packed theater on Monday and his audience included many Arab-American Muslims, including women wearing hijab, the Islamic headscarf, who sat behind him as he addressed the crowd. Sanders was introduced by U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN)23%
, D-Minn., the first Muslim elected to Congress.

Earlier this week, Sanders released an Arabic-language radio ad aimed at Dearborn’s Arab voting population. Speaking in Arabic, the narrator denounces attacks on Islam by Republican candidates, and then features Sanders saying, “we have got to stand together to end all forms of racism.”

Muslim leaders reportedly feel let down by Clinton who failed to reach out more to the Muslim community, although she did defend Islam at a rally in Detroit.  Huma Abedin, a Muslim from Michigan, is reportedly one of Clinton’s “closest advisers.”

As has happened elsewhere in the nation, younger voters gravitated toward Sanders where the older set supported Hillary. Young Arab-Americans at Salina said they were concerned that Clinton was a hawk who supported the invasion of Iraq and is supporting war in Yemen.